Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)/Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) in Values-Driven Leadership, for Senior Executives
College: Daniel L. Goodwin College of Business
Department: Business
Student Type: Doctorate Semester
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)/Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
Campus: Lisle Campus
Introduction
Benedictine University’s award-winning Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)/Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) in Values-Driven Leadership program is specifically designed for senior executives committed to using the creativity and discipline of business to:
- Create short-term and long-term shareholder value.
- Enrich people’s lives and help them to thrive.
- Produce products and services that benefit society.
- Contribute to the health, sustainability and flourishing of the planet.
The program offers a unique combination of research, theory, practice and action-based learning to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to lead strategically at the intersection of business and society.
The program is designed to be completed in three years (66 semester credit hours), and is tailored to meet the exacting standards and demanding schedules of senior leaders who work full-time. To accommodate those who commute from around the globe, classes are held once a month on weekends and during an annual 8-day intensive. Benedictine University is about a 30-minute drive from Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports.
Overview
The Ph.D./D.B.A. in Values-Driven Leadership program is a rigorous, fully-accredited doctoral program for senior executives that connects students to globally influential leaders and a broad range of opportunities for research and practice in the areas of global leadership, strategic change and corporate sustainability.
Benedictine University’s Ph.D./D.B.A. program is the first scholar-practitioner program in the world focusing explicitly on values-driven leadership – that is, the theory and practice of leading profitable, sustainable, and responsible companies in today’s global economy. The program equips students to become thought leaders who have a transformative impact on business and society by leading boldly at four levels: personal, interpersonal, organizational and globally.
Other key features include:
- Exceptional scholars: Learning from Benedictine University’s world-class faculty and distinguished visiting scholars and executives from leading universities and companies around the globe.
- Global connections: Traveling to different parts of the world to engage in high-quality learning exchanges with top scholars and executives from other countries and cultures.
- A cohort of executives: Engaging in the classroom with an exceptional group of peers — experienced executives like yourself who share a passion for values-driven leadership.
- World-class research: Participating with Benedictine faculty and a global network of scholars in leading-edge research initiatives focused on leadership, sustainability and organizational change.
- Choice of degrees: You may choose one of two degrees, a Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy) or a D.B.A. (doctor of business administration).
- One-of-a-kind curriculum: Engaging coursework that integrates the fields of business; leadership and organizational change; and social, ethical, and environmental responsibility.
- Convenience: Attending classes on a schedule convenient for senior leaders working full-time and for those who commute from outside the Chicago area (once a month on weekends, plus an annual 8-day intensive, for the first two years of the program). Complete the degree in three years.
- Personal transformation: We are committed to your personal and professional transformation; our faculty work with students to tailor their research and writing to help advance the student’s career and individual goals.
In addition, students are expected to contribute to the field before they graduate from the program by presenting at conferences and publishing in leading journals.
Students who begin the Ph.D./D.B.A. program in Values-Driven Leadership in 2019 or later may earn a Master’s of Science in Values-Driven Leadership en route to their doctorate. The master’s degree can be awarded after the student has earned at minimum 30 semester credit hours or at minimum 45 quarter credit hours (for those entering the program prior to Spring 2021) of qualifying courses within the doctoral program and must be awarded within the six year graduate program limit; it cannot be awarded after the Ph.D. or D.B.A. is complete. Students must earn at least a “B” in each course and maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average. Students must consult with the department chair before applying for the master’s degree and will need to officially apply for the master’s degree through the Office of the Registrar; it is not automatically awarded.
Curriculum
The Ph.D./D.B.A. in Values-Driven Leadership is a fully-accredited doctoral program offered at Benedictine University. It is based on the premise that business is the most powerful institution on the planet. Leadership decisions made in the workplace shape the lives of individuals, economies and the world more than any other single institution. Increasingly, smart business leaders are leveraging social, ethical and environmental performance to drive innovation and profitable growth.
The curriculum integrates psychological, sociological, organizational and economic perspectives on responsible leadership in today’s global context. Students draw from their experience, action-learning initiatives, the latest research, and spirited dialogue with faculty and distinguished visiting scholars to advance the fields of strategic leadership, corporate sustainability, and organizational change and to expand their capacity to lead at four levels: personally, interpersonally, organizationally, and globally. The curriculum focuses on theory and practice in four core areas:
- global leadership and leadership development;
- strategic change;
- corporate sustainability, and;
- research methods in preparation for the dissertation research.
Emphasis in the first year is placed on leadership theory, leading self, leading teams, moral and ethical foundations of leadership, organizational theory and behavior, leading change and developing organizations. Students are also introduced to their first research methods course for an understanding of the unique requirements of applied and scholar-practitioner approaches to research and writing. Also in the first year, students are required to attend the Academy of Management Annual Conference, the leading academic conference in the field of management, as part of MNGT 7760 Lecture Series Seminar I. Attending this world-class conference gives students early exposure to some of the field’s leading scholars and the topics and research methods they are using.
The second year focuses on the origins, evolution and leading thinking around leadership development, socially responsible business, corporate sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and the strategic and market challenges of leading in today’s global context. It also includes seminars on quantitative and qualitative research methods to prepare students for the completion of their dissertations. Additionally, students are required to attend the International Leadership Association’s annual conference, held in the fall. This conference, the foremost conference for scholars of leadership, gives students a remarkable opportunity to present their own research while making connections with scholars who are pursuing research topics that align with student interest.
The third year is dedicated to completion of the dissertation. Throughout the course of the program, students are also required to participate in a global exchange in which they travel internationally with faculty and fellow students to engage in dynamic learning activities with top scholars and executives from other countries and cultures. This global exchange can be done anytime during the program (Year 1, 2, or 3), but credit is given in the third year.
Both degree programs (Ph.D. and D.B.A.) require a total of 66 semester credit hours for students completed during a three-year period. Students are enrolled year-round for the duration of the program.
Required semester courses include:
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
MNGT 7705 | Orientation for DVDL Admitted Students | 0 |
MNGT 7710 | Leadership Theory, Research & Practice | 3 |
MNGT 7720 | Leading Self: Your Career Leadership Legacy | 2 |
MNGT 7730 | Research Methods I: Scholar-Practitioner Strategies | 3 |
MNGT 7740 | Leading Teams | 3 |
MNGT 7760 | Lecture Series Seminar I (required to take two sections A and B) | 2 |
MNGT 7770 | Moral & Ethical Foundations of Leadership | 3 |
MNGT 7780 | Organizational Theory and Behavior | 3 |
MNGT 7790 | Leading Change & Developing Organizations | 3 |
MNGT 8810 | Leadership & Corporate Social Responsibility | 3 |
MNGT 8820 | Leading Corporate Sustainability | 3 |
MNGT 8830 | Leading & Developing Others | 2 |
MNGT 8840 | Leading in the Global Economy | 3 |
MNGT 8850 | Strategic Leadership | 3 |
MNGT 8860 | Lecture Series Seminar II (required to take two sections A and B) | 2 |
MNGT 8870 | Research Methods II: Qualitative Methods | 3 |
MNGT 8875 | Research Methods III: Quantitative Methods | 3 |
MNGT 8900 | Dissertation Research (taken 3x) | 18 |
MNGT 8910 | Global Exchange/International Trip | 4 |
Optional Course | ||
Dissertation Continuation | ||
Total Hours | 66 |
Students may not enter the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)/Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) program on quarters as of the Spring 2021 term.
Existing students should refer to original catalog of entry for appropriate academic requirements.
Management
Students who earn a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)/Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) in Values-Driven Leadership, for Senior Executives will achieve the following student learning outcomes (SLO):
Student Learning Outcome 1: Foundational Knowledge: Understand and apply core knowledge in the fields of values-driven leadership, strategic change, and corporate sustainability, including history, current trends, and future directions.
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills; 2. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills
Student Learning Outcome 2: Research Methods and Analysis: Understand and apply appropriate research methods in the fields of values-driven leadership, strategic change, and corporate sustainability.
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills; 2. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills; 5. Analytical Skills
Student Learning Outcome 3: Independent Research: Make an original contribution to the fields of values-driven leadership, strategic change, and corporate sustainability through independent research.
• University SLO: 1. Disciplinary Competence and Skills; 2. Critical and Creative Thinking Skills; 7. Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility; 5. Analytical Skills
Student Learning Outcome 4: Scholar-Practitioner Contribution: Provide values-driven leadership in business and society.
• University SLO: 7. Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility