College: Daniel L. Goodwin College of Business
Department: Business
Student Type: Doctorate Semester
Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Campus: Lisle Campus
Introduction
The Ph.D. in Organization Development (OD) program is dedicated to better understanding the work of the OD professional within the context of global trends and emerging problems. It prepares management professionals with state-of-the-art education in the field. The coursework is designed for organization development professionals who perceive the management of change and the creation of high-performance organizations as central parts of their careers. It is designed as a full-time program integrated with and complementary to full-time work activities. Classes generally are held on weekends.
The master’s level OD program at Benedictine University was one of the first graduate OD programs in the country. Currently, it is the third largest behaviorally-oriented management program nationally and is one of the top-rated graduate OD programs internationally.
The first two years of the Ph.D. in Organization Development program curriculum is devoted to context courses, including a course on global trends, followed by a course on the evolution of OD.
The first set of context courses concentrates on setting the tone and developing sensitivity to the role of organization development in terms of social responsibility in the national and global arenas. These courses review the nature of emerging problems and the role of organizations and organization development in responding to these problems. Heavy emphasis is placed on the philosophy of science and organization research and theory.
The second set of context courses places organization development within management and the strategic role of organization development. The second-year curriculum is devoted to the development of a core of organization development competencies and selected, advanced topics courses covering state-of-the-art interventions. Qualitative and quantitative research methods, as well as organizational theory and research coursework, comprise much of the second-year coursework.
The third year consists of continued advanced topics courses, including an international seminar and completion of the dissertation.
Overview
The Ph.D. in Organization Development program prepares management professionals with state-of-the-art education in the field. Built on a 50-year history of successful graduate-level OD education, this program is intended for those persons with extensive experience, who currently hold responsible positions either in the field of organization development, management or a closely-allied field such as human resource management. It is a three-year program, consisting of a first year of context courses, a second year covering some core OD knowledge areas and a third year consisting of advanced OD topics and the completion of a dissertation. The doctoral degree in Organization Development at Benedictine University was one of the first graduate OD programs in the country. It is currently the third largest behaviorally-oriented management program in the nation and one of the top-rated graduate OD programs internationally.
Semester Curriculum
The program is designed to provide a forum for exposure to a wide range of contributors to the field and approaches to organization development. The program is staffed by full-time Benedictine University faculty members, complemented by a core of adjunct faculty and invited scholars. Invited distinguished scholars, noted for their contribution to the field, are teamed with faculty when appropriate, particularly in advanced seminars.
The Ph.D. in Organization Development program is designed to provide broad-based theory and research with the intent of creating scholar-practitioners capable of extending the knowledge horizons of the field. Individuals who successfully complete the program will consistently demonstrate professional competence and excellence through:
- Knowledge of the history and development of the field of organization development as a scientific-applied discipline.
- Knowledge of emerging concepts and theory in the field, knowledge of and commitment to the concept of the practitioner-scholar and its role in the further development of the field.
- Knowledge of the current and projected global trends and problems, and the responsibility and role of the field in relationship to these trends in a global culture.
- A demonstrated command of theoretical and applied research methodologies, including but not limited to: action research, diagnostic research, evaluation research and theory building research.
- A capacity to create and use innovative intervention strategies to enhance the ability of organizations to better manage their resources and cope with turbulent and unpredictable environments.
- Knowledge of and demonstrated abilities in data collection and analysis, including but not limited to: interviewing, participant-observer methods, questionnaire design, unobtrusive measures and quantitative and qualitative data analysis supported through relevant information, technology, knowledge and skill.
- Demonstrated ability in general consulting and interpersonal skills, including organizational assessment, intervention strategies, process consultation, entry and contracting integrity, personal centering, active learning, trust, rapport building and modeling of behaviors in concert with the OD Code of Ethics.
- Knowledge of and commitment to the OD Code of Ethics and the role of the OD practitioner scholar in creating and fostering the ethical organization knowledge of and demonstrated contribution to the field of organization development through:
- appropriate membership and leadership roles in professional organizations.
- regular contributions to the knowledge and critique of the field through submission to, and publication in, peer-reviewed journals; and
- consistent presence and participation in regional and national conferences through the presentation of both scholarly and practitioner-oriented research.
The Ph.D. in Organization Development is a three-year continuous cohort program requiring completion of 72 semester credit hours. It is the expectation that students complete the program in three years. Students must receive approval for and coordinate any break in course and program registration. With faculty approval, a student may request to enroll in additional semesters to complete the dissertation. However, the student would incur additional tuition costs. Benedictine University doctoral students are required to complete all coursework and graduation requirements within six years from initial enrollment in the program.
All coursework with a grade below "B" must be repeated for the course to apply toward graduation. All Ph.D. courses are foundation courses and, as identified in the catalog, require a grade of a "B" or higher to apply toward graduation requirements.
Program Courses:
First Year (24 credit hours)
MNGT 7132 Environmental Trends - Evolution of Organization Development (3)
MNGT 7133 Group Process (3)
MNGT 7134 Organization Strategy (3)
MNGT 7135 Philosophy of Science (3)
MNGT 7136 Organization Research and Theory (3)
MNGT 7137 Integrative Philosophy of Science/Organization Theory (3)
MNGT 7138 Organization Change and Design (3)
MNGT 7191 Lecture Series Seminar (3)
Second Year (24 credit hours)
MNGT 8111 Environmental Trends - Global (3)
MNGT 8112 Qualitative Methods (3)
MNGT 8113 Quantitative Methods (3)
MNGT 8114 Organization Consultation (3)
MNGT 8115 Advanced Topics: Views of Organization Development (3)
MNGT 8116 Advanced Topics: Integrative Quantitative & Qualitative Seminar (3)
MNGT 8117 Advanced Topics: Scholarly Practitioner Journey (3)
MNGT 8191 Lecture Series Seminar (3)
Third Year (24 credit hours)
MNGT 8197 Advanced Topics: International Conference (6)
MNGT 8198 Dissertation - Phase I (9)
MNGT 8199 Dissertation - Phase II (9)
If the required dissertation was not completed by the end of third year of the program, students will continue to enroll in MNGT 8201 Dissertation Continuation (6 credits) each subsequent semester until the dissertation is completed to remain active in the program.
Dissertation:
While the program is a three-year initiative, the dissertation is designed to be integrated throughout all years of study. Students are encouraged to begin reviewing dissertation possibilities upon being accepted into the program and to continue to explore and develop dissertation topics throughout their coursework. Students are encouraged to select topics consistent with the major research themes within the program. It is expected that research topics be selected during the first year as part of the initial research course. During the second year, it would be expected that papers be presented at local or regional professional meetings as part of the learning and feedback process. In the final year of the program, during completion of the dissertation, students would be expected to present their work at national meetings and submit papers for publication.
Quarter Curriculum
Students may not enter the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program on quarters as of the Summer 2022 term.
Existing students should refer to original catalog of entry for appropriate academic requirements.
Students in the Ph.D. in Organization Development will achieve the following student learning outcomes (SLO):
Student Learning Outcome 1: Foundational Knowledge: Understand and apply core knowledge in the field of OD from the frame of a scholar-practitioner, including history, emerging concepts and theories, current and projected global trends and problems, and application through practice.
Student Learning Outcome 2: Research Methods and Analysis: Understand and apply appropriate research methods in the field of Organization Development.
Student Learning Outcome 3: OD in a Global Setting: Describe and understand major global environmental trends, including economic, demographic, political, legislative, influencing organizational effectiveness and the role of organizational development.
Student Learning Outcome 4: Scholarly Contributions to the Field: Demonstrated command of both theory and practice in the field of organizational development.
MNGT 7132 Environmental Trends - Evolution of Organization Development. This course focuses on the role and potential contribution of the field and practice of organization development. It is designed to explore and understand the history and the development of the field of OD. This course assists in providing a frame of reference for understanding past, present and future issues in OD. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7133 Group Process. The intent of the course is to provide you with insight and understanding into the history of group dynamics and team building in the field of organization development. Included in the history is an explanation of the specific role of t-groups, and sensitivity training. The course provides the opportunity to discuss classic concepts and literature in group dynamics. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7134 Organization Strategy. This course integrates OD into the concept of organizational strategy. The focus on the role of OD in the development and implementation of organization strategy. The course reviews traditional management strategy concepts and approaches along with O.D. approaches including Integrated Strategic Management. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7135 Philosophy of Science. This course is devoted to understanding the construction, development, and refinement of knowledge in the social-organizational sciences. It seeks to help students strengthen conceptual skills in advancing knowledge in the social sciences, to navigate through the process of structured inquiry, to understand the different goals of scientific inquiry (understanding, explanation, generativity, and prediction). 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7136 Organization Research and Theory. This Organization Theory (OT) seminar is a doctoral level introduction to some key perspectives (both traditional and contemporary) in organization theory and research. Organization Theory is closely intertwined with Organization Development in the sense that it provides the theoretical fodder for the practice of change. The aim of the course is to examine a number of perspectives in OT, consider the strengths and weaknesses of each, and to look at the comparative ability of these models to explain a variety of organizational phenomena and examine their implications for practice. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7137 Integrative Philosophy of Science/OrganizationTheory. This course combines concepts from Philosophy of Science and Organization Theory into a doctoral seminar to prepare for first-year qualifying examinations. Covers theory and research with a primary focus on Organization Development research. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7138 Organization Change and Design. This course provides an understanding of organization design that is foundational knowledge for scholar-practitioners in the organization sciences as it is the fundamental infrastructure and context within which people and organizations function. This course provides a platform to discuss not only design, but also diagnosis and change, such as types of change, strategies for change and how to manage change. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7191 Lecture Series Seminar. This series for first-year concepts brings to campus top national academicians and consultants to address state-of-the-art issues in Organizational Behavior, Organization Development and Human Resources Management. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7705 Orientation for DVDL Admitted Students. (Formerly DVDL 7705) Students admitted to the Ph.D./D.B.A. in Values-Driven Leadership program are required to attend orientation at the beginning of their program. This provides an overview of the curriculum, an explanation of the doctoral process, and an introduction to Benedictine University services, policies and procedures. New cohort students will also attend the Lecture Series Seminar along with current cohort students, faculty and alumni. No credit or grade is given for this course. 0 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7710 Leadership Theory, Research & Practice. (Formerly DVDL 7710) This course focuses on understanding the major streams of thought in leadership theory, research and practice. Emphasis is placed on comparing and contrasting historical trends such as trait, behavioral, contingency and charismatic theories of leadership and also exploring contemporary approaches such as transformational leadership, servant leadership, authentic leadership, positive leadership and shared leadership. Personal assessment instruments and practical application projects allow students to develop and apply their personal leadership theory. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7720 Leading Self: Your Career Leadership Legacy. (Formerly DVDL 7720) This course has three primary objectives: (1) build strong working relationships among cohort members, (2) reinforce the initial introduction to leadership theory and research and (3) allow each cohort member to strengthen their leadership vision and capacity by identifying and leveraging their unique strengths as a leader. Students complete a series of assessments and personal development activities to help clarify their leadership point-of-view, strengthen their individual leadership capacity and engage in activities to create cohesion in the cohort group. 2 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7730 Research Methods I: Scholar-Practitioner Strategies. (Formerly DVDL 7730) This is the first of three research methods courses including (1) scholar-practitioner strategies, (2) quantitative research methods and (3) qualitative research methods. This course is designed to help students develop an initial familiarity with statistics and quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods approaches to research. Attention is also given to understanding the unique requirements of applied and scholar-practitioner approaches to research and writing. The remaining research courses are held in year two. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7740 Leading Teams. (Formerly DVDL 7740) Although most of us have been on various kinds of teams throughout our lives, we seldom take time to systematically observe and analyze how teams function and consider how they could be shaped and structured to function better. Yet observation and analysis are the first steps in understanding teams, shaping their dynamics, and ultimately improving their performance. In this course, students have the opportunity to analyze their own team processes and explore the dynamics of leading diverse, high-performing teams, while learning from and applying the best of the team process and development literature. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7760 Lecture Series Seminar I. (Formerly DVDL 7760) Through the leadership lecture series, we invite the world’s top scholars to Benedictine to present to the broader business community and interact personally with our Ph.D./D.B.A. students. Additionally, as part of this course, our students attend premier conferences within the field of study to present and engage with scholars and practitioners from around the world. 1 semester credit hour/s. Course Repeatable. Maximum number of units allowed: 2.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall and Spring Terms)
MNGT 7770 Moral & Ethical Foundations of Leadership. (Formerly DVDL 7770) This course explores social, moral, and ethical philosophy as it relates to leadership in the corporate arena. Specific attention is paid to comparing and contrasting theories on the purpose of business, human nature and relationships, ethical decision making, and the meaning of sustainability and relational accountability on an organizational, societal, and global level. Students relate these theoretical perspectives to their own purpose, values, and commitments as leaders, their approach to leading and enriching the lives of others, and the role they play in shaping the vision, mission, priorities, and strategies of their organizations. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7780 Organizational Theory and Behavior. (Formerly DVDL 7780) This course focuses on identifying theory and research that frames the current study of organizations from the macro and micro perspectives. The first weekend examines competing schools of organizational theory that facilitate our attempts to understand organizations and key issues/topics. The second weekend focuses on micro issues of organizational behavior, including topics such as human needs and motivation, emotions, conflict, work stress, trust, and cross-cultural issues; as well as more recent positive deviance topics that capitalize on human strengths and capacities (peak performance; thriving and human flourishing; resilience; positive identity, meaning, emotions, and relationships; creativity; compassion). 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 7790 Leading Change & Developing Organizations. (Formerly DVDL 7790) This course examines the theories and research regarding organizational culture, design, and change. Attention is devoted to understanding the structural and cultural leverage points that allow leaders to create sustainable value and build highly-ethical, highly-reliable, high-performing organizations. Attention is also paid to the processes and dynamics of leading successful large-scale organizational change from a senior executive position. Case studies, simulations, and application projects are used to translate theory into practice. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8111 Environmental Trends - Global. This course reviews major global environmental trends including economic, demographic, political, legislative as well as other global trends influencing organizational effectiveness. The course focuses on the identification of major global problems and the role of organization development. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8112 Qualitative Methods. This seminar will focus on the qualitative approach to designing social and organizational research. Topics include observations and conversations/interviews, about the experiences of people (Emic categories) and move toward building theory to help illuminate, explain, and extend those experiences. Emphasizes grounded theory, participant observation and case study. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8113 Quantitative Methods. This course emphasizes the understanding of the connection between research design, measurement, data reduction and analysis. Focuses on the evolution of a quantitative study from research questions, hypotheses and conceptual understanding top variable operationalization, data collection, data reduction and the resulting data files used in statistical analysis. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8114 Organization Consultation. This course is an overview of organizational consultation tools and methods. Emphasizes assessment, diagnosis, style, techniques, strategies, approaches, knowledge base and power. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8115 Advanced Topics: Views of Organization Development. This course uses a seminar format designed to provide additional preparation for the dissertation and their responsibilities as scholar-practitioners. The course focuses on current and projected future approaches and trends in the field and provides the opportunity to discuss dissertation topics as the contribution to the field within the context of these current and future trends. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8116 Advanced Topics: Integrative Quantitative & Qualitative Seminar. This course considers both quantitative and qualitative research approaches with an emphasis on integration. Three course topic themes include 1) mixed method designs; 2) approaches and strategies for maximizing constant comparative methods; and 3) principles for writing convincing research. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8117 Advanced Topics: Scholarly Practitioner Journey. This course provides a seminar approach to understanding the learning and experience of the scholar/practitioner. Seminar may include presentations with alumni and visiting faculty who provide their insights into the contribution of the dissertation as the basis for publications and papers and the student’s role as a PhD in OD, as well as continuing contributors to the knowledge base of the field. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8191 Lecture Series Seminar. This series for second-year concepts brings to campus top national academicians and consultants to address state-of-the-art issues in Organizational Behavior, Organization Development and Human Resources Management. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8197 Advanced Topics: International Conference. This seminar involves travelling abroad to explore the concept of Organization Development and Change in different cultures. This is an opportunity to create a scholar-practitioner professional network to serve as the foundation for future work as a global OD practitioner. 6 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8198 Dissertation - Phase I. Continuation of Research, Chapter Writing, and Dissertation Publishing. 6 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8199 Dissertation - Phase II. Completion of Research, Chapter Writing, and Dissertation Publishing. 6 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8200 Dissertation - Phase III. This is a fourth-year continuation course in the event a student’s research requires an extra semester. 6 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8201 Dissertation Continuation. This is a fourth-year continuation course in the event a student’s research requires an extra semester. 6 semester credit hour/s. Course Repeatable. Maximum number of units allowed: 99.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8810 Leadership & Corporate Social Responsibility. (Formerly DVDL 8810) This course provides an overview of the origins, evolution, and leading thinking around the theory and practice of socially responsible business and social entrepreneurship. Students explore current trends, leading literature, theory, and case studies while participating in experiential exercises and interactive projects in order to gain practical insights into how society’s increasing expectations are driving innovation and impacting the firm’s social license to operate. The goal of this course is for students to better understand how business relates to society and the ways in which corporate social responsibility can be integrated into all facets of organizational life to drive the creation of shared value. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8820 Leading Corporate Sustainability. (Formerly DVDL 8820) This course focuses specifically on turning sustainable business practices into a competitive advantage. It is designed to cover a range of issues on the topic of sustainability that are central to leaders in today’s economy, including how to maximize business and environmental objectives while managing complex stakeholder relationships and how to gain competitive advantage through environmentally sustainable practices such as strategic alignment, product and process innovation, and sustainable supply chain management. It also explores research and best practices of executive sustainability and personal flourishing, including the areas of meaning, high-quality relationships, and physical and emotional health. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8830 Leading & Developing Others. (Formerly 8830) This course provides an in-depth exploration of the theory and practice of leadership development. It focuses on three primary areas: (1) human development theory, particularly from the perspective of the new and emerging field of positive psychology and strength based leadership, (2) leadership capacity building, and (3) the dynamics of executive coaching. Students put theory into practice via application projects both in class and in their organizations and strengthen their capacity to build cultures of inclusive leadership. 2 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8840 Leading in the Global Economy. (Formerly 8840) This course explores the application of economic, legal, and political theory to the task of leadership in today’s global context. Included are discussions of historical and current economic and political trends and their relationship to corporate sustainability, corporate strategy, and leadership decision-making. Specific emphasis is placed on the future of global business, approaches to successful economic development of organizations, risk assessment and management, issues relating to governmental regulations, and leading in diverse cross-cultural settings. Case studies of successful and unsuccessful global leadership are analyzed. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8850 Strategic Leadership. (Formerly DVDL 8850) This course focuses on the role of senior leadership in developing and executing corporate strategy. It examines historical and contemporary approaches and the underlying theories that support them. It addresses governance, market, organizational, and process issues that affect successful strategy formation and implementation. Particular emphasis is placed on the unique challenges and opportunities of developing corporate strategy for sustainable value creation. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8860 Lecture Series Seminar II. (Formerly DVDL 8860) Through the leadership lecture series, we invite the world’s top scholars to Benedictine to present to the broader business community and interact personally with our Ph.D./D.B.A. students. Additionally, as part of this course, our students attend premier conferences within the field of study to present and engage with scholars and practitioners from around the world. 1 semester credit hour/s. Course Repeatable. Maximum number of units allowed: 2.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall and Spring Terms)
MNGT 8870 Research Methods II: Qualitative Methods. (Formerly DVDL 8870) A companion to Scholar-Practitioner Strategies and Quantitative Research Methods, this course is designed to develop proficiency in collecting, analyzing, and reporting qualitative data, using a variety of qualitative tools. It includes phenomenology, ethnography, narrative, case studies, grounded theory, and generative theory. Attention is given to their history, traditions, conceptual bases and applications. In addition, students conduct a mini-qualitative research project from start to finish equipping them with the tools they need to use qualitative methods in their dissertation research. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8875 Research Methods III: Quantitative Methods. (Formerly DVDL 8880) A companion to Scholar-Practitioner Strategies and Qualitative Research Methods, this course is designed to help students develop proficiency in quantitative analysis for interpreting social and organizational data. It includes experimental, quasi-experimental, and several multivariate designs as well as analysis of quantitative studies and an examination of the ethics involved in research. Appropriate statistical techniques are discussed, critiqued and applied. 3 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8900 Dissertation Research. (Formerly DVDL 8890) Students in the Ph.D. track earn their degree by completing a scholarly dissertation based on original research, while students in the D.B.A. track earn their degree by completing an applied dissertation based on the implementation and analysis of an application project. While the program is a three-year initiative, the dissertation is designed to be integrated throughout all years of study. Students are encouraged to begin reviewing dissertation possibilities upon acceptance into the program and to continue to explore and develop dissertation topics throughout their coursework. Students are encouraged to select topics consistent with the major research themes within the program. In addition, throughout the program students are expected to contribute to the field and gain feedback on their work by presenting at conferences and publishing in journals. 4-7 semester credit hour/s. Course Repeatable. Maximum number of units allowed: 18.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
MNGT 8910 Global Exchange/International Trip. (Formerly DVDL 8891) Students are 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. 4 semester credit hour/s.
Campus: LISLE
MNGT 8920 Dissertation Continuation. (Formerly DVDL 8900) A course designed to enroll students who did not complete their dissertation during year 3 of their program. 3-4 semester credit hour/s. Course Repeatable. Maximum number of units allowed: 33.
Campus: LISLE (Typically Offered: Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms)
