Online Doctorate Degree in Management - Executive Leadership

Doctor of Management - Executive Leadership

Even seasoned leaders may have much to learn when it comes to motivating individuals and teams to achieve goals. You can work to develop leadership abilities by pursuing a Doctor of Management degree in Executive Leadership from CTU. In this degree program, students study core leadership and management theories combined with research processes and methodologies. If you’re seeking to build upon your leadership skills or pursue a consulting practice, this degree could be ideal for you.

100

Program Credits

10 Weeks

Course Length

Online

Location

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Program Overview

Effective February 2019, this program is no longer available for future enrollments at the Denver South campus.

The Doctor of Management with a concentration in Executive Leadership program includes a combination of core management and elective courses, as well as doctoral symposium and research-related courses. The research element will culminate in a dissertation.

The Doctor of Management is a terminal degree for management professionals. The program helps students prepare to think and act strategically and provides the opportunity to enhance their abilities to make positive contributions in their chosen area of management expertise. The executive leadership concentration is for those seeking to pursue careers in leadership at a senior level or develop a consulting practice. This concentration combines core leadership and management theory and practice with research process.

This program does not lead to additional licensure or certification. As such, CTU has made no determination regarding prerequisites for licensure or certification in any state or jurisdiction.

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Courses

Courses: Core		Credits
MGMT802 The course examines the four critical aspects of a successful manager-leader: personal identity as a manager-leader, ability to embrace ambiguity, problem identification, and problem solving. The course will utilize classic and contemporary readings and research in Organizational Behavior and Management Theory.	Management Theory	4
MGMT808 Students will look at moral dilemmas and choices in organizational life and professional careers. Students will review research and literature on socio-technical systems from the global perspectives.	Management and Ethics	4
MGMT818 This is an active course in leadership, building on critical and creative thinking. Students will be expected to build and develop their leadership with new doctoral students via cooperative research projects and programs of research.	Leadership Theory and Development	4
MGMT822 MGMT822 is the first of two practice courses which provides the student(s) with the opportunity to engage in field practice in an actual organization. This Course provides an opportunity to plan for the intervention in an actual client system using the theories, models, practices of Organization Development, Action Research, Process Consultation, and Appreciative Approaches to change. At the close of the course, the student(s) shall have produced a proposal which includes an overview of the project and organization, the methods to be employed, and how data will be collected and analyzed (and other components TBD by professor).	Application of Action Research	4
MGMT824 This course is designed to develop and expand students’ ability to think strategically. This will involve various typologies and methods of exploration and an examination of heuristics and biases. Students will work to develop the capacity for concurrent action and ‘birds-eye’ perspectives of ongoing organizational activity.	Strategic Thinking and Organizational Alignment	4
MGMT828 MGMT828 is the second of two practice courses which provides the student(s) with the opportunity to engage in field practice in an actual organization. This course supports the execution of plans made in MGMT822 to intervene in an actual client system using the theories, models, practices of Organization Development, Action Research, Process Consultation, and Appreciative Approaches to change. At the close of the course, the student(s) shall have produced a document/paper outlining the project, methods employed, analysis and learnings related to the theory, methods, the specific project, and self-as-instrument.	Practice and Theory of Consulting and Intervention	4
MGMT832 This course develops skills in futuring via Delphi, Future Search, scenario building and other techniques. Students will talk with futurists and futures organizations, becoming involved in the World Futures Society and tech trending with leading electronics and aerospace companies. They will develop a socio-technology plan for the future of the organization and will also look at formal models of innovation and diffusion of innovation.	Organization Innovation and Scenario Thinking	4
RES804 This course provides a general understanding of both quantitative and qualitative methods within the context of research designs. Research design is the plan for the selection and application of accepted research practices. Research methods provide models for the appropriate collection, organization and analysis of data for decision-making, replication, and contribution to a knowledge base. Additionally, this course supports doctoral students’ abilities to demonstrate an understanding of the research purpose, nature and forms of research design and their relationship to research questions, methods for data collection and data analyses.	Principles of Research Methods and Design	4
RES812 This course examines the fundamental principles of qualitative inquiry differentiating among various qualitative research designs. Includes active engagement and practice with capturing qualitative data including being a participant observer and an interviewer. Students will learn how to minimize threats to the internal validity of qualitative studies, focusing on specific techniques for interpretation of data that contributes to the authenticity of qualitative studies.	Qualitative Research Methods	4
RES814 Students will learn fundamental concepts of designing, collecting and assessing quantitative data. The course covers descriptive measures as well as various forms of probability and inferential analysis. Exploration of multivariate statistics will be practiced via large datasets using statistical analysis software.	Quantitative Research Methods	4
RES863 RES863 is the third course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course: clarifies the research focus, defines the research question(s)/objective/hypotheses, produces a review of the literature.	Doctoral Research III: Dissertation Literature Review	4
RES864 RES864 is the fourth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires: fine tuning the research question(s)/objective/hypotheses, strengthening the review of the literature, drafting a methods chapter (min), and drafting a chapter one. Students may surpass this description as they are able.	Doctoral Research IV: Dissertation Methods	4
RES865 RES865 is the fifth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: producing a defense-ready draft of Chapters 1, 2 & 3 (the research proposal), undertaking the Proposal Defense, undertaking modifications required by the dissertation committee, achieving an approved IRB application.	Doctoral Research V: Dissertation Introduction	4
RES866 RES866 is the sixth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: undertaking the Proposal Defense, undertaking modifications required by the dissertation committee, achieving an approved IRB application, proceeding with Data Collection and Analysis.	Doctoral Research VI: Dissertation Findings	4
RES867 RES867 is the seventh course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: proceeding with Data Collection and Analysis, working on initial drafting of chapters 4 & 5, and preparing for Final Defense. Course is pass/fail.	Doctoral Research VII: Dissertation Discussion and Conclusion	4
RES868 RES868 is the eighth course of eight research and writing courses that result in a dissertation. Each term, the student progresses toward the completion of the dissertation by completing required elements of the dissertation process. This course requires the student to focus on: completing Data Collection and Analysis as needed, completing work on chapters 4 &5, undertaking the Final Defense, modifying document as required by the committee, editing of final document for publishing, and University sign off. Course is pass/fail.	Doctoral Research VIII: Dissertation Conclusion	4
RSCH860 The course is designed to help students develop as scholar‐practitioners through research and writing activities required for the dissertation. Students will be introduced to doctoral level evidence‐based research and writing skills, critical thinking, ethics in research, and the development of an annotated bibliography.	Doctoral Research I: Principles of Research and Writing	4
RSCH861 This is the first of the research and writing courses that together comprise the dissertation process. Each term, the student advances on the dissertation pathway by completing required components of the dissertation. The focus of this course is on the development of the research prospectus, which is the first official milestone in the dissertation process. Satisfactory completion of the research prospectus is required to move forward to the next step on the dissertation pathway. Students are also encouraged to begin work on next steps in the dissertation process as appropriate.	Dissertation Process I	4
RSCH862 This course focuses on development of a literature review in the context of a dissertation topic aligned with the student's degree field, concentration, and personal interests; is consistent with the study trio; and is both scholarship‐based and practice‐oriented. As part of developing the literature review, the course also addresses creation of the conceptual framework and consideration of the research tradition appropriate for the proposed topic. To pass this course the student must produce a literature review draft satisfactory for movement forward to the next course in the dissertation process sequence. Students are also encouraged to begin work on next steps in the dissertation process as appropriate.	Dissertation Process II	4
SYMP801 Doctoral Symposium I provides first-year doctoral students with activities designed to develop foundational skills for doctoral study and an orientation to the doctoral dissertation process. Students participate in both the Doctoral Symposium and online classroom activities in the second term of their first year of study. Course work is designed to help students prepare to progress through the next year of the doctoral program. Successful completion of all specified activities and requirements of the Doctoral Symposium and assigned deliverables are required to pass this course.	Doctoral Symposium I	2
SYMP802 Doctoral Symposium II provides second or third year doctoral students with activities that help them prepare for completion of the dissertation. Students participate in both the Doctoral Symposium and online course work. The course is designed to prepare students to attend Symposium and to progress to completion of the dissertation. Successful completion of all specified activities and requirements of the Doctoral Symposium and assigned deliverables are required to pass this course.	Doctoral Symposium II	2
	Total Credit Hours:	80

Courses: Concentration		Credits
LDR870 This class is designed to help students understand themselves more fully in terms of their current leadership approach and their potential as a leader. Through self-assessment, 360° feedback, journaling, and other forms of self-discovery, students will work to develop enhanced understanding of themselves and their leadership style. They will engage in reflective learning to build their leadership capacity, and they will work to develop peer support structures and personal action plans to guide their ongoing growth and development.	Self-Insight and Personal Development as a Leader	4
LDR872 This course teaches students how to assess, adapt to and develop intervention strategy in organizations experiencing discontinuous and crisis situations. Students practice leadership tasks in the theory of organizational change. Students will complete activities, exercises and discussions that examine various crisis situations and analyze strategic change processes. Upon completing this course, students will understand different types of organizational change and how to create change visions and lead the strategic change in organizations experiencing discontinuous and crisis situations.	Leading Change	4
LDR874 This course covers advanced topics in leadership. Course topics will vary as determined by student’s interest and evolution of the discipline.	Special Topics in Leadership	4
LDR876 This course will give students the opportunity to evaluate technologies and study their application in organizational leadership. Students will evaluate the current trends and issues in technology and social media and assess how these can be used to leverage strategy improvements. Students will explain how to leverage technology for driving large scale change, influencing stakeholders and improving organizational effectiveness.	Leadership, Technology and Social Media	4
MGMT878 In this course students will examine career options by exploring a variety of careers that are consistent with their management concentration areas. Students will study how to define career aspirations, map professional goals, and create strategies for performance enhancement. This course places emphasis on professional development by evaluating personal strengths and identifying opportunities that may become apparent as a result of the doctoral journey.	Advanced Career Strategies for the Scholar-Practitioner	4
	Total Credit Hours:	20

Total Credit Hours: 100

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Learning Outcomes

Doctor of Management Outcomes

Demonstrate a comprehensive ability to support business strategy and organizational missions in evolving, diverse environments.
Design an approved original research study that offers contributions within the management discipline(s).
Analyze strategic planning and solution-generation.
Integrate theories, models, skills, and competencies in support of strengthening organizational missions within a complex environment.

Executive Leadership Concentration Outcomes

Develop executive leadership strategies to guide organizational effectiveness.

Faculty

Catherine McBride, DBA

Executive Program Director

Dr. Catherine McBride has been at CTU since January 2021, serving as an Executive Program Director for the College of Business and Management. Catherine has been in higher education for 22 years, with 18 years of online education experience across a variety of institutions in varying capacities but always serving non-traditional learners.

Dr. David Gliddon

Executive Program Director

Dr. Gliddon is an Executive Program Director in the College of Business and Management. In previous roles at CTU, he was a Program Chair and Lead Faculty. He has taught over 20 courses in the undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral programs. He has provided service to the university on a number of committees and special projects.

For more faculty profiles please visit our Leadership and Faculty page.
For more information visit the College of Business and Management.

Admission Requirements

Program Areas of Focus

The program emphasizes three areas of focus: Research and Writing; Leadership and Change Management; and the specific concentration discipline.

Graduation Requirements

In addition to the successful completion of 100 credit hours with an acceptable GPA, students must also satisfactorily complete their research proposal and final dissertation. The research proposal must be approved by the student’s Research Supervisor and University Reviewer. The dissertation, which must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee, is an extensive document that includes the research study. In addition, graduation requires presentation of the final dissertation.

Symposium

Doctor of Management (DM) students are required to attend a symposium even two times during their enrollment in the program. Additional information about CTU's doctoral symposium can be located in the Doctoral Symposium section of this catalog.

Accreditations and Alignments

This program is not accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The program was developed to align with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management’s Executive Leadership Core Qualifications for Senior Executives.

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FAQs

What is a Doctor of Management in Executive Leadership degree?

CTU’s Doctor of Management in Executive Leadership is designed to provide knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant for pursuing potential opportunities in the workforce. This management degree program emphasizes the study of core leadership and management theories combined with research processes and methodologies. Students can also enroll in electives designed to hone skills in other areas like project management, global leadership, or non-profit leadership.

What will I study in this Doctor of Management degree program?

As you work to complete your Doctor of Management in Executive Leadership, you will be immersed in courses where you will study these topics and much more: how to assess, adapt to, and develop intervention strategy, how technology and social media can be used to leverage strategy improvements, and examining and crisis situations and strategic change processes.

When and where can I begin my classes?

Courses for the Doctor of Management in Executive Leadership start online approximately every five weeks. Completion of the CTU admissions process will depend on how quickly you complete the steps in the CTU online application process. You may complete the application process over the phone with an advisor or you may go online. Once you’ve completed the online application, you may hear from an advisor within the following 24 hours to discuss the next steps toward starting your degree program. Doctoral programs may have additional entrance requirements that take additional processing time.

How many credits are required to graduate from a doctorate degree program?

The Doctor of Management in Executive Leadership degree program consists of 100 credits. You may be eligible for transfer credit, which is evaluated on an individual basis. Not all credits are eligible to transfer.

Why should I pursue a Doctor of Management degree at CTU?

As you study topics in management and leadership that are always being evaluated and updated to reflect industry-relevant trends, you will experience a curriculum through classroom learning and hands-on experience that aligns to industry standards and helps you work to develop skills that are applicable to the competitive global business environment.

Are there any requirements for pursuing a Doctor of Management degree?

In addition to the successful completion of 100 credit hours with an acceptable GPA, students in the Doctor of Management in Executive Leadership degree program must also satisfactorily complete their research proposal and present their final dissertation. The research proposal must be approved by the student’s Research Supervisor and University Reviewer. The dissertation, which must be approved by the student’s dissertation committee, is an extensive document that includes the research study. Doctoral students must also participate in CTU’s residential symposium.