Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in Global Leadership

Purpose

The purpose of this program is to provide opportunities for working professionals to acquire a doctoral degree in Global Leadership. As an internationally positioned institution, Troy University’s (TROY) mission and goals are focused on promoting the economic and social growth of Alabama, the southeastern United States and world-wide. Troy University identified a need to develop and deliver an applied doctoral program for a new generation of global leaders in an ever-changing environment driven by technology and innovation. Troy University established a Ph.D. in Global Leadership program for professionals in leadership positions in today’s complex work environments: private and public, domestic and international.

The program aims to develop leadership skills and competencies: students will acquire a mastery of theory and practice as well as a background of knowledge in research, policy analysis, human capital development, and their application including developing systems to create and effectively lead organizational change, facilitation of global teams, effective communication, and improving organizational effectiveness. Students will complete core coursework and choose a specialization in one area: Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, Strategic Communication, Educational Leadership and Administration, or Higher Education. An international internship is a required element of the Global Leadership Ph.D. program, requires travel to a country outside of the United States and must be completed before being eligible for graduation.
** Does not lead to Class A or Class AA Educational Leadership certification in Alabama.

Expected Program Outcomes

Students completing TROY’s doctoral program in Global Leadership and Innovation will:

1. Examine global leadership from various contexts and settings.
2. Develop a global perspective; understand, respond to, and influence the larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context of global leadership.
3. Explore changing environments in complex, global and domestic organizations and how globalization impacts these environments and are impacted by them.
4. Develop critical thinking and analytical skills; acquire knowledge of and skills in the anticipation, analysis, and solving of leadership challenges.
5. Synthesize and apply program knowledge and skills through substantial, sustained, standards-based work in real settings.
6. Advocate, nurture, and sustain a culture and academic programs conducive to learning and professional growth.
7. Defend and publish a dissertation.

Expected Student Outcomes

1. Students will be able to analyze perspectives found in the literature, compare viewpoints, and example case studies.
2. Students will demonstrate knowledge from a global perspective and articulate and respond to the cultural context of global leadership.
3. Students will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a broad range of texts, concepts, and issues in the field of global leadership.
4. Students will organize, conduct, and present academic papers related to concepts used in global leadership.
5. Students will acquire leadership experience in a professional setting by participating in an internship and by planning and producing an internship project paper.
6. Students will develop and define their own disciplinary field of inquiry within the field of global leadership.
7. Students will demonstrate the ability to conduct research, defend, and publish a dissertation.
8. Students will demonstrate expertise in interdisciplinary practices by integrating knowledge and theories in research projects.
9. Students will use statistical tools and interpret data from research studies and their own research.

Admissions

The applicant must submit an application to the Troy University Graduate School. To be considered for admission to the Global Leadership Ph.D. Program, the applicant must

1. Have attained a Master’s Degree from a regionally credited institution of higher education.
2. Have earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on all graduate coursework.
3. Submit official transcripts for all post-secondary academic study, one official transcript per institution.
4. Three (3) Letters of Reference The letters of reference must address the applicant’s readiness to enroll in a doctoral program. It is recommended that such individuals be previous undergraduate or graduate professors, advisors or others who can substantiate the applicant’s academic preparation for admittance to a doctoral program.
5. Statement of Intent (Maximum of 1000 words.) The statement of intent should:
   1. Include details of your rationale for pursuing a Ph.D. in Global Leadership.
   2. Include details regarding your past career and research interests.
   3. Include details about your projected dissertation focus area (Global Leadership Specializations: Organizational Leadership, Strategic Communication, Public Administration, Instructional Leadership and Administration, Higher Education) and how participation in the Global Leadership Program will align with your projected dissertation focus area and future career interests.
   4. Include details about an area of interest (Global Leadership Specializations: Organizational Leadership, Strategic Communication, Public Administration, Instructional Leadership and Administration, Higher Education) for your international internship.
   5. Include an area of the world where you would like to go in order to conduct your international internship in conjunction with your projected area of research interest. If possible, specify the country where you would like to conduct your international internship as it relates to your area of research interest. Note: An international internship is a required element of the Global Leadership Ph.D. program, requires travel to a country outside of the United States and must be completed before being eligible for graduation. Students are responsible for all travel expenses. Scholarships may be available.
6. Writing Sample maximum of 1000 words) The goal of the writing sample is to measure the applicant’s ability to write clearly and succinctly in an academic fashion. The writing sample will assist the Doctoral Admission Committee in evaluating the applicant’s research, writing, analytical and problem-solving skills. The writing sample may include a thesis completed by the student or significant research paper, preferably written at the graduate level, and solely by the applicant
   The writing sample topic is Leadership in the 21st Century. The writing sample should be double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman font with one (1) inch margins on all sides. The paper must be double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman font with I inch margins on all sides. It is recommended that the writing sample follow the American Psychological Association (APA) style. However, other writing styles, including but not limited to Chico, Modern Language Association (MLA), AMA Manual or other accepted research writing styles will be considered. The Doctoral Admissions Committee will evaluate the writing sample based on the following criteria: 1) Writing Development and Critical Thinking - ability to articular the primary concept and inform the reader of its focus; 2) Organization and Structure - development of the topic to include fluid transitions; 3) Paragraph Development - use of transitions and language within each paragraph; 4) Mechanics - appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation; and 5) Use of Writing Style - Although all classes and dissertation will employ the APA format, the Committee will review the sample for appropriate use of other acceptable academic research writing style such as cited in the previous paragraph. Note: The writing sample could also include accepted or published research that the applicant has been sole or co-author of a research project. The applicant must submit a pdf of the paper or link to URL link as proof of publication.
7. Resume’ or Curriculum Vitae
8. An interview may be requested.

Application Deadlines

Fall Admission (August): February 15th application deadline. Acceptance notification received by April 15th.

Spring Admission (January): September 15th application deadline. Acceptance notification received by November 15th.

Admission Examination Requirements

TOEFL scores are required for all international students; this requirement is waived if the student has earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree from a regionally accredited U. S. institution. Students scoring 70 or higher on the Internet-based TOEFL Test, 193 or higher on the Computer-based Test, and a 523 or higher on the Paper-based TOEFL Test will be given full consideration for admission into the doctoral program.

Doctoral Admission Committee

The Doctoral Admissions Committee will be composed of Global Leadership faculty members with doctoral directive status. Once all of the application information has been received from the Graduate School, the Global Leadership Doctoral Admission Committee will review all the eligible applicants. After the committee considers all aspects of the admission process, it will make a recommendation regarding an applicant’s admission into the Ph.D. in Global Leadership Program. After a decision has been made, applicants will be notified of their status.

Transfer of Credit

The Ph.D. in Global Leadership at Troy University requires 63 credit hours. No more than 18 credits of post-master’s coursework or degrees or educational specialist coursework or degree or juris doctorate (J.D.) degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education will be eligible for recognition.

Time to Complete Degree

Consistent with other terminal degree programs at TROY, the Global Leadership doctoral students will have a maximum time for degree completion of eight years, inclusive of completing dissertation requirements. However, it is important to note that a full-time student (i.e., taking 6 credits per term) may be able to complete coursework in two (2) years.

Note: An international internship is a required element of the Global Leadership Ph.D. program, requires travel to a country outside of the United States and must be completed before being eligible for graduation. Students are responsible for all travel expenses. Scholarships may be available. IRB approval is required before candidates start dissertation research. The IRB must approve or determine the project to be exempt prior to the start of any research activities. Additionally, dissertation may require 1-2 years to fully complete.

Internship

An international internship is a requirement of the Global Leadership Ph.D. program, requires travel to a country outside the United States, and must be completed before being eligible for graduation. Travel must be outside the country where you currently reside and outside of your nation of origin or where you hold citizenship. Students are responsible for all travel expenses. Scholarships may be available. IRB approval is required before candidates start dissertation research. The IRB must approve or determine the project to be exempt prior to start of any research activities. Additionally, dissertation may require 1-2 years to fully complete.

Doctoral Dissertation Committee

The members of the Dissertation Committee should be appointed no later than 30 credit hours into the program. The Dissertation Committee shall consist of at least three members. At least two persons (including the chairperson) should be from the College of Education. If a student requests a faculty member from another institution, the faculty member must hold full-time Graduate Faculty status at the home institution, must be approved by the other members of the Dissertation Committee and be acknowledged by the Dean of the Graduate School at Troy University.

Admission to Doctoral Candidacy

A doctoral candidate is someone who has fulfilled all the requirements for the degree except the dissertation. Students seeking to enter Doctoral Candidacy must have: Completed all coursework with a GPA of 3.0 or higher

Dissertation Defenses

There are three defenses: Dissertation Prospectus (Chapters 1: The Introduction and Chapter 2: The Literature Review); Dissertation Proposal (Chapter 3: Methodology); and Final Defense (all components of the dissertation must be complete and accepted by the dissertation committee for final defense).

Dissertation Prospectus

The dissertation prospectus (Chapters 1: The Introduction and Chapter 2: The Literature Review) indicates the student’s commitment to the dissertation committee to complete the proposed dissertation in a reasonable time frame, generally a year or more. The most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) will be the only writing style accepted in writing the dissertation. Additionally, a 12-point Times New Roman font should be used consistently throughout the document. The student is encouraged to review the Troy University Dissertation Guidelines on the Troy University Graduate school website for further information.

Drafts of the prospectus will only be reviewed by members of the dissertation committee. Feedback and suggestions from dissertation committee members will incorporated until the draft is considered acceptable by all members of the dissertation committee. The students should anticipate review by the dissertation committee and the incorporation of feedback to consume approximately two to three weeks.

Continuous Enrollment

Students must be continuously enrolled for a minimum of one credit hour in Dissertation (GLOL 8899 ) per term during and including the term in which they successfully defend their dissertation. Dissertation credit hours may exceed but may not be less than the minimum of 12 semester hours. For example, if students have 12 dissertation credit hours but do not successfully defend their dissertation, they will be required to enroll in at least one credit hour of Dissertation (GLOL 8899 ) until they successfully defend their dissertation.

Dissertation Proposal

The dissertation proposal (Chapters 1, 2, and 3 - Methodology) indicates the student’s commitment to the dissertation committee to complete the proposed dissertation in a reasonable time frame, generally a year or more. The proposal is a document that formally presents the student’s written description of the formal doctoral dissertation; the dissertation committee is responsible for reviewing the proposal to determine the feasibility of the proposal methodology.

The committee’s approval endorses the research plan and indicates the committee supports initiating or continuing the dissertation process. The most recent edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) will be the only writing style accepted in writing the dissertation. Additionally, a 12-point Times New Roman font should be used consistently throughout the document. The student is encouraged to review the Troy University Dissertation Guidelines on the Troy University Graduate school website for further information.

Drafts of the proposal will only be reviewed by members of the dissertation committee. Feedback and suggestions from dissertation committee members will incorporated until the draft is considered acceptable by all members of the dissertation committee. The students should anticipate review by the dissertation committee and the incorporation of feedback to consume approximately two to three weeks.

Final Defense

Upon completion of the dissertation, the student must successfully complete an oral defense pertaining to the dissertation research. The final defense provides the candidate with an opportunity to address all components of the dissertation such as the introduction, importance of the study, methodology, results, discussion/conclusion and references. The work must be of publishable quality using the Graduate School’s Dissertation Guidelines format requirement. To complete their degree, each doctoral candidate is required to prepare, present, and orally defend a dissertation that shows independent investigation. Upon completion of the dissertation, the student must successfully complete an oral defense pertaining to the dissertation research.

When the dissertation has been approved by all members of the Dissertation committee, the student with the approval of the Dissertation chair will determine the date, time, and site of the oral Dissertation defense. All members of the Dissertation committee must receive a copy of the candidate’s dissertation at least two weeks prior to the scheduled defense. If the student does not pass the oral dissertation defense, a subsequent oral defense may be scheduled at the discretion of the Dissertation chair. Only after the students has successfully defended the dissertation will the members of the dissertation committee sign the Dissertation Acceptance Page(s). The dissertation chair will notify the Dean of the Graduate School at least one week in advance of the scheduled oral Dissertation defense. The oral Dissertation defense must occur at least four weeks before the intended date of graduation/commencement. Due to distance constraints, if the student cannot physically be on the Troy campus for the dissertation defense, the student is responsible to arrange video conferencing technology for a virtual defense, per the dissertation committee approval, for the dissertation defense.

After the Dissertation Defense

Dissertations must be written in English and must be acceptable in form a content to present to the Dissertation Committee and to the Graduate School.

The work must be of publishable quality using the Graduate School’s Dissertation Guidelines format requirement. The Dissertation must be reviewed by the Graduate School for adherence to the Dissertation formatting requirements (Appendix C in the Dissertation Guidelines). The student must submit a flawless copy printed on regular paper to the Graduate School (Adams Administration Building, Room 231, Troy Campus) for format review. The appropriate number of “Dissertation Acceptance Pages” and ” Human and Animal Review Forms” printed on bonded paper with appropriate original signatures should be submitted along with Dissertation. The Dissertation and other required pages are to be submitted in a “10 X 13” heavy manila envelope with a copy of the title page adhered to the front of the manila envelope. The last date a fully approved Dissertation may be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School is three (3) full weeks prior to the date of graduation. THIS DEADLINE IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.

The student is responsible for checking the University Academic Calendar for relevant deadlines for commencement for the semester in which he or she plans to graduate.

Plagiarism

The awarding of a university degree attests that an individual has demonstrated mastery of a significant body of knowledge and skills of a substantive value to society. Any type of dishonesty in securing those credentials therefore invites serious sanctions, up to and including suspension and expulsion (See Standard of Conduct in each TROY Catalog). Examples of dishonesty include actual or attempted cheating, plagiarism***, or knowingly furnishing false information to any university employee.

***Plagiarism is defined as submitting anything for credit in one course that has already been submitted for credit in another course, copying any part of someone else’s intellectual work - their ideas and/or words - published or unpublished, including that of other students, and portraying it as one’s own. Proper quoting, using strict APA formatting, is required.

Plagiarism is a very serious offense that Troy University does not tolerate. Evidence of plagiarism may prevent granting of degree.

Academic Suspension

Graduate students may earn no more than six term hours of grades below “B”. Students who earn more than six hours of “C” grades or below are automatically academically suspended from the University for a period of one calendar year at which time the student may petition the Dean of the Graduate School for readmission. There are no conditional admissions.

Further information may be found in the General Regulations section of the catalog of the Troy University catalog.

Readmission

For any student seeking readmission into the program, he or she must meet all degree requirements current at the time of readmission. Further information regarding admission procedures may be found in General Regulations .

Doctoral Program Completion Requirements

Degree Plans

• Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership - Higher Education Degree Plan/Progress Record 
• Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership - Instructional Leadership and Administration Degree Plan/Progress Record 
• Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership - Organizational Leadership Degree Plan/Progress Record 
• Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership - Public Administration Degree Plan/Progress Record 
• Doctor of Philosophy in Global Leadership - Strategic Communication Degree Plan/Progress Record  

Addendum

See Addendum  for more information on the addition of the Global Healthcare Leadership Specialization.