phd on organizational culture

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Organizational Behavior

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Scholars in the doctoral program in Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School are prepared to pursue an interdisciplinary inquiry into issues that are broadly related to the functioning of individuals within groups, at either the micro or macro level. Graduates of our program go on to become the leading researchers and thinkers in organizational behavior, shaping the field and advancing theoretical understanding in posts at schools of management or in disciplinary departments.

The Organizational Behavior program is jointly administered by the faculty of Harvard Business School and the Department of Sociology in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and students have the opportunity to work with faculty from both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and Harvard Business School.

Curriculum & Coursework

Our program offers two distinct tracks, with research focused either on the micro or macro level. Students who choose to focus on micro organizational behavior take a psychological approach to the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and groups, and the effects that groups have on individuals. In macro organizational behavior, scholars use sociological methods to examine the organizations, groups, and markets themselves, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives.

Your core disciplinary training will take place in either the psychology or sociology departments, depending on the track that you choose. You will also conduct advanced coursework in organizational behavior at HBS, and complete two MBA elective curriculum courses. Students are required to teach for one full academic term in order to gain valuable teaching experience, and to work as an apprentice to a faculty member to develop research skills. Upon completion of coursework, students prepare and present a dossier that includes a qualifying paper, at least two other research papers, and a statement outlining a plan for their dissertation. Before beginning work on the dissertation, students must pass the Organizational Behavior Exam, which presents an opportunity to synthesize academic coursework and prepare for an in-depth research project.

Research & Dissertation

Examples of doctoral thesis research.

• Cross-group relations, stress, and the subsequent effect on performance
• Internal group dynamics of corporate boards of directors
• Organizational mission and its effect on commitment and effort
• Psychological tendencies and collaboration with dissimilar others

Aurora Turek

Justine Murray

Jaylon Sherrell

“ In HBS’s Organizational Behavior program I receive outstanding, rigorous training in disciplinary methods and also benefit from the myriad resources that HBS has to offer. HBS scholars are looking to apply their research to real-world problems, come up with interventions, and make a real difference. ”

Current Harvard Sociology & Psychology Faculty

• George A. Alvarez
• Mahzarin R. Banaji
• Jason Beckfield
• Lawrence D. Bobo
• Mary C. Brinton
• Joshua W. Buckholtz
• Randy L. Buckner
• Alfonso Caramazza
• Susan E. Carey
• Paul Y. Chang
• Mina Cikara
• Christina Ciocca Eller
• Christina Cross
• Fiery Cushman
• Frank Dobbin
• Samuel J. Gershman
• Daniel Gilbert
• Joshua D. Greene
• Jill M. Hooley
• Rakesh Khurana
• Alexandra Killewald
• Talia Konkle
• Max Krasnow
• Michèle Lamont
• Ellen Langer
• Joscha Legewie
• Ya-Wen Lei
• Patrick Mair
• Peter V. Marsden
• Katie A. McLaughlin
• Richard J. McNally
• Jason P. Mitchell
• Ellis Monk
• Matthew K. Nock
• Orlando Patterson
• Elizabeth A. Phelps
• Steven Pinker
• Robert J. Sampson
• Daniel L. Schacter
• Theda Skocpol
• Mario L. Small
• Jesse Snedeker
• Leah H. Somerville
• Elizabeth S. Spelke
• Tomer D. Ullman
• Adaner Usmani
• Jocelyn Viterna
• Mary C. Waters
• John R. Weisz
• Christopher Winship
• Xiang Zhou

Current HBS Faculty

• Julie Battilana
• Max H. Bazerman
• David E. Bell
• Ethan S. Bernstein
• Alison Wood Brooks
• Edward H. Chang
• Amy C. Edmondson
• Robin J. Ely
• Alexandra C. Feldberg
• Amit Goldenberg
• Boris Groysberg
• Linda A. Hill
• Jon M. Jachimowicz
• Summer R. Jackson
• Leslie K. John
• Jillian J. Jordan
• Rakesh Khurana
• Hyunjin Kim
• Joshua D. Margolis
• Edward McFowland III
• Kathleen L. McGinn
• Tsedal Neeley
• Michael I. Norton
• Leslie A. Perlow
• Jeffrey T. Polzer
• Ryan L. Raffaelli
• Lakshmi Ramarajan
• James W. Riley
• Clayton S. Rose
• Raffaella Sadun
• Emily Truelove
• Michael L. Tushman
• Ashley V. Whillans
• Letian Zhang
• Julian J. Zlatev

Current Organizational Behavior Students

• Jennifer Abel
• Silvan Baier
• Yajun Cao
• Grace Cormier
• Megan Gorges
• Bushra Guenoun
• Elizabeth Johnson
• Akshita Joshi
• Caleb Kealoha
• Kai Krautter
• Justine Murray
• Mandi Nerenberg
• C. Ryann Noe
• Elizabeth Sheprow
• Jaylon Sherrell
• Yoon Jae Shin
• David Shin
• Erin Shirtz
• Samantha N. Smith
• Tiffany Smith
• Channing Spencer
• Yuval Spiegler
• Emily Tedards
• Aurora Turek

Current HBS Faculty & Students by Interest

Recent placement, hanne collins, 2024, evan defilippis, 2023, hayley blunden, 2022, lumumba seegars, 2021, karen huang, 2020, stefan dimitriadis, 2019, elizabeth hansen, 2019, julie yen, 2024, jeff steiner, 2023, ahmmad brown, 2022, yanhua bird, 2020, jeffrey lees, 2020, alexandra feldberg, 2019, martha jeong, 2019, nicole abi-esber, 2023, elliot stoller, 2023, ariella kristal, 2022, leroy gonsalves, 2020, alicia desantola, 2019, catarina fernandes, 2019.

Tepper School of Business

Ph.D. Program in Organizational Behavior and Theory

Interdisciplinary approach & methodological rigor.

Understanding human behavior in organizations and solving problems requires the integration of a variety of social science and related disciplines. A distinguishing feature of the Tepper School's OBT Ph.D. program is the broad interdisciplinary training it provides across an array of areas (e.g., psychology, sociology, economics, strategy, and computer and data science). Not only do OBT doctoral students interact with other students and faculty within the Tepper School of Business, through cross-registration in courses and participation in colloquia, OBT doctoral students also have opportunities to interact with students and faculty in departments such as Engineering and Public Policy, Human-Computer Interaction, Social and Decision Sciences, Psychology and a variety of departments at the University of Pittsburgh. A cornerstone of the OBT Ph.D. program is its methodological training and rigor. From computer science courses in machine learning and AI to courses in advanced statistical methods, students develop a deep understanding of analytical methods and tools.

Collaborative Culture

A small number of students are accepted into the group each year, with a total of about 10 OBT doctoral students in residence. Student-faculty relationships are close, which permits the tailoring of the program of study to fit the background and career goals of the individual.

Course of Study

Our program emphasizes preparation for careers in scholarly research, and graduates of the program usually pursue careers in academic or research institutions. During their course of study, students have the opportunity to engage with faculty in doctoral seminars and joint research, meet with visiting scholars, and interact with other faculty and students across campus. We prepare our graduates to be competitive on the academic job market by getting them involved in research from Day 1.  Program requirements include the successful completion of two research-based papers in the first and second years of the program, qualifying exams, a “minor” area requirement and a doctoral dissertation.  

Research Specializations

Diversity, inclusion, and human capital.

Diversity is at the core of many important organizational problems and many of our OBT faculty make important contributions to the growing knowledge base on diversity and its impact on individual, group, and organizational outcomes.

FACULTY RESEARCH INTERESTS

• Rosalind Chow: gender and promotion processes
• Oliver Hahl: gender, race, and cultural capital effects on supply and demand for human capital in markets (i.e., hiring and career outcomes)
• Denise Rousseau: the employment relationship, evidence-based management
• Catherine Shea: gender issues in management, advice seeking, interpersonal dynamics
• Laurie Weingart: gender and non-promotable tasks in the workplace, gender and negotiation, interdisciplinary teams
• Anita Williams Woolley: gender diversity, cognitive diversity and team collective intelligence

Ethics and Justice

Unethical and unjust behaviors are costly to organizations and society. The OBT group in the Tepper School has three members with expertise in the areas of business ethics and social justice (Aven, Chow, and Cohen). The Tepper School is also home to ethics scholar Tae Wan Kim, whose research takes philosophical perspectives on business ethics.

• Brandy Aven: relational attributes of fraud and corruption
• Rosalind Chow: perceptions of and responses to social inequality
• Taya Cohen: interpersonal misconduct, workplace deviance, moral character, guilt, shame, trust and trustworthiness
• Tae Wan Kim: artificial Intelligence ethics, future of work, business ethics

Groups and Teams

The OBT group in the Tepper School houses three scholars who are leaders in the areas of groups and teams (Argote, Weingart, and Woolley) and others whose work is directly relevant (Aven, Chow, Cohen, and Hahl). The Tepper School and Carnegie Mellon more broadly host several other faculty who work in this area (Carley, Kiesler, and Krackhardt). We regularly graduate students who conduct research on groups and teams.

• Linda Argote: learning, transactive memory and knowledge transfer within and between groups
• Brandy Aven: networked teams
• Rosalind Chow: power and status within/between groups, impacts of diversity on group functioning and performance
• Taya Cohen: cooperation and conflict within and between groups, pathways to status and leadership in groups
• Oliver Hahl: perceptions of status, authenticity and identity within/between groups
• Laurie Weingart: conflict in teams, multiparty negotiation, negotiation and group dynamics
• Anita Woolley: collective intelligence, team strategic orientation, team performance

Knowledge Transfer and Learning in a Technologically-Driven World

The OBT group in the Tepper School includes scholars whose work has been foundational to the field of organizational learning (Argote) and includes four other scholars who are substantially engaged in the growing body of work on knowledge transfer and learning (Aven, Hahl, Lee, and Woolley). Reflecting the Tepper School's focus on the intersection of business and technology, faculty research involves responses to rapid change, coordination of work distributed across time and place, organizational learning. Our work also connects to scholars working in related areas in Information Systems (Mukhopadhyay and Singh) and Economics (Epple) at the Tepper School, as well as researchers at Heinz (Krishnan), Engineering (Fuchs), and Computer Science (Carley, Dabbish, and Rose) at Carnegie Mellon, also conduct research relevant to learning.

• Linda Argote: transactive memory systems, knowledge transfer, organizational learning, the effects of technology on learning and knowledge transfer
• Brandy Aven: transactive memory systems, the effects of technology on networked systems for learning and knowledge transfer
• Oliver Hahl: learning and knowledge transfer, effect on firm performance
• Sunkee Lee: organizational learning, effect of the spatial design of workplaces and incentive systems on organizational learning, knowledge transfer, exploration vs. exploitation, learning from own and others’ experiences
• Anita Woolley: learning and collective intelligence in groups and organizations, increasing collective intelligence in human-computer systems

Networks and Organizations

Research on the formation and consequences of social networks in organizations and markets have become central to our understanding of how organizations and markets work. The OBT group in the Tepper School hosts four scholars who work on important areas related to the role of social networks in organizations (Argote, Aven, Hahl, and Shea). Researchers at Heinz (Krackhardt) and Computer Science (Carley) at Carnegie Mellon, also conduct research in areas that inform our knowledge of social networks as well as the methodologies employed to distinguish their antecedents and effects.

• Linda Argote: learning and knowledge transfer through social networks
• Brandy Aven: formation of social networks, persistence (or not) of social networks, learning and deviance within social networks, knowledge sharing in social networks
• Oliver Hahl: identity in social networks, perceptions of brokers in networks, organizational networks and individual performance
• David Krackhardt: social network analysis theories and methods, informal organizations
• Catherine Shea: social network cognition, network formation, experimental methods in social networks

Entrepreneurial and Organizational Strategy

The “Carnegie School” has long influenced research on strategy, particularly by looking at the microfoundations of strategic selection, implementation, and performance. The OBT group in the Tepper School hosts four scholars who work on important areas in firm strategy (Argote, Aven, Hahl, and Lee) that all tie back to the Carnegie School’s foundations in the Behavioral Theory of the Firm . Additionally, scholars in Economics and Marketing (Miller, Epple and Derdenger) at the Tepper School and in the Engineering and Public Policy school at Carnegie Mellon (Fuchs and Armanios) also collaborate in research with Tepper faculty and students research in areas that inform organizational theory, entrepreneurial strategy, firm strategy selection and implementation, and firm performance.

• Linda Argote: organizational learning and capability development, micro foundations of strategy and firm performance, behavioral theories of strategy
• Brandy Aven: entrepreneurial strategies, entrepreneurial teams, behavioral theories of entrepreneurship and strategy
• Oliver Hahl: identity-based strategies, categories, diversification, status and authenticity in markets, human capital management and firm performance, microfoundations of strategy and firm performance, behavioral theories of strategy
• Sunkee Lee: organization design, exploration/exploitation, incentives, spatial design, response to performance feedback, firm acquisition behavior and performance, microfoundations of strategy and firm performance, behavioral theories of strategy

P lease visit our Ph.D. Student Profiles page t o view the profiles of our current doctoral candidates.

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Organizational Behavior

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Applicants choose between two tracks with research focused on either micro-organizational behavior, with a psychological approach to how interpersonal relationships within organizations and groups impact individuals, or on macro-organizational behavior that uses sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets.

The majority of graduates have gone on to secure faculty positions at such prestigious institutions as Boston College, Boston University, Harvard Business School, University of California - Los Angeles, University of Toronto, and the University of Pennsylvania. 

Students in organizational behavior are enrolled in and receive their degree from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Harvard Griffin GSAS) and work with faculty from both the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and  Harvard Business School  (HBS). Harvard Griffin GSAS has offered PhD programs in collaboration with HBS since 1916. In addition to organizational behavior, Harvard Griffin GSAS and HBS collaborate on the programs in business administration (including Accounting and Management , Marketing , Strategy , Technology and Operations Management ), Business Economics , and Health Policy (Management Track ).

For more detailed information about the program, including information about financial support and student profiles, please visit the Harvard Business School Doctoral Programs website .  

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Harvard Business School Doctoral Programs website .  

Personal Statement

Standardized tests.

GRE General or GMAT: Required iBT TOEFL preferred minimum score: 100 IELTS preferred minimum score: 7.5

Writing Sample

Writing sample is optional but highly recommended. It should largely be your own work and you should be prepared to discuss the content and your contributions. It should be no more than 10 pages of text, plus references.

Fall Grades

Fall term grades should be sent when available if attending school while applying to the program (prospective students may add this information to the Fall Grade Report, available in the Applicant Portal, after they have submitted their application).

For the coordinated JD/PhD , applicants must apply separately to each program and indicate in the application to the PhD Program in Organizational Behavior that a concurrent application has been submitted to Harvard Law School.

See list of Organizational Behavior faculty

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PhD in OB Program Flyer    Meet Current Students    Explore FAQs

PhD in Business Administration with a Specialization in Organizational Behavior

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The Organizational Behavior (OB) doctoral program is a research-based program where students work with world-renowned scholars to build skills that will prepare them for impactful careers as professors in leadership, management, and organizational behavior at business schools.

Overall, the doctoral program places a heavy emphasis on training students through active engagement in the research process. Students develop a strong foundation in research methods and statistics, while closely collaborating with multiple faculty members on research projects.

General details about the curriculum, requirements, and structure of the  program can be found here . Please be aware this document is not an exhaustive list of the requirements for the program.

Program Faculty

Led by Program Director Sabrina Volpone, our award-winning and renowned OB faculty have presented at the White House and are published experts on topics like:

Affect and Emotions

Effective leadership and teamwork

Effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Justice and leadership

Latent change score modeling

Race and gender bias

Trust in various social interactions

Workforce diversity and identity management

Workplace emotion and mental health

Russell Cropanzano

David Hekman

Associate Professor

Stefanie Johnson

Dejun “Tony” Kong

Christina Lacerenza

Assistant Professor

Rebecca Mitchell

Sabrina Volpone

Associate Professor • Organizational Behavior PhD Program Director

Program Graduates

The PhD program prepares students to be researchers and teachers at major universities. See where our graduates started their careers and published research.

• Publications
• Liza Barnes   PhD: 2023 Placement: Drexel University Dissertation: A Multi-Perspective Exploration of Employee Medical Leaves of Absence  
• Jessi Rivin PhD: 2023 Placement: San Diego State University Dissertation: Dynamics Between Mental Health and Curiosity in Employee Well-Being  
• Brittany Lambert PhD: 2021 Placement: Indiana University, Bloomington Dissertation: An Exploration of Gender and Mental Health in Traditional and Non-Traditional Work Environments  
• Victor Marsh PhD: 2021 Placement: University of Toronto Dissertation: Diversity Practice Innovation: Design Processes and Employee Perception  
• Hunter Phoenix Van Wagoner PhD: 2021 Placement: California State University, Fullerton Dissertation: An Affective Events Theory Perspective on Mental Health in The Workplace  
• Jessica Kirk PhD: 2019 Placement: University of Memphis Dissertation: Gender Dynamics in the Workplace: A Nuanced Look at Gender Bias and How to Mitigate It  
• Elsa Chan PhD: 2017 Placement: City University of Hong Kong Dissertation: Virtues in organizations: An examination of humility and compassion in leadership and entrepreneurship
• Jenni Dinger  PhD: 2015 Placement: Indiana University Dissertation: An Examination of How Community Social Identity Motivates Crowdfunding of Entrepreneurs and Entrepreneurial Rebuilding after Natural  
• Shayne Kiefer  PhD: 2013 Placement: U.S. Air Force Academy Dissertation: Predicting and Examining Links Between IPO Hype, Managerial Expectations, and Firm Outcomes  
• Daniel Lerner  PhD: 2013 Placement: University of Deusto, Spain Dissertation: Opportunity Pursuit and the Disinhibition Paradox  
• Marilyn Uy  PhD: 2009 Placement: University of Victoria, Canada Dissertation: Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Dissertation: The Roller Coaster Ride: Affective Influences in Entrepreneurial Efforts

Reed, R., Van Wagoner, H. P.,  Cropanzano, R., & Jennings, T. (in press). Assessing the efficacy of online learning in disparate business subjects: Lessons from distributed practice and social learning theory.  Journal of Management Education.  https://doi.org/10.1177/10525629231178916

Volpone, S. D.,  Decker, M.  , &  Reed, R.  (in press). When breaking news breaks class plans: Navigating class discussions when diversity topics are in the news. In O. Holmes, IV (Ed.).  Championing diversity, equity, and inclusion: Effective strategies to lead, teach, and consult across disciplines and demographics.  Palgrave Macmillan Publishing.  

Volpone, S. D., Macoukji, F. G.,  Ragaglia, R. , & Lyons, B. J. (in press). Overcoming biases across the human resource management lifecycle for individuals with a criminal record. In N. C. Jones Young & J. Griffith (Eds.).  Employing our returning citizens: An employer-centric view.  Palgrave Macmillan Publishing.  

Cropanzano, R.,  Keplinger, K., Lambert, B. K.,  Caza, B., & Ashford, S. J. (2023). The organizational psychology of gig work: An integrative conceptual review.  Journal of Applied Psychology, 108  (3), 492–519.  https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001029

Barnes, L.Y. , Freidin, H., Hoyt Hendricks, H., Pletneva, L., Rocheville, K. (2022). Grief at the Work-Life Interface. Academy of Management Proceedings 2022 (1), 14505. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2022.14505symposium

Cropanzano, R., Skarlicki, D., Nadisic, T., Fortin, M.,  Van Wagoner, P.,  &  Keplinger, K.  (2022). When manager become Robin Hoods: A mixed method investigation.  Business Ethics Quarterly, 32  (2), 209-242. https://doi.org/10.1017/beq.2021.16

Hekman, D.R., Cropanzano, R., Chan, E., Kirk, J.F. , Lamb, M., 2022. How illegitimate pay inequality leads to worse performance via aggression and coworker devaluing. Academy of Management Proceedings. Seattle, WA. 1: 15045. 

Kirk, J.F. , Hekman, D.R., Chan, E.T. , Foo, M.D. 2022. Public Negative Labeling Effects on Team Interaction and Performance. Small Group Research. First Published April 6, 2022 online. http://doi.org/10.1177/10464964221082516

Hekman, D.R., Van Wagoner, P. , Owens, B., Mitchell, T.R., Holtom, B., Lee, T.M, Dinger, J. 2022. An Examination of Whether and How Prevention Climate Alters the Influence of Turnover on Performance. Journal of Management. 48: 542-570. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206320978451 

Barnes , L.Y., Bhattacharyya, B., Brauer, M., Desjardins, C., Follmer, K. (2021). Novel Advances on Poorly Understood Challenges Women Face at Work. Academy of Management Proceedings 2021 (1), 15670 . https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2021.15670symposium

Barnes , L.Y., Colella, A., Greenberg, D. Lacerenza, C.N., Longmire, N., Oelberger, C., Rosado-Solomon, E., McDaniel Sumpter, D., Vogus, T., Volpone, S.D. (2021). With or without you: Relationships and taking stock of their influence on work identity. Academy of Management Proceedings 2021 (1), 15691. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2021.15691symposium

Maynard, M.T., S. Conroy, S., Lacerenza, C.N., Barnes, L.Y. (2021). Teams in the wild are not extinct, but challenging to research: A guide for conducting impactful team field research with 10 recommendations and 10 best practices. Organizational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041386620986597

Barnes , L.Y., Draga, S., Long, D.M., Maitlis, S., Ruttan, R.L. (2020). Navigating Distress: Exploring How People Make Sense of Negative Emotions in Everyday Workplaces. Academy of Management Proceedings 2020 (1), 14075.  https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2020.14075symposium

Cropanzano, R., Johnson, S. K., &  Lambert, B. K.  (2020). Leadership, affect, and emotion in work organizations. In L-Q. Yang, R. Cropanzano, C. Daus, & V. Martinéz (Eds.),  Cambridge handbook of workplace affect and emotion  (pp. 229-243) .  Cambridge University Press. 

Dinger, J. , Conger, M., Hekman, D.R., Bustamante, C. 2020. Somebody That I Used to Know: The Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Social Identity in Post-disaster Business Communities. Journal of Business Ethics. 166: 115–141. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-019-04131-w 

Evans, J.B., Slaughter, J.E., Ellis, A.P.J., Rivin, J.M. (2020). Gender and the evaluation of humor at work. Journal of Applied Psychology 104 (8), 1077. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000395  

Fortin, M., Cropanzano, R., Cugueró-Escofet, N., Nadisic, T., &  Van Wagoner, H. (2020). How do people judge fairness in supervisor and peer relationships? Another assessment of the dimensions of justice.  Human Relations, 73  (12) ,  1632-1663.  https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726719875497

Cropanzano, R., Ambrose, M. A., &  Van Waggoner, H. P.  (2019).  Organizational justice and workplace emotion.  In E. A. Lind (Ed.),  Social psychology and justice  (pp. 243-283) .  Routledge. 

Johnson, S.K., Keplinger, K., Kirk, J.F., Barnes, L.Y. (2019). Has Sexual Harassment at Work Decreased Since #MeToo? Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2019/07/has-sexual-harassment-at-work-decreased-since-metoo

Keplinger, K., Johnson, S.K., Kirk, J.F., Barnes, L.Y. (2019). Women at work: Changes in sexual harassment between September 2016 and September 2018. PloS one 14 (7), e0218313. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0218313

Van Wagoner, P., Embry, E ., Barnes, L.Y., Rivin, J.M., Rick Reed, R . Hekman, D.R., Volpone, S.D., & Johnson, S.K. 2019. Leveraging Diversity to Enhance Inclusion Efforts for Team Processes and Outcomes. Academy of Management Proceedings. Boston, August 2019. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2019.15302abstract 

Becker, W. J., Cropanzano, R.,  Van Wagoner, H. P.,  &  Keplinger, K.  (2018). Emotional labor within teams: Outcomes of individual and peer emotional labor of perceived team support, extra-role behavior, and turnover intentions.  Group and Organization Management, 43  (1) ,  38-71.  https://doi.org/10.1177/1059601117707608  [Included in the Editor’s Choice Collection.]

Cropanzano, R.,  Kirk, J., F.,  & Discorfano, S. M. (2017). Organizational justice. In S. G. Rogelberg (Ed.),  Encyclopedia of Industrial/Organizational Psychology  (2 nd  Ed., pp. 1118-1122). Sage Publications.

Hekman, D.R., Johnson, S.K. Foo, M.D. & Yang, W. 2017. Does diversity-valuing behavior result in diminished performance ratings for nonwhite and female leaders? Academy of Management Journal. 60: 771-797. Also summarized and included in the Women and Public Policy Program's Gender Action Portal (GAP – gap.hks.harvard.edu) Highlighted in the following media outlets: • CNN, March 24, 2016 • The Atlantic, April 4, 2016 • Huffington Post, March, 29, 2016 • Fivethirtyeight.com, March 25, 2016 

Hekman, D.R., Johnson, S.K., Cropanzano, R., Kirk, J. , Chan, E., Lamb, M. 2016. How Executive Pay Leads to Racial and Gender Bias, Aggression and Worse Executive Performance. Academy of Management Proceedings. Anaheim, August 2019. 

Johnson, S.K., Hekman, D.R., & Chan, E.T. 2016. If There’s Only One Woman in Your Candidate Pool, There’s Statistically No Chance She’ll Be Hired. Harvard Business Review. April 26, 2016.  https://hbr.org/2016/04/if-theres-only-one-woman-in-your-candidate-pool-theres-statistically-no-chance-shell-be-hired

York, J., Vedula, S., Conger, M. , Hekman, D.R. (2016) Green to Gone: How Institutional Logics Impact the Survival of Social Entrepreneurs. Frontiers of Entrepreneurship Research: Vol. 36 : Iss. 15, Article 4. 

Cropanzano, R., Fortin, M., &  Kirk, J. F.  (2015). How do we know when we are treated fairly? Justice rules and fairness judgments. In M. R. Buckley, A. R. Wheeler, & J. R. B. Halbesleben (Eds.),  Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management  (Vol. 33, pp. 279-350). Emerald Publishing. 

Van den Bos, K., Cropanzano, R.,  Kirk, J.,  Jasso, G., & Okimoto, T. G. (2015). Expanding the horizons of social justice research: Three essays on justice theory.  Social Justice Research, 28  (2) ,  229-246.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11211-015-0237-7

Learn more about

Research requirements

Teaching Requirements

Management of Organizations

PhD Program

The Management of Organizations (MORS) PhD program trains future academics in the areas of Micro Organizational Behavior (OB) and Macro Organizational Behavior (OB). Topics studied by students and faculty in Micro OB include judgment and decision making, status and power, organizational culture, diversity, negotiations, and nonverbal interaction. Topics studied by students and faculty in Macro OB include social networks, innovation, economic sociology, organizational culture, and entrepreneurship.

Learn more about the MORS PhD program

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Organizational Behavior

PhD in Psychology

Doctoral research in Organizational Behavior prepares graduates to implement organizational theory and research in order to achieve organizational effectiveness and improve individual work life.

Program Highlights

• All Organizational Behavior research graduate students are encouraged to gain practical experience through projects, internships, or jobs, often at CGU’s research centers and affiliates, such as the Claremont Evaluation Center or the Health Psychology and Prevention Science Institute.
• All Organizational Behavior research students who request financial aid receive fellowships. DBOS also regularly hires students for paid teaching assistantships.
• DBOS offers a certificate program and professional development workshops in Evaluation & Applied Methods for those seeking continuing education.

Program At-a-glance

required units

degree awarded

Spring, Fall

program start

5-7 years | full time*

estimated completion time

Regina Burch

Assistant Director of Admissions

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Centre For Addiction & Mental Health

Vanderbilt University

Graduate Fellow

Lanterman Development Center

Chair of Psychology

The Advocacy and Learning Associates

CEO and Owner

University of Georgia

Executive Director and Professor

Davidson Consulting Ltd.

Evaluation and Organizational Consultant

Delaware Division of Alcohol and Drug Services

Deputy Director

Loma Linda University

Associate Professor of Nursing and Psychology

U.S. Department of State

Foreign Affairs Officer

Michelle Bligh

Executive Vice President & Provost Professor of Organizational Behavior

Research Interests

Leadership, Organizational Culture, Charismatic Leadership

William Crano

Stuart Oskamp Chair of Psychology

Social Influence, Effects of persuasive information on drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, Minority and majority relationships to health information

Stewart I. Donaldson

Distinguished University Professor Executive Director, Claremont Evaluation Center Executive Director, The Evaluators' Institute (TEI)

Positive Organizational Psychology, Health/Well-Being & Positive Functioning Across Cultures, Program Design & Re-Design, Culturally Responsive Theory-Driven Measurement & Evaluation

Stephen Gilliland

University Professor

Organizational Justice, Employee Attitudes and Motivation, Leadership

M. Gloria González-Morales

Associate Professor of Psychology Director, Center for Academic & Faculty Excellence

Work stress; work-life issues; workplace victimization and incivility; relational practices and cultures; diversity; positive organizational interventions to enhance well-being and performance.

Michael Hogg

Professor of Social Psychology

Self and Social Identity; Intergroup Relations and Group Processes; Influence and Leadership; Uncertainty, Radicalization and Extremism

Jean Lipman-Blumen

Professor of Organizational Behavior Former Thornton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy

Achieving styles, Crisis management, Gender roles, Leadership, Organizational behavior

Jeanne Nakamura

Associate Professor Director, Quality of Life Research Center

Engagement, Mentoring, Positive Aging

Becky Reichard

Full Professor

Development of those not typically represented in leadership roles (e.g., women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+), Psychological mechanisms underlying the process of leader development (e.g., feedback, goal striving, self-views, implicit theories, leader development readiness), Development of leadership through experiences outside of the work context (e.g., global, sports, volunteering, crisis)

Paul J. Zak

Professor of Economic Sciences, Psychology & Management Director, Center for Neuroeconomics Studies

Neuroeconomics, Neuroscience of Narratives, Neuromanagement

Extended Faculty

Claremont McKenna College

Jennifer Feitosa

Culture, Diversity, Organizational Psychology, Statistics, Teams, Teamwork, Workplace Issues and Trends

Allen Omoto

Pitzer College

Social psychology; volunteerism and prosocial action; environmental concerns; lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender issues; sense of community; civic engagement and civil society

Ronald Riggio

Human resources management, innovation, leadership, Non-verbal communication, organizational psychology

Organizational Behavior Core Courses (16 units) Doctoral Seminar in Organizational Behavior (4 units) Doctoral Seminar in Organizational Theory (4 units) Doctoral Seminar in Organizational Development & Change (4 units) Advanced Topics in Organizational Behavior (4 units)

Organizational Behavior & Related Electives (32 units) Students are often encouraged to take elective courses in the School of Educational Studies, the Drucker School of Management, the Division of Politics & Economics, the Center for Information Systems & Technology, the School of Arts & Humanities, and the Institute of Mathematical Sciences.

Statistics & Methodology (20 units) Research Methods (4 units) Directed Research Seminar: Organizational Behavior (two 2-unit courses) Intermediate Statistics (2 units) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (2 units) Applied Multiple Regression (2 units) Categorical Data Analysis (2 units) PSYCH 315 Sequence: 4 additional units of Advanced Methodology

Field/Teaching Experience (4 units) Supervised Teaching Seminar (4 units) or Field Placement (4 units)

Transdisciplinary Core Course (4 units) All PhD students are required to enroll in a transdisciplinary core course from the “TNDY” course sequence during their first three semesters at Claremont Graduate University.

Portfolio In addition to 72 units of coursework, all students must complete a portfolio that represents a cohesive set of experiences balancing training in their area of specialization.

PhD Completion

• PhD qualifying exam
• Dissertation proposal
• Dissertation and oral defense

In the Field Opportunities Under the supervision of professionals with expertise in your particular areas of interest, you can participate in fieldwork, research, and paid internships at a range of corporations and organizations, including:

• Southern California Edison Company
• Kaiser Permanente
• Orange County Rapid Transit District
• Riverside County Department of Mental Health
• Claremont Evaluation Center
• Institute for Research on Social Issues

Application Guidelines

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Spring 2025 Priority Deadline – November 1, 2024 Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2024 Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2024 Classes begin – January 21, 2025

Fall 2025 Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025 Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2025 Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2025 Classes begin – August 25, 2025

Application Checklist

The Claremont Graduate University online application is hosted online by Slate Technolutions via a secure web server. You will create a username and password so that you can return to continue your application over several sessions and check your status after submission. After you submit your application, it is made available for review by our faculty and staff.

Begin your application

The application fee is non-refundable.

Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to [email protected] are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission.

Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU.

International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts.

Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume.

A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:

• Citizens or permanent residents of countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, e.g., Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales (see the CGU Bulletin for a complete list of accepted countries).
• Applicants who hold an undergraduate or advanced degree, or will have earned such a degree prior to enrolling at CGU, from an institution in the US or in countries where English is the sole official language of instruction (see above).
• Applicants who have successfully completed an academic English pre-master’s or intensive graduate bridge program from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the last two years, with submitted evidence of successful completion, and subject to curriculum approval.
• CGU allows for an English proficiency waiver if the applicant has received, or will receive prior to enrollment at CGU, an undergraduate or advanced degree from an institution where English is one of the primary languages of instruction for the majority of courses in the student’s program. To receive the waiver, documentation must be provided by the applicant to show that English is the language of instruction at their university/college.

CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053 .

International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements.

When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references.

You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation.

Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at [email protected] .

Download the Recommendation Form

Please submit a 2-3 page statement of purpose that details your academic and/or professional achievements, your specific areas of research interest within your desired field of study, why you are a strong candidate for graduate studies at CGU, and your career goals.

Tuition and Fees

Estimated tuition (california residents, non-residents, international).

*Based on 2024-2025 tuition rates.

STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)

For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s  Cost of Attendance 2024-2025 .

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Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior

Program information.

The doctoral program in organizational behavior (OB) prepares students for success in research universities as faculty members specializing in organizational behavior. The field of OB seeks to develop knowledge of how individuals and groups think, feel and behave in organizational settings and to apply that knowledge to foster effective management of individuals in work settings. Its origins include psychology, sociology, and anthropology. 

Key research areas within the discipline include employee well-being, work design, teams, decision-making, ethics, emotions, leadership, careers, individual differences, motivation, creativity and innovation, organizational change, culture, and cross-cultural differences. 

Application deadlines

Priority: December 15

Final: January 10

• Application requirements

Key research areas within the discipline include employee well-being, work design, teams, decision-making, ethics, emotions, leadership, careers, individual differences, motivation, creativity and innovation, organizational change, culture, and cross-cultural differences.

Part of our mission is to develop effective teachers. To that end, all doctoral students are required to teach at least two sections as independent instructors. The school and university prepare and reward doctoral students for excellence in teaching through various programs and awards.

Program details

View degree requirements and a detailed list of courses in the KU Academic Catalog .

Organizational Behavior core courses note : BE 917: Business Economics, is preferred. Students coming into the program directly from an undergraduate degree may consider substituting BE 701: Business Economics, or ECON 700: Survey of Microeconomics. In the event a student has taken a graduate economics course prior to enrolling as a KU doctoral student, she/he may waive the requirement and substitute either an elective doctoral content course or a statistics/research methods course for this requirement.

• Comprehensive exams
• Dissertation proposal
• Dissertation defense

Some students can complete the program in four years.

Program faculty

• Associate Professor
• Management and Entrepreneurship academic area

• Assistant Professor

Organizational behavior doctoral students

• Undergraduate
• Master of Accounting
• Full Time MBA
• Evening Executive MBA
• Weekend Executive MBA
• Charlotte Executive MBA

PhD in Organizational Behavior

Organizational behavior.

Our Organizational Behavior (OB) PhD Program prepares you to conduct high-impact research on a broad range of topics critical to businesses and managers. Since 2018, our students have secured job placements at many top research schools.

Our faculty have expertise in a wide range of research areas such as leadership (including ethical leadership), emotions, team dynamics, decision-making, motivation, power and influence, negotiations, employee well-being, creativity, voice, and cross-cultural issues. They use cutting-edge methodological approaches including lab experiments, experience sampling, meta-analyses and qualitative interviews.

Through your coursework and research alongside innovative, supportive and passionate faculty, you will learn the necessary skills to become a high-quality researcher and faculty member at a top research university.

While direct research experience is not required, familiarity with academic research in organizational behavior or psychology is a plus to ensure you are prepared for the rigors of conducting research.

We do not narrow our search to students who graduated from a “top” university or have achieved a specific score on a standardized test. We take a holistic approach. We aim to admit students who demonstrate passion for exploring organizational questions and the motivation to put in the work to learn the complex skills and methodological approaches needed to become a high-quality scholar.

We have found the most successful students are self-directed, enjoy problem-solving and are unafraid – if not excited – about digging into some of the most complex challenges facing organizations.

We look for students who are friendly, collaborative and seek a welcoming and intellectually stimulating academic environment.

We welcome potential applicants from all experiences and backgrounds. The UNC Kenan-Flagler OB PhD Program prides itself on a diverse and inclusive student body. Our thriving and collaborative culture (both with faculty and between students) is a focal point to our department. Join us!

Typical course schedule by year

During the first two years of the PhD Program, you will focus on coursework that develops the tools you need to produce high-quality research. Sample classes include:

• Introduction to Organizational Behavior
• Introduction to Social Psychology
• Research Methods
• Dependent Variables
• Groups and Teams
• Interpersonal Processes
• Negotiation, Conflict and Diversity

After the second year, you are required to successfully complete comprehensive exams which covers all of the OB and leadership courses you take in the first two years of the PhD Program.

• Complete a third-year paper
• Full-time research
• Dissertation and oral defense are expected prior to the end of your fifth year.
• Prepare for the job market

We encourage you to attend bi-weekly brown bag lunches organized by PhD students as well as our field’s annual conference – The Academy of Management.

We believe the best scholars are crafted through impactful mentoring relationships. When you begin the program, you will be assigned to one (or two) faculty members with overlapping research interests. These advising relationships are aimed at being both professionally and personally productive for you. From day one you will begin working on research projects (whether self-directed or ongoing faculty projects) alongside these faculty members as they seek to teach you the skills you need to conduct high-quality work and develop your own research identity.

If you ask a UNC Kenan-Flagler OB student the classic question “Who do you work with?” be prepared for a long answer involving multiple faculty. We encourage our students to work with several faculty members to take advantage of the diverse skill sets, theoretical perspectives and research approaches they offer. These collaborations happen informally as you progress and grow within the program and give you flexibility and breadth of resources as you pursue your research passions.

As part of our larger mission to make academia an inclusive place where people of all identities and life experiences can thrive, we view it as a moral imperative to foster a diverse PhD student body that represents the next generation of scholars.

Ensuring that all feel welcome to pursue a doctoral degree is not only the right thing to do – it also is important for producing better science. Identities and life experiences shape the questions that we ask about the world and the knowledge that we produce.

We believe that our understanding of organizational behavior is incomplete if our scholarly community does not reflect the rich diversity of identities, experiences and perspectives that are found in the broader population. Inviting people of all walks of life to enter into our intellectual community can therefore result in better scholarship because it opens the door for new questions to be asked and new truths to be uncovered.

We strive to be a community where every student feels supported in their scholarly journey. We encourage all interested individuals to apply to the program, especially those who belong to historically underrepresented populations. We look forward to learning from you and welcoming you!

View our current Organizational Behavior PhD students .

Related Research

In other news: august 2024.

Two big upcoming business conferences, welcoming the Full-Time MBA Program Class of 2026 and more highlights from the UNC Kenan-Flagler community

Ashamed to take a break

UNC Kenan-Flagler researchers show that employees feeling bad that they took breaks can lead to unethical, costly behavior.

You can be too careful

Researchers show what happens when leaders focus too much on preventing errors.

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Organization & Management

One degree many paths, organization & management curriculum timeline.

Faculty Research and Published Work

The Organization & Management faculty study a wide range of topics, from micro-level individual perceptions and capabilities to more macro-level phenomena such as the strategies and performance of organizations, industries, and institutions. To do so, they utilize a wide array of research techniques, including experiments, longitudinal event history analysis, computer simulations, surveys, and more.

The Organization & Management group seeks to train future scholars who wish to make an impact on research in the science of organizations through an academic appointment. Applicants to our program should articulate their research interests and should specify whether they wish to work primarily with the macro-oriented or micro-oriented research faculty. On the macro side, faculty who are currently active in advising students include Kocak , Longhofer , Negro , and Swaminathan . On the micro side, faculty who are currently active in advising students include Bianchi , Dittmann , Fernandes , Hall , Perry-Smith , and Williams .

The Organization & Management faculty publish in leading journals in management as well as the reference disciplines of sociology, psychology, and economics. Our scholars have a history of visible roles in professional associations and on the editorial boards of leading journals, including: American Journal of Sociology , Academy of Management Journal , Academy of Management Review , American Sociological Review , Administrative Science Quarterly , Journal of Applied Psychology , J ournal of Experimental Social Psychology , Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , Organization Science , Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes , Psychological Science , Social Forces , and Strategic Management Journal .

Organization & Management Faculty

Emily Bianchi

Catarina Fernandes

Erika V. Hall

Robert Kazanjian

Özgecan Koçak

Wesley Longhofer

Giacomo Negro

Jill Perry-Smith

Peter Roberts

Anand Swaminathan

L.G. Thomas

Melissa Williams

Organization & management phd students.

Ashlyee Freeman

Sharvika Kherde

Arielle Lewis

Joseph Nixon

Raigan Priest

Tamera Shaw

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Pursuing a phd in o&m.

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Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

Apply now and work for two to five years. We'll save you a seat in our MBA class when you're ready to come back to campus for your degree.

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Organization Studies

Organization Studies is a multidisciplinary activity that brings together the concepts and research methodology of social psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other social sciences. The Organization Studies research group focuses on interactions across individuals, groups, organizations, and institutions, as well as organizational processes themselves.

Specific areas of inquiry include:

People in organizations

Individual and organizational information processing

Decision making and its relationship to achieving personal, professional, and organizational goals

The impact of technology on organizational processes and its transfer across organizational and national boundaries

Relationships between organizational structure and performance

Analysis of group composition and communications patterns within and among groups in relation to group effectiveness and innovation

Collaboration across boundaries

Study of organizational environment relationships

The impact of changing demography and family patterns in the U.S. workforce on organizational processes

Organization Studies Faculty 

More Information

Organization Studies Graduates 

Example Thesis Topics 

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PhD Specialization in Organizational Behavior

The primary goal of the Management and Human Resources PhD program is to develop top-class researchers in the field of management, with specializations in the areas of entrepreneurship, human resource management, international business, organizational behavior and strategic management. The specialization in Organizational Behavior (OB) is devoted to understanding individuals and groups within an organizational context. OB focuses on attributes, processes, behaviors, and outcomes within and between individual, interpersonal, group, and organizational levels of analysis. Major topics include: Individual characteristics and processes (e.g., personality, motivation, emotions); Interpersonal processes (e.g., trust, social exchange, networks); Group/team characteristics and processes (e.g., diversity, cohesion, conflict); organizational processes and practices (e.g., leadership, work design, socialization); Contextual influences (e.g., culture, climate); and the influence of all of the above on individual, interpersonal, group, and organizational outcomes (e.g., performance, creativity, stress, turnover).

10 Reasons to Choose to Study at OSU

• High Productivity: Our program was ranked #4 in the 2021 TAMUGA management research productivity ranking ( http://www.tamugarankings.com/rankings/2021-2/ ).
• Strong Student-Faculty Ratio: Our PhD program, with 13 faculty members specializing in Organizational Behavior/Human Resources (OB/HR) and a selective cohort of 5-7 doctoral students, ensures personalized attention and mentorship. This structure offers students abundant opportunities to collaborate with a diverse faculty, each contributing unique expertise and skills.
• Benjamin Campbell, Associate Editor at Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal
• Tracy Dumas, Senior Editor at Organization Science
• Jia (Jasmine) Hu, Associate Editor at Journal of Applied Psychology
• Kaifeng Jiang, Associate Editor at Personnel Psychology
• Howard Klein, Editor-in-chief at Human Resource Management
• Tanya Menon, Associate Editor at Management Science
• Raymond Noe, Former Associate Editor at Journal of Organizational Behavior
• Bennett Tepper, Former Associate Editor at Academy of Management Journal
• Steffanie Wilk, Former Senior Editor at Organization Science
• Editorial Board Representation: Our OB/HR faculty members serve on the editorial boards of numerous top-tier outlets, including Academy of Management Journal (2 faculty), Journal of Applied Psychology (3 faculty), Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes (4 faculty), Personnel Psychology (2 faculty), and Journal of Management (4 faculty).
• Five of our esteemed faculty members - Jasmine Hu, Timothy Judge, Howard Klein, Raymond Noe, and Bennett Tepper - have been honored as Fellows of the Academy of Management and/or the Society for Industrial/Organizational Psychology. Each of these distinguished scholars has amassed nearly or over 10,000 citations on Google Scholar.
• Three of our faculty members - Timothy Judge, Howard Klein, and Raymond Noe - hold high rankings on the list of "Most-cited Authors in Popular Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology Textbooks," as per the study by Aguinis et al., 2017.
• Jasmine Hu, Kaifeng Jiang, Timothy Judge, Raymond Noe, Bennet Tepper were recognized as “ World’s Top 2% of the most-cited scholars and scientists ” (2022) 
• Timothy Judge holds the distinction of being the most highly cited academic in the field of business and management among those whose first publication appeared between 1990 and 1999 according to a recent study by Dr. Harzing.
• Jasmine Hu, Timothy Judge, and Bennett Tepper have been recognized as among the most productive and most-cited leadership scholars, as noted in studies by Arici et al., 2021, and Zhao and Li, 2019.
• Our faculty have frequently earned prestigious recognitions such as the 'Best Paper' award (most recently won by Kathleen Keeler in Academy of Management Review in 2021), and the 'Best Reviewer' award (most recently bestowed upon Hun Lee in Journal of Applied Psychology in 2022).
• Our faculty have utilized their expertise to author textbooks in the OB/HR field (e.g., Timothy Judge and Raymond Noe).
• Two of our faculty members, Jasmine Hu and Robert Lount, have been recognized as "Best 40 Under 40 Business School Professors" by Poets and Quants.
• Successful Alumni: Our recent OB/HR alumni hold tenure-track positions at research-intensive institutions, including Sarah Doyle (University of Arizona), Hee Man Park (Penn State University), Seunghoo Chung (Hong Kong Polytechnic University), Carrie Zhang (Wayne State University), and Yuhan Zhan (Florida International University).
• The Fisher Leadership Initiative ( FLI ): With Tim Judge as the executive director, FLI provides additional resources and opportunities for conducting research.
• Networking Opportunities: Our faculty, highly esteemed and well-connected within the field, can assist students in expanding their professional networks. We organize social and professional gatherings on a regular basis.
• Vibrant Location: Columbus is frequently acclaimed as one of the most livable cities in the United States, particularly favored by Millennials and Young Professionals. It is celebrated for its diverse business landscape, dynamic neighborhoods, and an exciting fusion of arts, culture, and culinary delights  (Sources:  Far & Wide , Forbes , NYTimes ,  CommercialCafe ,  ExperienceColumbus ).
• Affordable Living and Strong Financial Support: Residing in Columbus is relatively cost-effective, with the cost of living being lower than the national average. OSU offers a competitive financial support package for PhD students. Furthermore, we have increased the PhD student stipend in 2023, further enhancing the financial benefits of our program.

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Organizational culture Organizational culture is embedded in the everyday working lives of all cultural members. Manifestations of cultures in organizations include formal practices (such as pay levels, structure of the HIERARCHY,JOB DESCRIPTIONS, and other written policies); informal practices (such as behavioral norms); the organizational stories employees tell to explain “how things are done around here;” RITUALS (such as Christmas parties and retirement dinners); humor (jokes about work and fellow employees); jargon (the special language of organizational initiates); and physical arrangements (including interior decor, dress norms, and architecture). Cultural manifestations also include values, sometimes referred to more abstractly as content themes. It is essential to distinguish values/content themes that are espoused by employees from values/content themes that are seen to be enacted in behavior. All of these cultural manifestations are interpreted, evaluated, and enacted in varying ways because cultural members have differing interests, experiences, responsibilities and values.

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Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Organizational Behaviour (PhD)

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The emphasis of the PhD Program in Organizational Behaviour and Human Resources (OBHR) is on developing research-oriented academics who study problems related to organizations, including the effects of management practices on people, between people within organizational settings, and between organizations themselves. The Program is not intended for the development of consultants or managers.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

OBHR Division professors are internationally recognized scholars who represent an array of academic disciplines, including sociology, psychology, industrial relations, organizational behaviour and human resource management. Examples of their research interests include entrepreneurship, organizational knowledge and learning, social networks, family business, territoriality, trust, customer sabotage, power and status, gender and diversity, harassment, and ostracism.

OBHR faculty members have won numerous awards for research and for innovations in teaching and pedagogy, traditionally maintaining among the highest teaching ratings in the Sauder School of Business. The norms and culture of the OBHR Division are characterized by highly collaborative and collegial relationships.

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE or a comparable test is required. Please check the program website.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Organizational Behaviour (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

We provide a financial package that includes tuition plus $30,000 per year for the first five years of the PhD Program.

Average Funding

• 3 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 3 students was $4,011.
• 3 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 3 students was $25,668.
• 3 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 3 students was $11,847.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

102 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 100 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

Almost all of our students secure tenure stream academic positions at graduation.  This has included universities in Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Australia among others.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Organizational Behaviour (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Berdahl, Jennifer (Ostracism, Harassment and Bullying, Gender and Diversity in Organizations, Power and Status in Groups, Harassment, Work-Family Interface)
• Bryan, Camellia
• Clough, David (Economics and business administration; Organizational behavior; Entrepreneurship; Innovation management; Interorganizational networks; Organization theory; Organizational learning; Social Networks; Technological Innovations; Technological change)
• Daniels, Michael (Emotions in organizations; Emotional Labor; Workplace mistreatment; Leadership; Cultural values)
• Evans, Jonathan Blair (Industrial relations and work relations; Leader curiosity; Transparent use of influence tactics; Self deprecation and leadership perceptions; Active and passive forms of counterproductive behavior at work)
• Lee, Kevin (Industrial relations and work relations; Future of Work & Organizing; Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship; Social Inequality, Worth, & Evaluation; Lived Experience of Organizations & Institutions)
• Paluch, Rebecca (Non-Traditional Employment Relationships; Corporate Alumni Programs; Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations; Work-Life Practices and Policies; Human Resource Management)
• Raynard, Mia (Industrial relations and work relations; Management and trade; Organization theory; Understanding Processes of Change in Fields, Professions, and Organizations; Managing Change in Emerging Economies; Dynamics and Succession Processes in Family Enterprises; CSR and Sustainability)
• Reilly, Patrick
• Robinson, Sandra (Industrial relations and work relations)
• Sajjadiani, Sima (Economics and business administration; Organizational behavior; Compensation and Incentives; Employee Selection; Employee Turnover; HR Analytics; Human Resources; Incentives Design; Machine Learning Applications in HRM; Organizational Behaviour; Strategic HR)
• Schulz, Martin (Economics and business administration; Organizational behavior; Bureaucracies; Change and Persistence; decision making; Knowledge Relevance; Logics of Appropriateness and Consequences; Military Institutions; Obsolescence; Organizational Knowledge; Organizational learning; Organizational Routines; Organizational Rules; Rule Networks; Social Order)
• Seidel, Marc-David (Entrepreneurship; Organizational behavior; Sociology and social studies of science and technology; Discrimination and networks in the employment relationship; Distributed Trust Technologies; Early life factors role in later life workplace outcomes; Economic Systems; Impacts of New Information Technologies; Life Cycles ( Childhood, Adolescence, Adulthood, etc.); Media and Society; New Technology and Social Impacts; Organizational Theory; Social Networks; Social Organization and Political Systems; Social networks and organizational decision making; Social, Economical and Political Impacts of Innovations; Socio-Economic Conditions)
• van Jaarsveld, Danielle (call centre management practices; employer-employee relations, Call centre management practices, employer-employee relationship, employment policy, labour market analysis, public sector collective bargaining, work and employment relations)
• Yu, Lingtao (Economics and business administration; Organizational behavior; abusive supervision; Emotions; leadership and ethics; Management; mindfulness; workplace deviance)

Doctoral Citations

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Reducing the harmful influence of workplace aggression : an integrative review, a meta-analysis, and an empirical study
• Identity on trial : occupational misfit and responses to felt public distrust
• Not all allies are created equal : a relational examination of allied relationships for women of color at work

Related Programs

Same academic unit.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Accounting (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Finance (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Management Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Marketing and Behavioural Science (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Strategy and Business Economics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in Urban Land Economics (PhD)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Business Analytics (MBAN)
• Master of Management (MM)
• Master of Science in Business Administration in Finance (MSCB)
• Master of Science in Business Administration in Management Information Systems (MSCB)
• Master of Science in Business Administration in Transportation and Logistics (MSCB)
• Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA)

Further Information

Specialization.

Organizational Behavior and Human Resources focuses on many aspects of the employment relationship, including the culture of organizations, managing organizational change, the roles and skills of managers, the development of human resources, labour-management relations, and international human resource management.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Barnini Bhattacharyya

My primary motive to study at UBC was to work with my advisor, Dr Jennifer Berdahl, who is a pioneer in the field of diversity research in the workplace. I also wanted the opportunity to engage with global voices in the field of diversity, and I feel UBC provides me that platform.

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UNC Online / Online Doctoral Programs / The Online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership | Online University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership | Online University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership | Online

Step up as a leader of tomorrow with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to empower those around you and guide organizations to achieve transformational goals. Step up as a leader of tomorrow with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to empower those around you and guide organizations to achieve transformational goals. Step up as a leader of tomorrow with the knowledge, skills and experiences needed to empower those around you and guide organizations to achieve transformational goals.

Get Admission and Tuition Information

Answer a few quick questions to determine if the Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program is a good fit for you.

No GRE/GMAT scores required

• Top-ranked school — Join the #25 best school of education in the U.S. 1
• No master’s degree required — Apply with your bachelor’s degree and three years of leadership experience.
• Flexible schedule — Study part time to pursue your educational goals while you advance your career. 

Achieve Organizational Goals Through Human-centered Leadership

The online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program from the UNC School of Education empowers working professionals with the knowledge, skills, and experiences needed to achieve organizational goals through a human-centered approach to leadership. 

Through flexible and collaborative online classes, aspiring leaders learn to implement and foster high-quality practices and cultures to achieve organizational goals and exceed expectations for professional growth.

Request More Information

The online unc ed.d. at a glance.

No master’s or GRE required

54 credit hours

36 months to complete

Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership Curriculum

The curriculum is designed to equip students with the tools they need to empower the people around them to deliver on their organization’s goals and mission.

The 54-credit hour program consists of 17 courses, including a capstone project that asks students to explore a relevant organizational challenge based on their experiences.

An optional in-person immersion experience is available each spring semester to enrich the academic journey for students.

Learning Outcomes

The online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership prepares students to create organizational cultures that welcome diverse perspectives, lead organizations toward equitable practice, and empower people within their organization to succeed. Students will learn to:

• Apply a wide array of styles, strategies, and theories to effectively lead organizations to learn, improve, and change.
• Create an organizational culture where diverse voices and perspectives are invited, considered, and empowered to contribute to learning and improvement. 
• Recognize and attend to organizational context through its stakeholder groups and organizational networks to effectively manage organizations within complex systems and improve those systems for the better.
• Assess organizational structure and context including key organizational resources, internal and external stakeholders and the relationships among them, and the sources of organizational power to change systems for the better.
• Collect, analyze, and use data and evidence to evaluate and reflect on the process of organizational learning and make ethical and effective choices for organizational advancement.

Admissions — Online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership

The online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program offers three start dates per year: January, May, and August. The UNC School of Education seeks applicants with a genuine interest in leadership and who are passionate about empowering people in their organization. A master’s degree and GRE/GMAT scores are not required.

Admissions Requirements: 

• Minimum of three years of management or leadership experience in a professional work setting
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
• A minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0; less than 3.0 will require an explanation to accompany your application

See admissions criteria and application requirements.

Learn about tuition & financial aid options.

The Online Experience

A complex world calls for flexible learning designed to meet the needs of a global workplace. In the online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program, students will find an intuitive platform, comprehensive support, and top-notch education designed for real people with real lives.

• Attend weekly face-to-face classes , held on Zoom, that allow for rich discussion and debate with peers and faculty.
• Complete interactive assignments , using a customizable platform that follows best practices for online learning. 
• Meet faculty and peers at optional in-person immersions , where you’ll network and apply what you’ve learned. 
• Access full-spectrum career services , including interview prep, one-on-one coaching, self-assessments, and salary resources.
• Connect with a student success advisor , who will serve as your dedicated partner throughout the program.

UNC School of Education Faculty

UNC School of Education faculty members in the Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program are committed to empowering the next generation of responsible and passionate organizational leaders. Our exceptional faculty members have expertise in organizational change and implementation science, evaluation, and leadership, making the Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership a unique program where faculty provide students with the tools needed to be successful in the pursuit of a doctorate degree and in accessing professional opportunities. This program was designed and launched to help students acquire the skills needed in leadership within organizations and directly apply them in the field, making a difference across multiple industries in organizations.

Sample Course Descriptions

The 54-credit lockstep curriculum is composed of 17 courses which include a culminating series of capstone seminars. Each term is 13 weeks long. Courses and/or descriptions subject to change.

Foundations of Leadership 

This course engages in a systematic examination of leadership in practice and how these examples result in successful leadership practices relative to theories of leadership, ethical frameworks, and a student’s personal strengths and abilities. From these reflections, each student will develop an intellectually rigorous, personal statement of leadership.

Foundations of Inquiry — Quantitative

Quantitative data is a resource for problems and identifying solutions. In order to make informed decisions in organizational leadership, it is crucial to be able to understand quantitative information about organizations and interpret data. In their career as an organizational leader, students will likely participate in quantitative analysis of data as well as be expected to review and understand a variety of quantitative studies which may influence decision-making in their workplace. Individuals who are able to discern and understand patterns and trends in quantitative data are valuable employees; they should also be able to formulate research questions and identify problems of practice for organizational improvement. This course will prepare students for all of these tasks.

Foundations of Inquiry — Qualitative

Foundations of Inquiry – Qualitative Methods is a graduate-level course designed to support students in developing an understanding of qualitative research methods and designs. The focus of this course is on the creation of research questions, the development of qualitative designs, employment of data collection approaches, and analysis procedures to address those problems. Given the allocation of time, the course will not include the full breadth of data collection methods or in-depth analysis techniques.

Leading Organizations Toward Equitable Practice 

This course will provide the foundational knowledge for creating, sustaining, and leading an inclusive culture within organizations. Students will learn to incorporate multiple stakeholders’ voices within and outside the organization through an equity-minded leadership lens. The course will place a strong emphasis on collaboration and coalition building within organizations to create an effective organizational culture in which all stakeholders can thrive.

Applied Quantitative Methods

This course will focus on quantitative/qualitative forms of inquiry, highlighting the types of questions quantitative/qualitative data are best positioned to answer and common forms of data collection and analysis. To foster each student’s development as a scholar-practitioner, the courses will provide them with the foundational knowledge to be a discerning consumer of qualitative and quantitative research and help them find the tools to answer their own well-formed practice-based research questions.

Organizational Theory

This course is designed to acquaint the student with theories of organization so that the student can begin to see principles which lie behind system architecture in which people, structures, duties, skills and role relationships can be juxtaposed and configured and re-configured as a matter of matching organizational functioning to the tasks facing a variety of educational organizations. It is also a course which will consider the structure and use of power in organizational life to force bureaucratic change, internally or externally. An expected outcome will be that the student begins to understand how structure, culture, context, and power interact within and without educational and other organizations.

Applied Qualitative Methods

Change leadership and systems improvement.

In this course, students are introduced to and apply knowledge, skills, tools, and dispositions drawn from improvement science, organizational theory, change agency/psychology of change, strategic doing, relational leadership, team science, cycled learning, and collective impact that support the development of learning systems (in government, health care, education, social services, and industry) capable of bringing about their own continuous transformation. Students will engage with faculty from across campus in interprofessional learning opportunities, including panel discussions, interviews, case study, project-based learning, tool application, and team-based activities.

Program Evaluation

This course introduces the concepts, principles, and methods underlying the evaluation of interventions, practices, and programs in organizational contexts. Students will study different approaches to evaluation design, data collection and analysis, and the reporting of results. The course will also consider the ethics and use of evaluation in organizations. Students will apply this learning to the design and implementation of a practice-based evaluation.

Prerequisites: Foundations of Inquiry (Quant and Qual)

Design Thinking for the Public Good 

In this course, students learn to apply the mindsets, methods, and processes associated with design thinking (i.e., human-centered design) to solve real-world problems. Design thinking is a creative problem-solving process that prioritizes co-design, convergent and divergent thinking, as well as rapid prototyping. Students will also practice equity-advancing design and liberatory co-design and will collaborate with community members to design solutions (e.g., programs, products) that are desirable, feasible, viable, and promote equity and justice.

Human Resource Management 

In this course, students will be introduced to the basic principles and techniques of human resource management. Students will learn about effective human resource management practices, including leadership skills, employment planning, recruiting, selecting, and rewarding employees, employee compensation plans, and employee training and evaluation. By applying the principles, elements, and techniques learned in this course, students will be better positioned to contribute to the success of the organization.

Learning Analytics

This course is an introduction to learning analytics. Learning analytics are data produced when individuals use an educational technology designed to inform and to influence future learning. Through assignments involving learning by teaching, product evaluations, research reporting, and proposal/design projects, students will learn about various theoretical frameworks, digital learning platforms, and research and evaluation approaches relevant to the study and production of learning analytic solutions. Readings will include scholarly and popular media that span education, psychology, computer science, information science, business, policy, and other domains.

Implementation and Equity

Applying lessons from implementation practice and research, students in this course learn the skills and competencies to tailor implementation frameworks and strategies to different settings to meet the unique needs of communities and to improve outcomes reliably and at scale. Equitable implementation occurs when strong equity components (including explicit attention to culture, history, values, and needs) are integrated into principles, tools, and cultures of work to facilitate the implementation of co-designed solutions for scale and sustainability.

Advanced and Applied Leadership Practices 

This course is centered on the development of theory in leadership from both a modernist and postmodernist perspective. It is designed to provide the student with the basis for understanding the range of theories that have and continue to influence conceptual thought and practice in educational and organizational leadership. Since the practice of leadership in schools and organizations is both an applied science and an art, the course is far-ranging in its scope. At issue is not only the content of what is considered educational and organizational leadership, but the boundaries of the “field” itself.

Capstone Seminars I, II & III

The Ed.D. capstone projects are a series of doctoral seminars rooted in a problem of contemporary organizational practice. Through each capstone project, students will demonstrate the ability to: (a) identify a problem of practice in a field setting; (b) apply a theory or conceptual model to the problem of practice; (c) study the problem using inquiry skills developed in coursework, be it quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods in nature; (d) make meaningful recommendations for addressing the problem derived from their study of a problem; and (e) compose and present arguments and evidence in a logical, systemic, and coherent fashion.

Optional In-Person Immersion 

Each spring, an optional in-person immersion in the Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program provides a dynamic learning opportunity that fosters community building, connects students with program faculty, and offers a platform for exploration, exposure to real-world leadership practices, and networking with peers from other programs within the UNC School of Education. 

Key aspects of the immersion experience include:

Community building

Development of a strong and supportive community among students through team-building exercises, group discussions, and campus events — enhancing academic and professional networks for lifelong benefit.

Familiarity with program faculty

Build rapport with program faculty in an informal setting, gaining insights into teaching philosophies and research expertise, fostering a supportive learning environment and encouraging open communication.

Exploration of opportunities

Explore various academic and professional opportunities within the program, UNC School of Education, and the University, aiding in the alignment of the academic journey with professional goals.

Mentoring connections with leaders in practice

Connect with industry leaders in organizational learning and leadership through guest speakers, interactive discussions, and insights-sharing sessions, enriching understanding and networking in the field.

Capstone Project

The capstone experience in the Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership program is the culmination of the academic rigor and practical learning acquired throughout the program. The capstone is designed to showcase the student’s ability to apply theoretical knowledge, empirical research, and innovative thinking to address complex challenges within organizational learning and leadership. While the capstone project comes later in the program, the curriculum has been designed carefully to scaffold student work toward the capstone throughout the program. It provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate their expertise to make lasting improvements and impact in an organization. The capstone includes a three-semester course sequence in which students identify a problem of practice — a complex and/or pervasive problem within the organization in which they work or within another organization’s practice — and, using lessons from past coursework, explore ways to solve it. Their research results in a written capstone report that details the organizational challenge, their process and findings, and their decision-making — all of which their capstone committee will review. During capstone seminars, students explore best practices for working on large analytic projects, receive personalized guidance and feedback on their efforts from instructors, and learn from their peers as they both give and receive feedback on projects.

Key aspects of the capstone experience include:

Problem identification

The journey begins with the identification of a significant problem or challenge within an organizational context. This problem should be real and impactful, reflecting the complexities and nuances that leaders often face.

Literature review

Students will conduct an in-depth review of relevant literature and theoretical frameworks. This phase helps them establish a solid theoretical foundation for addressing the identified problem and provides insight into existing research and best practices.

Research methodology

Choosing appropriate research methods and data collection techniques is a crucial component of the program and is offered through a series of research methods courses. Whether the capstone involves qualitative or quantitative research, surveys, interviews, case studies, or a combination of methods, the methodology should align with the challenge being studied.

Data collection and analysis

Students will gather and analyze data to gain insights into the problem. This phase involves rigorously analyzing data to draw meaningful conclusions and patterns that will inform potential solutions.

Human-centered approach

One of the distinguishing features of this capstone is the emphasis on a human-centered approach. Students will focus on understanding the needs, perspectives, and experiences of individuals within the organization, recognizing that the success of any intervention or solution depends on the engagement and well-being of its members.

Solution generation

Based on research findings, students will generate innovative solutions and strategies that address the identified problem. These solutions are designed to be practical, actionable, and tailored to the specific organizational context.

Implementation Plan

A well-thought-out implementation plan is crucial for translating ideas into action. Students will develop a detailed roadmap for executing their proposed solutions, considering factors such as change management, resource allocation, and timelines.

Evaluation and impact

After implementing the solutions, students will evaluate the effectiveness and measure the impact on the organization. This stage often involves revisiting the research data to assess whether the problem has been successfully mitigated and whether new challenges have arisen.

As a final step, students will reflect on their journey, lessons learned, and the combination of their academic and practical experiences. The reflection process contributes to the development of critical self-awareness and a deeper understanding of their role as organizational leaders.

Organizational Leadership Careers

This program prepares graduates to pursue a variety of organizational roles across multiple industries. Whether working alongside HR to develop talent and support employees in healthcare settings, working directly with members of leadership in higher education to drive positive change, or implementing new systems and practices to achieve greater efficiency in a nonprofit, graduates will be expert leaders, ready to achieve goals to fulfill their organization’s mission and make a difference. Examples of roles this program prepares graduates for include, but are not limited to, high-level leadership as a: 

• Business and management consultant
• Human resources manager
• Project manager or coordinator
• Medical and health service manager
• Sales and marketing manager
• Leadership coaching or development
• Business or organization executive
• Nonprofit administrator

Become a Human-Centered Leader in Your Organization

Gain the skills to positively change lives with the online Ed.D. in Organizational Learning and Leadership from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Let’s get started.

• 2024 Best Education Schools (2024) . U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved April 10, 2024. ↩︎

PhD in Organizational Leadership

Contact Information

Lead with Vision. Inspire Change. Excel with Expertise.

Program overview.

• Duration:  Tailored to fit your schedule with flexible online courses
• Credit Hours:  48 credit hours to deepen your knowledge and skills.
• Scholarship Opportunity:  Up to $1,500 per year to support your academic journey.

Why Choose Columbia International University?

• Flexible Learning:  Our online format allows you to balance your studies with personal and professional commitments.
• Expert Faculty:  Learn from industry leaders and experienced scholars dedicated to your success.
• Transformative Curriculum:  Gain advanced insights into leadership theories, strategic decision-making, and organizational development.

Advance Your Career

• Impact:  Prepare to lead and innovate in various sectors, including corporate, non-profit, and government.
• Network:  Join a community of professionals and scholars who are making a difference globally.
• Growth:  Elevate your expertise and open doors to new opportunities in leadership roles.

Admission Requirements

• Application : Complete our  online application
• Transcripts:  Submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions
• Professional Experience:  CV or Resume that demonstrates 3-5 years of leadership experience
• Academic writing sample:  Master’s thesis or graduate research paper

FALL 2024 APPLICATION FEES WAIVED! 

Invest in your future and  Apply Now  to earn a  $1,500 Scholarship!

Are you ready to transform your life?

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Doctor of philosophy in organizational leadership.

This 60-credit advanced research degree is offered to leadership scholars and practitioners with or without a concentration offered in three areas: business management, educational administration, and nonprofit and public administration. Students from diverse leadership backgrounds take core curriculum together to benefit from the program’s interdisciplinary approach to leadership. Students who do not wish to pursue a particular concentration will take four elective courses, while those who pursue a concentration complete at least 3 courses within their selected concentration. Adding a second concentration by completing additional courses is possible. Through concentration and elective courses, along with independent dissertation research, students develop their focused expertise. Online instruction, blended with face-to-face residencies, maximizes learning benefits while accommodating the schedule of working adults. The cohort-based learning environment provides students with opportunities to build meaningful relationships with their leadership colleagues and faculty.

The Ph.D. curriculum includes courses in organizational leadership, research methodology, concentration disciplines, and dissertation. Successful completion of comprehensive examinations is necessary for progression to Ph.D. candidacy in the program. Comprehensives include two parts: written exams and submission of a portfolio. The written exams are administered after successful completion of two years (36 credits) with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0. The portfolio is submitted after the successful completion of three years (51 credits) with a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.0. A faculty committee shall assess the content of the written exams and portfolios. The culmination of the program is the dissertation, which demonstrates the student’s ability to conduct scholarly research.

Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Leadership Studies (CAGS)

Once Ph.D. students successfully complete 36 credits, the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Leadership Studies will be designated on the student’s transcript, without additional coursework or tuition. To receive a hard copy certificate, students must apply and submit a fee.

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