The Ph.D. in Leadership Studies program at California Baptist University is designed to equip candidates with scholarly perspectives to study, research, teach, and practice exemplary leadership in complex environments so as to optimize organizational outcomes.  Created for the working adult, the Ph.D. program offers multiple options for learning and engagement. Candidates can elect to take classes face-to-face at CBU campus and/or online with synchronous and asynchronous options. Multidisciplinary perspectives are presented in core classes as candidates explore similar issues under the guidance of experienced faculty. Candidates pursue elective classes to focus learning in fields most applicable to their interests. Each year, candidates will participate in a five-day summer residency to engage in shared experiential learning opportunities with each other, program faculty and other leadership professionals. The summer residence takes place mid-July on the California Baptist University campus in Riverside, California. The Ph.D. in Leadership Studies is designed so that leaders may be equipped with the vision necessary to make the right things happen the right way on the path to optimizing institutional performance and outcomes.

*Pending WSCUC approval

Admission Requirements

Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies Admission Requirements

Admission standards for graduate studies at California Baptist University can be found under Graduate Program Admissions in the Online and Professional Studies section of the University Catalog. Specific admission requirements for the Doctorate in Public Administration are:

1. Official, sealed transcripts from a college or university reflecting completion of master’s degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA
2. A current resume or curriculum vitae documenting professional and extracurricular experience
3. Three professional recommendations, completed on forms provided, from professional sources who can address your potential for success and leadership experience. At least one academic recommendation is preferred. Family member and friends may not complete recommendations
4. A professional essay, no more than 4-5 pages, addressing the following elements:
   • One or two research topics that you may want to investigate as part of your Ph.D.
   • How earning a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies fits in with your academic, professional, and personal goals
   • How your academic, professional and/or personal experiences make you a good fit for California Baptist University’s Ph.D. in Leadership Studies program
5. Completed Prerequisite:
   • Statistics