John R. Goss, III, Professor of Research, Organizational and Leadership Studies
Bowman Building, Office 216B; (540) 678-4447; jgoss@su.edu

Advanced study in Organizational Leadership at Shenandoah University offers learners the opportunity to think deeply, examine thoughtfully, and understand theoretical challenges and problems facing educational and other public organizations. The Doctor of Professional Studies (DProf) degree is appropriate for professionals with substantive experience in their respective professional fields, experience which will inform and leverage learning designed to position learners for significant leadership roles in their professions.

A minimum of 66 credits is required in this program of study. The program is organized around a core of leadership and research courses (both theoretical and applied), complemented by courses in the learner’s concentration. This program is unique among doctoral programs in its emphasis on the application of theory to real-world problems and lived experiences. The dissertation requirement is more theoretically driven than that which is expected in the EdD in Administrative Leadership program.

The DProf is student-centered, inquiry-driven and problem-oriented. It is built around an interdisciplinary leadership and research core, with distinct program emphasis on a servantleadership model appealing to professionals in institutions of public trust such as nonprofit service-oriented or community-based, public- and private-sector organizations, organizations and higher education professions. The flexibility in design of a learner’s concentration courses allows for optimal learning in one’s specific area of interest.

DProf students adhere to regulations regarding academic standing and program time limits published in the university graduate catalog. In addition to these standards, any DProf student receiving a grade below a “C” in any course will receive a letter of concern from the program head. DProf students receiving a failing grade in any course will be required to meet with the program head to discuss the circumstances leading to the awarding of that grade. Remediation plans may result. DProf students with a failing grade in any course may not sit for the qualifying examinations and may not begin or continue dissertation research until the failing grade is remediated. Doctoral students with two or more grades of “C” or below will be placed on academic probation.

Admissions Requirements

Applicants must have a minimum of 3.5 GPA in the master’s degree.

Applicants must submit an essay, not to exceed three pages, that summarizes intentions and

proposed focus of study within the program.

Applicants must submit all graduate transcripts.

Applicants must submit a one-page resume.

Applicants must contact and schedule an interview with the head of the DProf program.

Applicants must submit three recommendations: two from someone who can address the applicant’s critical thinking abilities and one from a professional who knows the applicant’s ability in the chosen field of concentration.

Transfer Credits

The DProf in Organizational Leadership is a 66-credit degree. Up to 15 transfer credits are permitted into SU doctoral programs; transfer credits are approved in consultation with the program director and/or advisor and with the Director of the School of Education and Human Development and program faculty. Students may substitute graduate courses taken at a regionally-accredited institution other than Shenandoah University for courses in the doctoral program. Such substitutions are meant to acknowledge the duplication of content only; additional courses may be required to create a viable degree program. These transfer credits are approved in consultation with the program director and/or advisor and may not have been applied in earning a previous graduate degree. Credits earned at Shenandoah University as a non-degree graduate student or in a professional studies certificate may apply to this program, based on a recommendation of the advisor. Applicants needing foundational coursework will be so advised of the necessity before they will be permitted to take advanced-level coursework.