Prospective Students
Disability Access and Accommodation Statement
If you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, please contact Kathryne Shearer, Director, Disability Resources, Education, and Access Management as soon as possible. Her office is in Foley Library, 2nd Floor (phone: 313-4134). Mrs. Shearer will help verify the need for accommodations and develop accommodation strategies.
Admissions
Provisional Admission
Non-matriculated Status
Transfer Credit
Time Requirements for the Degree
Comments of Graduates of the Program
Costs
Graduate Assistantships
Applicants must hold a master's degree or its equivalent and have two years of professional experience. Admission is based on a review of a total profile with careful attention to the fit between the needs of the student and what the program has to offer. Factors considered in admission include motivation, character, commitment to social justice, writing ability, academic skills demonstrated by completion of the master's degree with a 3.5 GPA or better, and general verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills demonstrated by a score of 50 percentile or better on either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (MAT).
Applications are reviewed by the doctoral faculty throughout the year and students are notified of decisions within 45 days of the submission of a completed application. Prior to filing one's application materials, it is advisable to secure an appointment for an interview with the Program Director. This interview can be done by phone for students who are not in the geographical area. During this interview, applicants will be counseled on factors they need to carefully consider before embarking on a Ph.D., issues they need to consider in deciding whether the Gonzaga program is their best choice, the relationship between their career goals and the Doctoral Program, and their possibilities for acceptance. In some instances, applicants may be requested to submit additional information or participate in a personal interview.
Each applicant must submit the following materials to the Graduate School:
- The application form (.pdf format) and non-refundable fee;
- A written statement of purpose that includes the reasons why the applicant is seeking a doctorate in leadership as well as a description of critical issues of concern to the applicant. The statement must be typed and is limited to 500 words;
- A minimum of 3 recommendations using the official doctoral recommendation form (.pdf format). References must be selected from among supervisors, instructors, and colleagues who have worked with the applicant during the past five years. Two recommendations should come from the area of work experience and at least one from academic experience;
- A resume that includes: formal education, professional experience, academic achievements and honors, scholarly activity, and relevant non-professional experience;
- Two official transcripts from each college or university attended (international applicants must submit foreign transcripts in the original language and an English copy);
- The official score from either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies Test (must be less than five years old);
- Submission of an official TOEFL score of at least 550 by each international applicant who graduated from a foreign college or university and whose native language is not English; and
- Submission of a financial declaration and supporting documentation by each international applicant.
If a careful review of a student's application package suggests there is a strong possibility of success in the program despite weaknesses in one or more areas, the Graduate School in close cooperation with the Doctoral Studies Department may grant provisional admission to the program. A student admitted provisionally is not eligible for financial assistance. A letter offering provisional admission will state the conditions that must be satisfied before the admission status will be changed to regular admission. Students who are admitted provisionally will not be allowed to enroll in courses beyond one semester unless their admission status is changed to regular admission. The decision to convert a provisional admission to a regular admission is made by the Graduate School based on the written recommendation of the Department. The student initiates this process with a letter to the Program Director that responds to the reason for the provisional admission. In some cases the provisionally admitted students may be required to attach to this letter a paper from a course that demonstrates writing ability along with the comments of the faculty member. Enrollment in specific courses for provisionally admitted students may require the consent of their advisor.
Prospective students can take up to 12 credits as a non-matriculated student before they are formally admitted to the Program. Students should, however, apply for regular admission before beginning their second semester in the Program. Prospective students are cautioned that performance while enrolled as a non-matriculated student is not considered when students are considered for admission, but that students can use instructors from these courses as references.
Three forms are necessary to take courses as a Non-matriculated student.
- Application
- Registration
- Supplemental Form
(These forms are .pdf files. Acrobat Reader is needed to download them and print them. For a Free copy of ACROBAT Reader).
Although it is presumed that all work for the doctorate will be completed at Gonzaga University, the Graduate School may accept up to 12 credit hours from another college or university for coursework in which a grade of "B" or higher was awarded. The acceptance of transfer credits requires the recommendation of the Doctoral Program chairperson. No course for which a grade less than "B" has been awarded may be accepted in transfer, and transfer credits are not entered onto a student's transcript until the student is advanced to doctoral candidacy.
The limitations on transfer credit for the Doctoral Program are as follows:
- Work to be transferred must clearly be doctoral-level coursework as defined by the granting institution,
- Coursework must have been completed while the individual was accepted in a doctoral program accredited by a regional accrediting agency,
- Coursework must have been completed within five years prior to the date of acceptance into the Doctoral Program at Gonzaga University,
- Courses may not be transferred for the four core courses (DPLS 700, 701, 703, & 720), or Proposal Seminar (DPLS 730),
- Transfer of other required courses will require faculty approval,
- Transfer credits will be applied to the elective 18 credits (which include Individualized Study credits),
- Coursework to be transferred must fit the mission of the Doctoral Program.
After an initial conference with a student or potential student who wishes to transfer credit, the program chairperson will send a letter (with a copy placed in the student's file) informing him or her as to what credits will be accepted and what stipulations, if any, have been made.
Time Requirements for the Degree
Consistent with Graduate School policy, students are to complete the doctoral degree within seven years of the first day of the semester in which a student first enrolls in a Doctoral Program class. To assure this time-line is met, students are advised to gain candidacy status as early as possible. In the event of extraordinary circumstances, a student may petition for additional time to complete the degree. The Doctoral Program faculty will consider this petition, but the final decision is made by the Graduate School Dean.
In 1996 and 1997, a total of 36 students completed their degrees. The average length of time was 5.9 years. However, six of these graduates required ten years or more. The policy for students admitted since 1995 allows students only seven years from the time they begin the program to complete the degree. When student who needed ten or more years to complete the degree are excluded from the analysis, the average drops to 4.9 years.
|
2 years |
2 |
7% |
|
3 years |
3 |
10% |
|
4 years |
7 |
24% |
|
5 years |
4 |
14% |
|
6 years |
7 |
24% |
|
7 years |
4 |
14% |
|
8 years |
2 |
7% |
Additional policy changes with earlier candidacy, stricter requirements for enrolling in DPLS 730 Proposal Seminar, and changes in dissertation credits that allow for closer monitoring of student progress should significantly reduce the time needed to complete the degree.
Comments of Graduates of the Program
Upon completion of the program, graduates are sent a short questionnaire concerning their experience and their suggestions for improvements in the program. Selected comments from graduates of the program during the last two years include:
Strengths of the program according to the graduates:
- Flexibility.
- Professional respect given all students.
- Valuable advising and insight from my advisor.
- The classes were small enough that professors and students became well acquainted.
- Personal care, flexible scheduling, rigor and relevance. Many excellent, well prepared professors and availability of summer classes most appreciated!
- Knowledge. Professionalism. Quality trained staff.
- Excellent faculty.
- The faculty attitude and library technical resources.
- The instructors. The faculty and the flexibility of the program.
- Training in research methods.
- Class discussions, "seminars," and writing requirements.
Additional comments from graduates include:
- Geared to the professional work schedule.
- The focus on servant leadership, not just management is an asset of the Program.
- I am comfortable with the Jesuit philosophy and a staff that is open to learning and growth with great and varied expertise.
- Overall, my courses were quite wonderful!
- I am grateful for the Ph.D. program and especially appreciated the strong support and creative and critical suggestions for my thesis topic. I also valued meeting other students in the class.
- I thoroughly enjoyed my summers and coursework at Gonzaga, I met some wonderful people during this time and expanded my view of the world. Thank you.
- I truly treasure the doctoral experience at Gonzaga University. I can't imagine my own growth without it.
- The program was life extending.
- The program was well designed and the faculty was inspiring and rigorous. I was tremendously pleased with my program at Gonzaga University.
- I loved my experience and am most appreciative of all the support I received.
Tuition is set by the Board of Trustees and is subject to change each year.CInformation about current tuition costs are available at the About Gonzaga, Facts and Figures page. Costs of required books range for each course range from $0 to $130. Average cost for books, both required and optional, is about $73. When used books are available, the average drops to $56.
The Program makes available a limited number of Graduate Assistantships each semester. Gonzaga University policy does not allow Graduate Students to teach courses, so Graduate Assistants perform services for the Program or individual faculty members in return for tuition credit. Each credit of tuition requires 26 hours of service. Documented needs of students traditionally has been more than twice the funding available. Graduate Assistantships are awarded based on the Graduate Assistantship Application form, available as a .pdf document. Students with Assistantships are required to turn in before the last day of each month aTime Report, also available as a .pdf document. ACROBAT Reader is free software that is required to read and print .pdf files.
Last update: July 12, 2008