Doctor of Leadership (DLd)

The Doctor of Leadership (DLd) is the highest professional doctoral degree in the practice and theory of leadership for those who lead in ministry, nonprofit, or other kinds of service in a variety of settings. It is designed for educated, experienced Christian leaders who recognize their need to become differentiated and innovative leaders, able to guide their communities or organizations through uncertain times into a hopeful future. The Doctor of Leadership program at Portland Seminary is distinctive from other leadership doctorates in that its primary focus is on the practice of leadership from a Christ-centered, globally-minded, and theologically-informed perspective. 

Built on a foundation of relationality, the Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives program (DLGP) fosters an open learning community of peers and mentors for their lifelong leadership journeys. The Lead Mentor inducts students into modes of learning and study that incorporate critical thinking, personal research, and peer discussion. Students regularly engage online with cohort members and their project peer groups, participate in three face-to-face intensives (Advances), and produce a doctoral project under the guidance of a project faculty member using a portfolio-based, milestone process. As a result of their research, students make a contribution to their ministry context, gain expertise around their research topic, and learn the Collaborative Design for Ministry and Nonprofit Contexts process that they can utilize repeatedly after graduation.

Graduates of the Doctor of Leadership in Global Perspectives track will: 

• Differentiate as a leader by developing an inner equanimity and identity, congruent with one’s personality, values, and mission. 
• Articulate a globally-informed leadership philosophy and practice that integrates cognitive, behavioral, spiritual, and theological disciplines.
• Gain skills in Collaborative Design for Ministry and Nonprofit Contexts to address a chosen need, problem, or opportunity (NPO) in complex, professional environments.
• Contribute a solution to an NPO in one’s context through the completion of a professional project. 

Applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Leadership degree tracks must hold a master's degree in a relevant area (humanities, social sciences, or theology/ministry) from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (or possession of a competitive grade point average as reflected in one’s transcripts). Master’s degree relevance is evaluated on the basis of the program theme and the student’s leadership context. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program: 

• Completion of the DLd application form and payment of application fee. 
• Submission of one official transcript from each college, seminary, or university attended. 
• Curriculum vitae or resumé. 
• Documentation of full-time participation in at least three years of leadership experience. 
• Three letters of reference (as specified in admissions materials). 
• Articulation of the scope and character of one’s current leadership context. 
• Evidence of the capacity for an advanced level of competence and critical thinking in the practice of leadership beyond that of the master's level and possession of writing skills sufficient to excel in an ATS-accredited professional doctorate program. 
• Statement of faith. 
• An academic writing sample. 
• An entrance interview with the director of the Doctoral program (by invitation only). 
• Non-native English speakers must submit a TOEFL score of 80 (Internet-based) or IELTS 6.5 and complete the Declaration of Finance. For more information, international applicants can reference the International Graduate Admissions page. 

Transfer credit from another doctoral program may be allowed up to a maximum of 24 semester hours (i.e. ⅔ of the degree program). Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. 

All work leading to the Doctor of Leadership must be completed within seven years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires the approval of the director. Program extension requests must be received prior to the conclusion of the sixth year. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional degree requirements. 

Because of the cohort model used for this program, students must maintain full attendance throughout each intensive experience. However, a student in good standing, who must interrupt his or her studies for compelling reasons, may petition the director for a leave of absence of not more than one year. Students who discontinue enrollment without an official leave of absence will be withdrawn and will be required to apply for readmission.

The Doctor of Leadership program requires three years and the completion of 38 semester hours of coursework as a minimum for graduation. A maximum of 16 semester hours of coursework may be completed during one calendar year unless a student takes an approved leave of absence or works out an alternative plan with the director. The six-course project portfolio sequence is completed over three years. Of the total hours required for the degree, 16 hours are in prescribed lead mentor 'taught' courses and 22 hours in the project portfolio research and design sequence. The program also requires participation in three ‘advance’ face-to-face intensives. 

The Portland Seminary Doctor of Leadership program requires students to develop a project portfolio documenting their 3-year research journey, culminating in the production of a doctoral project and project launch plan. The goal is to make a contribution to their ministry context, gain expertise around their research topic, and learn a research and design process that they can utilize repeatedly after graduation. 

The three-year research sequence uses a process of collaborative design for ministry and nonprofit contexts. Students begin the process by identifying a need/problem/opportunity (NPO) in their ministry context. A project faculty member guides their research in three phases: discover (year one); design (year two), and deliver (year three).

In the ‘discover’ and ‘design’ phases, students collaborate with stakeholders from their context to better understand their NPO, generate design solutions, and prototype the concepts in order to arrive at the most viable option for addressing it. This option becomes the doctoral project, which they then flesh out in year three ‘deliver’ phase, complete with a detailed launch plan. After submitting the completed project portfolio, the examination committee makes a final assessment. If passed, students complete the remaining steps for archiving and conduct a presentation of their project prior to graduation.

To graduate with the Doctor of Leadership degree, students must: 

• Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 38 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above. 
• Achieve no grade lower than a B- in all ‘taught’ courses. If a grade of a C+ or lower is received in a designated course, two options are available: 1) retake the course, 2) with department approval, correct deficiencies for an updated grade. 
• Achieve no grade lower than a Pass in all project portfolio research and design sequence courses. If a grade of a No Pass is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken or the grade must be improved as outlined by the course instructor's approval and direction. 
• Fully participate in all intensives. 
• Complete and pass the project portfolio 
• Oral presentation of the project 
• Be recommended by the seminary faculty for graduation from George Fox University.