DLDR Course Descriptions

DLDR 707 Critical Thinking and Research Methods

4 credit hours

An interactive course that engages students in synchronous and asynchronous online interaction. The purpose of the course is to provide a forum in which students hone each other's thinking about one's role and philosophy of leadership.

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DLDR 717 Global Contexts and Leadership

4 credit hours

An interactive course that engages students in synchronous and asynchronous online interaction. The purpose of this course is to overview, understand and critically engage the broad domains and dynamics of globalization and leadership. Additional course fee may be required.

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DLDR 750 Identifying the Need, Problem, Opportunity (NPO)

4 credit hours

This course orients students to Collaborative Design for Ministry and Nonprofit Contexts and introduces research and design tools and library resources. Students identify and articulate their NPO and explore its contours by drafting a discovery plan, organizing and conducting a discovery workshop and follow up interviews with stakeholders, begin compiling a working bibliography, and synthesize their semester discoveries in the first milestone assignment. Students meet with their Project Faculty and Peer Group monthly. Pass/No Pass. An additional course fee may be required.

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DLDR 751 Exploring Theological and Contextual Foundations of the NPO

4 credit hours

This course serves as the primary opportunity for students to acquire, read, examine, analyze, and synthesize professional and academic literature relevant to their Project Need, Problem, Opportunity (NPO) topic. Students produce a milestone exploration essay that examines the NPO’s history and context, the biblical and theological foundations, and identifies key voices. This academic paper is a mapping exercise that helps students understand the full landscape of the topic, and learn as much as possible about the layers of history beneath. Students meet with their Project Faculty and Peer Group monthly. Pass/No Pass.

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DLDR 795 Special Study

1-3 credit hour

An individualized course of research, involving in-depth study of a particular question, problem, or issue. The student must make an application for the study prior to registration for the semester in which the study will be carried out. The application must be approved by the faculty member overseeing the study and the department chair.

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DLDR 807 Global Leadership Habits, Practices and Dynamics

4 credit hours

An interactive course that engages students in synchronous and asynchronous online interaction. An interactive course in which students explore the nature of leadership from multiple methods and domains, including, theory, behavioural psychology, and theology. This will be brought into contact with an analysis of students own leadership, their ministry place organisational dynamics and history of Christianity.

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DLDR 817 Contextualising Global Leadership Challenges for Local Contexts

4 credit hours

An interactive course that engages students in synchronous and asynchronous online interaction. This course functions to distill a vision or "dream" for leadership that arises out of the student's theology of leadership and that guides his or her thinking in the final formulation of the doctoral project. Additional course fee may be required.

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DLDR 850 Discovering Stakeholder Perspectives Concerning the NPO

3 credit hours

In this course, students engage select stakeholders from their context in a design workshop and follow up interviews. Students assess the real needs of those impacted by the NPO by identifying three promising design concepts for addressing the NPO. This includes proposing prototypes, benchmarks for evaluating success, and identifying knowledge gaps that require additional research. Students generate a milestone report on their findings and meet with their Project Faculty and Peer Group monthly. Pass/No Pass.

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DLDR 851 Experimenting with Prototypes

3 credit hours

In this course, students explore their design concepts that address the NPO identified in the previous course through a series of project prototypes. They also produce an academic essay to address remaining gaps in their knowledge. Based on what they discover, students identify one concept as their Most Viable Prototype (MVP) to pursue for their Doctoral Project. Students generate a milestone report outlining their findings. Students meet with their Project Faculty and Peer Group monthly. Pass/No Pass.

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DLDR 895 Special Study

1-3 credit hour

An individualized course of research, involving in-depth study of a particular question, problem, or issue. The student must make application for the study prior to registration for the semester in which the study will be carried out. The application must be approved by the faculty member overseeing the study and the department chair.

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DLDR 950 Designing the Doctoral Project

4 credit hours

In this course, students articulate the scope, parameters, development plan, and benchmarks for evaluating success of their Doctoral Project. They develop their project and gather early feedback from stakeholders to ensure they are on target. At the end of the semester, they produce a progress report. Students meet with their Project Faculty and Peer Group monthly. Pass/No Pass.

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DLDR 951 Assessment of the Doctoral Project

4 credit hours

A final course in which students complete their Doctoral Project in accordance with the scope agreed upon with their Project Faculty, and develop a post-graduation launch plan. Students will compile in a Project Portfolio their Doctoral Project and Project Launch Plan together with a formal introduction, previous milestones as appendices, and bibliography. They submit the Project Portfolio for examination by the Evaluation Committee. Once approved, students make final corrections and archive the Project Portfolio in the University Digital Commons. They conclude their journey with a Project Presentation. Students meet with their Project Faculty and Peer Group monthly. Pass / No Pass.

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DLDR 955 Doctoral Project Continuation

1 credit hour

To maintain enrollment until the Doctoral Project is complete. Pass/No Pass.

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DLDR 995 Special Study

1-3 credit hour

An individualized course of research, involving in-depth study of a particular question, problem, or issue. The student must make application for the study prior to registration for the semester in which the study will be carried out. The application must be approved by the faculty member overseeing the study and the department chair.

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