2025-2026 Graduate Catalog

Ph.D. in Organizational Development, Change & Effectiveness

Sacred Heart University’s organization development, change & effectiveness doctoral program is designed for professionals committed to practicing ethical behavior, humanistic values and social responsibility in organization, community and workforce development. This interdisciplinary program is suited to business professionals, public administrators, military personnel, governmental civil servants, nonprofit managers and education administrators, among others.

Our program prepares mid- and senior-level executives, managers and experienced consultants for significant contributions to their workplaces and communities. Our students critically evaluate and advance theory, research and practice in organization development, change management, leadership and related social and behavioral sciences.

Earning this Ph.D. will position you to advance significantly in fields related to organizational change, leadership, design and effectiveness.

You will:

  • Work with faculty members who are highly respected leaders in the field and will support your specific research interests and professional goals.
  • Engage in interdisciplinary research involving disciplines such as psychology, business, sociology, leadership and communication.
  • Enhance your understanding of global leadership practices and organizational behavior.
  • Collaborate closely with a talented cohort of fellow Ph.D. candidates in multiple on-campus residencies and virtual residencies throughout the year.
  • Participate in teaching and research assistantships to gain hands-on experience in academia.
  • Develop your dissertation with the support of the faculty to address a complex problem of practice.

Student Learning Outcomes for Candidates in the Ph.D. in Organization Development, Change & Effectiveness:

  • Develop and maintain an active, enhanced, reflective, and embodied use of self
  • Practice and support inclusivity and belonging across all settings and levels of systems at all times
  • Utilize systems thinking and flexibility to skillfully engage, intervene, facilitate, and support execution of successful practice within and across systems and organizations 
  • Utilize existing and emerging instruments, technologies, frameworks, and philosophies for the practice and pedagogy of organization development, change and effectiveness
  • Understand and apply relevant theories, concepts, and methods of organization development, change, and applied behavioral sciences
  • Understand and apply qualitative, quantitative, mixed, and intervention research methods

Degree Requirements

 

Requirements List

ODC 700Writing for Scholar-Practitioners

2

ODC 705Group Fac., Consult. & Team Dev

4

ODC 710Philosophy of Science and Research

4

ODC 715Foundations & Evolution of Org Dev

4

ODC 720Theory & Practice of Lead. & Follow.

4

ODC 721Self-as-Instrument in Organizations

2

ODC 725Org Ethics, Socio-Cult Dyna., Div. & SR

4

ODC 730Org Design, Assessment, & Strategy

4

ODC 740Research Design & Methods- Quantitative

4

ODC 741Advanced Quantitative Applications

2

ODC 745Work Psychology and Org Behavior

4

ODC 750Research Design & Methods-Qualitative

4

ODC 751Intervention Research & Advanced Qual

2

ODC 755Change, Change Management & Change Lead

4

ODC 760Conf, Comm & Advanced Org Theory & Prac

4

ODC 765Advanced Research Design & Methods

4

ODC 790Dissertation Proposal Develop & Defense

18