Frequently Asked Ph.D. Questions

There are many aspects of this program that are unique.

First, you will be supported to pursue scholarly (academic) and/or practitioner (non-academic) career pathways. The program has specifically recruited faculty from both worlds. Why? Because the world faces challenges that need all of us to work together.

Second, it is more than a cohort; it is a community. Our community of practice (CoP) can be defined as a group of people who share a passion for global leadership, who want to build relationships with others who share a common goal, and who understand the importance of sharing knowledge with others. SMWC uses a SharePoint platform to connect all student cohorts, all Ph.D. faculty, and all mentors, speakers and dissertation experts.

Every student and faculty member discovers their top five strengths through Gallup’s CliftonStrengths.  These top five strengths are listed within each faculty and doctoral student’s CoP user persona. These five strengths are a great way to form teams for group projects, match mentors with students, and students can use their strengths to transform their potential into increased productivity and performance.

Each person connected to the community of practice creates a CoP user persona. Scholar identity is not easy, and it is a transformative experience. SMWC Ph.D. in Global Leadership students will develop a competency to present and publish research beginning amongst their peers within their doctoral cohort while encouraging and positively influencing new and continuing students each year. Each person’s user persona reflects their current research interests, their top five strengths, their bio, current research (i.e. their master thesis), their top skills, etc. The user personas are housed in the community and courses.

Once you are admitted, you will be introduced to the community of practice. You take your Clifton Strengths and develop your CoP user persona with our help. In August, you start one course that last 8 weeks. SMWC uses BrightSpace (D2L) for virtual, immersive delivery of each course, so expect to be actively engaged in discussions, both online and in Zoom/Microsoft Teams. You will be assigned a mentor who will work with you from the beginning and help guide you through this transformative journey. You continue taking one course at a time for the next three years plus six months for dissertation.

The tuition and fees can be found on the Tuition and Fees page and includes a $2,500 professional development fund provided in partnership with SMWC’s Global Leadership Institute.

The $2,500 professional development funds can be used for a variety of opportunities such as expenses associated with attending academic conferences, fees associated with conducting dissertation research, study abroad expenses, and more. All students will conclude the use of funds with a presentation, poster, etc. (which can be tied to the publication and/or residency requirements).

It takes 36 months of course work, plus six months of dissertation for a total of 42 months.

The admission requirements are:

• Application
• Application fee of $100 (non-refundable)
• Official transcripts from all educational institutions attended
• Two letters of recommendation
• Resume/CV
• Personal letter of interest (1,000 – 2,000 words)

Yes. The additional requirements are:

• Applicants must have a minimum score of 550 on the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a minimum score of 80 if taking the internet-based TOEFL test. Or
• As an alternative to the TOEFL, applicants may submit a score of at least 6.5 on the IELTS exam.

Our TOEFL code is RA1704.

Applicants who attended schools outside the United States are required to submit certified transcripts in English. If you have not completed your master’s degree at the time of application, you must submit a current transcript. Upon degree completion, you are required to provide official transcripts in a sealed envelope directly from the institution that awarded your degree prior to enrollment.

No. Doctoral students have the option to come on-campus each spring for the Ph.D. in Global Leadership Program Engagement Event, along with additional opportunities throughout the year. However, it is not a graduation requirement.

The Global Leadership Institute Conference (GLIC) is the GLI’s converging event, offering the opportunity to form connections, meet and learn from dynamic speakers, and share new experiences, all of which enable synergistic growth personally and professionally surrounding the field of global leadership. Learn more about the Global Leadership Institute.