Help me choose a Doctoral program

[FireMedic_Philosopher]

I'm currently doing my MS in Organizational Leadership at Johns Hopkins. I have two semesters left to go and will graduate in August of next year. Right now I have a 3.8 GPA. I'd like to pursue a PhD (or possibly a DBA - I put one on this list). I'm doing it for personal reasons and because I have some genuine research interests that I'd like to pursue. I'd also enjoy doing some part time teaching (online) and maybe move to full time (non-tenure track) when I retire. (My dad had a PhD, worked in industry for 37 years, and then spent the last 17 years of his life at a large state school). My research interests are more on the Leadership side of things, but they are still very related to business, so could work with a PhD in Bus Admin as well.

Here are the programs I've narrowed it down to:

Gonzaga, PhD in Leadership.
https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-leadership-studies/academics/ph-d-leadership-studies
The main negative about this one is the really high cost. I could do it, but the other ones are half as much or less. School is more well known than others on the list, which is a plus.

Indiana Tech, PhD in Global Leadership
https://phd.indianatech.edu/program/

University of Southern Maine, PhD in Leadership
https://usm.maine.edu/academics/academic_programs/leadership-phd/
I'm kind of leaning towards this one.

Tiffin University, PhD in Global Leadership and Change
https://go.tiffin.edu/doctorate-programs/ph-d-in-global-leadership-and-change/

UNC Greensboro, PhD in Business Administration
https://www.uncg.edu/degrees/business-administration-ph-d/
Maybe a more useful degree than leadership? However, it takes 5 years to complete.

Touro University Worldwide, Doctor of Business Administration
https://www.tuw.edu/academics/business/doctor-of-business-administration/
I put this on here because it only takes 1.5-2 years to complete. Requires a research project instead of a dissertation. Probably a big negative for academia. School is Jewish-aligned which appeals to me as a Jewish person.

I should also add that I have over 25 years of experience in the software industry (non-technical) leading teams, so tons of real-world experience in leadership and business in general (currently at the VP level).

I would encourage the OP to also look at the EdD in leadership through LSU.

[ArielB74]

Thanks for all of the advice. I had a great conversation with one of my professors at Hopkins about this subject, and after that I'm kind of leaning towards the Gonzaga program because of the name recognition vs. the other schools on my list. Someone on the sister forum gave me another recommendation - Troy University, so I'll look into that as well. I have time to decide since I don't graduate until August.

I'll also explore some of the EdD programs as well, as I know there are some focused on Organizational Leadership.

[pkovacs]

I'm currently doing my MS in Organizational Leadership at Johns Hopkins. I have two semesters left to go and will graduate in August of next year. Right now I have a 3.8 GPA. I'd like to pursue a PhD (or possibly a DBA - I put one on this list). I'm doing it for personal reasons and because I have some genuine research interests that I'd like to pursue. I'd also enjoy doing some part time teaching (online) and maybe move to full time (non-tenure track) when I retire. (My dad had a PhD, worked in industry for 37 years, and then spent the last 17 years of his life at a large state school). My research interests are more on the Leadership side of things, but they are still very related to business, so could work with a PhD in Bus Admin as well.

Here are the programs I've narrowed it down to:

Gonzaga, PhD in Leadership.
https://www.gonzaga.edu/school-of-leadership-studies/academics/ph-d-leadership-studies
The main negative about this one is the really high cost. I could do it, but the other ones are half as much or less. School is more well known than others on the list, which is a plus.

Indiana Tech, PhD in Global Leadership
https://phd.indianatech.edu/program/

University of Southern Maine, PhD in Leadership
https://usm.maine.edu/academics/academic_programs/leadership-phd/
I'm kind of leaning towards this one.

Tiffin University, PhD in Global Leadership and Change
https://go.tiffin.edu/doctorate-programs/ph-d-in-global-leadership-and-change/

UNC Greensboro, PhD in Business Administration
https://www.uncg.edu/degrees/business-administration-ph-d/
Maybe a more useful degree than leadership? However, it takes 5 years to complete.

Touro University Worldwide, Doctor of Business Administration
https://www.tuw.edu/academics/business/doctor-of-business-administration/
I put this on here because it only takes 1.5-2 years to complete. Requires a research project instead of a dissertation. Probably a big negative for academia. School is Jewish-aligned which appeals to me as a Jewish person.

I should also add that I have over 25 years of experience in the software industry (non-technical) leading teams, so tons of real-world experience in leadership and business in general (currently at the VP level).

Which one did you pick? I'm with the same dilemma..

[bjcheung77]

Which one did you pick? I'm with the same dilemma..

Great question... What do you bring to the table? And what doctoral program are you looking for?
It's hard to answer without knowing what you need and want... Everyone does things differently.

[SophiaPrincess]

I would lean towards the University of Southern Maine, too. Have you considered the University of the Cumberlands PhD in Leadership Studies? It accepts 18 transfer credits and costs $415 per credit. Classes are 7/8 weeks long each, and textbooks are included. They also have a DBA program, but it costs $549 per credit. Both programs require 66 credits, but you can transfer 18 credits.

https://www.ucumberlands.edu/academics/g...ip-studies
https://www.ucumberlands.edu/academics/g...ration-dba

The cost is definitely attractive, however, not sure about the quality or reputation of the school.  I've read mixed things on here and the sister forum about it. Some positives and some negatives.  Several people over there who started at this school but didn't finish, as well.

Most people back out during the dissertation phase. Overall, the school is pretty good and has a good reputation. It is private but does offer low tuition, which can be compared to a state school. I don't see any issues like some of the for-profit colleges and universities. I follow the Facebook page for this school's doctoral program, and I read a lot of good things.

The other problem with it is that it's a Christian college, which is an issue for me.  Same issue with Liberty, which is unfortunate because they have a lot of good online programs.

Both Liberty and the University of the Cumberlands are Southern Baptist institutions. Southern Baptists, like their Evangelical Christian brethren, love the Jewish people and strongly support Israel. Gonzaga is a Catholic University. The Catholic Church has been accused of antisemitism in the past. I don't believe that is still true today but your choice of schools is interesting.

[SteveFoerster]

I did a lot of coursework at University of the Cumberlands but didn't finish the dissertation phase. That was not their fault, and I'd still recommend them to someone who otherwise liked them.

They are Southern Baptist, and apparently pretty serious about it when it comes to campus life, so if one doesn't want that affiliation then that's understandable. However, it's not at all a component of their doctoral programs, and they are explicitly welcoming to people of all faiths or none. Note that Liberty University has a different reputation in this regard, in that apparently they have Biblical references in their online programs, etc.

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I have my eye on this one, although it is a Doctor of Education, not a "PhD." Secular school, state university, big name, the right price, and a doctoral project versus a dissertation from a "research university."
https://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/degrees-...-education

Yeah, if I were starting from zero, I'd probably do this one.