PhD in Leadership Studies

Lead with research.

Become a scholar of leadership and a voice for change.

Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership Studies (PhD)

Leaders do more than guide people forward. They help communities adapt, organizations evolve, and new possibilities take shape. Lynchburg’s PhD in Leadership Studies is designed for those leaders who are ready to move beyond what is known and define what comes next.

In this interdisciplinary doctoral program, you’ll deepen your understanding of leadership through advanced theory, original research, and scholarly inquiry. You’ll learn to examine complex challenges with curiosity and discipline while developing the research skills to contribute meaningful new knowledge to your field.

Your doctoral journey will be shaped by the ideas, questions, and communities that matter most to you. Whether you want to teach, conduct research, influence policy, consult, lead at a higher level, or advance scholarship in your profession, Lynchburg’s PhD program gives you the foundation to turn your insight into impact.

100% Online

Complete your degree online, from anywhere.

57 Credit Hours

Complete the 57-credit hour program in three years as a full-time student of six years as a part-time student.

Cohort Program

Collaborate with a consistent group and build your network.

The world needs leaders who can think deeply, question assumptions, and create knowledge that helps people and organizations meet the challenges ahead.

Lynchburg’s PhD in Leadership Studies gives you the opportunity to study the questions that matter to your field and contribute ideas to your organizations and beyond. Your work has the potential to inform decisions, strengthen systems, elevate communities, and help shape a more thoughtful future for leadership.

Go Further. Start Here.
Let us know you’re interested, and we’ll be in touch.

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434-544-8300

Or call us

434-544-8770

Choose Your Tack:

You can customize your doctoral experience by choosing a concentration area that aligns with your career goals.

Education Leadership: Strengthen your ability to lead schools, districts, and educational systems while supporting meaningful improvement for students, educators, and communities.
Healthcare Leadership: Develop the expertise to examine how healthcare organizations lead through complexity, implement change, and improve performance while maintaining ethical standards, compliance, and stakeholder trust..
Interdisciplinary: Build a flexible leadership foundation that allows you to address complex challenges across fields, systems, and professional settings.
Nonprofit Leadership: Prepare to lead mission-driven organizations with the strategy, vision, and resourcefulness needed to create lasting community impact.
Sports Administration: Build the leadership perspective needed to navigate decision-making under public scrutiny, manage risk and compliance, and improve organizations across collegiate, professional, and community sports settings.

University of Lynchburg | 1501 Lakeside Drive | Lynchburg, VA 24501-3113 | 434.544.8100