Leadership and Decision-Making FAQs

A: Anyone interested in the learning, leadership, and decision-making process. This might include professionals from business, technology, health/social services, education, nonprofit agencies, higher education, etc.

A: Minimum qualifications include:

• Master's degree (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited institution
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above on all prior graduate work
• Minimum of two years of professional/work experience in an organizational/institutional setting

A: Application requires the following materials:

• Graduate School Application
  • Essay Questions
  • Non-refundable application fee (first time UTC graduate students only)
  • Three (3) General Recommendations (using the online form provided)
  • Resume/CV
  • Official transcripts from all previously attended institutions, even if a degree was not awarded 

A: The Admission Committee considers all required items holistically in our admissions process:

• Professional and academic performance (GPA, recommendations, resume/CV)
• Essay Questions
• Personal interview*

*Applicants may be invited to a video conference interview (if needed). 

A: If an applicant is accepted to a particular cohort (Summer term) and is unable to fully engage in and successfully complete the LEAD 7000 foundational course (1 credit), s/he may request to defer admission for one academic year. 

A: New cohorts are currently admitted in Summer only. Due to the cohort nature of the programs, we do not offer rolling admission.

A: Graduation requirements include:

• Successful completion of 1 credit hour of foundational coursework
• Successful completion of 36 credit hours of required coursework
• Successful completion of 15 credit hours of elective coursework
• Passage of the Comprehensive Assessment
• Successful completion of 3 credit hours of Pre-Dissertation Seminar
• Successful completion of a minimum of 15 credit hours of dissertation research and successful defense of the Dissertation
• Cumulative doctoral grade point average of 3.0 or higher (with no more than two grades below a "B") 

A: All newly admitted doctoral participants are required to successfully complete a foundational course (1 credit hour) during the initial Summer semester. The foundational course includes two synchronous face-to-face meetings on the UT-Chattanooga campus and material work in the Virtual Classroom (online) through discussions and readings. Should an admitted participant be unable to fully participate in the foundational course, the participant may request to defer admission for one academic year.

A: The Program Director/Advisor will provide guidance through the core coursework sequence and in selecting and approving electives. Upon successful completion of the core program, electives, and the Comprehensive Assessment, the participant will transition to candidacy and will work with a Dissertation Committee.

A: The cohort will complete required coursework together on the UT-Chattanooga campus on weekends. During the required core program of study (36 credit hours), each participant enrolls in 2 courses (6 credits) per semester until the core has been completed (Fall, Spring, and Summer continuous enrollment). This core coursework serves as seminal knowledge for the demonstration of competency in each of the program domains.

A: Enrollment in 6 graduate credit hours is required during the core program of study. Due to the rigorous nature of the core program in addition to the participant’s professional practice, enrollment in additional credit hours during the core program of study requires pre-approval by the Program Director/Advisor. Additionally, due to the cohort nature of the program, enrollment in fewer than 6 graduate credit hours (at UTC or other institution) during the core program of study requires pre-approval by the Program Director/Advisor and LEAD faculty as an exception to policy.

A: The program delivery model is designed with full-time working professionals in mind. During the required core program of study, each participant enrolls in 2 courses (6 credits) per semester until the core has been completed (Fall, Spring and Summer continuous enrollment). Core course work is offered via hybrid delivery. The hybrid delivery model we adopt includes 4-6 face-to-face meetings per course per semester (on the UT-Chattanooga campus on weekends) and extensive work in the Virtual Classroom (online) through discussions and readings, along with self-directed/small group study.

A: A typical Saturday schedule would include one core course session in the morning (8:00 am – 12:00 pm ET) and one core course session in the afternoon (1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET). Select courses may include a course session on Friday evening. To view a sample face-to-face meeting schedule, you may access the university class schedule (link: UTC Class Schedule). Please select any term and then search for Subject “Learning and Leadership.” Our courses are listed with the prefix “LEAD.”

A: Each doctoral participant is expected to demonstrate basic computer skills and to have working knowledge and capability with computer hardware as well as a variety of software applications. Each doctoral participant must have administrative rights to the computer being used during coursework in order to install necessary software. A number of software applications are provided by the university/UT at no charge for all current participants and faculty. Minimum technology requirements include:      

• PC or Mac computer with Windows-based operating system*
• Microsoft Word/Excel/PowerPoint (2010 version or newer)
• High speed Internet connection
• Webcam
• Adobe Reader
• EndNote
• SPSS statistical analysis software
• Zoom video conferencing
• UT system provided survey software
• Other applications as indicated by the faculty

*We highly recommend using a PC type computer. Our program faculty/staff and university administration utilize Windows and Microsoft software; therefore, a PC type computer is preferred to ensure compatibility. While the majority of the required software programs are available in both PC and Mac formats, select software programs are not available for use with the Mac operating system and require a Windows-based operating system. Some participants have experienced difficulty and noticed differences when formatting documents when using a Mac Operating System (Mac OS).

A: Participants must complete all degree requirements (70 graduate credit hours minimum) within a 10 year time frame. The "clock starts" with the earliest course applied to the doctoral degree program, including any program-approved transfer credits. The participant’s degree timeline will vary depending on a number of factors including (but not limited to) whether s/he has earned eligible transfer elective credits, his/her elective course enrollment, whether s/he requests a Leave of Absence due to an unexpected life event or remains continuously enrolled, the type of Dissertation s/he chooses to pursue (quantitative, qualitative, or mixed methods), the proposed Dissertation timeline, etc. Due to the nature of doctoral-level study, individual timelines vary considerably as a result of personal, professional, and personal commitments. The median timeframe for program completion is approximately 6 years.

A: Yes, each participant must remain continuously enrolled in course work. Continuous enrollment in the doctoral program applies to the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. During the initial Summer semester, each participant enrolls in 1 credit hour. During the core program of study, each participant is required to enroll in 6 core credit hours. Once the core program of study has been completed, the participant is required to remain continuously enrolled in course work (between 3-6 elective credit hours per semester). Following the Comprehensive Assessment and admission to candidacy, the candidate is required to continuously enroll in LEAD 7700 Pre-Dissertation Seminar (3 credit hours) followed by LEAD 7999 Dissertation (minimum of 2 credit hours) every semester through the successful defense of the Dissertation and acceptance of the Dissertation by the Graduate School. Failure to remain continuously enrolled will result in program dismissal.

A: The participant, with Program Director/Advisor approval, will identify and successfully complete 15 credit hours (5 courses) of elective coursework in subject matter appropriate for the participant's professional practice.

Minimum Elective Course Requirements:

• Credits must be taken for graduate credit (5000-level or above) from a regionally accredited institution
• Credits must have documented objectives or outcomes that are consistent with graduate level learning (higher order thinking skills)
• Credits must be academic in nature (not internship, practicum, continuing education, etc.)
• Credits must be assigned a letter grade of "B" or higher
• Credits cannot have been used for a previously conferred degree
• Credits must be approved by the Program Director/Advisor

Transfer Credit Policy:

• Any transfer credits cannot exceed 15 graduate hours (5 courses) and are limited to elective credit
• Previous transfer credits must have been taken within 5 years of entrance into the program.
• Any transfer credit requests for previous course work should be submitted to the Program Director/Advisor, along with course syllabus(i) from the semester the course was taken. Any approved transfer credits will be documented as part of the program of study/MyMocsDegree.
• Any additional transfer credit must be approved in advance and requests must be accompanied by a course syllabus (the most recent version available, no more than one year old) and an official transcript must be submitted upon completion of approved courses

The following types of courses will not be accepted as elective credit toward the doctoral program:

• Courses designed as bridging or leveling work for Master's programs (Foundations of..., Concepts in..., etc.)
• Courses that are very similar in scope to core coursework (Principles of Instructional Design, Organizational Effectiveness, etc.)
• Courses offered at the undergraduate level (4000) with a graduate (5000) option

A: A maximum of fifteen (15) hours may be considered for transfer from a regionally accredited institution (see elective credit policy above).

A: Yes, each candidate will be required to register for a minimum of 15 Dissertation credit hours and defend the Dissertation. Candidates who do not complete the Dissertation hours within the 15 credit hour time frame must take an additional 2 Dissertation credit hours each semester through graduation (per continuous enrollment policy).

A: Participants will develop their individual research agendas throughout the program of study. Dissertation topics/potential research questions are developed by the participant with guidance and input from the doctoral faculty. As our program is designed to be work/experienced embedded, dissertation research topics are often designed to investigate some aspects of a candidate’s profession within the broader context of learning, leadership, and decision-making.

A: The Leadership and Decision-Making doctoral degree requires a minimum of 70 total graduate credit hours. As a distance program, the doctoral program has a specific fee schedule that includes a differential fee. To review the current university fee schedule, please visit the Bursar’s website (link: Bursar's website). Select Fee Information > select current semester > select Online & Distance Learning Fee Schedule > scroll down to Graduate Fees (in-state or out-of-state).

A: Financial Aid at the doctoral level is typically limited to student loans and employer sponsored tuition reimbursement programs. For additional information, please visit the Financial Aid website (link: Financial Aid website).

A: Doctor of Philosophy: Leadership and Decision-Making