Organization Development and Change - 2022-23 Graduate Catalog

Program Coordinator: Steve Cady
Address: 120 Maurer Center
Phone: 419-372-9388
Email:  scady@bgsu.edu
Program Web Page: https://www.bgsu.edu/dodc

Degrees Offered
Doctorate in Organization Development and Change

Programs Offered
Organization Development and Change

Program Information

How does someone differentiate themselves professionally as they pursue what matters most? This is an important challenge for those high achievers with ambitions to do meaningful work that makes a positive difference in the world. Working hard is one thing - becoming a sought-after leader, consultant, and educator is another.   

There is a new trend in education that makes terminal degrees, such as this doctorate, more accessible than ever before. At BGSU we are answering the call and offering a Doctorate in Organizational Development & Change. This leading-edge program develops experts in transforming organizations, revitalizing communities, and developing human potential.  Designed for working professionals who seek to lead, consult, and educate at the highest levels in organizations and communities, the 3-year accelerated degree is specifically designed for busy professionals to advance their goals without putting careers on hold. Students will be able to:

• Graduate from one of the top graduate programs of its kind in the world, with a blend of organization development and I/O psychology as a foundation.
•  Earn a doctorate degree in as little as 36 months, while maintaining work and personal obligations with our accelerated program design.
•  Use time efficiently in a hybrid online and in-person residency format that reduces the number of times a student comes to campus.
•  Study within a cohort-based program that promotes lasting relationships and extensive networking among students, alumni, associations, and program partners.
• Foster an overall business orientation that applies to both profit and nonprofit organizations within a variety of industries globally.
•  Produce a practical and relevant dissertation, prepared in “real-time” that advances their reputation as a subject matter expert.
•  Benefit from the Executive Career Accelerator that provides a unique suite of professional services to leverage the degree in support of next-level career goals.
•  Experience a unique international study abroad trip included in the curriculum.
• Receive a degree with elite accreditation by AACSB International and the Higher Learning Commission.

Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Doctoral degree, students in the Organization Development and Change program are expected to be able to:

• Lead, manage, consult, educate, and facilitate organization development and change.
• Utilize collaborative approaches across time and space at the individual, group, organization, and transorganizational levels.
• Apply the research process, including action research, to address real world challenges.
• Investigate, scan, and diagnose challenges and opportunities with organizations and communities.
• Design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based organization development and change interventions.
• Integrate interdisciplinary perspectives grounded in the behavioral sciences.
• Demonstrate professional and personal skills necessary to influence others and serve as an effective change agent.

The curriculum is grounded in evidence-based perspectives that are emphasized across a variety of colleges and degree programs. Our aim is to maximize each student’s professional pathways in three areas, referred to as the career trifecta: Leaders, Consultants, and Educators. Students may pursue one or more of these categories. We will serve leaders and change agents who aspire to be valued members of the “executive suite”; we will serve those who are working in consulting and coaching (internal or external) providing change, collaboration, and innovation services; and in the education arena, we will serve experienced professionals looking for opportunities in the academy as a second career or as complementary work. We prepare students with the competencies necessary to pursue these pathways as a sought-after expert in their areas of interest - doing meaningful work, following their passion, and realizing professional joy.

Prerequisites to Graduate Work
Prior to applying to the Doctorate in Organization Development and Change program a candidate will have 10 or more years of professional experience and have received a master’s degree from an accredited institution.

Admission Procedure
A complete application for the program includes:

• Scanned copies of official transcripts from all institutions attended. Upon admission, final official transcripts from each degree granting institution must be submitted.
• Official scores from the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Test scores will be waived for applicants meeting the professional experience requirement.
• Current professional career resume and two letters of reference; a) one professional from a current or former supervisor and b) one academic letter from an instructor in higher education.
• Career objective essay of no less than 1000 words.
• An interview with the Assistant Director, Program Director, or faculty member teaching in the program.
• International applicants are also required to submit scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).

Degree Requirements
The degree is a three-year, 61-hour (minimum) program that occurs post-master’s degree. The requirements include eight core courses with an international study tour (24 hours), four research courses (12 hours), three elective courses (9 hours), a preliminary exam with a specialized portfolio, and a dissertation (16 hours). The program design makes it accessible to a working-student population, both in terms of delivery and time-to-completion.

The culminating experience is an applied evidence-based dissertation, which both advances theory and demonstrates impact on the organizations and communities we serve. Students bring an important problem or opportunity into the program as the focus of their dissertation topic. Throughout their learning experience students examine their topic through the lens of each course. The results of the work are evaluated and prepared for widespread dissemination through publication and other more current means. Ultimately, this advances the student’s reputation as a subject matter expert in their professional area of interest.

Graduate Courses
Please access graduate courses online by clicking the “Browsing Course Catalog” button at http://www.bgsu.edu/registration-records/courses-and-classes/class-course-information.html.

Graduate courses offered in the program use the prefix: CHNG.