Leadership Communication (PHD)

Location(s): Manhattan Campus, Manhattan Online

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Contacts: Mary Tolar and Andrew Wefald
Email: leadership@k-state.edu
Phone: 785-532-6085

K-State's Leadership Communication doctoral program is an interdisciplinary research degree grounded in community-engaged scholarship. Here's what awaits you:

Challenging Coursework: Through coursework you will explore theories and methods of leadership, communication, and engagement to form new lenses to see and solve problems. You'll develop your methodological skill to conduct forms of engaged research.

Tailored Path: You will customize a plan of study relevant to your own pace, place, and purpose.

Research that Makes a Difference: Through your research you will help make progress on issues you and your communities care about.

A major cornerstone of K-State's Leadership Communication Ph.D. program is a community-engaged approach to teaching, learning, and research. Doctoral students study and practice the art of leading change to produce original research that is grounded in this approach.

Admission Requirements:

A minimum of 90 credit hours are required for the doctor of philosophy degree. Students already holding an applicable master’s degree, or who have completed other post-baccalaureate work upon admission, can count 30 credits toward the 90 credits required for the doctorate.

Course Requirements

Required Courses: 18 credit hours

LEAD 814 - Graduate Studies in Leadership Communication Credits: 3 Crosslisted: COMM 814 / AGCOM 814
LEAD 815 - Seminar in Leadership Communication Credits: 1 Crosslisted: COMM 815 / AGCOM 815
This seminar is offered each semester. Students must enroll for a minimum of 3 credit hours over 3 semesters.
LEAD 820 - Contemporary Perspectives on Leadership Theory and Practice Credits: 3
LEAD 845 - Approaches to Public/Community Engagement Credits: 3 Crosslisted: COMM 845 / AGCOM 845
COMM 916 - Communication Theories and Engagement Credits: 3 Crosslisted: AGCOM 916
LEAD 945 - Social Science Research for Public Problem Solving Credits: 3 Crosslisted: COMM 945 / AGCOM 945

Research Methodologies: Minimum of 12 credit hours

COMM 821 - Experimental Research in Communication Studies Credits: 3
COMM 822 - Field Research in Communication Studies Credits: 3
EDCEP 817 - Statistical Methods in Education Credits: 3
EDCEP 917 - Experimental Design in Educational Research Credits: 3
EDLEA 838 - Qualitative Research in Education Credits: 3
EDLEA 938 - Advanced Data Analysis in Qualitative Methods Credits: 3
EDLEA 948 - Data Representation and Writing in Qualitative Research Credits: 3
EDLEA 848 - Understanding Theoretical Frameworks Credits: 3
EDLEA 928 - Organizational Leadership in Education Credits: 3
EDLEA 958 - Case Study in Qualitative Research Credits: 3
EDLEA 968 - Discourse Analysis Credits: 3
EDLEA 978 - Qualitative Data Management and Analysis Using Nvivo Credits: 3
EDLEA 988 - Differentiated Research Credits: 3
GEOG 801 - Seminar in Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research Credits: 3
PLAN 803 - Community Research Methods Credits: 3
POLSC 900 - Advanced Research Methods I Credits: 3
POLSC 901 - Advanced Research Methods II Credits: 3
PSYCH 802 - Psychological Research Design and Analysis I Credits: 3
PSYCH 805 - Psychological Research Design and Analysis II Credits: 3
SOCIO 824 - Qualitative Methodology Credits: 3
SOCIO 825 - Quantitative Methods Credits: 3
SOCIO 822 - Introduction to Methods of Social Analysis Credits: 3

Additional Requirements:

Beyond the core and methods courses, students must complete an additional 30 credit hours. A minimum of 15 credit hours must be from dissertation research hours. The remaining 15 credit hours may come from either elective coursework or more dissertation research hours.

Dissertation Research: 15-30 credit hours

Completion of a dissertation which examines a topic congruent with the program of study using a systematic methodology consistent with accepted research paradigms; the dissertation must be successfully defended in a public, oral defense.

LEAD 999 - Research in Leadership Communication Credits: 1-15
Crosslisted: COMM 999 / AGCOM 999

Electives: 0-15 credit hours

Students will work with their committees to select 0-15 credit hours of elective courses appropriate for their programs of study. Example courses include:

COMM 790 - Deliberation & Dialogue Theory Credits: 3
COMM 831 - Deliberation & Dialogue Process Models Credits: 3
COMM 832 - Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement: Core Skills and Strategies Credits: 3
COMM 833 - Dialogue, Deliberation, and Public Engagement: Capstone Experience Credits: 3
EDACE 816 - Foundations of Social Justice Education: Research, Theory, and Practice Credits: 3
EDACE 817 - Reflective Practice in Social Justice Education Credits: 3

Kansas State University

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