Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in Leadership Psychology
Blended Format

Admissions Requirements

1. Applicants must have previously completed a master’s degree in any discipline that comprises one of the following bases for the study of organizational leadership:
   1. Provides a background for understanding a particular organizational context for leadership (e.g., political science, or management, or education wherein the applicant learned about organizations/institutions and about how those organizations/institutions either serve society or are served by society);
   2. Provides a background for understanding a perspective on human behavior that can be applied to the study of organizational leadership (e.g., literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology); or
   3. Provides a background for understanding the methodological skills of organizational leadership research (e.g., statistics, social sciences with an emphasis in methodology). (NOTE: Students without an earned master’s degree may apply for concurrent admission to the doctoral program and the M.A. degree program in Organizational Psychology [MAOP]. Students who pursue this option and who maintain an overall GPA of at least 3.5 will automatically be advanced to the doctoral program on completion of the MAOP degree, without additional review; however, all MAOP degree requirements must be completed prior to beginning of the doctoral program work.)
2. Applicants must provide
   1. at least three written recommendations that—overall—verify the candidate’s academic background/scholarly ability, and his/her leadership potential; and
   2. official transcripts of all previous college work, demonstrating a qualitative achievement in previous academic work that is predictive of academic success at the doctoral level.
3. Applicants must provide a written statement demonstrating excellent written communication ability; this statement must include both a reflection on the applicant’s own preparation for the study of the Psychology of Leadership and a description of either intended degree outcomes or career goals. In fashioning this statement, applicants are encouraged to consider and reflect on one or more of the following leadership skills:
   1. Advocacy – The ability to be an effective spokesperson for an organization; taking initiative in making use of both formal and informal opportunities to communicate organizational achievements as well as needs;
   2. Decisiveness – The ability to make decisions and willingness to stand by those decisions even when faced with resistance;
   3. Communication and Human Relations – Skill in communicating effectively with a broad array of personnel; demonstrated interpersonal sensitivity to the needs and interests of others;
   4. Motivation – Skill in motivating others in order to generate support for important tasks; the ability to effectively lead a group toward the completion of its work; being driven by a personal desire to succeed—both as an individual and for the unit;
   5. Organizational Ability – The ability to mobilize resources for constructive change; a methodical approach to facilitating the work of the work of others;
   6. Personal Energy – The demonstration of enthusiasm for his/her organization and for the role held in that organization; the commitment of ensuring sufficient time to tasks in order to meet demands and deadlines;
   7. Persuasion – The ability to convince others of the value of one’s positions;
   8. Problem Analysis and Judgment – The ability to realize when one has insufficient information and the inclination to seek out additional information in a purposeful manner; the practice of basing opinions and beliefs on reliable and verifiable facts, with the weight of these opinions and beliefs being generally held to demonstrate intelligence, wisdom, common sense; the ability to balance individual interests with institutional needs;
   9. Reflection – Engaging in the practice of regularly seeking feedback on performance and regularly engaging in reflective self-assessment to determine effectiveness and needs/opportunities for improvement.
4. Applicants must be formally interviewed (in person or via e-technology) by a member of the core faculty to determine the degree of congruence between the candidate’s background and aspirations and the intended outcomes of the doctoral program.

Updated 1/26/12