Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Most definitely. All of our students balance the program with full-time careers and family commitments. That said, students are asked to plan for approximately 15-20 hours of academic work on average per week. With our close to 80% graduation rate, we know that it is completely possible to work full-time, care for aging parents or young children, AND complete one’s dream of a PhD!

Absolutely not. Our students live and work wherever. Students need sufficient bandwidth (literally and figuratively) to engage fully in this geographically dispersed learning community with other students, staff, and faculty. Students are required to attend three annual residencies for the first three years of study. Two of the week-long residencies each year are held face-to-face, and one is virtual. The on-site residencies are typically held at one of the Antioch campuses.

The PhD in Leadership and Change Program is designed for practitioners who want to develop their research skills and theoretical knowledge in order to address the perplexing questions of their practice. Therefore, throughout their doctoral journey, students are continually applying their learning to their professional interests and fields of practice. At the same time, it is important to recognize that the PhD program is a research degree, so while learning is connected and applied to one’s professional interests, there is not a one-to-one correlation with job-specific responsibilities. Students’ practitioner knowledge of their fields and their awareness of thorny problems that need to be addressed is at the core of their research interests and their desire to illuminate ways to improve the lives of those they serve in workplaces, organizations, and communities across the country and world.

This is a low-residency program, not an online degree. Students are required to attend three annual residencies for the first three years of study. The on-site residencies are typically held at one of the Antioch campuses.

This is a robust geographically-dispersed learning community with students fully engaged throughout the year with myriad learning opportunities to participate in elective research workshops, writing support sessions, and library appointments. Students are also meeting with faculty evaluators on Learning Achievements and attending specific workshops about each Learning Achievement. The opportunity to sit in on Dissertation Defenses and attend speakers’ series are also available. If the student is in their first, second, or third year in the program, they have their required Proseminar, in essence, their cohort homeroom, which typically meets every other week. And finally, of course, students are meeting one-on-one with their advisor, the Graduate research librarian, the writing coach … and each other!

The early application review deadline is October 1 of each year. Review of subsequent applications begins after February 1, after which time we begin review of all complete applications on a rolling basis. Our final application deadline is May 1 of each year.

The entire application is accessible here.  Applicants are asked to submit an application form, admissions essay, current resume, writing sample, three recommender forms, official transcripts, and an application fee. For questions regarding further specifics of the application components please contact us or email us. We encourage potential applicants to attend an information meeting to learn more about the program.  

Yes, a master’s degree from an accredited institution is a minimum requirement for considered admission to the program. Applicants who seek admission to the PhD in Leadership and Change program without a post-baccalaureate degree may be considered in extremely rare cases. In such cases, the expectation would be that an individual’s record would demonstrate an outstanding accomplishment and significant professional experience at the equivalent of a master’s degree and would likely include extensive post-BA coursework, even if a degree were not completed. The program will accept applications from all interested individuals but it would be in rare situations that an applicant without a master’s degree would be considered for review by the full Admissions Committee of the PhD in Leadership and Change Program.

The program is willing to consider assessing doctoral work completed at another accredited institution within the past five years. The student’s work is evaluated to determine the degree to which it meets the learning goals and criteria established by our program faculty for only two specific first-year assignments: the Case Study in Leading Change and the Nature of Leadership. Because the PhD Program is not course-based, there is no direct transfer of prior course credits.

Guaranteed fixed tuition is offered in the PhD in Leadership and Change Program for the first three years. Once a student advances to candidacy the tuition is half of full tuition, beginning in the trimester following advancement. For 2022-23, the tuition is $25,752. Payment plans are available.

A majority of GSLC students finance their education through some form of financial aid. You may not be sure which federal, state, public and private aid packages – such as loans, scholarships, and grants—are right for you. Our staff is here to help you, so you can focus on what’s most important: beginning your academic program.

Yes, new and continuing students to the PhD Program can apply to a host of scholarship funds and research grants, many of which encourage socially engaged leadership that helps to further the University’s mission and program outcomes. Additionally, in honor of the many generations of Antioch University’s Peace Corps volunteers, the PhD in Leadership and Change Program also offers a Coverdell Scholarship for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. For more information on scholarship funds and research grants, please email us.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step. Applicants can  obtain a copy of the application from the Program Office or go to ‘How to Apply’ on the  Program’s website.