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Executive Management

PhD in Executive Management

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“Knowledge is different from all other resources. It makes itself constantly obsolete.” – Peter Drucker

 

The Next Journey for Visionary Leaders

In today’s fast-paced world, accomplished executives like you must continuously evolve to stay ahead. That’s why our groundbreaking PhD in Executive Management (EPhD) program has been reinvented to cater to a new generation of leaders. With a 40-year history of providing doctoral education to executives, the EPhD empowers you to build on your accomplishments and experience by delving into personally relevant questions facing business, management, and society. By joining our trailblazing program, you become part of an elite cohort of forward-thinking professionals dedicated to transforming business and society. Guided by Drucker’s enduring philosophy and supported by our world-class faculty, you will explore transformative ideas that can create a lasting impact.
 

A Unique Learning Experience Tailored for You

The Drucker School and its programs, including the EPhD, are grounded in the philosophy of Peter F. Drucker, widely regarded as the father of modern management. Distinct among business schools, the Drucker School views management as fundamental to human achievement and emphasizes the importance of good management for a functioning society. The EPhD embodies this philosophy by blending theory and practice, aimed at studying a business, management, or social issue in-depth. You will receive personalized guidance from dedicated Drucker faculty advisors, ensuring a unique and unparalleled learning experience tailored to your individual goals.
 

Get The Drucker Edge

A doctorate from the Drucker School represents excellence in leadership and management research and practice. As an academic, writer, and scholar, Peter Drucker’s work has left an indelible impact on the field of management. He joined the Claremont Graduate University in the early 1970s, and for nearly 20 years, he and CGU faculty offered the EPhD program, with the first students graduating in 1984. Although many business schools offer similar programs, such as the “DBA,” the EPhD at Drucker has a distinguished and unique history as the oldest program of its kind. The newly reimagined program is tailored to meet the needs of today’s top executives, providing the Drucker Edge and empowering you to join the distinguished ranks of visionary leaders who have shaped the future of business and society.

Program Highlights

 

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Program At a Glance

UNITS
48 units

ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME
3 years

COURSE MODALITY
Hybrid

COURSES BEGIN
Fall

DEGREE AWARDED
PhD in Executive Management


Learning Outcomes

The EPhD program at the Drucker School of Management offers a bespoke and high-end educational experience for seasoned executives:

    • Development of a strong research proposal that aligns with the faculty’s research interests and expertise to create a mentorship relationship
    • Comprehensive understanding of advanced leadership and management principles, including the philosophy of Peter Drucker
    • Apply advanced leadership concepts, theories, models, and tools for practical and creative problem solving
    • Completion of a high-quality dissertation that addresses an important business, management, or social problem with rigorous research methods
    • Personal growth and preparation for new career paths, including teaching at a university, consulting, governance boards, and executive leadership roles
The Dissertation Reimagined
    The Executive PhD features a dissertation that transcends the traditional academic dissertation in favor of an experience and document designed for application. Students conduct rigorous research applying methods learned in the program curriculum to find solutions for current business or societal problems and formulate their results in a way that is streamlined and effective.

 

Curriculum

This prestigious program requires a minimum of 48 units of coursework and a dissertation designed to be completed within 3 years, with a curriculum tailored to each executive’s unique needs.

Leadership Core (6 units)

    • Drucker Philosophy (2 units)

Choose two of the following:

    • Drucker Leadership Practicum (2 units)
    • The Effective Executive (2 units)
    • Designing the Future (2 units)
    • Sustainability for Strategy (2 units)
    • The Practice of Self-Mastery (2 units)

MGT PhD Core Seminars (4 units)
Seminar topics vary year to year, examples include:

    • Drucker’s work
    • Management
    • Customer Behavior
    • Leadership and Organizational Behavior
    • Societal Impact

Methods courses (6-10 units)

    • Survey of Methods (2 units)
    • Two additional methods courses from any CGU department (4-8 units)

Transdisciplinary course (4 units)

Research Proposal Development (12 units)

Electives/independent Studies (12+ units)

PhD Completion

    • Dissertation proposal
    • Written dissertation and oral defense

 

Who Should Apply

The ideal candidates for the EPhD are seasoned executives with significant leadership experience in business, non-profits, and public sector organizations. These candidates should possess the following qualities:

    • Leadership Experience: Ideal candidates are senior leaders from various types of organizations. This would include C-level titles (e.g., CEO, CFO, COO), president, or vice president roles in typical for-profit firms. In non-profits or NGOs, it might be a director or executive director. From the military, it may be colonel or general. In any case, the ideal person will be someone who has significant active (or prior) senior leadership experience.
    • Research Interest: Applicants should be able to submit a preliminary research proposal that aligns with the Drucker School faculty’s research interests and expertise. They should demonstrate a genuine passion for addressing significant business, management, or social problems through rigorous research.
    • Commitment: The program is designed to be completed within three years, so candidates should be prepared to dedicate the necessary time and effort to their studies.
    • Motivation: Ideal candidates are motivated by self-enhancement, learning, and the potential for new career paths, such as teaching at a university, consulting, governance boards, or executive leadership roles in companies led by scientists and technologists with PhDs.
    • Engagement: Candidates should be active in their fields or professions, attending industry-relevant events, executive leadership/coaching programs, or participating in business professional organizations, such as those related to their industries or professions.

Faculty & Research

Request information about the Executive Management program

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Adriana Leake

Assistant Director of Admissions
T: 909-607-3310
E: adriana.leake@cgu.edu