The doctorate in Executive Management (“Executive PhD”) program at the Drucker School of Management offers a bespoke and high-end educational experience for seasoned executives with significant, high-level leadership experience. Students will master research methods and develop a comprehensive understanding of advanced leadership and management principles, including the philosophy of Peter Drucker. The program culminates in a doctoral project that addresses an important business, management, or social problem.

Degree Requirements

Coursework.  This program requires a minimum of 64 units – most students will transfer in up to 16 units from their master’s degree.

• Great Books of Drucker, 2 units
• Leadership Core, 4 units from approved options
• Methods courses:
  • Foundations of Research, 4 units
  • Qualitative Methods, 2 units
  • Quantitative Methods, 2 units
• Doctoral MGT seminars, 6 units
• Doctoral in-person intensives, 4 units
• TNDY course(s), 4 units
• Doctoral Project completion courses, 16 units
• MGT electives, 4 units
• General electives, 16 units

Doctoral Project.  The Executive PhD features a doctoral project 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.

University Policies. Policies detailed in the current Policies and General Information Bulletin apply.

Admission. Admission requirements are detailed in the Admissions section of the current Policies and General Information Bulletin.