Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) announced that students who hold a Master of Leadership Development or an equivalent master’s degree can receive 18 credit hours toward their Ph.D. in Global Leadership with a concentration in Leadership Development. Qualified students admitted to the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program could complete their coursework in two years rather than three, plus the dissertation, by transferring in the 18 credit hours toward the new leadership development concentration.
The Leadership Development concentration creates a more efficient pathway for experienced leaders with a completed Master of Leadership Development (MLD) or similar master’s program to earn their doctoral degree while building upon their existing leadership foundation. Students who are accepted into the fully online Ph.D. in Global Leadership program with a concentration in Leadership Development will focus on the core global leadership and research courses in the Ph.D. program, as they have the opportunity to apply previously earned MLD (or similar master’s program) coursework toward the Leadership Development concentration. The research and global leadership core courses in the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program will remain the same for students in the Leadership Development concentration, however, students will transfer 18 credit hours of coursework from an earned Master of Leadership Development (or a similar master’s program) from an accredited higher education institution. No additional concentration courses are required to obtain the Leadership Development concentration in the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program. This is a significant time and cost savings for the student.
Kimberly LaComba, Director of the Ph.D. in Global Leadership program and Associate Professor stated, “The new Leadership Development concentration empowers leaders to accelerate their doctoral journey while honoring their Master of Leadership Development or equivalent degree achievements and encouraging a pursuit of excellence in global leadership practice and scholarship.”
The Ph.D. in Global Leadership program began in the fall of 2021 and, in May 2025, celebrated the first graduates. In 2024, SMWC announced the Business Administration concentration and students who have earned their Master of Business Administration degrees can receive 18 credit hours toward their Ph.D. in Global Leadership, reducing the amount of time to complete the completely online doctoral program.
For more information visit smwc.edu/phd or email admissions@smwc.edu.