PH.D. In Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship

Introduction

The Ph.D. Program in Urban Leadership & Entrepreneurship equips students to become scholar-practitioners through advanced, doctoral-level studies, empirical research, and practical application.

The program seeks current, aspiring, and emerging leaders who desire to employ critical thinking principles and evidence-based practices associated with an entrepreneurial mindset and a commitment to finding solutions. The program is offered by the University of the District of Columbia in partnership with Fielding Graduate University. All ULAE core courses are offered after 4:30 PM and in a hybrid format. This means that some classes will be offered in person and some will be offered in an on-line format each semester.

Competencies

The Ph.D. Program in Urban Leadership & Entrepreneurship is the only Doctoral level program of its kind in the United States. It utilizes a scholar-practitioner approach to learning and research and a commitment to engage students in shaping their course of study. Upon program completion, students will be able to:

  • Employ empirical methods and theoretical concepts to create new knowledge and fill existing knowledge gaps.
  • Research, analyze, and defend methodologies to arrive at meaningful contributions.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work in teams and engage different fields of knowledge.
  • Demonstrate the ability to use knowledge, tools, and skills to develop new ideas and applications.
  • Demonstrate the ability to analyze, engage, and articulate information to diverse stakeholder groups.
  • Demonstrate the ability to anticipate, adapt, develop a course of action, implement, assess, and learn.
  • Demonstrate advanced skills and ethical integrity.
  • Demonstrate the ability to engage in self-directed learning.

Concentrations

The following concentrations are offered in the program. Students may select one concentration or a combination of concentrations to focus their course work and dissertation.

Application Requirements

The deadline to apply to the program is April 15 of any given year, with an anticipated program start date of August 15 of the same year. There is no spring semester start date for this program.

To qualify for admission, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree (any field is acceptable) with a minimum GPA of 3.0. These standards align with UDC’s approach to “inclusive excellence,” and with Fielding’s holistic learning model.

U.S. applicants must submit the following documents:

  • Application.
  • Official Transcript(s).
  • Current CV.
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation.
  • Statement of Purpose articulating the reason for interest in the program.
  • Critical Thinking Writing Sample in the form of a 500-word essay addressing the following questions:
    • What do you see as the most critical urban issue today?
    • Why do you consider it a critical issue?
    • What suggestions (if any) do you have to address it?
  • Pay the applicable non-refundable graduate WebAdMIT application fee.  UDC application fee of $50 is waived
  • Standardized test scores are NOT required for admission into the program; however, applicants have the option to include their scores as part of the submission of their admission.

Applicants with an MS degree from an institution of higher learning outside the United States must submit the following documents:

  • Application.
  • NACES course by course evaluation of transcripts.
  • TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo scores.
  • Current CV.
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation.
  • Statement of Purpose articulating the reason for interest in the program.
  • Critical Thinking Writing Sample in the form of a 500-word essay addressing the following questions:

What do you see as the most critical urban issue today?
Why do you consider it a critical issue?
What suggestions (if any) do you have to address it?

    • Pay the non-refundable $38 WebAdMIT application fee.  UDC application fee of $50 is waived.
    • Standardized test scores except for TOEFL/IELTS scores are NOT required for admission into the program; however, potential students have the option to include such scores as part of the submission of their admission.

Career Options

Graduates of the program will most likely be employed in industries with a higher-than-average expected growth rate.

These industries include:

  • Leadership and Management Consulting
  • Academia
  • Start-ups and Innovation Programs
  • Market Research Analyst
  • Public Sector: Government Leaders and Officials (e.g. Mayor, Governor)
  • CEO
  • Non-Profit Leadership
  • Competitive Intelligence Analyst
  • Research and Development (R&D)
  • New Venture Creation
  • Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation
  • Chief Innovation Officer
  • Sustainability and Social Innovation
  • Energy and Utilities
  • Architecture and Urban Planning Firms

Cost & Financial Aid

Tuition rates for the University of the District of Columbia can be found here. Financial Aid Information for the University of the District of Columbia can be found here.

Information Sessions

Faculty Contact

Dr. Sabine O’Hara
Program Director
202.274.7011
sabine.ohara@udc.edu

Resources

Fall 2023 Research Seminar Series:

  • Friday, August 25 – 12:30p – 2:00p – Climate Change and Resilience in the District of Columbia

Dr. Uwe Brandes, Professor of the Practice in Urban & Regional Planning, Georgetown University; Chair, DC Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency

  • Friday, September 22 – 12:30p – 2:00p – To Be Young, Gifted and Black: Higher Education’s Diversity Challenge and Racial Backlash in the 21st Century.

Dr. Lawrence Potter, Chief Academic Officer, UDC

  • Friday, October 20 – 12:30p – 2:00p – Three-Dimensional Visual Perception and Gestalt Theory: unlocking the mind to see the whole and implications for urban design

Dr. Golnar Ahmadi, Assistant Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Sustainability, CAUSES, UDC

  • Friday, November 17 – TBD
  • Friday, December 8 – TBD

Articles Published by Program Faculty and Students

*The Five Pillars to Economic Development are a copyrighted PAR methodology developed by Dr. Sabine O’Hara. She has published extensively on the topic, including with her students.

For More Information

    Choose Program Urban Sustainability and Resilience LeadershipUrban Political/Governmental LeadershipUrban Entrepreneurship