Program highlights
- AACSB accreditation. BGSU is among just 20% of graduate business programs worldwide adhering to the rigorous standards of the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This translates to a globally-recognized, high-quality education. Our graduates have a competitive edge for bigger salaries and better career opportunities.
- Flexible and engaging class design. Achieve work-life balance with hybrid courses (primarily online) and one weekend residency per class. Small class sizes allow for highly engaging applied learning experiences that leverage everyone’s knowledge. Supportive faculty provide personalized career coaching and support. program in the country. Choose from sites at more than 800 U.S. agencies. Make contacts that lead to future jobs.
- Accelerated executive format. Our program is ideal for busy working professionals in virtually all fields. It is designed to be completed in three years with two classes per semester, including summer. Each new cohort starts in August, but you can begin any semester upon acceptance.
- Scholar-practitioner model. We offer a cohort-based learning that combines evidence-based theory with best practices.
- International experience. A unique study abroad symposium advances cross-cultural competencies and connects topics to international perspectives.
- Interdisciplinary and interprofessional. The DODC program is open to students worldwide with diverse experiences, professions and goals.
- Lifelong leadership connections. This is more than professional networking. It’s a robust learning community, cultivated through in-depth discussions, collaborative projects and weekend residencies.
- Competitive fee structure. The BGSU DODC program offers high ROI as one of the most affordable doctoral programs in leadership.
- National reputation. BGSU business graduate programs have been on The Princeton Review’s list of Best Business Schools for 10+ consecutive years.
BGSU was the first university in the U.S. to offer graduate-level courses in organization development and change and the first to offer a master's in organization development.
Career opportunities
Renew your passion, purpose and professional joy by becoming a thought leader in your field, capable of creating innovative, scalable solutions to longstanding challenges.
We teach proven methodology and change management frameworks for practical application to real-world scenarios. The organization development and change doctorate teaches students to carve strategic paths toward greater resilience, reach, efficiency, inclusion and innovation.
DODC graduates can:
- Rise up the ranks to “C-Suite” level
- Lead organizational strategy
- Shape academic discourse
- Facilitate corporate collaboration
- Innovate strategic solutions
- Consult at the highest levels
- Maximize the impact of community initiatives
- Help other people reach their highest potential
- Teach the next generation
Organizational development and change skills are in great demand in all sectors and organization sizes – corporate and private, NGO/nonprofits, government and academia. Core competencies in this field can influence how effectively organizations are run, how quickly goals are achieved, and how much it costs to do both.
Our students publish in reputable publications and present at leading conferences, often landing keynote speaking opportunities while in the program. Having a doctorate in organizational leadership is an asset to employers. It can be leveraged for promotions and exciting new opportunities.
Career paths
- Change manager
- Chief executive officer
- College president, dean, department chair
- Director of organization development and change
- Executive coach, leadership coach, life coach
- Healthcare administrator
- Human capital officer/HR lead
- Program/project manager
- Keynote speaker
- Learning officer
- Management consultant
- Nonprofit executive director
- Organizational effectiveness lead
- People officer
- Professor, lecturer
- Strategy officer
- Superintendent
- Talent development lead
- Training and development director
- Transformation officer
Quick Facts from the Bureau of Labor Statistics
93% graduation rate of first BGSU DODC cohort, compared to the national average of 31-51% for most doctoral degrees.
The majority of students complete their dissertation in under 4 years, compared to the national average of 6.7 years.
Curriculum
The overarching goal of organization development and change is advancing the health and well-being of people, organizations and society. The BGSU DODC curriculum prepares students to do just that in high-level leadership careers.
Courses teach evidence-based approaches to facilitate collaborative change and innovation, smart decision-making, talent development and action research.
The program consists of:
- 18 credit hours of core courses
- 15 credit hours of research
- 3 credit hours of customized international study experience
- 3 preliminary exam credit hours
- 16 credit hours for your dissertation
Sample courses
- Introduction to the Field and Profession of OD&C
- Transformational Change in Complex Systems
- Managerial Judgment and Decision Making in Changing Environments
- Collaborative Change and Innovation
- Coaching and Developing Talent in Transition
- Use of Self as an Agent of Change
- The Science of Organization Development and Change
- International Symposia Experience
Dissertation
The culminating experience of the DODC program is an evidence-based dissertation that examines compelling challenges and opportunities within each student’s professional interest.
From the start, students are constantly examining lessons through the lens of their own practice area. This creates a structured experience that helps continuously build toward their dissertation.
The third-year dissertation support program at BGSU ensures students receive ample support.
- Dissertation research and writing courses with 1:1 coaching throughout the process
- Close collaboration with the dissertation chair and committee to ensure compelling, robust, meaningful dissertations.
Results are evaluated and prepared for public dissemination. They contribute to practical solutions within the student’s profession and bolster their authority as a thought leader.
#1 public university in the Midwest students would choose again
The Wall Street Journal
Doctorate in Organization Development and Change at BGSU: Preparing leaders and change agents
The Doctorate in Organization Development and Change (DODC) program is part of the BGSU Graduate College and BGSU Schmidthorst College of Business.
Updated: 03/24/2025 09:18AM