Doctorate in Human and Organizational Learning

The Human and Organizational Learning program offered in Washington, DC is designed to provide professionals with a foundation in relevant theories, concepts, and practices towards facilitating change initiatives and in becoming more effective leaders and decision-makers. Our students come from a variety of sectors including business, health care, military, education, federal agencies, hospitality, social services, IT and manufacturing. Approximately 25% of our students are international students. The multicultural and diverse composition of the student population provides both local and global networking opportunities.

The Human & Organizational Learning curriculum focuses on organizational issues such as strategic change, transformational leadership, individual and group learning processes, organizational development, and global and international issues. In addition to completing the required coursework, students work with an advisor to create an individually designed program around their research interests.

Highlights
    Convenient Schedule: All classes are offered on weeknights - once per week, in 15-week sessions during the fall and spring semesters, allowing for students to continue working full-time while attending graduate school. Weekday evening classes allow for students to apply what they learn in their workplace the next day.

    Customized Plan of Study: The format is tailored to meet individual needs, allowing students to develop a personal plan of study. Students choose elective courses to create an individually designed program around their area of interest with options in organizational development and change; individual and collective learning processes; or, global HOL. Electives may include some courses within other departments at GW or within the Washington Metropolitan Area Consortium of Universities.

Curriculum

A minimum of 60 credits for students as well as and successful completion of a comprehensive examination.

Main Campus Program

Core Courses

HOL 8700 Foundations of Human and Organizational Learning
HOL 8701 Theory, Research, and Practice in Adult Learning and Development
HOL 8703 Human Systems Change
HOL 8704 Leadership Theory, Research, and Practice
HOL 8720 Seminar: Applied Research in Human and Organizational Learning
HOL 8722 Seminar: Advanced Issues in Human and Organizational Learning
HOL 8724 Creating and Planning Doctoral Research

Research methods

EDUC 8120 Group Comparison Designs and Analyses
EDUC 8122 Qualitative Research Methods

Three credits from the following:

EDUC 8100 Experimental Courses
EDUC 8130 Survey Research Methods
EDUC 8131 Case Study Research Methods
EDUC 8140 Ethnographic Research Methods
EDUC 8142 Phenomenological Research Methods
EDUC 8144 Discourse Analysis
EDUC 8170 Educational Measurement
EDUC 8171 Predictive Designs and Analyses
EDUC 8172 Multivariate Analysis
EDUC 8173 Structural Equation Modeling
EDUC 8174 Hierarchical Linear Modeling
EDUC 8175 Item Response Theory
EDUC 8177 Assessment Engineering

Electives

15 credits in elective courses selected in consultation with advisor

Dissertation

HOL 8998 Predissertation Seminar
HOL 8999 Dissertation Research (minimum 12 credits needed to complete requirement)

Successful completion of comprehensive exam required
Approved dissertation proposal required

Career Outlook

Opportunities

Students graduate from the program prepared to lead in multiple settings. Our recent graduates include:

  • Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Capitol One
  • Chief of Civilian Talent Development , US Army
  • VP Global Learning & Leadership, Marriott
  • Chief Learning Officer, Deloitte
  • Director, Leadership Coaching, Center of Excellence
  • Instructional Design Leader, IBM
  • Leadership Instructor, US Air Force

Find challenges solved with innovation and well executed strategy, and you will find a GSEHD HOL leader.

Application

Program Entry: Fall, Summer
Prerequisites: Master's Degree
Campus: Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC Campus

Application Requirements

  • Online Application
  • Resume
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Interview
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation (academic and/or professional)
  • Transcripts (unofficial)
  • Standardized Test Scores (GRE or MAT or GMAT)
  • Application Fee

*Additional application requirements may exist for international applicants

For more information on any of these requirements, please visit our Admissions FAQ page.

Faculty
Burley, Diana
Professor
dburley@gwu.edu
(202) 994-5835
Casey, Andrea
Associate Professor
acasey@gwu.edu
(571) 553-3763
Chalofsky, Neal
Associate Professor
nealcha@gwu.edu
(202) 994-7188
Cseh, Maria
Associate Professor
cseh@gwu.edu
(202) 994-8649
Scully-Russ, Ellen
Associate Professor
scullyru@gwu.edu
(571) 553-3786
Storberg-Walker, Julia
Associate Professor
jswalker@gwu.edu
(571) 553-3787
Transformation Begins Here

Learn more about the Doctorate in Human and Organizational Learning program located on campus (202-994-0491).

In the News

Dr. Maria Cseh published two peer-reviewed chapters in the book Evidence-Based Initiatives for Organizational Change and Development, which is part of the Advances in Business Strategy and Competitive Advantage (ABSCA) Book Series. One chapter was co-authored with GSEHD alumna Dr. Beatriz Coningham (Ed.D., Human and Organizational Learning) entitled "Culturally-informed evidence-based organizational change and development through the lens of complexity theory" and the other with Dr. John Baaki from Old Dominion University entitled, "Creating a business unit within a large sports and entertainment organization’s theater operation: Reflections on the change process."

GSEHD Students Receive Awards at GW Research Days

  • Yiqing Xu (master's, Early Childhood Special Education) and Zachary Goldman (Ed.D., Curriculum and Instruction) tied for first place under the graduate student poster category of Studies of Education and Organizational Learning. Ms. Xu's poster was entitled, "What Does Social-Emotional Learning Look Like in Mainland China?" Mr. Goldman's poster was entitled, "A Dual Mediation Model to Describe the Effects of Digital Practice with Feedback."
  • Lois DiNatale (Ed.D., Human and Organizational Learning) won the second place award under the category of Behavioral, Social and Cultural Studies for her poster "The cultural development of moral repair in US military veterans: A hermeneutic phenomenological study."

Dr. Ellen Goldman, along with Dr. Margaret Plack (GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences, GSEHD alumna Dr. Andrea Richards Scott (Ed.D., Human and Organizational Learning), and Dr. Shelley B. Brundage (GW Columbian College of Arts and Sciences), developed a guide for educators and clinicians interested in enhancing their teaching and assessment of systems-based practice entitled Systems Thinking in the Healthcare Professions: A Guide for Educators and Clinicians. Based on research conducted across medical, physical therapy and rehabilitation, physician assistant, nursing and speech language pathology programs, the authors provide instructional design taxonomies, teaching strategies, analytical tools, and case examples to address the development of systems thinking--the foundations of systems-based practice. The authors decided to make the guide available free of charge on the Health Sciences Research Commons.

GSEHD doctoral student Ruth Boldt (Human and Organizational Learning) has been appointed Director of Clinical Application User Support for the Institute for Learning, Leadership and Development (iLEAD).

GSEHD faculty, doctoral students, candidates, and alumni from the Human and Organizational Learning Program presented papers/posters and received several awards at the 2019 Academy of Human Resource Development (AHRD) International Research Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. GSEHD alumna Dr. Malikah Abdullah Alturki received the Esworthy Malcolm S. Knowles Dissertation of the Year award for her dissertation, “The Entrepreneurial Learning Processes of Saudi Women Entrepreneurs: A Grounded Theory.” Her dissertation chair was Dr. Maria Cseh. Dr. Julia Storberg-Walker and Randal Joy Thompson received the R. Wayne Pace HRD Book of the Year award for their book, Leadership and Power in International Development: Navigating the Intersections of Gender, Culture, Context, and Sustainability. Doctoral candidate Maryanne Elliott and her colleagues Brad Shuck, Meera Alagaraja and Dr. Denise Cumberland from the University of Louisville won a Cutting Edge Award for their conference paper, “Compassionate Leader Behavior: An Emerging Framework for Consideration.” See all the awards and presentations by the HOL participants.