Colleges and Schools
This specialization prepares you to promote effective leadership development, interpersonal relationships, and group and organizational dynamics, which in turn, lead to higher performance levels within an organization.
Completion Requirements for KAM-Based Specializations
- 134 total quarter credit hours
- Foundation course (6 cr.)
- Core Knowledge Area Modules (KAMs I, II, III) (42 cr.)
- Specialized Knowledge Area Modules (KAMs V, VI, VII) (42 cr.)*
- Foundation Research Sequence (14 cr.)
- Proposal, dissertation, and oral presentation (30 cr.)
- Professional Development Plan and Program of Study
- 20 days of residency (two 4-day and two 6-day residencies)
Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress and credits transferred. For a personalized estimate of your time to completion, call your enrollment advisor at 866-492-5336.
Walden offers frequent start dates so that you can begin when it’s convenient for you. Next Start Date: October 6. Admission policies vary by program. Call 1-866-492-5336 or apply now.
*Students may substitute three graduate-level courses or two graduate-level courses and an independent study for KAM VII with the approval of their faculty mentor and the program chair, provided that they complete a minimum of two KAMs.
Foundation Course
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| SBSF 8005 | Foundations for Doctoral Study | 6 |
Core KAMs
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| KAM I: Principles of Societal Development | ||
| SBSF 8110 | Breadth: Theories of Societal Development | 5 |
| SBSF 8120 | Depth: Current Research in Societal Development | 5 |
| SBSF 8130 | Application: Professional Practice and Societal Development | 4 |
| KAM II: Principles of Human Development | ||
| SBSF 8210 | Breadth: Theories of Human Development | 5 |
| SBSF 8220 | Depth: Current Research in Human Development | 5 |
| SBSF 8230 | Application: Professional Practice and Human Development | 4 |
| KAM III: Principles of Organizational and Social Systems | ||
| SBSF 8310 | Breadth: Theories of Organizational and Social Systems | 5 |
| SBSF 8320 | Depth: Current Research in Organizational and Social Systems | 5 |
| SBSF 8330 | Application: Professional Practice and Organizational and Social Systems | 4 |
Foundation Research Sequence
This sequence provides the student with the background to effectively complete doctoral-level research. The sequence is composed of three online quarter-based courses:
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| SBSF 8417 |
Foundation Research Seminar I: Human Inquiry and Science |
4 |
| AMDS 8427 | Foundation Research Seminar II: Design in Applied Management and Decision Sciences Research | 5 |
| AMDS 8437 | Foundation Research Seminar III: Data Analysis in Applied Management and Decision Sciences Research | 5 |
Specialized KAMs
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| KAM V: Leadership Development | ||
| AMDS 8512 | Breadth: Classical and Emerging Paradigms of Leadership | 5 |
| AMDS 8522 | Depth: Current Research on Leadership Development | 5 |
| AMDS 8532 | Application: Professional Practice Application of a Theory of Leadership Development | 4 |
| KAM VI: Organizational Change Models | 5 | |
| AMDS 8612 | Breadth: Model of Organizational Change and Development | 5 |
| AMDS 8622 | Depth: Current Research on a Model of Organizational Change | 4 |
| AMDS 8632 | Application: Professional Practice Application of an Organizational Change Model | |
| KAM VII: Research | ||
| AMDS 8710 | Breadth: Research Methods | 5 |
| AMDS 8720 | Depth: Selected Research Methods | 5 |
| AMDS 8730 | Application: Research Design | 4 |
Dissertation
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| AMDS 9000 | Dissertation | 30 |
Course Descriptions (pdf)
