New Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership and Innovation responds to workplace needs while advancing Avila’s mission to strengthen communities and improve lives.
Avila University has received approval from the Higher Learning Commission to launch its first doctoral program, the Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership and Innovation. Rooted in Avila’s mission to serve the dear neighbor without distinction and informed by the needs of organizations and communities, the program will prepare a new generation of change-makers, problem solvers, and innovators to strengthen organizations, transform communities, and improve lives.
The program connects two priorities: preparing professionals to meet the demands of a changing workplace and developing leaders who understand their responsibility to the people and communities they serve. Organizations need leaders who can navigate complexity, evaluate evidence, lead change, and turn promising ideas into practical solutions. Avila’s doctorate brings those capabilities together with ethical judgment and a commitment to service, recognizing that organizational success and societal well-being should reinforce one another.
Designed for experienced professionals and leaders, the program connects doctoral study with candidates’ professional experience, interests, and goals. Students identify a consequential challenge relevant to their professional context and develop an applied dissertation project through structured research and dissertation milestones embedded throughout the program. With faculty guidance, they develop and evaluate an applied solution intended to create meaningful value for an organization, community, or sector. The goal is to develop leaders who can translate research into action and guide meaningful, lasting improvement.
“Our mission calls us to serve the dear neighbor, and that includes listening carefully to what our workplaces and communities need. We hear a need for leaders who can solve complex problems, guide change, and bring new ideas to life. This program is our response. We want to prepare a new generation of changemakers who can help organizations succeed while recognizing that the bottom line is only part of the story. Improving lives and strengthening communities matter, too,” said Dr. Laura Hartley, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs.
The 54-57 credit program integrates advanced study in strategic leadership, research methods, ethics, organizational change, and technology-enabled innovation. Designed for completion in approximately three years, the program is delivered through a cohort model that combines online coursework with scheduled live engagement and asynchronous learning. International students studying under F-1 visa status must meet the program’s required in-person academic engagement expectations.
The program’s areas of specialization include Healthcare and Public Health Leadership; Strategic Business, Technology, and Systems Leadership; Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership; and Transformative Leadership and Innovation in Higher Education.
Candidates’ applied dissertations culminate in both rigorous scholarship and a practical solution, such as an intervention, policy framework, training model, curriculum, or program evaluation. This approach connects doctoral research with challenges across business, healthcare, technology, higher education, government, and nonprofit organizations.
The approval marks a historic milestone in Avila’s 110-year history. Founded in 1916 as St. Teresa’s College, a two-year college for women, the institution grew into a four-year college and became Avila University in 2002. Its expansion into doctoral education continues that evolution while remaining grounded in its commitment to serve the dear neighbor without distinction.
Avila anticipates launching a small pilot cohort as early as January 2027, contingent on sufficient student interest and enrollment. Following the pilot, the University plans to offer new cohort starts each fall and spring.
Avila is currently welcoming inquiries as application procedures are finalized. Prospective students can request program information and receive updates about the January pilot cohort, future start dates, application availability, admissions requirements, and tuition at www.avila.edu/phd.
Four Areas of Specialization
Students will choose a focus area aligned with their professional goals and dissertation work:
- Healthcare and Public Health Leadership — exploring innovation, equity, digital health, policy, and systems leadership
- Strategic Business, Technology, and Systems Leadership — connecting business strategy, project delivery, analytics, automation, and emerging technology
- Digital Transformation and Innovation Leadership — developing governance, leadership, and implementation skills for enterprise-scale digital change
- Transformative Leadership and Innovation in Higher Education — reimagining how colleges and universities serve learners through resilient governance and mission-centered innovation
Rooted in Avila’s Mission
The new program reflects Avila’s long-standing commitment to service, ethical leadership, and the dear neighbor, preparing graduates to apply scholarship and innovation in ways that create meaningful change for organizations and communities.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
The application process is currently being finalized. Prospective students can request information now to be among the first to receive admission details, application timing, and invitations to upcoming information sessions.
Have questions? Reach out directly at phd@avila.edu.
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