In this course, doctoral students will evaluate and implement the helping relationship in the context of performance psychology to enhance performance in self and others. The curriculum includes foundational topics, including selecting theoretical orientations and identifying consulting fundamentals. Students will also explore relevant issues regarding ethics, supervision, and referral. Importantly, students will learn how to use consulting skills in a variety of performance domains.

In this course students will analyze the foundational principles of performance psychology, exploring mind-body practices that are essential for optimal individual and team performance in diverse settings. Students will learn to both apply and teach core skills to manage systemic arousal and enhance focus. Students will acquire the tools necessary to construct detailed performance profiles, considering individual variables such as age, gender, and cultural parameters. This deep level of analysis serves as a crucial foundation for effectively integrating mind-body practices to enhance performance. Throughout the course, students will also evaluate and apply strategies for measuring the efficacy of these practices across various professional, organizational, and creative settings.

In this course, students will analyze educationally relevant factors and historical events that have influenced educational practices, and how innovation and technology can prepare students for the future. Particular attention will be paid to educational technology and innovation. Learners will evaluate the application of theories, frameworks, and models of change with emphasis on the role of the change agent. In addition, learners will develop competencies to build organizational or institutional capacity by fostering personal growth and promoting transparency within the organizational change process, and proposing innovative, technology-focused solutions to a problem of practice.

This course offers participants a chance to explore the diverse aspects of educational politics and policy creation at all educational levels. It emphasizes the development of educational policies, the political dynamics surrounding both non-profit and for-profit learning environments, the rise of new educational technologies, and governance across various educational settings. The course will investigate the impact of societal shifts, examining significant reform movements and potential future developments in education from local to national scales. Key topics include the process of shaping educational policies, the global dimensions of educational politics, the politics surrounding learning environments, issues of inclusivity and exclusivity in education, and the dynamics of educational reform. This course is designed to be accessible and relevant to individuals working or involved in all levels of education.

This applied doctoral course introduces educational leaders to inquiry as a leadership practice, drawing on principles of action research and insider inquiry. The course emphasizes how leaders examine and respond to complex problems of practice within their own organizational contexts through cycles of reflection, evidence, and action. Students explore foundational concepts such as scholar-practitioner identity, knowing-in-action, positionality, ethics, and organizational context as they relate to leadership decision-making. Rather than focusing on implementation, the course centers on the design of an action-research-informed leadership inquiry that is responsive to context, values, and organizational dynamics. Through engagement with scholarly literature, applied examples, and peer dialogue, students develop a structured inquiry plan that prepares them to lead thoughtful, ethical, and evidence-informed change.

In this course, students will explore what it means to lead with vision, ethics, and equity in today’s educational landscape. Using real-world case studies, students will critically examine leadership theories and practices while applying research and systems thinking to challenges across PreK–12 and higher education contexts. Through iterative analysis, reflection, and synthesis, students strengthen their capacity as scholar-practitioners-leaders who connect evidence-based inquiry with meaningful organizational transformation. Culminating in the creation of an original, research-informed leadership case study, students will demonstrate mastery by translating theory into practice, articulating ethical and systemic insights, and contributing their own voice to the evolving discourse on educational leadership.

This course is the culmination of the student's applied doctoral project. Students will deliver objective solutions that address relevant workforce and stakeholder needs addressing their problem of practice. Students will defend their completed project and submit a final written manuscript. Prerequisite: RES 770.

This course prepares students to contribute original research through rigorous analysis, application, and communication of findings. Students will evaluate the strengths and limitations of applying research in practice while exercising ethical discernment in translating results to real-world contexts. Emphasis is placed on reporting research according to generally accepted standards including descriptive and visual means. Prerequisite: RES 760.

This course requires students to analyze and present research findings using rigorous methodologies  and ethical responsibility. Students will utilize technologies essential to achieving their research goals while applying appropriate quantitative and/or qualitative analyses. Students will align results with the identified purpose of the project. Students will transform raw data into findings relevant to their research. Prerequisite: RES 750.

This course emphasizes the ethical and methodological rigor required to conduct research aligned with intended project outcomes. Students will adhere to Human Protection Standards and Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements while collecting, storing, and evaluating data. Students will be held to the highest standards of scholarship and integrity throughout the data management process. Prerequisite: RES 740.