The PhD degree in Human and Organizational Systems or Human Development requires completion of the following:
- New Student Orientation (NSO)
- Learning Plan
- 7 required Independent Study Courses (Knowledge Areas)
- 40 credits of elective Independent Study Courses (Knowledge Areas)
- Portfolio Review
- Comprehensive Assessment
- Dissertation
New Student Orientation
You begin your career at Fielding by attending the New Student Orientation (NSO). NSO includes an online seminar and a face-to-face session. NSO is the only time you must attend a face-to-face meeting, although many kinds of face-to-face learning opportunities are available.
New Student Orientation—Online (NSO-Online)
During the four weeks before the face-to-face session, you participate in an online forum. Here you learn to navigate our online system for research and communication, build online relationships with other new students and faculty, learn the “nuts and bolts” of the program, and become active in Fielding’s learning community.
New Student Orientation—Santa Barbara (NSO-SB)
After completing NSO-Online, you attend a 6 day face-to-face session, in either March or September, at our headquarters in Santa Barbara, California. You are assigned an interim mentor who helps you develop an overall plan for your program for at least the first 6 months of the program.
You continue the processes you began during the NSO-Online:
- Working with faculty to assess individual readiness for each course of study
- Evaluating your research and professional skills
- Getting familiar with Fielding’s learning model and delivery method
- Developing a support group of faculty and student colleagues
- Creating an official learning plan
Learning Plan
At the New Student Orientation, your interim mentor assists you in creating your Learning Plan. This document is a framework for your course of study and includes previous learning accomplishments as well as personal and professional goals you hope to achieve during your time at Fielding. You write about the Knowledge Area courses you expect to complete during your program and develop a personal timeline.
Independent Study Courses (Knowledge Area Assessments)
You complete 7 required graduate level courses, called Knowledge Areas (KA); 5 are considered foundational courses and 2 are part of your advanced studies. In addition, students complete 40 credits of Knowledge Area electives. Each KA is guided by an assessment contract that is individually developed with a faculty member through the following steps:
- You read the study guide provided by faculty for each KA
- You choose a faculty member to assess the work
- Together with the assessor, you discuss a focus for the work and what format the end result will take. The format may include online seminars and face to face workshops, as well as independent study.
- You agree on a timeline and how you’ll communicate with the faculty assessor.
Each Knowledge Area consists of 3 elements:
- Overview — focuses on comparisons between different theories in the area of study
- In-depth — covers research on a particular personal interest that falls within the area of study
- Applied — a brief report of a hands-on experience within the area of study, such as an interview or short workshop
You decide all aspects of the work through a collaborative dialogue with your assessor. The faculty member who becomes your assessor provides written feedback about the work, enabling you to move forward in your program.
You can choose from a diverse list of courses or design a course of study that emphasizes a content specialty or research methodology of your own choosing. Most students design 1 or 2 courses and choose the rest from the standard curriculum.
Portfolio Review
After completing at least 3 Knowledge Area assessments, you arrange for a portfolio review to discuss your academic progress with your mentor and one other faculty member. You can also include discussion on course feedback and plans for advanced study or dissertation.
Comprehensive Assessment
Once you complete 6 KA assessments (including 2 of the required foundational KAs), you may undertake the Comprehensive Assessment. This work provides you with an opportunity to synthesize your learning from the KAs as well as demonstrate your skill at doctoral level thinking and writing.
Dissertation
After you complete the foundational courses, you write a short concept paper outlining your dissertation research plans. Using this paper, you form a dissertation committee chosen from faculty members who have shown an interest in your project.
In the final phase of the doctoral program, you develop and write your dissertation. The dissertation contributes significant new knowledge to the field of human or organization development. Fielding faculty believe the dissertation process should be based on collaborative, supportive relationships between students and their dissertation committees.
You present your dissertation to the community in a final oral review once you and your committee have agreed that it is ready for public dissemination.