Monarch Business School · Applied doctoral study
Doctor of Leadership
Lead with deeper understanding.
Turn experience into responsible action.
You have spent years leading people, navigating change and making decisions that matter. Build on that expertise through applied doctoral research into the human, ethical and organisational dimensions of leadership.
Program Facts
The Doctor of Leadership (DOL) at Monarch Switzerland is a fully online, part-time doctoral programme offered through Monarch Business School, with a standard duration of 24 months. Designed for experienced leaders, managers, coaches and consultants, it enables doctoral study alongside a career without the need to relocate.
- Institution
- Monarch Switzerland
- Department
- Monarch Business School
- Award
- Doctor of Leadership (DOL)
- Study Mode
- Fully Online
- Standard Duration
- 24 Months
- Study Format
- Part-Time
- Designed For
- Experienced Leaders, Managers, Coaches and Consultants
- Residency
- No Relocation Required
- Language
- English
- Institution Location
- Switzerland
This doctoral program may be completed fully online, including the doctoral defence. No relocation is required. Candidates may select an in-person doctoral defence when offered by Monarch.
An extended-duration pathway is available. Completion depends on research progress and fulfilment of the programme’s academic requirements.
Experience meets inquiry
Leadership is more than a role.
Make it your field of inquiry.
The Doctor of Leadership is an applied doctorate for experienced leaders, consultants, coaches and senior managers. It connects scholarly inquiry with the realities of leading people, shaping culture and guiding organisations through change.
Examine a leadership question rooted in your professional context. Through reflective practice, ethical reasoning and evidence-informed research, develop insights and recommendations that contribute to leadership practice.
Deepen your judgement
Examine assumptions, values and evidence to strengthen reflective and ethically grounded decision-making.
Understand people and systems
Interpret leadership behaviour, organisational culture and relationships through multiple theoretical perspectives.
Connect research with action
Translate professional experience and scholarly insight into practical leadership frameworks and recommendations.
Develop advanced research and writing capabilities while strengthening your identity as a reflective practitioner–scholar.
Your doctoral journey
A clear pathway from question to contribution.
Progress through defined research milestones with individual faculty guidance and academic review. Your inquiry remains connected to the leadership challenges and professional settings that matter to you.
- 01 · PREPARE
Build the foundations
Develop leadership inquiry, research design and reflective academic writing through Research Skills I and II.
- 02 · FRAME
Shape your proposal
Refine your leadership question, conceptual approach and methodology. Academic approval marks entry into the research stage.
- 03 · INVESTIGATE
Explore leadership in context
Gather and interpret evidence within organisational, consulting or community settings using an appropriate research design.
- 04 · SYNTHESISE
Develop your manuscript
Connect findings with leadership models, reflective frameworks and applied recommendations.
- 05 · PRESENT
Share your contribution
Present your completed research, findings and professional implications before the Review Committee.
Who this programme is for
For leaders ready to examine what shapes their impact.
Bring your experience, your questions and your willingness to reflect. The DOL offers a research-led way to deepen your understanding of leadership and extend your contribution to practice.
Lead change with insight
Executives and senior managers investigating transformation, organisational culture, strategic change and responsible leadership.
Strengthen your practice
Executive coaches, leadership consultants and development specialists seeking to ground their work in rigorous applied research.
Connect purpose with action
Leaders in government, education, NGOs and communities examining governance, ethics, development and societal contribution.
Study while you work
Serious inquiry.
Professional flexibility.
Work from your professional context
Study remotely and asynchronously from your home country, with no mandatory relocation or residency. The programme is designed to sit alongside continuing professional responsibilities.
Stay connected through mentorship
Individualised faculty guidance supports your research development, reflective practice and academic progress. Optional doctoral workshops in Switzerland provide opportunities for research support and community engagement.
Recognition & progression
One journey.
Connected opportunities.
Your doctoral journey includes recognition of advanced research capability, with further pathways available for those seeking a broader scholarly contribution.
A master’s award in passing
Candidates who successfully complete all DOL requirements receive the MA in Business Research in passing upon conferral of the doctorate.
If your circumstances change
Candidates who conclude their studies before completing the DOL may qualify for the MA in Business Research or MA in Leadership as a terminal award, subject to the applicable academic requirements and approval. An exit award is not automatic.
Considering a dual doctorate?
The separate dual doctoral pathway begins with the PhD. Following successful completion of the PhD research phase and academic review, candidates may progress to an applied doctorate such as the DOL, translating theoretical outcomes into professional models and recommendations.
Explore dual doctoral pathways →Doctoral experience in practice
Research grounded in the work of leadership.
Dr. Kerstin Jatho
South Africa · PhD in Business Research / Doctor of Leadership
Drawing on her experience in executive coaching and team development, Dr. Jatho examined the relationship between positive psychology, leadership behaviour and organisational well-being. Her qualitative inquiry explored leaders’ lived experiences in demanding professional environments.
As founder and director of 4Seeds Consulting, she connects insights from doctoral research with leadership development and organisational well-being—illustrating how scholarship and professional practice can inform one another.
Admissions and support
A supported route into doctoral study.
Admission considers your academic preparation, leadership experience, research motivation and the availability of suitable supervision.
Ask about your eligibility →What are the entry requirements?
Applicants normally hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution. Experienced professionals with a bachelor’s degree and substantial leadership responsibility may also be considered. Applications undergo academic review to assess readiness, intended inquiry and supervisory fit.
Can professional experience support my application?
In exceptional circumstances, applicants without formal academic qualifications may be considered at the Dean’s discretion on the basis of significant professional achievement, specialised expertise or recognised professional certifications. Admission is subject to individual assessment.
When do I develop my research proposal?
The proposal is developed and refined during the proposal phase. You will articulate a leadership question, conceptual approach and methodological plan, with approval required before entering the research stage.
When can I begin?
Admissions are rolling, with programme starts on the first day of each month, subject to admission.
How does the DOL differ from a PhD?
The DOL focuses on applied leadership inquiry and contributions to professional practice. The PhD places its primary emphasis on an original theoretical contribution to knowledge. Both require rigorous doctoral research, but their intended contributions differ.
Planning your study
Flexible study.
Clear tuition.
Choose a standard 24-month or extended 48-month pathway to suit your professional commitments. Review current tuition, payment arrangements and continuation conditions before applying.
Your experience. Your next contribution.
What leadership question will you take further?
Talk with our Admissions Office about your professional background, research interests and the Doctor of Leadership pathway.