MONARCH BUSINESS SCHOOL
Doctor of
Leadership
EXPERIENCE · INQUIRY · RESPONSIBLE ACTION
Build on your leadership experience through applied doctoral research. Examine the human, ethical and organisational dimensions of leadership, deepen your understanding and develop insights that contribute to responsible professional practice.
PROGRAMME BROCHURE · SEPTEMBER 2026
EXPERIENCE MEETS INQUIRY
Leadership is more than a role.
Make it your field of inquiry.
The Doctor of Leadership connects scholarly inquiry with the realities of leading people, shaping culture and guiding organisations through change.
Study alongside your work
Remote, asynchronous study from your home country, with no mandatory relocation or residency. Individual faculty guidance supports your research milestones.
A pathway that fits
Choose the standard 24-month or extended 48-month pathway. Rolling admissions allow programme starts on the first day of each month, subject to admission.
Turn experience into understanding.
Investigate a leadership question rooted in your professional context. Examine assumptions, values and evidence; interpret organisational culture and relationships through multiple theoretical perspectives; and connect your findings with practical leadership frameworks and recommendations.
An applied doctoral contribution.
The DOL focuses on leadership inquiry and its contribution to professional practice. A PhD places its primary emphasis on an original theoretical contribution to knowledge. Both require rigorous doctoral research, but their intended contributions differ.
Lead with deeper judgement.
Develop advanced research and writing capabilities while strengthening your identity as a reflective practitioner–scholar. Bring your experience, your questions and your willingness to examine what shapes your impact.
Dr. Donald York
Program Director of Leadership Studies
Dr. York brings leadership scholarship and critical care leadership experience in hospital and health care settings. A graduate of McGill University and Saint Paul University, federated with the University of Ottawa, he brings interests in organisational culture and group dynamics, alongside experience supervising master’s and doctoral research.
YOUR DOCTORAL JOURNEY
From question to contribution.
Progress through defined milestones with individual faculty guidance and academic review, keeping your inquiry connected to the leadership challenges that matter to you.
01 · Prepare
Build foundations in leadership inquiry, research design and reflective academic writing through Research Skills I and II.
02 · Frame
Refine your leadership question, conceptual approach and methodology. Academic approval marks entry into the research stage.
03 · Investigate
Gather and interpret evidence within organisational, consulting or community settings, using an appropriate research design.
04 · Synthesise
Develop your manuscript, connecting findings with leadership models, reflective frameworks and applied recommendations.
05 · Present your contribution.
Present your completed research, findings and professional implications before the Review Committee.
Stay connected through mentorship.
Individualised faculty guidance supports research development, reflective practice and academic progress. Optional doctoral workshops in Switzerland offer opportunities for research support and community engagement.
Recognition along the journey.
Candidates who successfully complete all DOL requirements receive the MA in Business Research in passing upon conferral of the doctorate. Other exit awards require the applicable academic requirements and approval; they are not automatic.
YOUR NEXT STEP
For leaders ready to examine
what shapes their impact.
Designed for experienced leaders, senior managers, executive coaches and consultants—including those working in government, education, NGOs and communities.
A supported route into doctoral study.
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. Academic review considers readiness, intended inquiry and supervisory fit.
Experience and individual assessment.
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.
Plan your study and tuition.
Choose the standard 24-month or extended 48-month pathway around your professional commitments. Review current tuition, payment arrangements and continuation conditions before applying. View tuition and payment options →
Explore the programme in detail.
Begin a conversation.
Discuss your background, leadership interests and eligibility with Monarch. Contact Admissions →
Programme details, admissions conditions and fees are subject to current institutional requirements. Consult the programme webpage and Admissions Office before applying.
YOUR EXPERIENCE. YOUR NEXT CONTRIBUTION.
What leadership question
will you take further?
You have spent years leading people, navigating change and making decisions that matter. Take the next step through a doctoral inquiry grounded in your professional experience—one that connects deeper understanding with responsible action.
MONARCH SWITZERLAND
Vorderbergstrasse 34 · CH-6318 Walchwil, Zug · Switzerland
umonarch.ch · administration@umonarch.ch
DOCTOR OF LEADERSHIP · / 5
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