Our graduates are equipped with skills and knowledge to address the most pressing needs in their communities. You'll be prepared to work with all populations including military families, the elderly, and oppressed groups in settings such as hospitals, schools, community organizations, mental health centers, and private practice. You'll leave with the tools to create meaningful change and a competitive edge in the job market.

Yes, the program is designed to prepare you for clinical licensure, providing the education and practicum experiences required to pursue licensure as a clinical social worker in your state.

While individual results vary by role and industry, DBA graduates commonly advance into executive positions, consulting, and university teaching, with competitive salaries reflecting their advanced expertise and leadership. Many alumni also report career growth such as salary increases and promotions following graduation.

While individual outcomes vary by industry and role, our DBA graduates commonly experience strong career advancement after completion of the program, including securing executive and leadership roles, consulting positions, and university teaching opportunities.

Advanced Standing students complete 512 field placement hours, while Traditional students complete 1,024 field placement hours.

The program is designed to be completed in 32 months.

The program includes one virtual seminar, allowing you to connect with faculty and peers while maintaining the flexibility of online learning.

The Ed.D. program requires 48 credits.

You'll take foundational courses including Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Social Welfare Policy, Methods of Social Work Practice (with individuals, families, groups, and macro practice), Social Work Research Methods, Field Practicum courses, Trauma Informed Care specializations, Advanced Clinical Practice courses, Ethical Foundations, Psychopathology, Evidence-Based Research Methods, and electives tailored to your interests.

The program requires 57 credits to complete.

No, the program is 100% online, making it ideal for busy professionals.

The program offers electives and specialized training in military-connected communities, trauma-informed care (with children and adolescents, vulnerable populations, military and first responders), medical and behavioral health social work, and social justice initiatives.

Your research project invites you to focus on a genuine challenge or opportunity within your organization or industry. From there, you’ll complete research anchored in real-world business needs, ensuring your work makes a lasting difference. From day one, you will work toward a doctoral research project designed to tackle a real-world business challenge. With structured support like our Doctoral Success Lab, research seminar, and faculty mentorship, you’ll be empowered to make a meaningful contribution to your field. Depending on your track choice, you have the option of completing a research project or a dissertation.

The program culminates in a capstone. Beginning with your first course, your dedicated faculty mentors support you throughout the process of identifying a quality capstone project that aligns with your professional goals and organizational needs. By your third course, you will have determined the topic and problem that your capstone project will address while the faculty provides guidance, resources, and ongoing support. There are also 4 mandatory 2-hour Zoom sessions you must attend on the Saturday of week 5 in terms 1, 6, 9, and 12 to ensure your capstone is a success.

Core courses include Doctoral Success Lab, A History of Applied Management Theory, Global Leadership and Ethics, Organizational Behavior and Social Responsibility, Global Perspectives in Human Resources, Seminar in Economics and Finance, Research Methods (both Qualitative and Quantitative), Statistical Analysis, Analytics for Decision Making, Applied Research, and Strategic Management in Global Organizations. You'll also complete track-specific courses depending on whether you choose the Teaching Track or Consulting Track.

Core courses include Ethical Analytical Leadership, Assessment and Accountability, Technology Innovation and Diffusion, Instructional Technology, Leading Through Vision and Mission, Teacher Leader Innovation, Building Collaborative Culture, School Leadership Topics, Diversity and Leadership, Educational Politics and Policy, Qualitative Research, Quantitative Design, Action Research, and capstone-related coursework.

Yes, the DBA program is fully online, allowing you to balance your studies with your professional and personal commitments.

In addition to core leadership and research courses, you'll take specialized courses in Higher Education Administration, Higher Education Leadership Topics, Student Affairs and Leadership, and Higher Education Finance, Planning and Budgeting.

For Advanced Standing students, the program takes 15 months full-time or 20 months part-time. For Traditional students, it takes two years full-time or three years part-time.

Yes, both full-time and part-time options are available to accommodate your schedule and commitments.

Tuition is $620 per credit hour. For Advanced Standing students, the total program cost is $19,840 (without fees). For Traditional students, the total program cost is $38,440 (without fees). There is a $45 technology fee per course.

Tuition for the online DBA program is $965 per credit hour. The estimated total program cost is $55,005, plus a $45 technology fee per course.

Tuition is $850 per credit hour, with a total program cost of $40,800 (without fees). There is a $45 technology fee per course.

We offer two distinct tracks: the Teaching Track for those interested in academic careers, and the Consulting Track for professionals pursuing consulting or organizational leadership roles.

We offer two pathways: MSW – Advanced Standing for students with a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program (32 credits, 512 practicum hours), and MSW – Traditional for students with a bachelor's degree in any field (62 credits, 1,024 practicum hours).

Our program offers a curriculum with multiple areas of focus, flexible full-time and part-time pathways, mission-driven education rooted in our Benedictine values, and specialized electives focused on military-connected communities, trauma-informed care, and social justice. The program coursework is online with field placement support and multiple start dates throughout the year to meet your needs.

Yes, Saint Leo University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), ensuring you receive a high-quality education that is recognized and respected by employers nationwide.

Yes, the MSW program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), ensuring you receive an education that meets the highest professional standards.

The Ed.D. is framed around questions of equity, ethics, and social justice to bring about solutions to complex problems. It prepares leaders who can construct and apply knowledge to make a positive difference in their communities. You'll develop collaboration and communication skills to work with diverse communities, analyze problems of practice, and use multiple frames to develop meaningful solutions.

We offer two options: School and Organizational Leadership for candidates seeking practitioners' skills as strong organizational leaders in schools and organizations, and a Higher Education Concentration for education professionals seeking to lead and innovate in postsecondary settings.

A DBA is a doctoral degree designed for practice-oriented professionals with industry experience. It equips you with critical thinking and data analysis skills essential for business settings. Through rigorous research focused on defined business issues, you'll combine business acumen with scholarly methods to drive meaningful organizational change.

The Ed.D. is best suited for leaders within and beyond the private sector who want to apply research to practice with an emphasis on leadership from a service perspective. Unlike a PhD, which focuses on research and theory, the Ed.D. is practitioner-based and prepares you to become a higher-level administrator. Compared to an MBA, the Ed.D. requires a master's degree, has less quantitative focus, and caters specifically to education, nonprofit, and related professionals.

The DBA is best suited for professionals with an MBA or background in business and finance. It emphasizes management, finance, and bottom-line results with a practice-oriented approach. Unlike a PhD, which is research-focused, the DBA prepares you to apply your learning directly to real-world business challenges.

Ed.D. graduates pursue careers in educational leadership (elementary principal, high school principal, school superintendent, special education director), higher education administration (college president, provost, academic dean, registrar), teaching and instruction (professor, assistant professor, adjunct professor), organizational development (learning and development director, training manager), and executive leadership (CEO, chief diversity officer, chief operating officer).

DBA graduates pursue diverse careers including executive and leadership roles, consulting and analysis positions, academia and training, specialized fields, and research and development. You can become a consultant, take on decision-making roles within your organization, or transition into teaching at the university level.

The program has intakes available in both fall and spring terms.

You'll need a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate coursework. Applicants with a 2.75-2.99 GPA may be admitted following a faculty interview. You'll also need three years of professional work experience, a current resume, and two letters of recommendation if your GPA falls below 3.0.

The program has two starts per year: fall and spring.

You'll need a BSW from a CSWE-accredited program with a minimum 3.0 GPA and B- or higher in all junior and senior level social work courses. Applicants with a 2.75-2.99 GPA may be admitted. You'll also need to submit college transcripts, a resume, professional goal statement, two letters of recommendation from your BSW program, and a copy of your senior fieldwork evaluation form.

You'll need a 3.0 GPA from an accredited institution. Applicants with a 2.75-2.99 GPA may be admitted. You'll also need to submit college transcripts, a resume, professional goal statement, and two letters of recommendation.

The online MSW program offers multiple intakes per year in fall, spring, and summer.

You'll need a master's degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate coursework. Applicants with a 2.7-2.99 GPA may enter following a faculty interview. You'll also need to submit two letters of recommendation.