Blue alert priority 2
Vehicula vestibulum rutrum lorem nostra habitant bibendum. Ultrices nostra est pretium habitasse erat cursus efficitur. Suscipit pede felis magnis justo neque. Himenaeos tincidunt consectetuer porta semper feugiat risus. Natoque priority 3
Yellow alert priority 3
Red alert priority 3
Skip navigation
Pursue a Doctor of Strategic Leadership – Individualized degree program at Regent University.

DSL – Individualized

Meet Your Personal Career Goals in Leadership

Become the servant leader you were called to be—elevating individuals, teams and systems to their God-given potential. This terminal professional degree emphasizes leadership, communication, structure, team building and cultural understanding from a Christian perspective. Through the Individualized concentration, you can choose courses that meet your unique professional goals.

Online w/ Residency
60
January 13, 2025
Download PDF

COVID-19 Update: Concerned about travel? Spring and Summer residencies will be held online for your well-being and convenience.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR COURSEWORK

Review and apply best practices to meet the unique needs of your organization.

BECOME A THOUGHT LEADER

Write and publish leadership-related topics in popular press publications and applied journals.

DEMONSTRATE EXPERTISE

Develop a substantive final project that integrates biblical and global perspectives and gives evidence of a deep understanding of the theory and practice of organizational leadership. Our award-winning faculty will bring out your inner leader, from performing expert analyses to mentoring teams through change.

Regent has been ranked among top national universities by the U.S. News & World Report for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020). Our programs have also been ranked by it among the Top 5 Best Graduate Online Business (Non-MBA) Programs in Virginia for six years in a row. Experience the Regent difference through the Doctor of Strategic Leadership program.

Regent University ranked #2 of Top 25 Accredited Online PhD & Doctoral Degree Programs | Learn.org, 2020

After completing the DSL – Individualized degree online, with a minimal on-campus residency in Virginia Beach, you will be able to:

  • Monitor and assess organizations’ skills to innovate learning environments that continually increase effectiveness and efficiency.
  • Understand the intricacies of organizational assessment, organizational change and how to lead strategic initiatives.
  • Elevate individuals, teams and systems to their God-given potential.

Career Opportunities

  • Executive Leadership for Healthcare, Nonprofits & Educational Institutions
  • University Faculty
  • Consulting
98%
98% of students believed the education they received was worth the expense

2020-2021 Semester Check-In Deadlines:

All new students are expected to check-in for the semester 2 weeks prior to the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.

Session

Semester Check-In

Session Start Date

Session A

Friday, August 14

Monday, August 24

Session M

Friday, September 11

Monday, September 21

Session B

Friday, October 16

Monday, October 26

Session C

Tuesday, January 5

Monday, January 11

Session T

Friday, January 29

Monday, February 8

Session D

Friday, March 5

Monday, March 15

Session E

Friday, April 30

Monday, May 10

Session F

Friday, June 11

Monday, June 21

Doctoral Degree Requirements for Admission

When applying to the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership or the Doctor of Strategic Leadership programs, the admissions committee, comprised of several faculty members, will use a rubric to independently evaluate and score each of the following criteria:

  • Academic achievement in bachelor’s and master’s programs
  • Writing quality
  • Alignment of personal goals to Ph.D. or DSL outcomes
  • Number of years in leadership positions
  • Leadership development and impact
  • Number of leadership positions held

Prerequisites:

Doctoral applicants must:

  • Hold a master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution or an equivalent degree from a foreign institution, as evaluated by a credential evaluating agency.
  • Submit all application materials such that they are received by the deadline for the semester to which they are applying. Once the application requirements have been fulfilled, an admissions interview may be requested. Interviews are by invitation only.

Admissions Process:

1. Complete Your Online Application

Submit your application using our Regent University Online Application.

Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.

2. Pay Your $50 Application Fee

Pay the $50 nonrefundable application fee by check or money order mailed to Regent University, Enrollment Support Services, 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA 23464.

3. Submit your Unofficial College Transcripts

We are able to examine and view your unofficial transcripts from U.S.-based schools, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, in order to review you for an admissions decision. Please submit your unofficial transcript to our Transcript Request team by email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SBL Doctoral Application Pieces.

Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company. For further details, please review the International Admissions Checklist on the International Students Admissions page.

International Applicants: Please visit the International Students Admissions page for a more detailed explanation of the Regent University application information and to determine whether or not you qualify as an international student.

*Upon conditional acceptance to the program by review of unofficial transcripts, Regent University’s Admissions Office will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institutions, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. We will notify you if your previous institutions will not release transcripts directly to us.

4. Complete Your Admissions Questionnaire

Please complete a brief admissions questionnaire based on your professional goals and interests. This should only take a few minutes to complete but please answer the questions completely and thoughtfully. This gives us a better opportunity to get to know you and align your objectives with our programs.

The admissions questionnaire can be found here. Once completed, our admission office will be able to upload this to your application file.

5. Government-Issued ID

To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please email a scanned copy or photograph of it to apply@regent.edu with the subject line: Government ID.

2019-20 Tuition Rates

Degree Level / ProgramCost Per Credit Hour

Doctor of Strategic Leadership

$995 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state)


 

Student Fees Per Semester

Enrollment Deposit$250
University Services Fee (Online Students)$550
Residency

$375 per residency

Note: All students are responsible for their own lodging, travel arrangements and incidental expenses.

ENGL 500-01 Graduate Academic Writing Course$70
RU Library Course Fee$50 (one-time fee)

2020-21 Tuition Rates

Degree Level / ProgramCost Per Credit Hour

Doctor of Strategic Leadership

$995 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state)


 

Student Fees Per Semester

Enrollment Deposit$250
University Services Fee (Online Students)$600
Residency

$375 per residency

Note: All students are responsible for their own lodging, travel arrangements and incidental expenses.

ENGL 500-01 Graduate Academic Writing Course$70
RU Library Course Fee$50 (one-time fee)

*Rates are subject to change at any time.

TITLE IV LOANS:If students are receiving Title IV Federal Student Loans, they are permitted to enroll in the same course number a maximum of only two semesters. Therefore, doctoral students are encouraged to carefully plan the dissertation/final project stage of their program.

The School of Business & Leadership is committed to the historical foundations of the doctoral degree in which a community of scholars is created among faculty mentors and student scholars. Regent University mirrors this historical tradition by using student cohorts, intensive on-campus residencies and a variety of interactive discussion modes that extend beyond topical course discourse.

The Ph.D. and DSL programs in the School of Business & Leadership include two required residencies, each covering four days and held on the campus of Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The first residency covers program orientation and guidelines, the library use course (UNIV LIB Information Research & Resources) as well as in-class instruction for the first two courses of the core curriculum. The second residency focuses on class instruction for the courses to be taken in the semester as well as doctoral program requirements such as comprehensive exams, doctoral dissertation, DSL Integrative Paper and Final Project.

View upcoming residency dates, registration and lodging details.

“I know I've arrived where I am because of the experience at Regent. Anything that we did in class, the feasibility study, the business plan, it all came back to the ministry aspect that I always had in my heart to help orphans and vulnerable children.”

Nataliya Khom’yak, MBA, 2004 Leader, Orphan's Promise

“Regent provided a very hands-on experience that I could implement in my life right away. You can’t come out of this program without becoming a better leader. It proves itself of worth and value time and again.”

Cynthia Arocho, M.A., 2012

“Regent's program resonated with me because it's about servant leadership and mentoring and coaching. That is so important. At the end of the day, it's about the legacy you leave behind.”

Kelly Tanner, DSL, 2017 Dental Hygienist

“I’ve been able to continue to employ what I learned at Regent in the doctoral program to every position I’ve had since then.”

Rick Richardson, Ph.D., 2007 Organizational Leadership

“Best college class I've ever taken. Hands down. I haven't stopped raving about it to my friends and family.”

Kristen Aguilar, MBA, 2018 General Management