ADDITIONAL NAVIGATION
FAITH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
3504 North Pearl Street
Tacoma, Washington 98407
Toll-free: 888.777.7675
Reception: fsinfo@faithiu.edu
DOCTOR OF STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP
PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM
The primary goal of the Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL) is to train Christian leaders who currently serve in a vocational marketplace environment to be better equipped and more effective as they embrace a Christian worldview and seek to expand the “Kingdom in the Marketplace.” This is accomplished through careful study of biblical principles that inform and integrate key aspects of awareness and development, mission, vocational calling, and personal identity for leaders residing and working within the mainstream culture. The DSL is designed primarily for business administrators, nonprofit professionals, managers, executives, military personnel, educators, counselors, life coaches, etc. The program also is open to those in church leadership roles who wish to enhance their leadership skills without a Master of Divinity prerequisite. Students may choose to develop an area of emphasis within the Strategic Leadership Program. A minimum of 4 courses must be taken in a resident/ hybrid format during the program. The general curriculum may be modified, but only with permission from the director of the program.
The degree is open to applicants who hold an accredited master’s degree (normally, a minimum of 60 quarter hours) with a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale. Applications will be considered when the following have been received:
- Completed application form (including signature);
- Two recommendations (clergy and personal) attesting to the applicant’s commitment to Christ, leadership and decision making ability, and facility in interpersonal relationships;
- Official transcripts confirming baccalaureate degree and master’s degree(s) from an accredited institution; and, if relevant, official transcripts from institutions documenting postgraduate coursework that you wish to have considered for transfer credit;
- Autobiographical essay (maximum 5 pages typed) that discusses the applicant’s conversion and call to ministry, past ministry experience, current ministry placement, goals for personal and professional development and ways the program will help in achieving those goals;
- Copy of valid government-issued photo ID with signature (e.g., driver license or passport);
- A recent, substantive academic paper (12 – 20 pages) that fully demonstrates the applicant’s ability to do research and write at the doctoral level (or successful completion of AT 7565 Advanced Research and Writing); and
- Acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score if English is not the applicant’s primary language.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Acquire and enhance personal leadership awareness (related to the ConneXion’s Model of Leadership Development), through the process of “community” structured in the life of the leader and applied in a vocational setting;
- Acquire new skills in leadership, including effective marketplace engagement, mission, vision, communication, conflict management, and empowered coaching relationships—all derived from a “Kingdom in the Marketplace” perspective based on biblical principles;
- Acquire the model of putting “being” ahead of “doing” in leadership development, both personally and in the lives of those the leader reproduces; and
- Acquire a personal, biblical identity as a leader who embraces the Gospel and manifests a style of leadership that embodies Christ.
Click here to view the full program requirements in the academic catalog.