Leadership and Program Evaluation in Human Services Organizations
Request InformationDevelop a robust leadership skill set essential to overseeing today’s human services agencies and nonprofit organizations.
- Course-Based Courses with a set schedule January 09, 2023
Reach Your Potential as a Human Services Leader
In this Doctor of Human Services specialization, you’ll develop the skills you need to achieve your career goals, including leading a human services agency or nonprofit organization in a senior management role. Courses in this program also focus on providing evidence to support human services programs, including assessing local needs and evaluating program outcomes. The capstone project for this Doctor of Human Services specialization involves conducting research for the development of program evaluation in the field .
Explore how to effectively lead human services organizations and strategically evaluate programs in order to optimize outcomes.
Through our Communities of Practice experience, you’ll start moving forward on your capstone project at the beginning of your program.
Through immersive, hands-on content, you’ll gain greater self-assurance by practicing the skills and tools you’ll use out in the field.
Learn networking best practices and create a professional portfolio with the Human Services Hub of Walden’s Career Center.
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Minimum Degree Requirements
- 68 quarter credits
- Doctoral Writing Assessment
- Foundation course (3 cr.)
- Core courses (30 cr.)
- Specialization courses (15 cr.)
- Completion of the Doctoral Capstone
- Communities of Practice and Research (CPR) courses (5 cr.; continuously enrolled in 1 cr. per term for a minimum of 5 terms until CPR completion)
- Capstone writing courses (continuous enrollment in 5 cr. per term for a minimum of 3 terms until completion)
This sequence represents the minimum time to completion. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 855-646-5286.
Students are continuously enrolled in HUMN 9100D for a minimum of 3 quarters until completion of their doctoral capstone with final Chief Academic Officer (CAO) approval.
To complete a doctoral capstone writing project, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the Chief Academic Officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Doctoral Capstone/Dissertation Guidebook.
Courses
| Course Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HUMN 8001D |
Keys to Doctoral Studies Success
As leaders, advanced human services professional practitioners can inhabit many roles: generalist, planner, advanced case manager, advocate, humanitarian, and outreach worker. Throughout this course, students try on these roles in response to authentic human services scenarios in settings within a fictional community. In each scenario, they observe advanced human services professional practitioners applying role-specific strategies, approaches, and theories to help service users. Students also assess their current knowledge, skills, and abilities in relation to each role, as well as the values and experiences they bring to the profession. By the end of the course, students develop and refine a professional identity statement as a leader in the human services profession and examine self-care strategies relevant to the work of an advanced human services professional practitioner. |
(3 cr.) |
| HUMN 8206D |
The World of Human Services: Reimagined
As human and social problems increase across the globe, human services professional practitioners must be prepared to work in a variety of fields with many different populations. In this course, students examine their own calling to be a human services professional practitioner and connect their passion to leading positive social change. Students explore the value of human services and the challenges that professional practitioners face in the field today. The course covers human services ethics of professional practice, along with key skills every human services professional practitioner must master to be prepared to work anywhere in the world. Course content exposes new concepts and trends in human services, and students analyze and propose reimagined practices in some areas, including interviewing, assessment, and referral; understanding and applying research in the field; the role of program evaluations; interprofessional networking; and transnational practice. |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 9001D |
Communities of Practice and Research 1
This course is the first part of the capstone journey. The community created here becomes part of the student's program for five quarters, and the goal is to prepare for the dissertation study—the culminating work in the program. In this community classroom, students meet their doctoral mentor and other students. They discuss ideas related to applied research, writing, and project planning. As a human services professional practitioner at the doctoral level, students are preparing to be leaders in applying research to practice in the field. This community of practice and research can prepare students to develop an applied study in a human services area important to them. Students become familiar with Walden's resources that support human services field research development, strategies to organize research, research methods and resources, and finding a research question for their study. In the fifth quarter, students draft their prospectus in preparation to conduct their study. Note: Students are continuously registered in the Communities of Practice and Research course (1–5) for five terms. |
(1 cr.) |
| HUMN 8304D |
Data as Evidence
Human services professional practitioners use statistics in a variety of professional undertakings, such as creating studies to assess human behavior or deciding which programs are most effective for meeting clients' needs. Students in this course study basic descriptive and inferential statistical methods commonly used in the social sciences, and they work toward developing the skills to write, analyze, and critique social science research. Students explore various methods, including computation and analysis of frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, and statistical hypothesis testing. Students also examine statistical tests (and underlying assumptions), including z-score; single-sample, independent-sample, and related-sample t tests; analysis of variance; correlation; regression; and chi-square tests. This course also provides an introduction to the SPSS statistical software package. |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 8210D |
Management and Leadership in Human Services
Public and nonprofit leaders in all areas of public administration require a thorough understanding of the expectations of their roles as leaders and managers of diverse and complex organizations. Students use theoretical and applied perspectives from which they study the intricacies of these roles, including the distinction between leadership and management, organizational culture, change management, systems theories, and organizational development. Students gain a practical understanding of these topics through the application of principles and concepts to public and nonprofit organizational settings in different cultures and societies depicted in case studies, a virtual city environment, and through relevant material provided by students themselves. Students will also explore how to promote inter-professional collaboration within and among organizations. |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 9002D |
Communities of Practice and Research 2
This course is the next part of the capstone journey. The community created here becomes part of the student's program for five quarters, and the goal is to prepare for the dissertation study—the culminating work in the program. In this community classroom, students meet their doctoral mentor and other students. They discuss ideas related to applied research, writing, and project planning. As a human services professional practitioner at the doctoral level, students are preparing to be leaders in applying research to practice in the field. This community of practice and research can prepare students to develop an applied study in a human services area important to them. Students become familiar with Walden's resources that support human services field research development, strategies to organize research, research methods and resources, and finding a research question for their study. In the fifth quarter, students draft their prospectus in preparation to conduct their study. Prerequisites
Note: Students are continuously registered in the Communities of Practice and Research course (1–5) for five terms. |
(1 cr.) |
| HUMN 8243D |
Push and Pull of Understanding Human Services Problems: Force Field Analysis
Seeing social issues from other viewpoints is the pinnacle of the human services practitioner profession, and it is critical in human services research. In this course, students examine the step-by-step skills of Kurt Lewin's force field analysis research to analyze the problems encountered by families, communities, and organizations. Force field analysis is a tool for understanding how human behavior (i.e., beliefs, attitudes, and cultural norms) influence actions and decisions. The course content outlines how to identify a problem, how to collect data and measure the driving forces and restraining forces that help and hinder the situation, and how to use the data strategically for informing decision makers on possible interventions and strategies toward solving the problem. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 8244D |
Champions for Change: Action Research for Advocacy
Human Services professional practitioners and leaders often participate in advocacy on behalf of the needs of a group, a community, or a population. Action research is a form of collaborative inquiry, with the full participation of members of the group to collect and analyze the information needed to support advocacy, which creates positive social change. In this course, students evaluate action research as a tool used for advocacy in human services. Using an example of action research, students analyze and evaluate the planning process, data collection, and use the findings to create a communication to stakeholders and other audiences as a method of advocacy. Students also consider how to include action research in their doctoral capstone project. |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 9003D |
Communities of Practice and Research 3
This course is the next part of the capstone journey. The community created here becomes part of the student's program for five quarters, and the goal is to prepare for the dissertation study—the culminating work in the program. In this community classroom, students meet their doctoral mentor and other students. They discuss ideas related to applied research, writing, and project planning. As a human services professional practitioner at the doctoral level, students are preparing to be leaders in applying research to practice in the field. This community of practice and research can prepare students to develop an applied study in a human services area important to them. Students become familiar with Walden's resources that support human services field research development, strategies to organize research, research methods and resources, and finding a research question for their study. In the fifth quarter, students draft their prospectus in preparation to conduct their study. Prerequisites
Note: Students are continuously registered in the Communities of Practice and Research course (1–5) for five terms. |
(1 cr.) |
| HUMN 8237D |
Advanced Program Evaluation
Doctoral level practitioners are often called upon to conduct rigorous evaluations of programs and the results of their evaluations often determine the fate of the programs they evaluate and the clients served by those programs. Therefore, it is important that students learn how to conduct both formative and summative evaluations and how to evaluate the fidelity of program implementation prior to evaluating program outcomes. In this way, program evaluation also tests the theory or logic model on which the program is based. Students will use hands-on activities to develop their ability to develop evaluation plans, provide constructive critical critiques of other students' projects, and accept constructive, critical feedback from others. They will also connect with other professionals engaged in evaluation research through various professional forums (e.g., listservs, blogs, and professional associations). In addition, they will explore how the process, pressures, and outcomes of evaluation research could differ in a different culture and across different professions. |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 9004D |
Communities of Practice and Research 4
This course is the next part of the capstone journey. The community created here becomes part of the student's program for five quarters, and the goal is to prepare for the dissertation study—the culminating work in the program. In this community classroom, students meet their doctoral mentor and other students. They discuss ideas related to applied research, writing, and project planning. As a human services professional practitioner at the doctoral level, students are preparing to be leaders in applying research to practice in the field. This community of practice and research can prepare students to develop an applied study in a human services area important to them. Students become familiar with Walden's resources that support human services field research development, strategies to organize research, research methods and resources, and finding a research question for their study. In the fifth quarter, students draft their prospectus in preparation to conduct their study. Prerequisites
Note: Students are continuously registered in the Communities of Practice and Research course (1–5) for five terms. |
(1 cr.) |
| HUMN 8207D |
Grant Writing
Grant writing is a highly marketable skill that requires many non-profit, educational and community organizations to secure external funding in order to provide needed services to the community. In this course, students will explore the basic skills needed for non-research grant writing including identifying potential funding sources, creating objectives and a need statement, preparing and justifying a budget, identifying appropriate assessment plans, and writing an executive summary. Course assignments will allow students to directly apply what they are reading and discussing by writing a full grant proposal based on an actual request for proposal (RFP). |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 8211D |
Consulting to Human Services Organizations
Leaders of human services organizations may seek consultants to support organizational planning, funding, or program evaluation. In this course, students explore consultation practices that will help build relationships with human services organizations and be an effective consultant. Students address specific consulting situations including: vision and mission statement development, grant funding, project plans, data collection, and reporting. In this course, students will participate in a simulated initial interview with a human services organization leader. The application project includes a project plan outline and engagement letter. |
(5 cr.) |
| HUMN 9005D |
Communities of Practice and Research 5
This course is the next part of the capstone journey. The community created here becomes part of the student's program for five quarters, and the goal is to prepare for the dissertation study—the culminating work in the program. In this community classroom, students meet their doctoral mentor and other students. They discuss ideas related to applied research, writing, and project planning. As a human services professional practitioner at the doctoral level, students are preparing to be leaders in applying research to practice in the field. This community of practice and research can prepare students to develop an applied study in a human services area important to them. Students become familiar with Walden's resources that support human services field research development, strategies to organize research, research methods and resources, and finding a research question for their study. In the fifth quarter, students draft their prospectus in preparation to conduct their study. Note: Students are continuously registered in the Communities of Practice and Research course (1–5) for five terms. |
(1 cr.) |
| HUMN 9100D |
DHS Capstone
The final doctoral capstone/project demonstrates students' scholarly ability to examine, critique, and synthesize knowledge and experience, so that new ideas can be tested; best practices identified, established, and verified; and theoretical, practice, or policy constructs evaluated and advanced. Doctoral students can integrate their program of study into an in-depth exploration of an interest area, culminating in the completion of their capstone/project in this course. Students complete the capstone/project independently, with the guidance of a Supervisory Committee Chair and committee members. Students complete a Prospectus, Proposal, Research Ethics Review (IRB), and a final written capstone/project and oral presentation. The order and format of the various steps vary based on the professional doctoral program and capstone/project type. Be sure to follow the guidance in the appropriate capstone/project Guidebook and use the checklists, rubric, and writing templates for your program and your specific capstone/project type. Prerequisites
|
(5 cr.) |
| VIEW ALL COURSES | ||
Tuition and Fees
| Curriculum | Requirements | Cost | Total * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition-Coursework | 48 quarter credits | $630 per quarter hour for coursework credits | $30,240^ | |
| Tuition-Doctoral Study/Project | 20-120† quarter credits | $630 per quarter hour for dissertation credits | $12,600–$75,600* | |
| Technology Fee | $165 per quarter | $1,320–$5,280* | ||
| Estimated Range: | 2-Year Minimum | 8-Year Maximum | ||
| $44,160* |
$111,120*+ |
|||
| (assuming completion in a 2-year time frame) | (assuming completion in an 8-year time frame) | |||
Effective February 27, 2023
| Curriculum | Requirements | Cost | Total * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition-Coursework | 48 quarter credits | $640 per quarter hour for coursework credits | $30,720^ | |
| Tuition-Doctoral Study/Project | 20-120† quarter credits | $640 per quarter hour for dissertation credits | $12,800–$76,800* | |
| Technology Fee | $170 per quarter | $1,360–$5,440* | ||
| Estimated Range: | 2-Year Minimum | 8-Year Maximum | ||
| $44,880* |
$112,960*+ |
|||
| (assuming completion in a 2-year time frame) | (assuming completion in an 8-year time frame) | |||
These are ranges of what a student can expect in terms of time and tuition cost to complete a degree. It does not include other fees, nor is it adjusted for tuition increases over time. Walden faculty has concluded that generally students who do not complete their program in eight years are unlikely to complete and only allow students to exceed that time frame when a student petitions for an extension and provides good reason for the delay and assurances that obstacles to completion can be overcome. Time is calculated using the time allowed for each semester or unit that the student completes. Students are encouraged to work continuously during the program so as not to extend the time needed to complete the degree as work can become stale and students lose focus. Students who earn two grades of “Unsatisfactory,” who repeatedly drop a course before a semester or unit has been completed or are unable to complete in the eight year time frame, should expect that they may be dismissed from the program. Walden believes that it is in the best interest of a student who is unable to complete the degree in the stated ranges to strongly consider withdrawal or obtaining a lesser degree.
Time to completion and cost are not estimates of individual experience and will vary based on individual factors applicable to the student. Factors may be programmatic or academic such as tuition and fee increases and/or the student’s transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; writing, research and editing skills; use of external data for their doctoral study/dissertation; and/or individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations; care giving responsibilities or health issues; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; leaves of absence; and/or other personal circumstances.
Tuition and fees are subject to change. Books and materials are not included. Students may incur additional costs for remedial writing assistance, if necessary.
^This assumes students successfully complete their coursework on the first attempt.
† Based on a 2-year minimum completion requirement and an 8-year maximum timeframe as outlined in Walden academic policy.
*Tuition and fees will be higher if students petition to extend the 8-year maximum timeframe or choose to take more expensive elective courses.
+Tuition and time to complete may be reduced if transfer credits are accepted, or if you receive grants, scholarships or other tuition discounts. For a personalized estimate of the number of your transfer credits that Walden would accept, call an Enrollment Specialist at 844-642-0198.
Paying for Your Education
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Admission Requirements
Program Admission Considerations: A master’s degree or higher. Some restrictions apply – ask your Enrollment Specialist for details.
General Admission Requirements: Completed online application and transcripts. Please note that the materials you are required to submit may vary depending on the academic program to which you apply. More information for international applicants.
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Barbara Benoliel
Core FacultyDr. Benoliel, who has been with Walden since 2007, is a certified mediator for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) who practices in both civil and criminal dispute resolution. Her primary areas of research are in disputes related to human rights and interfaces with justice systems.
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Jim Castleberry
Associate DeanDr. Castleberry’s legal and professional experience has focused on criminal law, regulatory law, and administrative law. He has held administrative positions in both the public and private sectors and worked as a legal officer (JAG) for the Coast Guard and Navy until he retired in 2003 and began teaching.
Career Outlook
Earning your Doctor of Human Services degree can help you open the door to new career opportunities and greater influence in your field. Expand your options in settings ranging from universities and hospitals to social assistance organizations and government agencies.
Through the Human Services Hub of our Career Center, Walden is here to support your goals. Create a professional portfolio that you can share with employers to showcase your skills. Master the art of high-impact networking as well as job search best practices that can help you shape the future you want, whether you’re looking to teach in academia or start your own nonprofit agency.
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