Develop your disciplinary knowledge and management skills while building on your practical experience with a Doctor of Psychology in Behavioral Health Leadership.
Why Choose Walden?
Gain skills in leadership and management, financial management and procurement, instruction and training, entrepreneurship, and program evaluation.
Take an additional three courses to earn an optional specialization and enhance your expertise in an area of the field that interests you.
The in-person consulting skills intensive retreat provides hands-on practice, while the virtual doctoral project residency will help you with your capstone course.
Interactive learning tools allow you to apply your new skills to real-life problems and issues.
Program Details
Curriculum - General Program Specialization
Minimum Degree Requirements
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Doctoral Writing Assessment
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Foundation course (3 cr.)
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Core Courses (40 cr.)
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Research Courses (15 cr.)
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Optional specialization courses (15 cr.)
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Completion of Doctoral Capstone
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Doctoral capstone support courses (5 cr.)
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Doctoral capstone writing courses (5 cr. per term for a minimum of four terms; taken continuously until completion)
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Consulting Skills Intensive (Residency 1, face-to-face)
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Doctoral Project Development (Residency 2, virtual)
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View the COMPLETE CURRICULUM PLAN.
Walden students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral program unless they petition for an extension.
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.
Please refer to Walden’s catalog for more information about degree requirements.
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 1-866-492-5336.
Admission Requirements
Program Admission Considerations:
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An official transcript of a master’s degree (or higher) from a U.S. school accredited by a regional, professional/specialized, or national accrediting organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education, or from an appropriately accredited non-U.S. institution.
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A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in post-baccalaureate degree coursework.
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One year of post-master’s degree related work experience required
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Completed application form.
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The Office of Admissions reserves the right to request the names and contact information for two persons, professional or academic, qualified to comment knowledgeably on the applicant’s skills and qualifications.
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Official transcript(s) of highest degree or coursework completed to date.
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Access to a computer and the internet.
More information for international applicants.
A Personalized Guide to Completing Your Doctorate
Earning your Doctor of Psychology in Behavioral Health Leadership requires commitment, perseverance, and hard work. You can do it, and Walden is here to help—with our Doctoral Degree Coach™.
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Map and Track Milestones: Break your research down into manageable, sequential steps. See where you are, what’s ahead, and what you’ve already accomplished—all in one place.
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Meet Weekly Targets: No more guesswork. Set prompts based on your to-do list and receive reminders and updates directly to your inbox.
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Connect With Faculty: Stay on the same page and keep your progress on track. With shared access to your dashboard, your chair can easily guide you through your checklists, goals, and timelines.
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Access Helpful Resources: Quickly find support from the right person at the right time. Our comprehensive resource guide points you in the right direction—no more frustrating searches.
Tuition and Fees
General Program Specialization
| Curriculum | Requirements | Cost | Total * | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition-Coursework | 58 quarter credits | $610 per quarter hour for coursework credits | $35,380^ | |
| Tuition-Doctoral Study/Project | 25–130† quarter credits | $610 per quarter hour for doctoral study credits | $15,250–$79,300* | |
| Technology Fee | $170 per quarter | $1,870–$5,440* | ||
| Consulting Skills Intensive | One in Program | $1,420 each (virtual) $1,520 each (in-person: travel, lodging and other expenses are additional) |
$1,420–$1,520 | |
| Virtual Residency | One in Program | $1,420 | $1,420 | |
| Estimated Range: | 2.75-Year | 8-Year | ||
| $55,340 | $123,160*+ | |||
| (assuming completion in a 2.75-year timeframe) | (assuming completion in an 8-year timeframe) | |||
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 2.75-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
Our Enrollment Specialists can help you outline a plan and find resources for funding your education.
Program Savings
Looking to reach your potential with a doctoral degree? We want to support you by making your goals more achievable. Receive up to a $5,000 grant if you start this program on July 10, 2023. Contact one of our Enrollment Specialists to learn more.
Program Outcomes
Career Outcomes
The Doctor of Psychology in Behavioral Health Leadership program can prepare you with the professional skills to pursue a leadership or management position in a public or private organization, or to start your own organization. Potential career settings include group homes, healthcare agencies, hospitals, nonprofit organizations, and social service agencies. Your career options may include a variety of roles, such as:
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Behavioral health leader
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Behavioral health manager
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Administrator
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Project manager
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Research manager
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Consultant/business owner
Career options may require additional experience, training, or other factors beyond the successful completion of this program.
Learning Outcomes
All graduates will be prepared to:
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Assess behavioral healthcare and leadership in a variety of societal contexts and organizational settings.
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Analyze effective management and leadership to improve behavioral health programs for diverse populations
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Employ critical thinking to solve problems in a real-world context for behavioral health settings
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Apply leadership and consulting principles to the management of mental and integrated health delivery systems.
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Evaluate key factors of social determinants of health in behavioral healthcare settings.
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Describe how legal and regulatory policies in behavioral healthcare impact a variety of stakeholders.
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Synthesize theories and research to support objective-based decision-making for the management of mental health delivery systems.
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Evaluate key concepts of health economics in assessing the long-term economic viability of healthcare organizations.
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Note on Licensure: The Doctor of Psychology in Behavioral Health Leadership is not a licensure program and does not prepare an individual to become a licensed psychology professional.
Note: 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; transfer credits accepted by Walden; program or specialization changes; unsuccessful course completion; credit load per term; part-time vs. full-time enrollment; writing, research, and editing skills; use of external data for the doctoral study/dissertation; and individual progress in the program. Other factors may include personal issues such as the student’s employment obligations, caregiving responsibilities, or health issues; leaves of absence; or other personal circumstances.