Technology and Innovation Management, Computer Science Specialization, PhD

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Doctor of Philosophy in Technology and Innovation Management

Description of Program

Visionary leaders can help change an organization and bring about new innovations. In the PhD program in Technology and Innovation Management, student scholar-practitioners will learn how to become such leaders and be champions for new technologies and positive change in public and private organizations.

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program is a research-based program designed to prepare leaders for positions in the private and public sectors by enhancing knowledge and competencies appropriate to a leadership role in technology and innovation management, administration, and technology management. Upon completion of the PhD program, students are expected to have a broad knowledge in fields of business and technology management and an understanding of at least one specialized area of study. A Ph.D. requires original ideas about a specialized topic, as well as a high degree of methodological/scientific rigor (Nelson, & Coorough, 1994). As is traditional in higher education, a Ph.D. is only awarded for a piece of work that will actually make a difference to the theoretical context of the field the Ph.D. dissertation is a new contribution to the body of knowledge.

Learning Outcomes

The program learning outcomes for the Doctor of Philosophy in Technology and Innovation Management degree:

Develop knowledge in technology and innovation based on a synthesis of current theories
Communicate with diverse audiences about theories, applications, and perspectives related to technology and innovation.
Evaluate theories of ethics and risk management in computers and emerging technologies.
Formulate strategies for managing technology and innovation in global organizations.
Contribute to the body of theory and practice in technology and innovation management.

Basis for Admission

Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Technology and Innovation program requires a master’s degree from a regionally or nationally accredited academic institution.

Degree Requirements

The University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the doctoral degree for graduate coursework completed at an accredited college or university with a grade of “B” or better.

The PhD-TIM degree programs have the following graduation requirements:

A minimum of 48 credit hours of graduate instructions must be completed through NCU
GPA of 3.0 (letter grade of “B”) or higher
Satisfactory completion of a Comprehensive Portfolio
University approval of Dissertation Manuscript and Oral Defense completed
Submission of approved final dissertation manuscript to the University Registrar, including the original unbound manuscript and an electronic copy
Official transcripts on file for all transfer credit hours accepted by the University
All financial obligations to the University paid in full

Fundamental Competencies

All PhD-TIM students are required to demonstrate competency in these areas:

Graduate-Level Research Methods Competency– PhD-TIM students are required to complete TIM -7210 , AND (TIM -7220 , TIM -7225 ), OR (TIM -7230 , TIM -7235 ), OR (TIM -7240 ,TIM -7245 ) at NCU
Graduate-Level Statistics Competency – PhD-TIM students are required to completeTIM -7100 Statistics with Technology Applications at Northcentral.
Computer Competency - Doctoral students are required to have computer skills necessary for completing a dissertation. Students must be able to prepare documents using advanced word processing skills (e.g., creation of tables and figures, headers and footers, page breaks, tables of contents, hanging indents). Students must use computer programs for the statistical analysis of data (e.g., SAS). Students must produce a computer-based presentation (e.g., PowerPoint) for their dissertation oral examination.

Time to Completion

Northcentral University allows 7 years to complete all 60 credit hour doctoral programs.

Normal time to completion for this program is 83 months.

Time to completion varies depending upon the pace in which a student completes courses and the number of transfer credits accepted. As most Northcentral students are working adults balancing educational, professional, and personal commitments, our academic advisors will work with you to develop a program schedule that works best for your needs.

The normal time disclosed above reflects the experience of students who may have entered under different program requirements. In the quest for continuous improvement, academic leadership has revised the program to optimize curriculum and pace, facilitate student learning, and improve chances for success. Therefore, the program is now designed for students enrolling today to take advantage of these revised course structures, lengths, and schedules. New students following the preferred schedule designed by the Dean for this program, and applying no transfer credits, can expect to finish in as little as 45 months.

Course Sequence

The PhD program may be completed in a minimum of 60 credits. Additional credit hours may be allowed as needed to complete the dissertation research. If granted, additional courses will be added to the student degree program in alignment with the SAP and Academic Maximum Time to Completion policies. Students who do not complete their program in accordance with these policies may be dismissed.

The PhD in Technology and Innovation Management requires six (seven if needed) core courses, six specialization, three research, PhD Portfolio, and four dissertation courses for a total of 60-63 credit hours. All incoming PhD-TIM students will complete a required writing assessment during their first course, TIM -7100 . Students who perform well on this assessment will be exempted from TIM -7200 .

*Those whose writing skills need additional practice, as determined by three or more items scored as “needs improvement,” will be required to take TIM -7200 .

Students select one pair of research methods and directed research courses based on their own research proposal.

The PhD in Technology and Innovation Management requires the following courses for every specialization:

Computer Science

Students in the Computer Science specialization will research the design and function of computers from the inside out. This is a broad specialization, allowing students to research a wide variety of computer topics and to prepare for a range of technology leadership roles. Graduates will be able to use this in-depth knowledge to contribute to new computer science research and lead the innovative integration of computer technologies in their organizations.

Specialization Courses - 18 Credit Hours

Select six courses from the following: