Online Doctorate in Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications (PhD)
Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communications
Program Overview
Earning a doctorate degree with a major in Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication (ALEC) lays the foundation for your impact on our world. ALEC is a multidisciplinary field that focuses on the social science aspects of agriculture and natural resources, equipping students with the skills and knowledge necessary to address contemporary challenges in agriculture through leadership, education, and communication.
Applicants should be aware that some professors, including their major professor, may require students to be on campus in Knoxville for dissertation related research, meetings, or presentations depending on their research project.
Why Choose ALEC?
ALEC doctoral graduates are primed to raise future generations of agricultural leaders by refining skills in:
- Teaching
- Learning
- Leadership
- Communications
- Youth development
- Extension
- Research methods
- Statistics
Admission Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution or international equivalent
- Minimum 2.7 GPA
- Transcript copies – official transcripts required after admission
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of purpose
- Resume or cirriculum vitae
- Professional writing sample
- English certification test scores (if applicable)
- $60 application fee
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Featured Courses
These courses are designed to inspire growth and equip you with the tools to lead with confidence and integrity. They focus on promoting innovation, navigating complex challenges, and shaping the future of leadership in a dynamic world.
Examination of philosophical foundations and frameworks involved with shaping human values and ethical decision making in diverse leadership contexts.
Theories of leadership and change. Implementing changes to guide successful organizations. Topics include discussing principled leadership, organizational behavior, and leading organizational change.
The course will focus on the diffusion of innovations model posited and formalized by Everett M. Rogers to facilitate the students’ understanding of change as a socio-cultural-technical process. Special attention will be given to case studies and other examples of innovation, diffusion, and change that apply to agriculture, food, fiber, natural resources systems, and society. In addition, the course will emphasize the student’s role as a change agent both now and in their future professional life.
Examination of emergent trends, current issues, philosophical thought, and pragmatic approaches to solving problems in various leadership contexts. Topics include, but are not limited to: organizational structure, civility (dialogue and deliberation), leadership, adaptable and transformational leadership, thought leadership, global and social impacts of leadership, and critical and creative thinking in leadership.
