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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Public Safety

School of Public Service Leadership

Public Safety Leadership specialization

Hone your expertise and advance your career in the growing field of public safety leadership. This PhD in Public Safety specialization combines doctoral research and a deep exploration of leadership and organizational theories, with courses that emphasize management skills, such as needs assessment, human resources, training, diversity, and labor relations. This doctoral specialization takes public safety leadership to the executive level for those who plan to lead, teach, or consult in the field of public safety, including law enforcement, fire services, emergency management, criminal justice, corrections and other public and private security and protective professions.

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Total Program: 120 quarter credits
Up to 48 quarter credits may be transferred into this specialization
Admission Requirements Icon indicating PDF
Next Start Date: March 5, 2012
Quarter - Coursework: $4,530
Up to 3 courses per quarter
Quarter - Comps/Diss: $4,062

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Residency requirements: Three 4-day weekend experiences

Learn about the residential colloquia experience.
In addition to your online courses, you will complete 3 residential colloquia, each of which includes a 4-day weekend experience, at specific stages in your program. These energizing residencies provide you with insights and knowledge that will be valuable during your PhD studies and beyond.

Doctoral colloquia each have 3 steps:

Step 1: Colloquium Courseroom (opens approximately 2 weeks prior to Weekend Experience)
Step 2: Weekend Experience (4-day residency)
Step 3: Colloquium Courseroom—Assessment and evaluation (completed the week after the Weekend Experience)

What is the cost to attend?

The price for each colloquium is $1,495 (pricing is subject to periodic adjustment), but doesn’t include costs for evening meals or travel. You’ll be responsible for making your hotel reservations and travel arrangements.
  • Learn more about residency requirements.
  • Get more detailed information and learn how the residency experiences will enrich your learning at Capella University. Speak with an enrollment counselor at 1.888.227.3552.
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Gain more value from your degree

Expand your educational and career opportunities by choosing one of Capella's degree enrichment options.

  • Add a concentration to gain deeper expertise

    Delve more deeply into a specific knowledge area by earning a concentration that will be included on your transcript and can enhance your career opportunities. If you have elective courses in your degree program, you may be able to use them to fulfill both your degree and concentration requirements at the same time. However, completing a concentration may extend your total credits beyond the requirements of your degree.

    Concentrations available as part of this specialization include:
    • Fire Service Administration
    • Forensics
    • Health Policy and Management
    • Homeland Security
    • Public Administration
    • Public Health
    • Public Policy and Management
    • Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Core Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSF8003 - Emergency Management Research, Theory, and Practice
  • PSF8601 - Contemporary Public Safety Leadership
  • PSF8602 - Theories of Leadership
  • PSF8606 - Diversity Issues in Public Safety
  • PSF8634 - Public Safety Incident Command Paradigms
  • PSF8106 - Epistemology of Practice Knowledge
  • PSF8100 - Fundamentals of Social Science Research*
  • HS8122 - Quantitative Research Methods in Public Service*
  • HS8123 - Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Public Service*
  • HS8124 - Advanced Study in Research Methods in Public Service*

Specialization Courses (each course 4 quarter credits unless noted)

  • PSF8620 - Principles of Organization Theory and Practice
  • PSF8621 - Theories of Executive Human Resource Management
  • PSF8622 - Needs Assessment: Models and Procedures
  • PSF8623 - Legal Systems, Labor Relations, and Regulatory Practices
  • PSF8624 - Designing Training and Performance Solutions
  • PSF8625 - Grant Writing
  • PSF8626 - Stress Management in Public Safety Organizations
  • PSF9919 - Doctoral Comprehensive Examination*
  • PSF9920 - Dissertation Courseroom* - non-credit
  • PSF9921 - Dissertation Research 1* - 5 quarter credits
  • PSF9922 - Dissertation Research 2* - 5 quarter credits
  • PSF9923 - Dissertation Research 3* - 5 quarter credits
  • PSF9924 - Dissertation Research 4* - 5 quarter credits

Seven Elective Courses

  • Choose any graduate courses.
* This course has a prerequisite. Contact an enrollment counselor for more information.

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If you're interested in pursuing a high-level position in higher education, research or consulting, a public policy group, or other criminal justice-related organizations, you may want to also consider our PhD specialization in Criminal Justice. We also offer a PhD specialization in Emergency Management if you're considering a position overseeing emergency organizations, teaching, or consulting on the effective management of complex emergency situations.


We also offer a Master of Public Health (MPH) with a Social and Behavioral Sciences specialization for individuals interested in pursuing management or director positions in public health or social welfare organizations that focus on research, community assessment, or program development and evaluation.





Advancing towards my Advanced Degree

July 8, 2010Kelly I have completed all of the coursework and now that I can look back on all of my papers, I see how much I have grown. Capella has enabled me to learn and dared me to grow further. All of my professors have stretched me kindly and encouraged me to see this to the end. As I prepare for the comprehensive exams, I keep telling myself that this next measurement is an accumulation of all I have learned.I look forward to passing and moving on to my dissertation phase. It is possible. It is an amazing journey. All you have to do is jump in and trust yourself!! Kelly R. Rasmussen Kelly@SuccessCommunicationsInc.com

Payment for application -Phd on line

November 19, 2010ochola Kindly make it possible for me to obtain my application and course details for a Phd in public safety.

Where

April 30, 2011hlclas Just exactly where in Corrections would a Ph.D in this field help? I'm a Correctional Sergeant at present and plan to be a Warden in 10 years. Thanks in advance.

Public Service is not the same as Public Safety

June 3, 2011Deborah Why is there so much confusion about this Public Service Leadership specialty of General Human Services. The term Public Safety Leadership is often mixed with this category. I am not in Public Safety and do not wish to be confused with it. I was placed in this section because I have a program with the solution to illteracy that works in 16 weeks and hope to lead Education on implementing it in the public school....that is my public service. This university should make sure that this category stand on its own.

Phd programme

October 17, 2010ochola I need to see to it that i complete my Phd with your university

PhD in Public Safety - Spanish Translation Services

October 9, 2011Richard I would like to become a on call Spanish Translator for local Law Enforcement, Medical, and Fire Agencies in my county. Would getting a PhD be useful is assisting me obtain a job either as pay or volunteer in doing so.
Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs
Image of enrollment counselor from the team that specializes in Capella's human services degree programs

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