About the Program

The Creativity and Change Leadership Department, and its Center for Applied Imagination, is proud to offer Buffalo State University’s first doctoral program. Reflecting the Center’s long-standing applied approach to creativity and creative problem solving, this degree is offered as a doctorate of professional practice rather than a traditional Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.). Students pursuing this advanced level of study earn a Doctor of Professional Studies (DPS) in Creativity and Change Leadership. An applied doctorate emphasizes the integration of theory and research with professional practice, enabling students to address complex, real-world challenges while generating knowledge that has immediate relevance and impact in organizational, educational, and community settings.

Buffalo State’s DPS in Creativity and Change Leadership is designed for experienced professionals seeking an advanced, applied educational experience focused on innovation, leadership, and meaningful change. This terminal degree aligns closely with the Center for Applied Imagination’s mission and with the needs of the professionals the program is intended to serve. Designed to attract mid-career professionals from around the world, the program is delivered fully online; all courses—like those in the Center’s established Master of Science program—are offered primarily through synchronous sessions that foster deep engagement, collaboration, and a vibrant learning community. Visit the Creativity and Change Leadership website (creativity.buffalostate.edu/) for more information.

Admission Requirements

1) Earned master’s degree in creativity, or a similar program, from an accredited college or university with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale).

2) A written statement organized into two sections. Section one: the applicant’s professional or educational goals and how a Doctor of Professional Studies in Creativity and Change Leadership supports these goals. Section two: a description of the applicant’s possible research interests (i.e., dissertation topic), along with identification of a potential dissertation chair(s). To align with faculty expertise, consult document outlining faculty research interests (document available through department website, see admissions requirements online, go to https://creativity.buffalostate.edu/doctor-professional-studies).

3) Brief biographical sketch, one to two paragraphs, that provides a summary of the applicant’s accomplishments, areas of expertise, and experiences.

4) Two academic/professional letters of reference.

5) Five years of professional experience.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. Articulate the interrelated aspects among key definitions, principles, constructs, theories, and models in the discipline of creativity and change leadership in a way that demonstrates mastery of both historical and contemporary literature and resources (including non-Western perspectives).

2. Develop an informed philosophy of one’s own view of creativity and its relationship to change leadership (i.e., highlighting both the theoretical and practical relationships between creativity and contemporary views of leadership).

3. Describe a vivid image of themselves as future creative leaders in their professional and personal lives.

4. Communicate a deep understanding of a creativity topic in an authoritative style (i.e., ability to articulate, guide, persuade, influence, and hold their position based on a well-grounded and deep understanding of the domain of creativity).

5. Distinguish good science from poor science in the field of creativity studies, for example students can distinguish among opinions, theories, empirically established fact, and rigorous research studies.

6. Synthesize literature in a manner that demonstrates that they can identify, comprehend, analyze, and evaluate knowledge in the field of creativity studies and creative leadership, as well as literature specifically related to their topic of interest.

7. Apply problem-finding skills that lead to the identification of a gap that is then addressed by the student in a novel way and to disseminate completed work relative to the identified problem (i.e., design and conduct project, thesis, and dissertation work as appropriate to the student’s level of study).

8. Demonstrate mastery in applied creativity methods, in particular Creative Problem Solving (CPS) and to identify how CPS serves as a core change leadership competence.

9. Develop and maintain an affirmative attitude toward change and novelty and demonstrate the internalization of other key creative-leadership cognitive and affective competencies.

10. Develop and demonstrate their CPS facilitation skills and fundamental group-process skills through applied experiences in leading small groups through the CPS process.

11. Deploy deliberate creativity methods, such as CPS, by training, teaching, and leading in professional settings.

Program Requirements

Required Courses
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
CRS559 PRINCIPLES IN CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS560 FOUNDATIONS OF CREATIVE LEARNING | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS610 FACILITATION OF GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS614 ADVANCED COGNITIVE TOOLS FOR CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS619 ORGANIZATIONAL CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS620 CREATIVITY ASSESSMENT: METHODS AND RESOURCES | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS625 CURRENT ISSUES IN CREATIVE STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS635 CREATIVITY AND CHANGE LEADERSHIP | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS670 FOUNDATIONS IN TEACHING AND TRAINING CREATIVITY | 3 - Credit Hours

Courses generally taken at the DPS Level
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
CRS680 DESIGNING AND DELIVERING CREATIVITY EDUCATION | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS689 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS705 ADVANCED INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN IN CREATIVITY | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS706 ADVANCED INSTRUCTIONAL DELIVERY IN CREATIVITY | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS725 CONTEMPORARY GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES IN CREATIVITY, THEORY, PRACTICE AND RESEARCH | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS735 ADVANCED APPLICATION OF CREATIVE LEADERSHIP | 3 - Credit Hours

Select one group - generally taken at the DPS Level
Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
CRS730 FOUNDATIONAL QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
AND CRS731 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES II | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS740 FOUNDATIONAL QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
AND CRS741 ADVANCED QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours

Elective Courses
Complete at least 3 of the following Courses:
CRS509 INTRODUCTION TO THE GIFTED, TALENTED AND CREATIVE LEARNER | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS530 CREATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING IN FORMAL AND INFORMAL SETTINGS | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS570 CREATIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING EXPERIENCES | 1 - Credit Hours
CRS590 INDEPENDENT STUDY | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
CRS594 GRADUATE WORKSHOP | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
CRS596 CONFERENCE | 1 - 3 Credit Hours
CRS621 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN GIFTED, TALENTED AND CREATIVE EDUCATION | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS626 CURRICULUM AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT FOR GIFTED INDIVIDUALS | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS730 FOUNDATIONAL QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
AND CRS731 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES II | 3 - Credit Hours
CRS740 FOUNDATIONAL QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours
AND CRS741 ADVANCED QUANTITATIVE DATA ANALYSIS AND STATISTICS IN CREATIVITY STUDIES | 3 - Credit Hours

Culminating Experience (Dissertation)
Completion requirement
12 Credit Hours Dissertation (4 courses)


72 Total Credit Hours