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Evaluation Practice (DEval)

Doctor of Evaluation Practice

Advanced evaluation practice for societal impact.

The Doctor of Evaluation Practice (D.Eval) program is designed to meet the critical demand for skilled evaluators who can address pressing societal issues in industries like education, public health, healthcare, human services, philanthropic foundations, community-based non-profits, technology, organizational development, international development, and government. Created for working professionals, the D.Eval program integrates evaluation theory and practice with data analytics, communication, leadership, and project management to prepare you for high level roles in evaluation firms, evaluation departments in foundations and other large organizations, state/local governments, and non-profit or for-profit organizations.

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Program Benefits

Our D.Eval program prepares you to stand out in your field with hands-on projects, collaboration with industry professionals, and an emphasis on cultural responsivity and ethical leadership. This degree builds on our long tradition of high-quality evaluation training, integrating theory, practice, and data analytics that are most relevant for today’s evaluation landscape. You will be trained as a scholar-practitioner that applies research to real-world programs that seek to transform society for the better.

  • Flexible Learning: Choose from full-time, or part-time options with hybrid in-person and online coursework.
  • Impact Driven: Learn to apply expert evaluation practice for meaningful social change.
  • Real-World Relevance: Experience a hands-on doctoral program that fosters professional growth.
  • Expert Guidance: Get a personalized education from faculty with extensive professional experience.
  • Collaborative: Expand your professional network by learning with peers in the evaluation community across the globe.

Career Paths

Graduates of this program will be ready to excel in diverse sectors including education, healthcare, government, non-profit and for-profit organizations, international development, and as independent evaluation consultants, addressing critical societal challenges through impactful evaluation practice. Common job titles may include Director of Program Evaluation, Director of Research & Evaluation, Director of Organizational Learning, Chief Impact Officer, Government Researcher, International Development Evaluator, and Evaluation Consultant.

Ideal Candidates

Our D.Eval program is designed for:

  • Aspiring leaders in education, non-profit, government or NGOs seeking to advance their evaluation skills and careers.
  • Bachelor’s or Master’s degree holders looking to explore evaluation research and practice in greater depth.
  • Working professionals eager to enhance their expertise in the field of evaluation without pausing their careers.

Program At-a-glance

  • 72 units

    required units

  • Doctor of Evaluation Practice

    degree awarded

  • Online

    modality

  • Fall

    program start

  • 3 years | full time*

    estimated completion time

    4-6 years | part time

    estimated completion time

Faculty

  • Portrait of Tiffany Berry

    Tiffany Berry

    Dean, School of Social Science, Policy & Evaluation
    Full Research Professor

    Research Interests

    Educational Program Evaluation, K–12 Educational Curricula, Comprehensive School Reform

  • Stewart Donaldson

    Stewart I. Donaldson

    Distinguished University Professor
    Executive Director, Claremont Evaluation Center
    Executive Director, The Evaluators' Institute (TEI)

    Research Interests

    Positive Organizational Psychology, Health/Well-Being & Positive Functioning Across Cultures, Program Design & Re-Design, Culturally Responsive Theory-Driven Measurement & Evaluation

  • Michelle Sloper

    Michelle Sloper

    Associate Professor of Evaluation Practice

    Research Interests

    Positive youth development, evaluation capacity building, evaluation use, continuous quality improvement, expanded learning programs

  • David Fetterman

    David M. Fetterman

    Adjunct Professor, Visiting Scholar, and Research Fellow

    Research Interests

    Educational evaluation, medical education, higher education, empowerment evaluation, ethnography, tobacco prevention, tuberculosis elimination, social justice, gifted, migrant, and dropout prevention programs; homelessness, substance abuse prevention

  • flame logo graphic

    Bradley Cousins

    Research Fellow

  • Jennifer Villalobos

    Jennifer Villalobos

    Assistant Professor

    Research Interests

    Social justice, positive organizational psychology, psychological capital, DEI, evaluation training

Curriculum

The D.Eval curriculum integrates the highest level of training in evaluation with transdisciplinary courses in consulting, interpersonal communication, and project management. The coursework builds on the practical evaluation modules and workshops offered through The Evaluator’s Institute at CGU, a leading provider of professional training and certificates in evaluation.

Additionally, you will create a practice-based portfolio to showcase your skills through hands-on projects like conference presentations and training workshops.

The D.Eval program culminates in a personalized capstone dissertation, typically from an area of interest in your professional field, that develops critical thinking, meta-evaluation, and systematic integration skills.

Degree Requirements

Coursework

  • Evaluation Core: 20 units
  • Methods/Statistics: 20 units
  • Transdisciplinary: 6 units
  • Practicum: 6 units
  • Capstone or Dissertation: 8 units
  • Electives: 12 units

Practicum

You will create a practice-based portfolio to showcase your skills through hands-on projects like conference presentations and training workshops.

Capstone

The D.Eval program culminates in a personalized capstone dissertation, typically from an area of interest in your professional field, that develops critical thinking, meta-evaluation, and systematic integration skills.

Competencies & Learning Outcomes

  • Professional Practice: Execute skills needed to evaluate program effectiveness and identify opportunities for continuous program improvement including actionable recommendations to maximize program outcomes and impact.
  • Methodology: Demonstrate proficiency in applied research methodologies suited for specific contexts and needs and professional reporting and documentation.
  • Context: Conduct evaluations that respect diverse cultural contexts and perspectives and address inequities and inequalities in program outcomes.
  • Planning and Management: Develop and execute evaluation plans that are accurate, feasible and useful
  • Critical Thinking and Communication: Synthesize and communicate complex information in clear appropriate and articulate ways via written, oral, and visual forms.
  • Meta-Evaluation Skills: Identify and articulate similarities and differences in evaluation methods and statistical approaches.
  • Systematic Integration Abilities: Systematically integrate information from multiple sources, evaluation reports, and diverse methodologies.

Application Guidelines

University Requirements
Application Fee

$80 (fee is non-refundable)

Official Transcripts

Undergraduate/graduate

Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to admissions@cgu.edu are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission.

Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU.

International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts.

English Proficiency Exam

Required (international applicants only)

A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:

  • Citizens or permanent residents of countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, e.g., Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales (see the CGU Bulletin for a complete list of accepted countries).
  • Applicants who hold an undergraduate or advanced degree, or will have earned such a degree prior to enrolling at CGU, from an institution in the US or in countries where English is the sole official language of instruction (see above).
  • Applicants who have successfully completed an academic English pre-master’s or intensive graduate bridge program from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the last two years, with submitted evidence of successful completion, and subject to curriculum approval.
  • CGU allows for an English proficiency waiver if the applicant has received, or will receive prior to enrollment at CGU, an undergraduate or advanced degree from an institution where English is one of the primary languages of instruction for the majority of courses in the student’s program. To receive the waiver, documentation must be provided by the applicant to show that English is the language of instruction at their university/college.

CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053.

International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements.

Resume

Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume.

Program Requirements
Statement of Purpose

Please submit a 2-3 page statement of purpose that details your academic and/or professional achievements, your specific areas of research interest within your desired field of study, why you are a strong candidate for graduate studies at CGU, and your career goals.

Academic Prerequisites

Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s level degree preferred, especially in Public Policy, Economics, MAP, JD, etc.

Letter of Recommendation

2 letters required

When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references.

You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation.

Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu.

Download the Recommendation Form

Other Requirements

(3) years of work experience is preferred.

Key Dates & Deadlines

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Once the priority deadlines have passed, the University will continue to review applications for qualified candidates on a competitive, space-available basis. The final deadlines listed are the last date the University can accept an application in order to allow sufficient time to complete the admissions, financial aid, and other enrollment processes.

Fall 2025
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2025
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2025
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2025
Classes begin – August 25, 2025

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Cost & Aid

Tuition and Fees

ESTIMATED TUITION (CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS, NON-RESIDENTS, INTERNATIONAL)
Program 72 units
Tuition per unit* $2,020

*Based on 2024-2025 tuition rates.

STUDENT FEES (PER SEMESTER)

$245 Student Fee
$150 Technology Fee
International Student Services Fee*: $661 fall semester, $776 spring semester
**Applies to all international students (F-1 visa only) who are registered in coursework, doctoral study, or continuous registration. The fee is assessed each fall and spring semester for annual ISO accident and sickness plans and administrative fees. Subject to change.

For estimates of room & board, books, etc., please download CGU’s Cost of Attendance 2024-2025.

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