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  • Best Online DBA Degrees

Best Online DBA Degrees Of 2024

Matt Whittle

Updated: Nov 2, 2023, 4:46pm

Today’s evolving business climate requires strong leadership to navigate interpersonal issues, regulatory requirements and financial concerns. Industry experience qualifies you to pursue top leadership roles in your field, but a formal, advanced education can put you in an even better position.

The highest academic degree that business leaders can obtain is a doctor of business administration (DBA). You can even earn a DBA degree online, as many business schools have expanded their programs to the virtual space.

This in-depth guide offers everything you need to know about online DBA degree programs, including our ranking of the top 10 schools in the field, accreditation information, common coursework and tuition costs.

Why You Can Trust Forbes Advisor Education

Forbes Advisor’s education editors are committed to producing unbiased rankings and informative articles covering online colleges, tech bootcamps and career paths. Our ranking methodologies use data from the National Center for Education Statistics , education providers, and reputable educational and professional organizations. An advisory board of educators and other subject matter experts reviews and verifies our content to bring you trustworthy, up-to-date information. Advertisers do not influence our rankings or editorial content.

  • 6,290 accredited, nonprofit colleges and universities analyzed nationwide
  • 52 reputable tech bootcamp providers evaluated for our rankings
  • All content is fact-checked and updated on an annual basis
  • Rankings undergo five rounds of fact-checking
  • Only 7.12% of all colleges, universities and bootcamp providers we consider are awarded

Our Methodology

We scored 13 accredited, nonprofit colleges offering online DBA degree programs in the U.S. using 15 data points in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes and student experience. We pulled data for these categories from reliable resources such as the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ; private, third-party data sources; and individual school and program websites. Data is accurate as of June 2023.

We scored schools based on the following categories:

Student Outcomes:

  • Overall graduation rate
  • Median earnings 10 years after graduation

Affordability:

  • In-state graduate student tuition
  • In-state graduate student fees
  • Alternative tuition plans offered
  • Median federal student loan debt
  • Percentage of students in federal student loan deferment

Student Experience:

  • Student-to-faculty ratio
  • Socioeconomic diversity
  • Availability of online coursework
  • Total number of graduate assistants
  • More than 50% of graduate students enrolled in at least some distance education

Credibility:

  • Fully accredited
  • Programmatic accreditation status
  • Nonprofit status

We chose the 10 best schools to display based on those receiving a curved final score of 80% or higher.

Find our full list of methodologies here .

  • Best Online Accounting Degrees
  • Best MBA In Finance Online
  • Best Online Finance Degrees
  • Best Online Master’s In Accounting Degrees
  • Best Online Master’s In Finance

Best Online DBA Degree Options

Should you enroll in an online dba program, accreditation for online dba programs, how to find the right online dba program for you, frequently asked questions (faqs) about online dba programs, walsh college, northwood university, university of la verne, wilmington university, city university of seattle, franklin university, johnson & wales university-online, california baptist university, saint leo university, liberty university.

Walsh College

Graduate Tuition

$1,038/credit

Percentage of Grad Students Enrolled in Distance Education

Overall Graduation Rate

Based in Troy, Michigan, Walsh College offers an online DBA program that uses synchronous coursework to mirror the in-person learning experience. Learners near campus can also opt for hybrid delivery. Walsh allows students to complete residencies on campus or via Zoom.

After completing coursework in areas like ethical business practices, high performance leadership, economic model analysis and marketing strategy, each learner engages in a five-part dissertation process spanning 15 credits.

  • Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on a set schedule
  • School Type: Private
  • Application Fee: $50
  • Degree Credit Requirements: 60 credits
  • Program Enrollment Options: Part time
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: High performance leadership, organizational resilience framework
  • Concentrations Available: N/A
  • In-Person Requirements: No, residency available online or on campus

Northwood University

$1,250/credit

The online DBA program at Midland, Michigan’s Northwood University (NU) features flexible scheduling with one annual, in-person residency. Coursework takes a business analytics approach, preparing graduates to work as critical thinkers in the modern business landscape.

NU learners can develop their professional and personal networks through their cohorts and residency experiences. Students begin their dissertation in their first year of the program and complete requirements over the course of the three-year degree.

  • Our Flexibility Rating: N/A
  • Degree Credit Requirements: 54 to 60 credits
  • Program Enrollment Options: Part time, full time
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Applied data analytics, strategic human resources
  • In-Person Requirements: Yes, one residency per year

University of La Verne

$1,275/credit

The University of La Verne , located in California, features an online DBA program with asynchronous delivery and hybrid learning on weekends and evenings for local students. Coursework blends conceptual assignments and real-world business issues to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical problem-solving.

The three-year program divides into foundational and core coursework across the first two years, with a final year dedicated to the dissertation. Core classes include marketing theory and strategic management. Before researching and defending a dissertation, each student completes a data analysis dissertation course to develop regression analysis skills.

  • Our Flexibility Rating: Learn on your schedule
  • Application Fee: N/A
  • Degree Credit Requirements: 54 credits
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Nature of inquiry, marketing theory
  • In-Person Requirements: No

Wilmington University

$2,088/credit

Headquartered in Newcastle, Delaware, Wilmington University allows students to pursue an online DBA through asynchronous or hybrid delivery. This program holds accreditation from the International Accreditation Council for Business Education. Each online student in the WilmU DBA program must complete a two-day residency on campus as they begin work on their dissertation.

Along with core coursework, learners can complete elective courses in advanced organizational behavior and advanced marketing, or they can substitute these courses for other doctoral-level classes, with faculty approval. WilmU maintains connections with the business world, allowing students to partner with real-world organizations as part of their dissertations.

  • Application Fee: $35
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Statistics for research, executive decision-making
  • In-Person Requirements: Yes, two-day residency on campus

City University of Seattle

$785/credit

The online DBA program at City University of Seattle (CityU) comprises 91 credits, features asynchronous learning and makes its in-person attendance for its residency requirement optional, allowing for maximum flexibility. Students can craft their own concentrations through independent study, credit transfer or faculty approval.

The dissertation requirement at CityU makes up 18 credits. The process begins with a prospectus course in which students explore topics and submit an outline of their methods and intended outcomes. Next, they officially propose their topics and present their projects to staff after researching and formalizing their findings.

  • Application Fee: Free
  • Degree Credit Requirements: 91 quarter credits
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Financial decision-making, research design
  • Concentrations Available: Student-proposed
  • In-Person Requirements: No, optional in-person residency

Franklin University

$748/credit

Franklin University , located in Columbus, Ohio, features an online DBA program with transfer-friendly policies, allowing students to complete up to 41% of curriculum requirements with past learning. Students engage in asynchronous coursework, completing assignments at their convenience.

Franklin divides its three-year program into two years of coursework and one year dedicated to a dissertation. Along with proposing, completing and defending a dissertation, each learner must complete a comprehensive exam in their final year.

  • Degree Credit Requirements: 58 credits
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Organizational leadership, qualitative data analysis
  • Concentrations Available: Accounting, education, health informatics, healthcare management, human resource management, finance, public administration, methodology, information technology, marketing, instructional design leadership

Johnson & Wales University-Online

$993/credit

The online doctor of business administration program at Johnson & Wales University (JWU), based on Providence, Rhode Island, prepares graduates to pursue leadership roles in private and public sector industries like business, nonprofits, healthcare and higher education. Evidence-based coursework uses real-world case studies for learners to develop their problem-solving skills.

JWU’s DBA program does not require an on-campus residency, and students advance through the dissertation process in a “lock-step” format to ensure timely progress. The dissertation is an outcomes-based research project that seeks to make a positive impact on the modern business world.

  • Our Flexibility Rating: Learn around your 9-to-5
  • Program Enrollment Options: Full time
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Contemporary leadership issues, organizational behavior

California Baptist University

$795/credit

California Baptist University (CBU), located in Riverside, California, features an online doctor of business administration with asynchronous course delivery. Students focus on one course at a time for eight weeks so they can quickly advance through the program. A cohort model allows students to build their professional networks through the program.

Courses like research design and research methods prepare learners for their dissertations. Students develop their dissertations with faculty and in small groups before presenting them before faculty and peers.

  • Application Fee: $45
  • Degree Credit Requirements: 56 credits
  • Program Enrollment Options: Accelerated,full time
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Strategic marketing, qualitative research methods

Saint Leo University

$965/credit

At Florida’s Saint Leo University , students can pursue an online DBA program with outcomes-driven coursework and practical learning opportunities. Saint Leo requires each DBA learner to complete three in-person residencies.

The curriculum emphasizes research through quantitative and qualitative methodology courses, along with data analysis courses for business decision-making. Before defending their dissertations, students complete a comprehensive written exam. Saint Leo charges online students an additional $40 per course.

  • Degree Credit Requirements: 57 credits
  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Global perspectives in human resource, applied research
  • In-Person Requirements: Yes, three in-person residencies

Liberty University

$595/credit

Based in Lynchburg, Virginia, Liberty University offers an online DBA program with a wealth of specialization offerings. Students coming from other degree programs can transfer in up to 30 credits for this 60-credit degree. Classes run for eight weeks, and the program holds accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.

Online DBA students at Liberty can complete their degree without any in-person components. The program offers eight start dates each year, and courses follow an asynchronous delivery format.

  • Notable Major-Specific Courses: Current topics in business administration, strategic allocation of financial resources, case study research methods and consulting techniques
  • Concentrations Available: Accounting, executive coaching, finance, healthcare management, human resources, information systems, international business, leadership, marketing, nonprofit leadership and management, project management, real estate development, Six Sigma, strategic management, strategic media and digital content, supply chain management and logistics, tourism management

Many schools have expanded their online degree offerings, including doctoral programs, as distance learning has grown in popularity. To know whether an online DBA program will work for you, consider your personal learning style and scheduling bandwidth.

For example, if you plan to work full time while pursuing a doctoral degree, prioritize programs that allow you to learn on your own time or attend courses on weekends and in the evenings.

Flexible programs, such as those with asynchronous delivery, require you to stay on top of coursework with little oversight. Though this freedom can benefit your busy schedule, you must also have strong motivation and organizational skills to complete assignments on your own time.

Synchronous programs require you to log on at specific times to participate in discussions and lectures. If your degree uses synchronous delivery, ensure the course schedule fits with your personal and professional obligations.

While online DBAs typically allow you to complete courses from a distance, some may include in-person elements like residencies. Make sure that you can fulfill these requirements before applying to any programs.

Along with these factors, consider the following as you research online DBA programs.

Accreditation is a process through which schools, along with their departments and programs, undergo a voluntary evaluation by a third party for academic rigor, student outcomes and resources.

Institutional Accreditation

Make sure any college or university you’re considering holds accreditation at the institutional level. Attending an institutionally accredited school ensures your eligibility for federal student aid, credit transfers, employment and professional credentials. The U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognizes the following agencies to provide school-wide accreditation:

  • WASC Senior College and University Commission
  • Middle States Commission on Higher Education
  • Higher Learning Commission
  • New England Commission of Higher Education
  • Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
  • Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges

CHEA and ED recognize other institutional accreditors, too, but those listed above are the most reputable and common.

CHEA provides a searchable database of accredited schools and programs. As you research universities with online DBA programs, use this tool to check their accreditation status.

Programmatic Accreditation

Universities usually offer online DBAs through their business departments. The primary accreditors for business schools are the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) and the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Though these three agencies apply different criteria for programmatic accreditation, they share a goal of ensuring educational programs provide high-quality business curricula and adequately prepare students for the workforce.

Here’s how to narrow down your options once you’ve decided to pursue an online DBA.

Consider Your Future Goals

To find the right DBA degree, take stock of your personal and professional goals. DBA programs typically prepare learners for executive-level and leadership roles in various industries. If you’re planning to apply for advanced positions in the public and private sectors, you’re on the right path with a DBA program. However, if you’d prefer to work in research or academia as a business professor, a more research-focused Ph.D. in business may offer a better pathway.

Regardless of which degree best suits your needs, you should look for schools offering experiential learning opportunities that align with your career goals. For example, some programs require internships, and others feature residency components. By completing on-the-job learning in a business environment relevant to your career aspirations, you can get your foot in the door with prospective employers while still in school.

Understand Your Expenses and Financing Options

Attending a doctoral program requires a serious financial investment. Unlike Ph.D. programs, DBA degrees typically do not receive full funding, though you can often cover significant portions of tuition with scholarships from your university and other providers.

Among the schools ranked on this page, the average total cost of tuition for earning a DBA online is $61,879.

To help cover tuition, fees and other expenses, apply for federal student aid by filling out a FAFSA form. After undergoing an evaluation of your finances, you will receive information on your eligibility for various forms of aid, such as grad PLUS loans and unsubsidized loans. Look to loans after researching all available scholarships and grants since loans require repayment with interest, while scholarships and grants do not.

Colleges and independent providers typically deliver grants and scholarships based on identity, academic achievement and need. Always research whether a prospective school offers scholarships, assistantships and other forms of aid before applying; knowing your tuition is covered allows you to focus more on your studies.

What is a DBA degree?

The doctor of business administration is a terminal business degree that takes a practical approach to learning. Students typically complete and defend a dissertation after passing a series of core courses. Some DBA programs allow for specializations as well.

How long does an online DBA take?

An online DBA can take three to five years, depending on factors like course load, delivery method and dissertation requirements.

Which is better, a Ph.D. or a DBA?

When comparing Ph.D. and DBA programs, the “better” degree depends on your personal and professional aspirations. A Ph.D. focuses more on business research, often leading to roles in academia. A DBA, on the other hand, emphasizes real-world applications and prepares graduates to pursue leadership roles in business.

Matt Whittle

Matt Whittle has experience writing and editing accessible education-related content in health, technology, nursing and business subjects. His work has been featured on Sleep.org, Psychology.org and NurseJournal.org.

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10 Best Online DBA Degrees with No Dissertation Programs

Reviewed by David Krug David Krug is a seasoned expert with 20 years in educational technology (EdTech). His career spans the pivotal years of technology integration in education, where he has played a key role in advancing student-centric learning solutions. David's expertise lies in marrying technological innovation with pedagogical effectiveness, making him a valuable asset in transforming educational experiences. As an advisor for enrollment startups, David provides strategic guidance, helping these companies navigate the complexities of the education sector. His insights are crucial in developing impactful and sustainable enrollment strategies.

Updated: February 23, 2024 , Reading time: 29 minutes

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The vast and diverse world of business presents a wealth of opportunities to students pursuing a career in this exciting and lucrative field. According to BLS, the employment trend in business and financial occupations is projected to rise by 4% between 2022 to 2032 . This can give way to a tremendous increase in new jobs over the decade, amounting to 911,400.

For Master’s in Business Administration holders seeking credential enhancement and career advancement, earning a Doctor of Business Administration is the way to go! This terminal program allows one to focus on a specific problem in business and apply their research skills to solve it.

This business administration program can set up experienced professionals in the field of business, allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills and eventually apply them in real-world settings. Fortunately, many universities and colleges offer a doctor of business administration program online.

Working professionals will be able to juggle their personal and professional responsibilities without compromising one over the other.

Check this out:

  • The Best Online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Degrees
  • The Best Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Online Graduate Schools
  • The Best Ph.D. in Accounting Online Programs

Quick audio summary:

These online doctoral degree programs equip students with effective skills and strategies that have real-world applications. An online doctor of business administration degree helps students bolster credibility, expand career opportunities, and earn higher salaries in management and leadership roles.

Common Courses in DBA Programs

The curriculums of various online doctorate programs are typically designed by universities according to the learning outcomes that they have predetermined, along with the expertise of their faculty. These doctoral degree programs may, in turn, have their own sub-specializations, such as human resource management, healthcare management, or project management. These contribute to the variance in courses that are offered and the number of credit hours in that degree.

There are, however, a number of standard courses found across all these business administration programs. These may differ in their name, but they generally teach the same content/theme. Let’s look at some of them.

Research Design

As the next natural step after identifying a problem, a significant amount of effort is spent on crafting the proper research design to ensure that the needed data is gathered and that the data-gathering process avoids errors and takes inherent shortcomings into account.

DBA curriculums will almost always have a separate course dedicated to research design, as this is a skill set that has applicability that lasts long after a student earns their degree.

Quantitative and/or Qualitative Research

With the final research-based output in mind, some Universities may offer special separate courses on both Quantitative and Qualitative Research. While both are valid lines of inquiry that students can pursue (although quantitative research remains the more popular method by far across disciplines), they are different enough to warrant being treated separately.

Contemporary Global Issues/Current Topics

Universities may or may not subdivide these into courses that are more focused on specific topics, but most online doctorate degree programs will typically have a course on relevant global issues or current trends in the industry. This ensures that students get a more comprehensive grounding, as they may not necessarily be up to speed on all relevant aspects.

Organizational Behavior

This course forms part of the fundamental courses of most doctorate degree programs. As business professionals, it is essential to have an understanding of human behavior as it relates to the dynamics present within the organization’s structure.

Ethics in Business & Management

The curriculum design of some universities may place heavier emphasis on this course than others, but it is a matter of course that businesses and organizations have to adhere to standards of ethics and integrity in order to ensure success, not just for the sake of regulatory compliance.

Ethical standards come into play in many aspects of a business’s operations, from employee treatment to fair market practice to financial management. Like in other courses, this course often makes use of case studies and real-world insights.

Managing Innovation & Change

This course may have different names or a slightly different treatment, but most doctoral degree programs in business administration will feature this course. It is crucial for businesses to be able to anticipate changes and keep up with trends and innovations to maintain their edge, and it is important that business leaders be trained in this highly important skill set.

Business Strategy

Some DBA doctoral programs may also have a separate course on business strategy, often incorporating a component of actual practice/simulation within the context of business realities.

This course may also integrate the other crucial skill sets learned throughout the program. This helps refine the long-term strategic thinking and decision-making skillsets of students as business leaders.

Marketing Research

This course is a specialized research course focusing on consumer behavior and their response to trends, products, or services, often according to different classifying characteristics like age bracket. This is a crucial discipline that business leaders learn in order to better gauge the performance of their products and/or services, as well as help them anticipate trends and changes in consumer preferences.

Business Intelligence/Business Research

Business decisions are built on a foundation of data. This course discusses the principles related to data-driven business decision-making and introduces students to the various tools and techniques that aid in this regard.

Online DBA Degrees with No Dissertation - fact

Differences between a DBA and a Ph.D. in Business Administration

Let’s start with the similarities. A DBA and Ph.D. are both terminal degrees, which means they are the highest possible educational attainment that can be awarded in the field of business administration.

Being doctorate degrees, both also require some form of research-related/research-based work as part of their final output. However, a DBA is a terminal degree specific to business administration, while a Ph.D. will cut across disciplines and is a universal doctoral degree.

Another key difference between the two is in terms of the type of intellectual emphasis and/or learning outcome. DBAs are a professional terminal degree, and as a result, they tend to have a practice-focused curriculum that aims to produce highly skilled practitioner-scholars who bring advanced skillsets to their workplaces and industries.

A Ph.D. in business administration, meanwhile, has a primarily scholarly emphasis. This means that these degree programs aim for the production of new knowledge or the revisiting and updating of previous knowledge, all of which contribute to the overall body of knowledge and the theoretical basis upon which the discipline of business administration is founded.

PhDs, with their focus on scholarly research, tend to favor dissertations as their final requirement. Some DBAs also require dissertations, but with the practice-focused emphasis of DBA degrees, it’s not uncommon to have degrees that require capstone projects, i.e., applied research, as their final output, as this gives students an excellent avenue to put their coursework learnings into a practical research-based production, often called a problem-of-practice project.

With this difference in focus, graduates of DBA degree programs can have a variety of career paths they can take, as they invariably bring their new skillsets back to their industries. Graduates of Ph.D. programs also have this opportunity; however, given the scholarly focus of their degrees, a majority of them tend to go on to work in academia, taking up research and/or teaching roles.

Specializations in an Online Doctor of Business Administration Program

Earning an online DBA program requires careful consideration. Many universities offer specializations in their business administration doctoral degree programs. It is important that prospective students choose the right business administration degree that aligns with their goals and helps them succeed in their chosen fields.

Students who want to gain a solid understanding of the practical applications of a broad accounting perspective and technical accounting knowledge will want to choose the accounting specialization. It will help them explore relationships among business activities and performance and economic outcomes.

This specialization covers the analysis of advanced management and organization of business transactions, mostly related to assets, liabilities, and the results from business operations.

Entrepreneurship

Focused on entrepreneurship principles, this specialization may tackle entrepreneurship from startup to exit strategy to small business management. Students will be able to delve deep into advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods along with foundational applied research.

It often includes courses such as raising capital for business, strategy formulation, and strategic thinking. Graduates of this DBA program are expected to identify market opportunities, manage risks, pioneer innovations in the industry, raise capital, and so much more.

Designed to help students become well-rounded managers, just like conventional finance degree programs, this specialization equips them with an advanced level of financial and business knowledge. They will cover financial analysis, decision-making in finance, capital investment decisions, managing value creation, and managing for value creation, among others. They will also be able to explore essential theories like option pricing, hedging, and derivatives.

Healthcare Administration

More important than ever, healthcare administrators are integral in leaving a positive impact on healthcare organizations and communities they serve. The Healthcare Administration specialization in a DBA program helps students acquire strong management and business leadership skills to make sound decisions with regard to healthcare policy and economics.

Students are expected to develop a better understanding of the theoretical and research-based healthcare industry management issues.

Human Resource Management

Professionals in the human resource management field will want to assume critical seats at the executive table as strategic partners. Earning a DBA degree program specializing in human resource management can help them prepare for this leadership position by gaining ample theoretical knowledge, industry insights, and solid capabilities to lead, build, and empower a diverse workforce.

They will cover contemporary organizational issues, including succession planning, corporate social responsibility, management of external strategic partnerships, and more.

International Business

Another popular specialization in an online DBA program is international business. This particular concentration equips graduate students with the skills needed to lead the business world with integrity and excellence. It is designed to help students become global business leaders and change-makers.

They will typically tackle business subjects such as global trade, international business environment, global financial markets, market-based global operations, and international strategic management.

It is crucial to have a capable person leading the business in the right direction. DBA graduates who wish to brush up on their leadership skills amid the increasing advancements in technology and the rapid changes in the overall business landscape will want to take a specialization in leadership. Most leadership specializations cover various leadership principles and practices.

Students in this DBA program are expected to demonstrate an effective entrepreneurial and leadership mindset in the face of new ventures and innovative economic development.

Project Management

This specialization emphasizes the importance of proactive leaders that advance the organization’s strategic objectives. They are taught to study the processes for successfully managing a complex portfolio of projects and analyzing opportunities that contribute to improved portfolio performance.

Students are expected to learn project-based strategic leadership skills and organizational practices that support the vision and growth of a business organization.

Organizational Behavior is a DBA specialization that aims to understand individuals and organizations and their role in shaping the economic and social life of societies. Some of the subjects tackled in this concentration include organizational design, corporate governance, organizational identity, negotiation, leadership, teams, and institutional change, among others.

Information Systems Management

In this DBA specialization, students will acquire knowledge and skills that will improve their capabilities in managing information systems. They will be able to understand and apply information systems in various management scenarios. Students in this online DBA degree specialization are expected to help businesses by providing technological solutions and leveraging them to enhance an organization’s competitive position in the market.

Lucrative Career Paths to Pursue a Doctorate in Business Administration

Earning a doctor of business administration degree can do wonders for one’s career. They can enhance their professional credentials by acquiring marketable, high-level skills that are in demand in today’s employment landscape. For those looking for more opportunities to expand their current career and grow their compensation, the following careers are ideal choices.

Business Consultant

In the United States, management consultants receive more than $2 billion for their services . They are primarily responsible for solving clients’ problems and making recommendations based on the diagnosis. They often collect information on the clients’ business using various tools, including surveys, shadowing, interviews, and reading reports, among others.

As a business consultant, one needs to be knowledgeable about the many facets of the business and get insights into market trends and forecasts. They are known to be good at problem-solving, analytical thinking, and innovation, all of which are vital to increasing profitability and efficiency. At present, business consultants have a median pay of $93,000 annually .

Considered financial experts, economists study market activity to collect and analyze financial and socioeconomic data. They are responsible for advising businesses and other important organizations on economic decisions. They are also tasked to develop models for economic forecasting. Economists often work with a team of financial analysts to understand economic trends and help business leaders make better decisions and succeed in achieving their goals.

Economists are expected to have exceptional organizational and interpersonal skills. They must also employ logic and problem-solving acumen in order to be successful. Annually, economists receive a median pay of $113,940 .

Project Manager

Companies that aim to finish projects from beginning to end will want to hire someone who can oversee the whole thing and make an impact on the whole organization. Project managers fulfill this role. Their responsibilities include conceptualizing, planning, developing, and implementing projects. It is also part of their jobs to set deadlines and monitor the project’s progress.

To lead the project successfully, project managers must possess strong knowledge of the risk management process. They must have good leadership and management skills to thrive in this role. Project managers can expect a median pay of $95,370 per year .

Logistician

Tasked to analyze and oversee the global supply chain management and life cycle of assigned products in an organization, logisticians ensure the smooth process of the whole operation, from distribution to delivery. They are responsible for communicating with customers and ensuring their needs are met, along with the coordination and allocation of available materials, supplies, and finished products.

Successful logisticians are known for their extensive knowledge of supply chain management, namely acquisition and distribution. Every year, the median pay for logisticians is $77,520 .

Organizational Development Manager

Often acting as a liaison and advisor to an organization’s leadership, organizational development managers plan, develop, and implement programs that help train and develop employees. They spearhead the needs assessment for training and staff development to help advance effective employee performance that leads to the realization of company goals and objectives.

Organizational development managers must be excellent at written and oral communication. They must demonstrate effective management skills and multimedia expertise. The annual median salary of this job position is $120,000 .

Director of Human Resources

Every organization needs a solid human resources department. As the director of human resources, one will lead, plan, develop, and coordinate important policies and activities, ensuring the legal compliance of the organization’s talent strategy. They are expected to deal with the recruitment, interview, hiring, and training of the new HR department staff and organize or facilitate human resource development programs.

As human resources directors, they need to have excellent communication, organizational, and time management skills. This job position can provide a median salary of $130,000 annually .

Government Program Manager

The primary role of a government program manager is to coordinate multiple government projects to ensure that all goals are aligned. Part of their tasks include the creation and management of long-term goals, budget development, and team management. At times, government project managers must also identify solutions to challenges when necessary.

Project management specialists can receive $101,610 annually for their median pay , according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Nonprofit Executive Director

Chief executive officers often deal with the creation of business plans, improving performance, and overseeing the day-to-day activities of an organization. As a non-profit executive director, one is expected to do the same thing. However, they must be guided by the goal of setting the nonprofit organization apart from the competition. They are also likely to develop and implement consistent inventory and cost accounting procedures.

Non-profit executive directors must employ multi-tasking, problem-solving, and organizational skills. Their median annual salary is $100,090 every year .

Strategic Planner

Strategic planners are integral to the overall business strategy as they often develop strategic plans and asses the company’s performance. Their primary responsibility is to conduct research and analyze data that can help them make informed business decisions. They need to help shape the company’s direction and reach the set objectives.

The skills needed for strategic planners to succeed include understanding market research and data analysis, business process analysis, strategic thinking abilities, and organizational and leadership skills.

Market Research Analyst

To identify new markets and sales opportunities, market research analysts must be experts at researching, compiling, and analyzing product and market conditions information. They often make recommendations related to their findings and deliver reports and presentations to the executive management.

As a market research analyst, one is expected to have excellent organizational and communication skills. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, their median pay annually amounts to $68,230 .

10 Top Online DBA Programs that Do Not Require Dissertation

Bellevue university.

Bellevue University

Doctor of Business Administration

The doctor of administration degree offered by Bellevue University is designed to be completed in three years, with built-in two-week breaks. This is possible if one transfers their MBA credits and finishes the courses with satisfactory grades.

This program helps graduate students in solving current problems in the business industry. They will be well-equipped to lead in top executive positions by addressing the complex business landscape with the use of their vision, knowledge, and clarity. It is also one of the online DBA programs that do not require a dissertation. Instead, they are tasked to complete a research-based doctoral project that prepares them to be experts and thought leaders.

Plus, the online format of the program allows working business professionals to complete their doctoral degrees in a reasonable amount of time. Students are not required to render on-campus residency.

Graduates become equipped to lead organizations effectively through communicating advanced business analyses and scholarly thinking. The program curriculum has a total of 91 credit hours.

Franklin University

Franklin University

Another DBA program that is available 100% online is offered at Franklin University. This program helps students prepare for managing corporate-wide business initiatives for competitive advantage and profitability. They are taught to keep business administration leadership practices in mind and apply them in the real world.

The program requires the completion of 58 credit hours, which is possible to accomplish in as few as three years. Students are allowed to transfer as many as 24 credit hours of previously earned credits. Some of the courses covered in the program include Organizational Leadership, Organizational Performance Analysis, Ethics, and Social Responsibility, Change Management and Organizational Development, and Strategic Thinking, Decision Making, and Innovation, among others.

These DBA online programs can also be customized with a variety of electives.

Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan University offers a Doctor of Business Administration degree program to help students rise up to the challenges faced by the global workforce. This program has a unique alternative path for those who were unable to complete their degree for various reasons. They are taught key strategies for advanced change management and complex business problems through the use of Devoe School of Business problem-based learning model.

Students can enjoy a low-cost DBA program with three specialization options, including healthcare administration, management, and information systems. This program has a fast-paced option that allows students to complete the program in as few as 22 months.

Students are expected to create solutions to complex business problems. Some of the courses covered in the program include Virtuous Marketing, Writing for Business Practitioners, and Applied Doctoral Program Evaluation and Assessment, among others.

It is important for students to complete the required credit hours with a minimum GPA of 3.25. They will need to complete the applied doctoral project in order to earn the degree.

Capella University

Capella University

Students who want to advance as business leaders may want to consider earning a Doctor of Business Administration degree at Capella University. This program equips students with practical tools to reach the goals of the business.

The program has several specializations to help one build the skills needed to become a leader, consultant, or educator. The three specialization options are General Management, Organizational Leadership and Development, and Strategy and Innovation.

Instead of a dissertation, students are required to complete a capstone doctoral research project. It gives emphasis to applied research to help solve real-world problems within the organization. Students can also choose between two learning formats, namely GuidedPath for a flexible yet structured approach or FlexPath for a self-paced format.

Thomas Edison State University

Thomas Edison State University

The online doctorate degree program in business administration offered at Thomas Edison State University has several available areas of study for graduate students to choose from, including Organizational Leadership and Human Resource Management. This business administration online program is designed to help business students and professionals grow in their careers as executive leaders, educators, and consultants.

This affordable online DBA program has a unique curriculum design composed of unique content domains, namely:

  • critical thought and action,
  • integrated topics in business and management,
  • teaching and consultative professional practice

Students can expect a personalized instructional delivery within a full-distance learning environment.

At the end of the business administration online program, students must be able to integrate financial, operational, and cultural data analysis in organizational strategic planning and management. They must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Walden University

Walden University

Walden University offers an online doctorate in business administration degree program that offers students a wide range of 11 specialization areas, designed to give experienced business professionals and academics a good venue to gain crucial and highly sought-after skills in a flexible format that adapts to their prior commitments.

The program is Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs-recognized and has a generous maximum time limit of 8 years. Students can likewise transfer in up to 17 previously earned credits. For their final requirement, students should complete a capstone project.

Wilmington University

Wilmington University

Wilmington University’s online Doctor of Business Administration degree program is designed for managers, leaders, consultants, and those in educator roles, increasing their skillsets and capacities in preparing them to become critical thought leaders.

The program is accredited by the IACBE (International Accreditation Council for Business Education) and contains a total of 54 credit hours. The degree program coursework has a 2½-year completion timeframe, and there is a projected additional time of 1-2 years to complete the final requirement, which can either be a doctoral dissertation or a research project.

Likewise, the program design allows students to complete the program at their own pace but, at the same time, fosters a high degree of interaction and participation.

Trevecca Nazarene University

Trevecca Nazarene University

Trevecca Nazarene University offers its Doctor of Business Administration degree program in an online format. The degree is designed to equip students to thrive in corporate or academic settings, giving them skillsets that can also be applicable in teaching and consultant roles.

The degree program’s coursework can be completed within 32 months, and there are also no residency requirements. Students are grouped into cohorts, but class sizes are kept small, pegged at a maximum of around 19 students per class. As part of the final requirements, students are given a choice of completing either a Doctoral Dissertation or an Applied Doctoral Project.

University of the Incarnate Word

University of the Incarnate Word - School of Professional Studies

The University of the Incarnate Word offers its Doctor of Business Administration in a blended format combining online and in-person classes, although students can also opt to complete the program entirely online.

The degree program has a total of 45 credit hours, and each semester is 16 weeks long. Some of us who’ve earned a business-related Master’s Degree before may have run into time crunch issues, so students will welcome the generous 10-year maximum completion limit for this degree program, plenty of time to work on their final requirements, which takes the form of either peer-reviewed publications, conference presentation, or work-based project.

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Doctor of Business Administration – Dissertation OR Work Project

Oklahoma Wesleyan University offers a DBA degree program that prepares students to become skilled scholar-practitioners who can contribute meaningfully in a variety of settings, be it the classroom or the board room.

The OKWU Doctor of Business Administration degree program contains a total of 56 credit hours, and classes are arranged sequentially. Students take one class at a time, with each class lasting eight weeks. This way, the whole program can be finished within three years.

Likewise, the required separate residency time in other degree programs is already integrated directly into the coursework flow. Students can also transfer up to 15 credits upon enrollment into the program. Lastly, as part of the final requirements, students can choose between completing a Doctoral Dissertation or a Work Project.

Grants & Scholarships

Universities will typically have a set of grants and scholarships that can be availed by students. Unlike loans, these do not have any attached expectation of being repaid; however, there can be other things expected of students, such as maintaining a grading standard in the case of scholarships, aside from the grade standards set by the degree program.

Scholarships also tend to be quite selective, and scholarship funds will have their target sectors and corresponding criteria, such as financial needs, based on socioeconomic standing.

Federal aid

Most degree programs offered by reputable universities will invariably qualify for federal financial aid. Along with undergraduate students, federal aid is available for graduate students as well. Some other forms of financial aid, such as Pell grants, are also accessed through the FAFSA.

The abiding message that gets repeated every year is for students to put in the time to fill out the paperwork and apply, as students miss out on a significant amount of college aid because they do not apply. 

Special discounts

Some universities offer special tuition discounts to students who belong to a certain sector. The most common of these are military discounts that are often given to members of the armed forces—either active duty or veterans—and even their family members. Rates vary, but some universities can give up to 10% off for some items like cost per credit hour.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the timeline for earning an online doctor of business administration degree program.

An online Doctor of Business Administration program typically requires the completion of 54 to 60 credits. The program duration will depend primarily on whether the DBA students are earning the degree full-time or part-time.

For full-time students, it is possible to complete the program in three to five years. Some online Doctor of Business Administration programs may offer generous transfer credits policies and accelerated degree programs, which can significantly cut down the length of time it needs to complete online DBA programs.

Other schools offer multiple start terms, so it can also affect the time it takes for one to earn their online DBA degree program.

How much does an Online Doctor of Business Administration degree cost?

There is a degree of variance between universities in terms of overall cost due to a number of factors. Some degree programs require fewer credit hours in their curriculum than others.

Some universities may provide books and other course material for free, while students may have to purchase their own with others. Universities may also have differentiated in-state and out-of-state tuition rates, with the latter tending to be higher. Still, some universities may be in cities or states that have a higher overall cost of living, and that will invariably show up in their tuition rates.

A good starting point to get an estimate, meanwhile, would be to use costs per credit hour multiplied by the number of credits in a given course. Online DBA programs have a ballpark range of $600-$1,000 per credit hour and typically have a little more or less than 60 credit hours in total.

Other costs, such as textbooks and technology fees, are then added on, but it’s not unusual for DBA online doctoral degree programs to run into several tens of thousands of dollars for the total costs for the 2-3 years that they last.

Of course, like any graduate degree, there are a number of options students can avail of in order to help them finance their education, aside from the standard financial loans. Here are some of the typical financial aid options that are available.

Who is the DBA program for?

Designed for senior executives and other top business professionals, a DBA program is ideal for those who want to enrich their track record in management and leadership roles. This program is a good choice for senior managers who seek to acquire insights and expertise that will advance their senior roles. This program can also help them develop new business models and strategies through utilizing research and analysis.

What are some common requirements to get into online DBA programs?

Universities will have slight differences in their procedures when reading the fine print, but DBA degree programs will have a standard set of requirements that are also in typical graduate degrees. Standard GPA cutoffs are most often observed, typically around the 3.0 mark. Some universities also require GRE/GMAT/MAT scores, although some waive this requirement or mark them as optional.

Universities will also need proof of having earned the required previous education, i.e., a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree, and official transcripts will be required. More importantly, universities look for a form of quality assurance from applicants, and they would often require/prefer that the previous degrees be awarded by colleges/universities that have regional accreditation.

As an added quality assurance requirement of student applicants, universities often require them to have character references, often as letters of recommendation. Being a terminal degree, there is a degree of selectiveness.

Universities would prefer students who are intellectually/mentally ready for the coming coursework, and they would screen for this using personal essays at the minimum, complemented by subsequent interviews with faculty members.

What are the requirements to successfully earn the Doctor of Business Administration program?

Most online DBA programs have a rigorous curriculum that contains major courses, electives, and research core courses. Most DBA programs require 60 credits, more or less.

While it is typically required to complete the doctoral dissertation process to earn the DBA degree, some programs have alternatives to dissertations. DBA graduates must meet the requirements for graduation, often encompassing a doctoral capstone project or research project.

What are the benefits of completing a web-based doctorate program?

As is the case with DBA doctoral programs, there can be significant associated costs, but there are certainly benefits to pursuing this degree, aligning with everyone’s overall goal of not stagnating.

Being a terminal degree, the title of Doctor of Business Management represents a significant peak of professional achievement. It also implies that the degree holder has substantial experience under their belt within the industry: as with other professional terminal degrees, it dramatically helps if students have a reservoir of experience and insight that they can draw on to get a more meaningful learning experience out of their coursework.

Earning a doctorate degree also opens the door to other opportunities both within a certain industry or in a related field; graduates can add to their expertise and move up to more challenging responsibilities and positions, launch a career as industry consultants, or even take up teaching careers for some.

Meanwhile, online learning may have its tradeoffs, such as losing the unique interactions and overall learning atmosphere that comes with face-to-face classes, but it certainly has its benefits, particularly to typical students of Doctor of Business Administration degrees who are most often busy working professionals.

Online degree programs are specifically tailored to fit their prior professional commitments. These degree programs may follow self-paced or asynchronous models, which means students retain their flexibility by letting them access coursework at their most convenient time.

Some doctor of business administration degree programs may also follow a cohort model, which means they still get to build meaningful partnerships with other students in their cohort, partnerships that they can readily transfer into their professional sphere, as they often come from within the same industry.

No need to worry about educational quality either when it comes to online learning. Online learning may still have some connotations of being of less quality, but they are often held by universities to the same standard as they do with their traditional degree programs.

Programs that have both a traditional and an online delivery format within the same university will invariably follow the same curriculum design, have the same coursework, and be taught by the same faculty.

Key Takeaways

The DBA is a practice-focused degree and is aimed at producing graduates who are business leaders with advanced skill sets. The Ph.D. in Business Administration, meanwhile, is a scholarly-focused degree and produces graduates who work on the theoretical basis of the business management discipline.

DBA programs are often designed with specialization areas, containing specialized courses that cater to student’s specific areas of interest or overall career plans. 

Degrees that do not require dissertation research as their final requirement require a capstone project that integrates practice-based applied research. This serves as the first venue for students to put their learning into practice.

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Doctor of Business Administration

Make your business leadership skills indisputable with a DBA degree made for real-life application.

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Finish in as little as 3 years † . No GMAT or GRE Required.

Learn 100% Online

An online DBA degree built for today's leader.

Business evolution is faster and more complex than ever. Leaders are expected to navigate technological and sustainable advancements while making decisions that impact their business, as well as their communities and society. Built for today’s business leader, The Bellevue University applied Doctor of Business Administration degree will prepare you to solve current problems in your industry, lead in top executive positions, and address the complexities of today’s business landscape with vision, knowledge, and clarity.

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Earn your doctorate in business administration in 3 years † — start to finish.

Time is at a premium in the life of a business leader. The Bellevue University program is structured so that you can earn your DBA online in only three years † — with built in two-week breaks — when you transfer in your MBA or equivalent master’s-level credits and finish each course with satisfactory grades.

Publish and present as an expert thought leader with a DBA.

Many Doctor of Business Administration programs prepare candidates for a teaching career or academic research. The Bellevue University DBA degree program is different. At Bellevue University, the DBA helps you become an expert and a thought leader in your chosen research topic to help tackle real challenges in the business world. Your research project will also provide you the opportunity to present and publish on your topic as an expert.

Complete a research project; not a dissertation.

The Bellevue University DBA degree does not require you to write a dissertation at the end of the program. Instead, you will complete a research-based doctoral project that prepares you to be an expert and a thought leader on a topic. Start in year one and work on it throughout the three-year program † — so when your courses are complete, your doctoral project is, as well.

Why Earn Your DBA Online at Bellevue University?

Doctoral research project.

You will complete a research-based doctoral project that prepares you to be an expert and a thought leader on a topic. You will start the project in year one and complete it during the three-year program † .

3 years start to finish †

We understand time is at a premium in the life of a business leader. Our program is structured so that you can earn your degree 100% online in only three years † .

Applied DBA

Many DBA programs prepare candidates for a teaching career in academia. Our DBA program, however, prepares you for the real-world business challenges that require informed, executive-level decision-making.

Two-week breaks

Life doesn’t stop when you earn your degree. We’ve built in a two-week break between every course to help you recharge and make time for other responsibilities.

† Students must receive satisfactory grades and complete all terms sequentially to complete the program in as few as three years.

Business as Usual? Not at Bellevue University.

Not all DBA programs are designed to complement the life of a business professional. As a leading university for working adults, at Bellevue University, we have addressed the obstacles that often stand in the way of completing a doctoral degree — empowering you to become an expert in a reasonable amount of time.

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Dissertation required, usually completed at the end of a program

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Traditional doctorate prepares you to teach at the collegiate level

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Some courses offered online

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The future of business is changing. Are you ready?

What You’ll Learn

  • Communicate advanced business analyses to lead an organization effectively.
  • Assess advanced scholarly thinking to identify and resolve business challenges ethically.
  • Conduct business research for organizational and societal problems.
  • Combine experience, knowledge and judgment to build advanced competencies in business.

Transfer your graduate degree.

Over the course of your DBA online program, you will take 55 credit hours. When combined with an MBA of 36 credit hours* (or equivalent degree), you will have a total of 91 program credit hours upon completion

  • 36 Credits transferred from MBA or equivalent program*
  • 55 Total hours taken in Bellevue University DBA Program
  • 91 Total program credit hours

* Consult with an admissions counselor to determine your eligible credits, as well as to verify minimum graduation requirements for this degree. Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited college or university. Bellevue University makes no promises to prospective students regarding the acceptance of credit awarded by examination, credit for prior learning, or credit for transfer until an evaluation has been conducted.

Doctor of Business Administration Courses

Current students please login to BRUIN and select “ Academic Progress ” for your curriculum requirements.

DBA Requirements (55 Credit Hours)

(Click a course name below to view course details)

The online residency course will provide students with an overview of the university, the College of Business, the DBA program, faculty, and a time to meet their fellow classmates. Tutorials explaining the online learning platform and how to use the library for research will be covered. Students will be introduced to learning expectations and the rigors of doctoral studies. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

Students investigate relationships of business and society and how the human experience is affected and shaped through the social institution collectively known as business. Students examine complex interactions of people, businesses, and governments. Focus is on how these multifaceted interactions affect quality of life and economic value creation. Students examine social, ethical, political, legal, and regulatory implications of these relationships. The course explores how business leaders must achieve economic value creation while simultaneously providing meaning, purpose, and social value. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

2-Week Break

This course examines a number of ways leadership is perceived and practiced in global organizations. Accordingly, key theoretical perspectives and practical matters in leadership will be examined to determine desired leadership approaches in various cultures. Key topics include cultural diversity in organizations and ethical standards in multicultural leadership. Emphasis will be placed on complexity of diverse people, understanding and respecting differences, adaptive leadership, and ethical challenges of leading global and multicultural organizations. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course focuses on the development of human capital strategy that maximizes all human-derived sources of capital. Emphasis is placed on assessing and measuring human capital stocks and needs within the organization. Attention also is given to strategies that retain and motivate members to meet organizational needs while simultaneously looking for win/win partnerships between the organization and its employees and other stakeholders. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course is the first in the series of doctoral research projects to be completed in the program. During the course, the learner creates a field-based project applying theoretical and empirical research to solve an organizational problem. The main focus of the course is defining a problem in an organization, creating a literature review and a plan for conducting substantive research leading to a resolution. Emphasis is placed on statement of the problem, purpose of the study, scope, and time frame to completion. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course provides the student with a variety of theoretical and grounded readings that address and examine challenging communication issues that modern business organizations face. Topics include, but are not limited to internal identity and value factors; company culture and internal knowledge factors; organization-society relationships; and internal/external stakeholder relationships. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course covers the quantitative analysis tools associated with professional practice in leading an organization. The focus is on practical application of statistics and data analysis techniques to maximize organizational outcomes. Successful students will become sophisticated designers and consumers of quantitatively-based research, reports, and communication. In addition, emphasis is placed on communicating statistically-based conclusions to stakeholders who may not have quantitative training. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course introduces students to the basic tools and concepts of qualitative business research. With this epistemological grounding, the seminar will then explore the core issues in case study, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and narrative research design, including methods of structured and focused comparisons of cases, typological theory, case selection, process tracing, congruence testing, and the use of counterfactual analysis. Students will look at business problems and situations, critique their assumptions, comparative strengths and weaknesses, and select proper tools for analysis. Students thereby develop their skills in participant observation, interviewing, and document analysis by using each method to investigate a topic or question of their choice. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course is the second in the series of doctoral research projects completed in the program. During the course, the learner creates a field-based project, applying theoretical and empirical research to solve an organizational problem. The main focus of the course is defining a problem in an organization, creating a more substantial literature review and a plan for conducting substantive research leading to a resolution. Emphasis will be placed on statement of the problem, developing a feasible topic, designing the study, and time frame to completion. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course explores the interconnectivity of energy, environment, and business strategy. Strategies for adapting to the impact of environmental changes, energy production and consumption, and government policies are discussed. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which focuses on economic, social, and environmental impacts, and plays an increasing role in organizational strategy, is explored. Major federal environmental laws and a study of local policy and regulations relating to sustainable projects are introduced. Emphasis is placed on the role of lean sustainable quality leadership (LSQL) and a systems approach, to successfully lead an always-improving, waste-limiting, and sustainable company in harmony with the environment. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

Students investigate and apply financial management principles and strategies used by business leaders and boardroom decision makers in the pursuit of long-term financial and organizational success. The course focuses on applications of core principles and techniques of financial strategy, benefit-cost-value cash flow analysis, value-based decision making, financial statement analysis and holistic communication of financial performance and strategies. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

In the Graduate Student Research Data bootcamp, doctoral students will be provided with the practical tools of completing scientific research in management, so they are able to collect, represent, and analyze quantitative and qualitative data. The bootcamp will enable students to answer testable questions and analyze data to answer a research question in social science, including running statistics programs such as SPSS. Any specific experience in data analysis and coding is not required. Students will gain hands-on learning experience with quantitative and qualitative research methods by completing a replication paper project.

This course provides the student with an examination of the interrelationship of company philosophy, purpose, and policy that are the foundation for strategy formulation and implementation. Topics include the role of the boards; business policy planning; long term economic, social, and cultural assessments; sustainable and adaptable value creation processes; competitive advantages; and organizational change. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course is the third in the series of doctoral research projects completed in the program. During the course, the learner collects and analyzes data for the doctoral research project, reflecting on the findings and discussing limitations of the research study. The learner concludes the study reflecting on the findings discussing implications, recommendations, and future studies. Learners will prepare the paper for possible publication. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course concentrates on strengthening strategic marketing decisions within a firm by examining its current position in the market in comparison to competitors and determining where it should invest monetary and human capital. Emphasis will be put on aligning decisions with core beliefs, mission, and vision. A central focus will be the ethical decisions and implications on stakeholders and society. Examining the theoretical and empirical research along with identifying new entrants in the market and market disruptors will be explored to enhance decision-making. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

This course covers promoting and marketing an entrepreneurial idea from its inception to the marketplace. The course is designed for exploring the unique marketing strategies required to exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. It will also focus on issues surrounding companies with high growth potential, and how sustainability and the creativity is needed to develop innovative marketing for these environments. Students will practice with examples of early market disruption and innovation, explore their own creativity and work together on entrepreneurial ideas to solve contemporary business problems. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

Organization survival requires constant adaptation, innovation and change. This course will address current issues, basic theories and practical strategies associated with organizational change and development in contemporary and global organizations, which are necessary for their enduring survival and success. It will cover the drivers of change, including the competitive environment, new technologies, consumer demand, economic conditions and government policy actions; why organizations fail to change; how to deal with resistance to change; how to plan for, implement, monitor and measure change; and the role of leaders and culture in effective change management. Course Prerequisite: Admission into the DBA program

See the end at the beginning.

Usually, a dissertation waits at the end of most doctoral programs, a giant obstacle to overcome. This isn’t the case in the Bellevue University DBA online program. Instead, you will undertake an applied research-based doctoral project that seeks a solution to a business challenge you are passionate about. With a structured plan, you’ll work on your project throughout the DBA program—so when coursework is finished, your doctoral project is complete as well.

University Accreditation

Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission ( hlcommission.org) .

Whether a college, university, or program is accredited is important to students with financial aid, employers who provide tuition assistance, donors, and the federal government.

This program is considered a non-licensure degree/certificate program and is not intended for those seeking licensure or the practice of licensed profession. This program may be relevant to multiple occupations that do not require licensure and was not designed to meet educational requirements for any specific professional license or certification.

*Consult with an admissions counselor to determine your eligible credits, as well as to verify minimum graduation requirements for this degree. Transfer credits must be from a regionally accredited college or university. Bellevue University makes no promises to prospective students regarding the acceptance of credit awarded by examination, credit for prior learning, or credit for transfer until an evaluation has been conducted.

Learn more about business courses that can make the difference in your career.

100% Online learning that works for your life and your goals.

Our flexible online courses are designed to bring quality learning into a format that fits your schedule, without sacrificing meaningful faculty feedback and collaboration with peers across the country. Stay on track with the help of your Student Coach — with you from day one to graduation.

Find out more about the online experience >

Cohort learning: a proven model for busy professionals.

When you’re ready to enroll in the highest level of education, there’s no better place to turn than to an experienced leader in adult learning. The Bellevue University Online Cohort Learning Format has been specifically designed—and proven to work—for busy adults. You register for all your courses upfront, and then move through them step-by-step with your peers. It’s our most popular and effective learning format for adult learners.

Learn from expert faculty.

Throughout your DBA degree program, you will learn from award-winning faculty with practical experience and doctoral education.

Get to know your instructors.

Dr. Julia Cronin-Gilmore image

Julia Cronin-Gilmore, Ph.D. Dr. Julia Cronin-Gilmore, program director for the Doctor of Business Administration program, has held positions at companies across the Midwest. Her professional experience and academic research span a wide variety of subjects, including business strategy, management, marketing, entrepreneurship, consumer behavior and dissertation research.

Dr. Cronin-Gilmore is a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council. In addition, she has earned numerous certifications and received several awards for her contributions to both teaching and business. These awards include an Excellence in Teaching Award from the United States Distance Learning Association, and Marketer of the Year and Pinnacle Awards-both from the American Marketing Association, Omaha chapter-among others.

Gregory Ashley image

Gregory Ashley, Ph.D. Dr. Greg Ashley brings extensive experience in building curriculum, instruction, and teaching business, economics, and industrial-organizational psychology courses at all academic levels. His special research interests involve social capital, self-awareness, humility, leadership, and psychometrics. Ashley also directs the Bellevue University Ph.D. in Human Capital and chairs its Dissertation Committee.

Inhyun Han image

Inhyun Han, Ph.D. Dr. Han specializes in leadership and organizational behavior, bringing her interdisciplinary management research experience and novel insights to the DBA program. Her research interests include the leader's mindset, proactive behavior and decision-making, negotiation, stereotype threat, and first-generation college students and their real-world outcomes. Dr. Han's research has been published in the International Journal of Conflict Management and she has presented her work at numerous research conferences. Dr. Han welcomes opportunity to collaborate on intriguing research projects with DBA students in management.

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John Kyndt, Ph.D. Dr. John Kyndt specializes in energy, water purification, and sustainability. He brings valuable experience in renewable fuels research and in building sustainable systems, as well as know-how for startup technology ventures. His instructional repertoire includes biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition, energy, and sustainability. Dr. Kyndt is co-author of the book, Algae: Coloring the future green.

Stephen Linenberger image

Stephen J. Linenberger, Ph.D. With many years of teaching, course development, research, and training experience, Dr. Linenberger offers expertise in leadership education and practice. He has created and taught courses in social psychology of leadership, leadership ethics, human capital, and organizational leadership. Dr. Linenberger has presented his research at academic conferences and won an international award for his research in leadership education for medical schools. He also has leadership experience from his prior work in human services and retail management.

Paul Poppler image

Paul Poppler, Ph.D. Dr. Paul Poppler's extensive experience in research, publication, speaking and program/course development enhances the dynamic aspect of the DBA program. His research interests include business policy and strategy, human capital, human resource management, and ethics.

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Kevin Schieuer, Ph.D. Dr. Kevin Schieuer brings valuable insights and connections to the DBA Program from his diverse work and educational experiences in math, physics, electrical engineering, business administration, agriculture, law, and finance. Dr. Schieuer directed the Business Administration Program for many years, serves as Co-Director of the MBA Program and Director of the MS Strategic Finance Program and earned the Excellence in Teaching and University Service Kotouc Professorship Award, among others.

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Linda Thiede Thomas, Ph.D. As Director of Graduate Programs for the College of Business, Dr. Linda Thomas has vast experience in providing an administrative perspective to students. Her research interests and teaching experience include organizational behavior and management, human capital, leadership, and management research. Dr. Thomas previously directed the Bellevue University MBA program and has received the ConAgra Distinguished Professorship Award, among others.

Nicholas Wolff image

Nicholas Wolff, Ph.D. Dr. Nick Wolff brings an entrepreneurial and innovative approach to curriculum development and instruction in the fields of business, human capital, leadership, and entrepreneurship. His special research interests involve interactive learning, leadership, conflict management, values, and psychometrics. Dr. Wolff also teaches courses in the Bellevue University Doctorate in Human Capital Management program.

Enroll in a DBA degree crafted for you and your priorities.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Doctoral degrees can be more affordable than you think..

Earning a degree is an investment in yourself. We want to help you make sure it’s a wise one.

2024 / 2025 Academic Year

$810 In-Class or Online Cost Per Credit

(Additional fees may apply to individual courses within your major requirements) Application Fee (non-refundable): $100 General College Fee (per term): $250 Graduation Fee: $100

Curious about financial aid? We’ve got the answers.

As a graduate student, you may be eligible for up to $20,500 per year in unsubsidized Direct Student Loans.

And, students often apply for graduate program scholarships through Bellevue University or tuition reimbursement through their employers. Talk to us and we’ll help you explore your options.

Learn more about financial aid >

See how expert faculty and a proven program model make your DBA degree at Bellevue University more than worth the cost.

Removing barriers to the education you deserve.

College is challenging, but getting in shouldn’t be. We have simplified our requirements for admission and we do not require entrance exam scores like the ACT or SAT—so you can get on track to achieving your goals. Here’s how it will go:

How to apply for the Doctor of Business Administration program.

Prior to applying for enrollment into the DBA program, students must possess a regionally accredited MBA, or equivalent master’s degree. A maximum of 36 credit hours from approved master’s programs may be transferrable. If the student has an MBA from an accredited college or university, it will be accepted in whole. Students entering with non-MBA master’s degrees must take equivalent courses from Bellevue University’s MBA program to make up for any core deficiencies.

  • 1. Possess a graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university within the U.S., or a U.S.-equivalent degree from a nationally or internationally accredited college or university outside the U.S.
  • 2. Have five years of professional experience.
  • 3. Submit an Application for Admission accompanied by a one-time application fee for doctorate programs (this fee is waived for Bellevue University alumni) and a 1,000-word statement describing your interest in the DBA.
  • 4. Provide all official transcripts for previous graduate coursework. Showing a GPA of 3.0 or better in previous graduate-level coursework earned toward the graduate degree.
  • 5. Submit a resume.
  • 6. Submit one letter of nomination from an employer and one letter of recommendation from a peer or personal reference.

Note: Because of the cohort and concentrated nature of the Doctorate of Business Administration program, doctoral-level credit hours from other university programs will typically not be accepted in transfer.

For International Students: International students who do not possess a degree from a post-secondary institution, where English is the principal language of instruction, must have a minimum score of 575 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). International credentials must be submitted to World Education Services (at the applicant’s expense) for a formal course-by-course evaluation at www.wes.org .

Ready to get started? Reach out to admissions.

  • Get your questions answered about the Doctor of Business Administration
  • Understand your financial aid and scholarship options
  • Map out a schedule that fits with your priorities

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Doctor of Business Administration – DBA

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EVOLVE YOUR THINKING, EVOLVE YOUR CAREER

Today’s competitive global economies and business environments require organizations to engage in new perspectives and new approaches to organizational strategy and evidence-based practice that promote competitive advantages.

Senior leaders need to be able to conceptualize, investigate, and solve complex and practical business problems, be innovative, and use new tools and advanced research, analytical, and critical-thinking skills.

The Johnson & Wales University online  Doctor of Business Administration degree is designed specifically to meet these needs across many sectors  of business, healthcare, government, the military, higher education, or nonprofits.

Students will ethically address business challenges, think critically and creatively, and learn how to transform business practices to create organizational optimization, growth, and sustainability.

Upon graduation, you will be prepared to become executive-level organizational leaders, industry innovators, consultants, and policymakers. For those seeking faculty positions in higher education, the Doctor of Business Administration is recognized as a terminal degree.

The deadline for application to the Fall 2024 cohort is July 15, 2024. Students are encouraged to apply early, as the size of each cohort is limited.

Advantages of the Johnson & Wales University DBA degree:

  • Relevant nature of curriculum that is comprehensive and career-focused
  • Curriculum focus on organizational development
  • Qualifications, experience, and expertise of the faculty
  • Flexibility and convenience of a fully online program, no residency requirements
  • Students focus on one course at a time
  • Courses are 8 weeks, giving students the ability to move quickly through content
  • Expected 3-year completion
  • Lock-step dissertation model designed to guide students through the dissertation process
  • Continuous engagement with peers and faculty 
  • Regional accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
  • The program is offered in collaboration with JWU’s College of Business.

Credits/Courses Required for Degree Completion

54 credits/18 courses

Expected Time for Program Completion

The program is designed and sequenced to be completed in three years. However, decisions to stop out or delays during the dissertation experience will prolong the timeline.

Transfer Credits Accepted

Pending approval, up to three doctoral-level courses – nine credits (non-dissertation) may be transferred into the program.

Graduation Requirements

To earn the DBA degree, students must complete all of the following program requirements:

  • Complete all coursework
  • Achieve the minimum GPA of 3.0, with no course grade lower than B-
  • Complete dissertation requirements

Program Cost

Please refer to the current academic year Doctoral program listing on the  Tuition & Fees page  for the latest information.

Course Sequence and Academic Calendar

To view start and end dates, view the appropriate  Academic Calendar .  (Calendars are meant for planning purposes only; dates are subject to change.)

 
FallFall 1MGMT7000Organizational Strategy and Design3
 Fall 2RSCH7110Research Design3
SpringSpring 1MGMT7010Organizational Behavior3
 Spring 2MGMT7030Innovation and Change3
SummerSummer 1RSCH7130Quantitative Research Methods3
 Summer 2RSCH7150Qualitative Research Methods3
 
FallFall 1MGMT7050Contemporary Leadership Issues3
 Fall 2MGMT7070Business Analytics and Intelligence3
SpringSpring 1FISV7005Contemporary Issues in Finance and Accouting3
 Spring 2MGMT7120Advanced Strategies in Organization Development3
SummerSummer 1MRKT7100Problems and Methods in Merketing Management3
 Summer 2MGMT7090Executive Decision Making**3
 
FallFall 1RSCH8100Dissertation Proposal3
 Fall 2MGMT8120Organizational Interventions – Disruption and Change3
SpringSpring 1MGMT9120Leadership and Managing Large Scale Transformation**3
 Spring 2RSCH9000Dissertation Problem Statement and Literature Review3
SummerSummer 1RSCH9005Dissertation Methodology and Analysis3
 Summer 2RSCH9010Dissertation: Discussion and Contribution**3

**Outcome Capture Course

Summer Start

 
SummerSummer 1MGMT7000Organizational Strategy and Design3
 Summer 2RSCH7110Research Design3
FallFall 1MGMT7010Organizational Behavior3
 Fall 2MGMT7030Innovation and Change3
SpringSpring 1RSCH7130Quantitative Research Methods3
 Spring 2RSCH7150Qualitative Research Methods3
 
SummerSummer 1MGMT7050Contemporary Leadership Issues3
 Summer 2MGMT7070Business Analytics and Intelligence3
FallFall 1FISV7005Contemporary Issues in Finance and Accouting3
 Fall 2MGMT7120Advanced Strategies in Organization Development3
SpringSpring 1MRKT7100Problems and Methods in Merketing Management3
 Spring 2MGMT7090Executive Decision Making**3
 
SummerSummer 1RSCH8100Dissertation Proposal3
 Summer 2MGMT8120Organizational Interventions – Disruption and Change3
FallFall 1MGMT9120Leadership and Managing Large Scale Transformation**3
 Fall 2RSCH9000Dissertation Problem Statement and Literature Review3
SpringSpring 1RSCH9005Dissertation Methodology and Analysis3
 Spring 2RSCH9010Dissertation: Discussion and Contribution**3

Each academic program at JWU has readily identifiable  learning outcomes.  Upon completion of the DBA program, graduates are expected to:

  • Design, conduct, and present applied research that addresses practical business problems.
  • Employ advanced communication skills to share complex information, organizational vision, and actionable guidelines within business environments.
  • Apply contemporary business leadership theories, knowledge of core business functions, and evidenced-based practice to address issues faced by senior leadership.

Upon completion of the Organization Development concentration, graduates are expected to:

  • Apply organization development theory to improve organizational capacity for strategic change through systematic interventions. 

The deliberate and thoughtful design of JWU’s online Doctor of Business Administration program was based on the needs and expectations of industry and executive level leadership. It has been expressly developed to meet the following  goals:

  • Conceptualize, investigate and solve complex and practical business problems
  • Transform from leader to thought leader and innovator
  • Expand organizational capacity for innovation and change
  • Use new tools, insights, and perspectives in strategy development and evidence-based practice
  • Advance knowledge within their industry through a completed dissertation 

The JWU Doctor of Business Administration is a  fully-online, 54-credit  program developed and assessed by the College of Business and delivered online. The program is delivered in a cohort, semester-system model with two  8-week sessions  in each of the fall, spring, and summer semesters over  three years.

The DBA degree program is structured to support student learning in a format that works for working professionals, yet be comprehensive and rigorous. Once applicants are admitted to the program, a mandatory no-credit online orientation is the first step in assuring a smooth transition to doctoral study, online learning, and Johnson & Wales University.

Through the study of business theory, core business functions, contemporary strategic and operational business challenges, and applied research culminating with a dissertation, students will be prepared to develop and lead initiatives for innovation and change and expand organizational capacity.

  • Students focus on one 3-credit course at a time, allowing for efficient progression through the program
  • Integrative online learning platforms are utilized, making engagement in the program and connection with faculty and cohort members seamless
  • uLearn is the university’s Blackboard learning management system
  • Courses are strategically offered to support student learning and scholarship and to provide an exceptional experience 
  • Courses are primarily delivered through an asynchronous model. Although not mandatory, there are opportunities for synchronous engagement throughout the program.
  • Optional synchronous course sessions are often recorded and posted for review purposes, or in the event students are not able to “attend.”

The program of study for the DBA includes:

Eight core courses

The core courses are designed to provide students with a comprehensive and global understanding and expertise in business. Courses include the core business functions of finance and accounting, human resources, marketing, and information technology. Courses in innovation and change, organizational strategy and design, leadership issues, and executive decision-making round out the program, providing students with the knowledge and skills required to investigate and solve complex and practical business problems, as well as expand organizational capacity and productivity.

Three research courses

The  research courses  prepare students to gain a relevant understanding and ability to use a variety of research methodologies, techniques, and tools. Identification, analysis, and interpretation of researchable topics are studied, utilizing qualitative and quantitative software, to ultimately improve policies, programs, and practice in an organizational setting.

Three organization development concentration courses

The  organization development concentration courses  are designed to provide students with a more in-depth knowledge and skill-set for initiating and managing organizational change. Students use theory and research to align organizations with rapidly changing and complex environments, whether externally imposed or internally-planned. The three courses are complementary, building upon both the micro (individual) and macro (group, organization) levels to advance employee and organizational performance and results.    

Four dissertation courses

The doctoral dissertation is an integral component of the program and serves as a demonstration of academic excellence and expertise in applying the science of business, with all its expected rigor. The dissertation process for DBA students focuses on an applied research project, placing value on the relevance of findings to the researcher. It is designed to make a positive difference in an organization setting, specific to the researcher’s employer or industry. Research will address an authentic problem, issue or concern, based on theory and supported by appropriate methodological and statistical applications.

CURRICULUM PLAN

View the  Online Catalog  for overview and course descriptions. Course order may vary.

1Organizational Strategy and Design3
2Research Design3
3Organizational Behavior3
4Innovation and Change3
5Quantitative Methods3
6Qualitative Methods3
7Contemporary Leadership Issues3
8Business Analytics and Intelligence3
9Contemporary Issues in Finance and Accounting3
10Advanced Strategies in Organization Development3
11Problems and Methods in Marketing Management3
12Executive Decision-Making3
13Dissertation: Proposal3
14Organizational Interventions – Disruption and Change3
15Leading and Managing Large-Scale Transformation3
16Dissertation: Problem Statement and Literature Review3
17Dissertation: Methodology and Analysis3
16Dissertation: Discussion and Contribution3

The doctoral dissertation is an integral component of the program and serves as a demonstration of academic excellence and expertise in applying the science of business, with all its expected rigor. The dissertation process focuses on an applied research project, placing value on the relevance of findings to you, the researcher. It is designed to make a positive difference in an organization setting, specific to your employer or industry. Your research will address an authentic problem, issue or concern, based on theory, and supported by appropriate methodological and statistical applications.

The dissertation process for the DBA is comprised of a series of lock-step courses specifically designed to guide you from the proposal stage through chapter completion, which culminates in the dissertation defense. This approach creates a schedule intended to make on-time completion manageable. Your dissertation defense, or oral presentation, will be done remotely through web conferencing. Each student will have a dissertation advisement committee comprised of academic and subject matter experts. A major advisor is assigned from within JWU and a program methodologist serves across committees. Additionally, with the approval of the program director, a second reader is selected by the student from faculty, administration, or outside individuals that have specific expertise.

As a Doctor of Business Administration student at Johnson & Wales, you’ll learn from the best.

DBA faculty are terminally-degreed individuals with experience and expertise in their field of study.

They know how to engage with and connect with DBA degree students through our online platforms, providing an  enhanced, robust, and encouraging learning environment.  The faculty supports and guides students from day one through dissertation completion.

Julie Bilodeau DBA

Paul Boyd PhD

Letta Taylor Campbell DM

David Hood Ph.D.

Larry Hughes Ph.D.

Stacey Kite DBA

John Krupa Jr DBA

Martin Sivula PhD

Scott Smith PhD

THE JWU DBA IS A DYNAMIC PROGRAM FOR LEADERS WHO ARE READY TO EMBRACE THEIR POTENTIAL — NOW.

Getting started on your Doctor of Business Administration is a  quick and simple process.  There are no application fees or entrance exams. Admissions requirements are designed to assure that students are prepared for the academic challenge of doctoral work and possess the necessary academic and professional background to be successful.

To be considered for admission into the DBA degree program, applicants must have:

  • Five years of people management in industry, or equivalent experience as a business educator
  • A master’s degree with a concentration in business or business-related field from a regionally accredited institution
  • If an applicant’s master’s level program is not in a business-related field, an additional three years of people management experience in industry is required

HOW TO APPLY

Your first important step is to  complete the online doctoral application.  After applications are received, applicants are vetted as they move through the following steps:

Submit all official undergraduate and graduate transcripts

Upon application, your Online Admissions Associate will send you a Transcript Request Form(s) via Docusign to sign, which will allow JWU to request your transcript(s) on your behalf. (If your school requires additional information to process the request, you will be notified by the admissions team.) JWU must receive all transcripts, diplomas, and/or certifications from all postsecondary schools, so you may receive more than one Docusign request to complete. It is the student’s responsibility to provide verification of secondary school completion. Without verification, the student may not be allowed to register for the current term or continue enrollment and will be in jeopardy of losing his or her acceptance to the university as well as all financial aid. Refer to the “Admissions/Applying” section in the JWU campus catalog online for information on verification documents

Complete essay requirements

Complete all three of the following essay requirements and submit them in one document.

  • Write a personal statement, demonstrating clear, succinct, and well-reasoned writing that discusses (a) how your educational and personal experiences influenced the decision to pursue a DBA; (b) career goals and how this degree will help to achieve those goals (150-300 words).
  • Explain your managerial experience throughout your career with a specific focus on your people-management experience. Any experience with training and development, organizational behavior, and organization development should be highlighted (100-150 words).
  • Discuss a problem, issue, or concern, related to your profession/industry or workplace, that you are interested in addressing or improving during your doctoral study. (100-150 words).

Email your materials to  [email protected]  or mail to JWU College of Professional Studies Admissions, 115 Cedar St. Providence, RI 02903.

Submit a résumé, tailored to DBA application specifications

Submit a résumé  that includes employment dates, job responsibilities, relevant experience, achievements, and education history. You can also email your résumé to  [email protected]  or mail it to JWU College of Professional Studies Admissions, 115 Cedar St. Providence, RI 02903.

Submit two letters of recommendation

Applicants must submit two recommendations. At least one recommendation should be from a current or former supervisor. The other should be from a mentor, academic professor, or professional colleague. Recommendations from friends or family members will not be accepted.

JWU Professional offers the ability for references to complete their recommendation via a brief online survey. Your recommender will be asked to evaluate your ability on several various criteria​; it is encouraged that this person includes further comments or a letter to support the numeric assessment. To submit your recommendations, you can choose from the following options:

  • Online form: Complete a reference contact information form via DocuSign. Your Online Admissions Associate will then send a recommendation form directly to your recommender.
  • Mail: College of Professional Studies, Johnson & Wales University,115 Cedar St., Providence, RI;02903
  • Email: [email protected]  
  • Fax:  401-598-4553, Attn: College of Professional Studies Admissions

Participate in a video-conference interview

If selected, DBA applicants are interviewed by the program director and one faculty member via video conference (Skype or Zoom) as the final step in the application process.

For students whose native language is not English,  proof of English language proficiency  is required. This fully-online program is not available to international students living in the United States.

The deadline for application to the Fall 2024 cohort is July 15, 2024.  Students are encouraged to apply early, as the size of each cohort is limited.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS

Johnson & Wales University (JWU) has a long history of being well established in delivering a multitude of disciplines in business education. Johnson & Wales was founded as a business school in 1914; became a Junior College of Business in 1960, offering baccalaureate degrees beginning in 1970; became a university and established the Graduate School in 1985; and, in late 1991, instituted the multi-college system, formally establishing the College of Business. Learn more about the  College of Business .

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

The College of Professional Studies was established in 2013, with distance education offerings beginning in 2010. The mission of the College of Professional Studies is to deliver strategically-selected university academic programs in a high-quality online format to working adult professionals. To accomplish its purpose, the College effectively leverages technology and other creative delivery approaches to offer exceptional education and enhanced professional success for students, in alignment with the university’s mission. Learn more about the  College of Professional Studies .

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DBA in Information Systems Online Crack the Code for Success

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100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Become an IT Leadership and Management Expert with Liberty’s DBA in Information Technology and Systems Degree

Are you a business and technology professional who wants to take the next step and gain a terminal degree in your field? Liberty University’s 100% online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Information Systems degree can help.

This program can prepare you to excel in business through academic research and practical training. Our DBA in Information Systems focuses on business management as well as the design and implementation of technological strategies in the workplace.

Our DBA in Information Systems provides opportunities for hands-on experience in real-world settings. Earning a DBA in Information Systems from Liberty University can equip you to create innovative solutions for challenges in technology and business.

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  • Private Nonprofit University
  • 600+ Online Degrees
  • No Standardized Testing for Admission
  • Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
  • Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Pursue a DBA at Liberty University?

At Liberty, we believe in your success and are dedicated to supporting you as a student and a professional. Our Doctor of Business Administration in Information Systems was created to provide you with maximum flexibility. This degree is 100% online with optional intensives – so you can network with peers and professors if and when it’s best for you.

Our DBA degree program’s online classes are taught by professors with real-world experience in the business and information systems fields. You can be confident you are receiving a quality education that can prepare you to advance your career.

Here are some additional benefits of earning your DBA with Liberty University:

  • Challenging curriculum | Our DBA has met rigorous accreditation standards, and as a terminal degree, it will test your knowledge and abilities.
  • Increased earning potential | On average, professionals with a doctorate earn nearly 26% more than their counterparts with only a master’s.*
  • Respected education | Liberty University’s DBA is accredited by ACBSP , the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.
  • Specialized knowledge | You can learn how to plan, execute, and evaluate business and technological solutions to protect an organization’s critical information and assets.

What Will You Study in Our Online Doctor of Information Technology and Systems?

At Liberty, our mission is Training Champions for Christ . That means our degrees are designed to prepare you to lead in your field with excellence and integrity. We provide academic excellence grounded in a biblical worldview. Our goal is to help you integrate Christian principles into your professional life.

Our DBA in Information Systems emphasizes real-world applications. Your coursework and research project will help you prepare for the challenges you may face as a business leader. Our program can help you gain the practical skills you will need for success.

Potential Career Opportunities

  • Data administration manager
  • Data science and networking consultant
  • Director of systems integration
  • University professor

Featured Courses

  • BMIS 510 – Enterprise Models
  • BMIS 530 – Systems Analysis, Modeling, and Design
  • BMIS 580 – Human-Computer Interaction and Emerging Technologies
  • BUSI 740 – Strategic Supply Chain Management

Degree Information

  • This program falls under the School of Business .
  • View the Graduate Business Course Guides (login required).
  • View the Doctor of Business Administration Handbook for additional program information.
  • The Applied Doctoral Research Project (ADRP) in the DBA program relates to a business problem in your specialization.

Degree Completion Plan (PDF)

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Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

  • Tuition & Aid

Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

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Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour ( learn more ) .

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Admission Information for Our Online DBA Program

Admission requirements.

  • A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
  • Have a grade of C or better.
  • Include a minimum of 3 hours in information systems enterprise modeling or information systems analysis and design or information systems enterprise architecture or equivalent coursework focused on UML (unified modeling language).
  • Include a minimum of 9 hours in any graduate-level information systems courses including database, data management and analytics, information systems enterprise architecture, human-computer interaction, information systems management, information technology management, computer networking, computer programming, project management, computer security, and/or information systems analysis and design.
  • Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

  • Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
  • Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
  • Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
  • Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official college transcript policy.

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

Admissions Office Contact Information

(800) 424-9596

(888) 301-3577

Email for Questions

[email protected]

Email for Documents

[email protected]

Liberty University Online Admissions Verification

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Lynchburg, VA 24515

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Submit your application online or over the phone.

Apply by phone: (800) 424-9595

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

  • Active Duty
  • Reserve/National Guard
  • Veterans/Retirees
  • Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between an mba and a dba.

An MBA is a Master of Business Administration while a DBA is a Doctor of Business Administration. An MBA will cover advanced classes in business and is often an entry-level position requirement for many companies.

A DBA is a terminal degree that provides doctoral study and typically a research project or dissertation. This degree will give you the highest attainable level of education in your field.

What’s the difference between a DBA and a PhD?

If you’re considering a DBA or PhD in business information systems, you may be wondering what the difference is. Both programs are terminal degrees that will offer advanced training in their respective areas. So what are your career goals? This question will help determine which program is right for you.

A PhD in information technology online will likely be geared toward preparing you for academia. PhD programs typically require an extensive dissertation. Additionally, most programs also require work at a college or university throughout the program.

A DBA focuses more on developing your professional skills to continue actively pursuing business. You will complete coursework that deals with practical business and technology challenges. Your research project will also be focused on a concept that you might handle within your profession.

Does a DBA require a dissertation?

No – the DBA at Liberty University does not have a dissertation requirement. However, our program does have a required research project designed to prepare you for a real-life business challenge.

Should I get a PhD in Information Systems?

Pursuing an online PhD in Information Systems is a serious decision and time commitment. At Liberty University, we offer a DBA that can provide you with benefits you may not receive with a PhD program.

Here are some of those benefits:

  • Our DBA in Information Systems can be completed in just 3 years – much faster than a typical PhD program.
  • This program has a required research project that focuses on a real-world business issue, rather than a years-long dissertation.
  • Coursework in our DBA is focused on practical application. You will be prepared to lead in the business world with the option to teach at the university level.

How is Liberty accredited?

Liberty University’s Doctor of Business Administration is accredited by ACBSP , the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs. Our School of Business is among only 3% of business schools worldwide to earn ACBSP accreditation.

What resources will you have access to in the program?

You will be granted access to a wide variety of online resources through Liberty University’s library portal throughout your pursuit of an information systems doctorate degree.

How long will it take to complete this program?

You can complete your DBA online in about 60 credit hours!

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Touro University Worldwide

Online Doctor of Business Administration

The online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree program develops adaptable business leaders for ever-changing global work environments. Dive into the world of business research.

online dba no dissertation

  • Program Information

Touro University Worldwide’s (TUW) online Business Administration doctorate prepares students to lead in top executive positions and address the complexities of today’s business landscape with vision, knowledge, and clarity. Doctoral students build their knowledge through engagement with faculty mentorship, access to technology, and unique learning opportunities and research activities commensurate with the doctoral level.

The online DBA curriculum explores theoretical foundations and cutting-edge business research to expand students’ competencies in their current or future careers. In addition, students build professional skills and tools to design evidence-based business research and managerial solutions in their professional areas of expertise. Become a more confident business leader equipped to face the challenges and evolving demands of today’s complex, global business environments.

Research-Based Doctoral Project

This business doctorate does not require a traditional dissertation. Instead, by the end of the online DBA degree program, you will develop a research-based doctoral project in any business or managerial topic of your choice that prepares you as a subject matter expert and thought leader in an area of interest. Business research topics may include but not be limited to

  • Healthcare management
  • Human resources
  • International/global business
  • Nonprofit management
  • Real estate
  • Strategic management
  • Supply chain

What makes this Doctor of Business Administration program different?

  • Affordable tuition from a Nonprofit Accredited University
  • 100% online
  • No GRE required
  • Accelerated admissions process
  • 6 starts throughout the year

Note: This degree does not lead to any form of licensure or certification.

The Doctor of Business Administration program is offered 100% online and can be achieved while working full-time. Open to all qualified students, this online DBA program is carefully designed to work well for busy professionals and working adults. All students need is a computer and internet connection to participate in the virtual classroom. The doctoral curriculum is designed to be directly applicable to your career goals as an innovative business leader prepared to utilize business research insights in your area of interest.

Elevate Your Leadership Skills Through TUW’s Online DBA

Advance as a forward-thinking business leader through our online Doctor of Business Administration degree program. A doctoral program provides the opportunity to explore business research through a new lens. Request information to learn more about Touro University Worldwide’s transformative online DBA degree.

What Can You Do With a Doctor of Business Administration?

Earning a Doctor of Business Administration from Touro University Worldwide prepares graduates to work at the pinnacle of business leadership and research. Because of their expertise in business theory and strategy, as well as their high level of professional skills, those with a DBA qualify for a range of challenging, rewarding positions. Potential job titles include:

  • Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
  • Chief Operating Officer (COO)
  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
  • Senior Management Consultant
  • Director of Strategic Planning
  • University Professor or Researcher
  • Entrepreneur

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the median annual salary for top executives is $100,090. The BLS projects 3% job growth in the field over the next decade. The online TUW DBA prepares graduates with skills and knowledge they need for success in these in-demand fields.

BLS salary source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm

Core Requirements

36 semester credits.

This course provides students an in-depth study and analysis of organizational theory from a business perspective. The course will explore human behaviors in businesses, which include attitudes, and business functions that lend to enhanced performance and profitability in business.

This course addresses principles of business operations and management across cultures to assimilate for effective functional operational processes and principles that support organization, operations, systems, and employee management. Students will apply theory to practice for business operations relevant to various cultural backgrounds in a variety of business organizations.

This course addresses the best practices of governance and accountability in the business environment. Special topics include underlying theories relative to ethics role in best businesses practices of governance and accountability, importance of accountability and transparency in business leadership, and the importance of governance on business performance.

This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the importance of ethics and social responsibility in business and explores practical solutions to ethical challenges in contemporary business. Special emphasis includes the identification of ethical business challenges and the associated practical approaches to determine solutions.

This course provides students with a comprehensive understanding of current business based financial management theories and models applicable to improve decision making that influence both business performance and opportunity. Students use the contemporary finance management tools to apply the principles in a variety of business settings.

In this course, students apply a practitioner perspective in contemporary marketing for decision-making to increase the performance of in organizations. Special topics include pricing, product development, channel of distributions, marketing research, global marketing practices and e-marketing methodologies to provide a competitive advantage in applicable industries, sectors and global markets.

In this course, students explore applied research utilizing the business research process. This course is one of a few quantitative reasoning courses that prepare the student for advanced coursework in quantitative research methods.

In this course, students apply theories associated with turnaround and organizational renewal strategies in business. Special emphasis is on various turnaround and renewal models and the implementation of the models in the application of evidenced-based solutions in the business environment.

The fundamental concepts of quantitative research methods will include descriptive statistics and fundamental concepts that serve as the basis for more advanced coursework and data analysis specifically tailored to business.

Advancing the knowledge and skills in quantitative research places emphasis on research design and framework, applicable statistics for data analysis, interpretation of findings; and the presentation of results with the scope of improving business decisions.

Survey Design exposes scholar-practitioners to a variety of areas that are key to understanding and mastering methodology through surveys applicable to the business environment. Special emphasis in this course is identification of applicable survey design from associated literature for a selected area of research, and identification of applicable survey questions. In addition, students begin to search and select a faculty Chair and Committee in preparation to transition to DBA 712, and are introduced to the primary learning platform system that will be utilized throughout the entire Research Project process.

Doctoral Research Proposal Development Courses

3 semester credits.

In this course, students select a faculty Chair and committee to prepare for the proposal phase of a selected research project. In this phase, students identify a research topic, develop an applicable conceptual framework, prepare a fundamental literature review, and propose a research methodology that will be orally defended no later than one week prior to the end of the session. In addition, students are introduced and use of the Doctoral Management System (DMS), which will be the primary learning platform throughout the entire Research Project process.

The Doctoral Research Project Courses

9 semester credits.

In this course, students continue to work with the Chair and Committee on their selected research project. In this phase of the project, students submit and receive approval from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) regarding the proposed research methodology to collect data, conduct interviews, etc. as applicable. Students conduct an enhanced literature review for their project to further strengthen their conceptual framework identified in the proposal phase.

In this course, students continue to work with the Chair and Committee on their selected research project. In this phase of the project, students analyze data collected, write the results and begin to shape the research project such as adding the introduction, executive summary, discussions, etc.

Students complete work on their Research Project and Research Project Defense. In this course, students finalize the research project working with the Chair and Committee. In this final phase, students will integrate and synthesize all components of the project and submit to the chair no later than the 4th week of the session in preparation of the final research project oral defense.

Credit Hours

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer Credits

Transfer in up to 6 credits

Accreditation

Request information, an affordable online dba program.

TUW’s tuition for the Business Administration doctoral program is $700 per semester credit unit. Connect with your employer to learn if they offer a tuition assistance program to support you as you complete the DBA program. A TUW tuition assistance counselor is available to you in order to determine your eligibility for financial aid and other tuition assistance programs.

Program Requirements

Upon completion of the required online courses in the DBA program, the student begins the first phase of the research project working closely with a faculty chair and committee in the completion of the research project phase proposal. In this phase, students personalize their academic journey for greater outcomes, by selecting a topic of interest to codify lessons learned in their field and or developing skills applicable to a research area of interest.

In the final phase, students finalize their research area of interest with a product that lends to real-world solutions while simultaneously achieving their desired goal in the program as a Doctor in the online DBA program.

For additional information , please visit the TUW Catalog or explore the DBA curriculum.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking to enroll in Touro University Worldwide’s Doctor of Business Administration program must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:

  • Have earned a Master’s degree from an accredited institution. If the degree was awarded overseas, it must be from an institution that is approved by the Ministry of Education.
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.4 in the accredited Master’s Program

Students, who meet the above criteria, will be required to complete the following steps in order to be admitted and enrolled at TUW:

  • Submit an application.
  • Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended. Transcripts must come directly from the issuing institutions. Students who completed college coursework outside the United States must have their transcripts translated and evaluated. (See Foreign Credit for additional information.)
  • Submit two letters of recommendation: one from someone familiar with the prospective student’s academic work; and a professional reference from someone who has supervised the prospective student in a work environment (preferably the current supervisor, excluding family members ).
  • Submit a Doctoral Entrance Essay: The entrance essay is an essential part of the Doctoral Program and serves as the initial component of the student’s research portfolio. The entrance essay takes the form of a narrative presenting candidates’ biography, career plan, and goals in pursuing the doctorate at Touro University Worldwide.

The Doctoral Admissions Committee will evaluate the essay. Committee members seek evidence regarding critical qualities and abilities including:

  • Motivation, maturity of judgment, and creativity;
  • Evidence of a sound personal agenda that includes achievable personal and professional objectives;
  • Awareness of intellectual strengths as well as skills needing development;
  • Awareness of program requirements
  • Proficiency with standard written English including the ability to express concepts and communicate meaning in concise writing

The Doctoral Entrance Essay components should include the following:

  • Biographical ComponentEarlier learning experiences, both formal and informal, should be described. Characterize in terms of the nature and general outcome prior study, related work experience, and participation in scholarly research (if any).
  • Career Plan ComponentExplain how a doctoral-level education fits with stated career plan and goals. How will doctoral study, in conjunction with background and interests, further those goals?
  • The reasons for selecting the TUW program rather than another doctoral program;
  • The particular goals anticipated to be attained through completion of the doctoral curriculum;
  • Proposed topics being considered for the doctoral research project.

Expert Faculty Support

Touro University Worldwide’s business faculty are doctoral-level scholar-practitioners with a wealth of subject matter expertise in all disciplines within business administration and leadership. They are actively involved in their own professional work and/or business research interests across multiple fields such as accounting, human resource management, finance and more.

Toward the end of the program, you can select from this pool of expert faculty to guide and support your research project and to successfully complete the business doctorate. In this DBA program, you have access to a comprehensive support system dedicated to your success as an online doctoral student. 

Typical Time of Completion

The time it will take to complete the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree online can vary. The duration of the program depends on several factors, including the number of credits accepted for transfer and whether or not students take time off between semesters.

The typical length of time for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is two (2) years.

Disclaimer: Students who enroll full-time (12 credits per semester for three semesters each academic year) can complete the degree in one and half (1.5) years. Students who enroll part-time (six credits per semester for three semesters each academic year) will complete the DBA program in 2 years.

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Accredited Online DBA Program: Doctor of Business Administration

Business administration, degree at a glance.

  • No transfer credits accepted
  • All courses available online
  • Select hybrid courses available
  • Program restrictions apply
  • Two-day residency required each term

TUITION RATES

  • $1087 per credit
  • Other fees may apply

Next Session Starts

Aim to take your career to new heights with an online Doctor of Business Administration from University of Maryland Global Campus. Join a community of accomplished colleagues and learn from globally diverse faculty as you strive to gain sophisticated knowledge for executive-level roles in business and management. 

Earn a Nationally Recognized DBA 

Designed with input from employers, industry experts, and scholars, our curriculum centers on high-level management theory, strategic thinking, organizational leadership, and the latest changes and research throughout the global business environment. Through analysis of real-world scenarios and a close-knit cohort structure, the program is designed to provide lifelong learning opportunities, an authentic support network, and long-term success. This program is built for executive-level working professionals looking to strengthen their leadership skills and advance their careers in a variety of fields.

By completing this program, you will be able to take advantage of the following benefits:

  • IACBE accreditation: This program is accredited by the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).
  • Top program: UMGC is a member of the Executive DBA Council and was recognized by CEO Magazine in 2022 as one of the premier global DBA providers .
  • Cohort structure: Our cohort structure promotes close, interactive partnerships among students, faculty, and staff and a supportive network for lifelong learning.
  • On-site & virtual residencies: Each term, the DBA program’s mandatory residency consists of two full days of instruction, which include instructor-led lectures, guest lectures, cohort discussions, presentations of class assignments, and more. Students taking the core courses attend the residencies in-person, while dissertation students attend their residencies online.

See Courses & Program Info

View a complete list of courses, program-specific requirements, residency requirements, and more.

View Courses

This program requires a total of 48 credits . Take the following courses in the order listed: 

Prerequisite Course 

  • Foundations of Doctoral Studies (3 Credits, DBA 600) 

Please note: This is an 11-week prerequisite course for admission to the program. A completed application for admission, including all documents described in the program admission requirements section, must be submitted by the application deadline in order to be considered for this course. 

Core Courses 

  • Interpreting and Translating Management Theory in Practice (6 Credits, DBA 800) 
  • Research as a Tool for Management Decision Making (6 Credits, DBA 810) 
  • Evidence-Based Research Methods (6 Credits, DBA 820) 
  • Data Analytics in Practice (6 Credits, DBA 830) 
  • Designing Evidence-Based Management Solutions (6 Credits, DBA 840) 
  • Producing Original Management Ideas That Influence: Publishing and Conferencing (6 Credits, DBA 850) 

Dissertation Courses  

  • Producing Actionable Knowledge: Dissertation Problem Statement and Literature Review (4 Credits, DBA 860) 
  • Producing Actionable Knowledge: Dissertation Methodology and Analysis (4 Credits, DBA 870) 
  • Producing Actionable Knowledge: Management Implications from Dissertation Research (4 Credits, DBA 880) 

See Requirements

  • You may only take one course per term. 
  • You must complete each non-dissertation course with a grade of B or higher to advance to the next course. 
  • You must complete each dissertation course with a grade of S or higher to advance to the next course. 
  • The grade of C is not available for these courses. 
  • The courses in this program must be successfully completed within a maximum of seven years. 
  • Your course syllabus will explain options for and consequences of requesting a grade of Incomplete. 

Fulfill Program Admission Requirements

Admission to the DBA program is competitive and based on a combination of all requirements. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee admission to the program. 

You must submit a completed application along with all of your supplemental documentation by the appropriate application deadline to be considered for the prerequisite course. If you pass the prerequisite course with a grade of B or higher, you will be admitted to the program. 

Submit Application Materials 

You must submit the following materials to be considered for admission: 

UMGC online application for admission

Official transcript indicating successful completion of a master's degree or higher from a regionally accredited university or college (equivalent degrees from other accredited institutions may be considered on a case-by-case basis; if you were educated abroad, you may need to meet additional requirements )

  • Up-to-date resume (outlining professional leadership and supervisory management experience)
  • Contact information for two professional references, including name, job title, organization, email address, and phone number
  • 700-word personal statement outlining your career goals, including how the DBA degree will fit into your future
  • Optional writing sample: This can be an article or paper you have authored, thesis, blog post, or any published material

Please note: GMAT or GRE scores are not required for the application.

Complete Interview (If Necessary)

UMGC may require a phone interview to gather additional information from an applicant. The need for an interview will be determined by the details you include in your application materials, such as the resume or CV. We would request an interview to assess your appropriate leadership-level experience. The interview, if required, would take place at the end of the process, before you are authorized to enroll in the prerequisite course.

Send Your Documentation

If mailing your supplemental documentation by U.S. Postal Mail/UPS/FedEx/DHL, please use the following address:

UMGC Student Records  3501 University Blvd. East  Adelphi, MD 20783

You can e-mail your resume, personal statement, and writing samples to admissions@umgc.edu . Contact information for two professional references can be included at the bottom of your resume. If your previous institution needs to send transcripts electronically, please follow our guidance on submitting transcripts .

Monitor Application Deadlines

All materials are due by the doctoral program application deadline for the term. Documents sent by mail must be postmarked on or before the deadline for the term.

  • Fall: September 1
  • Winter: November 30
  • Spring: March 15
  • Summer: June 15

Space permitting, late applications may be considered. Decision letters regarding eligibility for the prerequisite course are emailed to the applicant 30 days after the application closing date.

Pass the Prerequisite Course

You must pass the prerequisite course, Foundations of Doctoral Studies (3 Credits, DBA 600), with a grade of B or higher to be admitted into the program. The course details are as follows: 

  • 11-week course 
  • Does not count toward the 48-credit total for the DBA program 
  • Does not qualify for federal financial aid because it is a prerequisite course to the program 
  • Does not include a residency 
  • Consideration for enrollment in this course requires a completed application package by the designated deadline 
  • Course cannot be waived 

Read Mandatory Residency Requirements

One residency is held each term and is mandatory for all students enrolled in the program. Residencies consist of two full days of instruction, which include instructor-led lectures, guest lectures, cohort discussions, presentations of class assignments, and more. Residencies provide an excellent forum for discussion, peer support, networking, and scholarship.

  • Students enrolled in core courses (numbered 800–850):  The residencies are held in-person in Maryland.
  • Students enrolled in dissertation courses (numbered 860–880):  The residencies are held online.
  • Students enrolled in the prerequisite course (DBA 600):  There is no residency.

These residencies are scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays, usually in the fifth week of the term. On Fridays, the residency is held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. On Saturdays, residency is held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residency attendance is mandatory for the full two-day period each term. If a student is unable to attend residency for the full two days, they must defer enrollment until the next available term. Students are responsible for their own travel arrangements and residency expenses.

Residencies for upcoming terms will take place at our Dorsey Station location in Maryland on the following dates, with the exception of Winter 2025 , which will be held virtually:

  • Spring 2024:  Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, 2024
  • Fall 2024:  Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, 2024
  • Winter 2025 (Virtual):  Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8, 2025
  • Spring 2025:  Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10, 2025
  • Fall 2025:  Friday, October 24 and Saturday, October 25, 2025

Brush Up on Your Previous Experience

To succeed in this online doctorate program, you are expected to have 

  • Executive-level experience in a management or business field 
  • Familiarity with scholarly writing and graduate-level writing skills 
  • Motivation to do applied research 
  • Intellectual curiosity to engage in scholarly discourse 

Review Prior Year Requirements

This information is for students who enroll in the 2024–2025 academic year. For prior year requirements for this program or to review UMGC's complete program requirements for a specific academic year, visit our program catalog archive .

Gain Valuable Knowledge & Grow Your Network

The online DBA degree program at UMGC is designed to help professionals acquire high-level knowledge and skills in management theory, strategic thinking, organizational leadership, research methods, and innovation. Through our challenging curriculum, you may be able to gain the knowledge you need to succeed as a leader in today's fast-paced business environments. Plus, collaborative, research-oriented projects will help you grow your network and build lasting relationships with a diverse group of professionals.

Our faculty members are experts in their fields and possess a wide range of professional experience. They're committed to helping you achieve the following learning goals:

2024 IACBE Logo (Stacked)

Study in an IACBE-Accredited Online DBA Program

UMGC's School of Business has received specialized accreditation for its business programs through the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) located at 11960 Quivira Road in Overland Park, Kansas, USA. Please view our IACBE member status page  and Public Disclosure of Student Achievement .

IACBE's accreditation process examines if a program is functioning effectively, accomplishing its mission, and teaching students what they are intended to learn. This requires that its member institutions follow a process of continuous quality improvement that builds student competencies and prepares them to succeed professionally.

Make Real-World, Research-Based Decisions

Throughout the online DBA degree program at UMGC, you'll learn how to conduct and use evidence-based research to make data-informed management decisions in a variety of potential career applications. Your dissertation will include a review of a complex business-related issue or problem in the workforce.

Recent topics have included:

  • Kuan H. Collins: "The Organizational Factors Influencing the Building of Collaborative Culture: An Examination of the Evidence"
  • Sharon Denise Biddinger Crawford: "Indecisiveness in Teamwork: A Search for Interventions to Avoid Failure-to-Decide" 
  • Joseph Allen Evans: "The Influence of National Culture on the Value Creating Ability of Organizations Combined from an International Merger and Acquisition"
  • Calvin Joel Martin: "Creating and Implementing Dynamic Capabilities: An Exploration of the Senior Manager's Role"
  • Margaret Walthall: "The Leader-Follower Relationship and Follower Performance"

Explore UMGC Insights

Gain insight from our experienced faculty and staff and delve deeper into complex topics, including the doctorate program, the MBA, accreditation, and leadership.

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What Can you Do with a Doctorate, Business Administration?

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Learn about the importance of choosing an accredited MBA program.

How to Network as a Student

How to Network as a Student

Learn about the importance of networking as a student and the multiple opportunities UMGC offers.

How to Become a Good Leader

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UMGC’s MBA program graduates share their thoughts on leadership.

You might be interested in similar programs

Compare All Programs

Get answers to questions that others are asking about program admission, cost, outcomes, and more.

What is an online Doctor of Business Administration?

The online degree program is a doctorate designed for working professionals that can help prepare you for senior-level management positions. Featuring an interactive and supportive cohort structure, this 48-credit doctorate program covers topics like data analytics, management theory, organizational leadership, sustainability, and analysis of real-world management issues.

How long does it take to get a Doctor of Business Administration?

UMGC's online Doctor of Business Administration degree is a 48-credit program. Only the prerequisite course (DBA 600) is offered in the summer. The rest of the courses are offered each fall, winter, and spring. Depending on how many terms you register for each year, if you take a full-time course load, and when you complete your dissertation, you can expect to graduate in as little as three years.

How much does a Doctor of Business Administration cost?

UMGC is committed to keeping our tuition and fees as affordable as possible. The online Doctor of Business Administration follows the doctoral program tuition rate, which appears at the top of this webpage. We also offer scholarships  for eligible students, an interest-free monthly payment plan , and no-cost digital materials in place of most textbooks to help make your education more affordable.

What background do I need to get a Doctor of Business Administration?

You don't need to have majored in a specific area to be successful in this UMGC doctoral degree. You are expected to have supervisory management experience and demonstrated leadership ability. And you must meet significant program admission requirements before being admitted to the prerequisite course. Follow this step-by-step process to send in your doctoral application:

  • Submit your application
  • Complete an interview (if necessary)
  • Send in your supplemental documentation 

Complete and pass (with a B or higher) a prerequisite course called Foundations of Doctoral Studies to be admitted to the program.

What is the difference between a PhD and a DBA?

A PhD is a discipline-oriented research degree with a narrow focus designed to train you for a role as a researcher or faculty member in a specific academic area. The DBA is for practitioners who will learn to acquire, appraise, analyze, apply, and assess information for complex decision-making in professional settings. The traditional career path for a PhD graduate is in the academic world, while the traditional career path for a DBA graduate is a management practitioner in specialties associated with a broad range of professions.

If you earn a DBA, you may be qualified to teach at the community college or university level. However, this program is not designed for students who aspire to obtain tenure-track positions at research universities.

Is UMGC accredited?

Yes. UMGC is regionally accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, UMGC is a public state university in the University System of Maryland .

In addition, the DBA program (as well as the MBA) is accredited by the IACBE.

How do students follow their cohort through the doctoral program?

Upon acceptance into the doctoral degree program, DBA students are expected to make progress through each course in a common group called a cohort. As they progress through the program together, they build helpful working relationships with one another and support one another’s development. Beyond their cohort, students in the doctoral program are also members of the broader practitioner-scholar learning community that includes other doctoral students, UMGC faculty, and doctoral alumni.

Are DBA courses offered in the summer?

Only the prerequisite course (DBA 600) is offered in the summer term. All other content courses and dissertation courses required for the Doctor of Business Administration are offered three times per year: fall, winter, and spring. Selected online summer workshops are offered periodically between July and September.

Where can I find previously published UMGC dissertations?

To find previously published doctoral research, visit the UMGC Library’s curated section for  doctoral students .

Can I take doctoral-level courses provisionally or without applying?

No. DBA courses are not available for enrollment until successful completion of the pre-admission course, Foundations of Doctoral Studies (3 Credits, DBA 600). This is the only doctoral-level course that can be taken prior to official admission to the doctoral program. A complete application for admission, including the documents outlined above in the Program Admission Requirements section, must be submitted by the application deadline in order to be considered for this course (application deadlines shown above).

Are UMGC library resources available to applicants and prospective students?

No. Applicants to the DBA program and prospective students do not have access to the UMGC Library. Please visit this guide to peer-reviewed articles and the UMGC Library guide for more information about finding scholarly articles.

Who do I contact for further information about the DBA program?

You may contact the Department of Business Administration in the School of Business at busadmindept@umgc.edu for additional information about the prerequisite course— Foundations of Doctoral Studies (3 Credits, DBA 600)—and the DBA program.

Our helpful admissions advisors can help you choose an academic program to fit your career goals, estimate your transfer credits, and develop a plan for your education costs that fits your budget. If you’re a current UMGC student, please visit the Help Center .

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How To Get A Doctorate Degree Without A Dissertation

  • October 21, 2022

Earn a Doctorate Degree Without A Dissertation

Table of Contents

Getting a doctorate involves hard work and commitment, but not all doctoral programs are built alike. While some doctorate degrees online require a traditional dissertation, many other programs don’t. This means you can get your online doctorate without dissertation requirements.

This has become an attractive option for many aspiring scholars. Understanding the nuances between programs with traditional dissertations and those with alternatives, such as Doctoral Research Projects (DRPs), is crucial in making an informed decision.

How is it Possible to Get an Online Doctorate Without Dissertation Requirements?

Many online DBA programs , such as California Intercontinental University’s, include capstone projects known as Doctoral Research Projects (DRP) instead of traditional dissertations.  But what exactly sets these two paths apart? 

A Doctoral Research Project, in essence, puts your learning to the test while you solve real-world problems. You get to use the knowledge and skills you’ve gained during your studies.

DRP vs Dissertation: What’s the difference?

It all boils down to theoretical exploration versus practical application . Traditional dissertations involve extensive theoretical research and lengthy documents, while DRPs focus on hands-on application without the exhaustive writing process. Prospective students must consider their preference for academic rigor versus real-world relevance.

Essentially, DRPs prioritize applying knowledge in practical scenarios , offering a more flexible structure that blends research methods, critical thinking, and scholarly paper presentation without the frills of a traditional dissertation. 

Think of DRPs as the sweet spot where academic rigor meets real-world relevance. It offers a more hands-on approach without the marathon writing sessions.

While we’re at it, consider reading our article on the differences between DBA vs MBA .

Advantages of a Doctoral Research Project in an Online Doctorate Without Dissertation

There are three key advantages to opting for a DRP in an online doctorate without a dissertation:

  • Practical approach to learning
  • Less writing and more flexibility
  • Accreditations and recognition

Real-World Application of Knowledge

The heart of a DRP lies in its emphasis on the practical application of knowledge . Students engage in research, plan and design projects, and present findings in a scholarly paper, demonstrating their ability to solve real-world problems. 

This approach ensures that the skills and knowledge acquired during the program immediately apply in various professional settings.

DRPs have real-world impact, as students work with real businesses and apply their knowledge to real projects. Therefore, the program goes beyond academic exercises and translates theoretical knowledge into tangible solutions for industry challenges.

Flexibility and Completion Time:

One of the significant advantages of pursuing a doctorate with a DRP is the flexibility it affords students. Unlike traditional dissertations, which may have more rigid timelines, DRPs allow learners to manage their time effectively . 

This flexibility is particularly beneficial for individuals with professional commitments or familial responsibilities, enabling them to tailor their studies to fit their unique schedules.

Completion times for DRPs vary, and prospective students should consider this aspect carefully. While some individuals may complete the program more swiftly, the flexibility allows others to pace themselves according to their circumstances.

Consider CIU’s Doctorate in Business Administration program, which allows students to earn a doctorate degree without dissertation requirements of any kind. The program is designed to be able to be finished within 3 years, but students are free to pace themselves as they see fit.

Program Accreditation and Recognition:

Ensuring the legitimacy of an online doctorate program is paramount. Programs offering DRPs, like California Intercontinental University’s DBA program, often hold accreditation from respected bodies like the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). 

This accreditation guarantees the program’s quality and ensures that the degree earned is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, contributing to the credibility of the qualification.

Prospective students should thoroughly research the accreditation status of any program they are considering to ensure their investment of time and effort leads to a recognized and respected degree.

How a DRP Works in an Online Doctorate Without Dissertation

As a doctoral student in a program with a Doctoral Research Project, you will:

  • Learn research methods
  • Plan and design your research
  • Present your findings in a scholarly paper. 

The project’s purpose is to make an original contribution to your field by creating a practical, everyday solution to a real problem or current challenge using sound evidence and thinking.

The DRP’s components demonstrate your competence in research and research design, your subject matter expertise , and your command of critical thinking and academic writing. Additionally, the DRP will prepare you for the career path of your specialization.

In conclusion, choosing between a traditional dissertation and a DRP is a significant decision that should align with an individual’s goals, preferences, and lifestyle. By carefully considering the differences, prospective students can select a program that meets their academic standards. Plus, it aligns with their aspirations for practical, applicable knowledge in their respective fields.

While a dissertation is the most common capstone project, a DRP in an online doctorate without dissertation requirements is an excellent alternative if you want to demonstrate your knowledge differently.

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Years To Complete

Advise, educate and innovate with an online doctor of business administration.

A global economy combined with changes in accessibility, technology and consumer expectations have changed the way business is done – and administered. With increased prominence and greater responsibility, business administration practitioners are tasked with managing corporate-wide initiatives to competitive advantage and profitability. Educators, too, are pioneering in the field, bringing innovative business administration leadership practices to the classroom for the next generation of thought leaders, strategists and consultants.

Program Availability

No-Fear Dissertation™

Get 360-degree support to take on (and finish!) your dissertation.

3-Year Completion

Finish your DBA faster -- including one year for your dissertation.

Personalized Program

Customize your program with a variety of electives.

100% Online Classes

Take classes that fit with your busy life.

In-Demand Skills

Develop advanced verbal competencies, technical abilities and interpersonal aptitude. 

Doctor of Business Administration Program Overview

Make a difference: become a problem-solving business leader.

Business and commerce as we knew it just a few years ago isn’t the same as business and commerce of today – and it certainly won’t be for tomorrow. Warp-speed changes in accessibility, technologies and consumer expectations, not to mention the global economy, have radically and dramatically altered the worldwide business landscape. 

As a result, those working in business administration are taking on new roles and new prominence at both organizational and educational levels.

Business practitioners, for example, are becoming essentially on-staff consultants who are charged with across-the-board innovation for profitability and competitive advantage. Responsibilities have shifted from mere oversight and management toward visionary leadership in everything from best practices, to process management and change, to operational methodologies.

Business instructors, meanwhile, are becoming pioneering educators and champions who are tasked with preparing up-and-coming practitioners to become tomorrow’s thought leaders, strategists and innovation consultants.

Set yourself apart in business or business education

Because the business world is experiencing such tremendous change, employers need (and want) higher levels of skills from both practitioners and educators. In-demand skills include verbal and written competencies, technical and technological abilities, and advanced interpersonal aptitude. Yet these sophisticated and relevant skills don’t come easily – or automatically. Instead, they require proficiencies beyond even a master’s-level degree; they require a degree of the highest level, a terminal degree.

The skills you will develop in earning a terminal degree in business administration will prepare you to make logical, relevant connections between classroom learnings and real-world operational effectiveness. Acquiring these skills in the content area of management and developing the ability to perform research will give you deeper insight, sharper senses and greater abilities to distinguish among all the factors at hand to decide what is merely important and what is critical to address the identified problem. Further, improving your writing by developing a clear, crisp and concise style will give your thoughts a voice that will be heard and heeded.

Achieve tactical and strategic goals through strong organizational leadership

Our transfer-friendly Doctor of Business Administration program reinforces the core technical aspects of quality research, yet also equips you with such sought-after skills as communication and technology. Franklin’s applied doctorate is a practical degree that enables both subject mastery and field application. That means you’ll be prepared to research and communicate complex issues as you solve organization-wide issues.

Franklin’s applied doctorate in Business Administration is a program designed to help you:

  • Differentiate yourself as a top performer or educator
  • Apply research in order to solve actual business problems
  • Assess and refine your own leadership competencies
  • Understand and apply leadership theories for organizational transformation

Drive business innovation and improvement

Through our online DBA program, you’ll focus on advanced research in the fields of organizational strategy and performance. Knowing how and having experience with investigating, using and applying the research of others will increase both the depth and breadth of your own analytical and critical-thinking skills.

For example, through your research, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of key business dynamics, such as:

  • Political and economic influence of global markets
  • Increased regulation and government intervention
  • Tension between public and private activities
  • Technological innovations
  • An increasingly diverse workforce

Armed with current research findings, you’ll be better prepared to:

  • Recognize and respond to opportunities
  • Form a vision for the future of your company or industry
  • Generate possible solutions across many fields
  • Address leadership issues
  • Institute continuous innovation
  • Improve customer satisfaction metric

All of which means that, with a Franklin DBA, you’ll be able to lead more strategically and focus innovative ideas to create competitive advantage.

Create a culture of effectiveness

Shaping corporate culture has never been more important. But it takes being intentional to create and sustain the right culture within your organization. Through Franklin’s applied DBA program, you’ll learn how to investigate, analyze and articulate organizational identity and behavior. You’ll also conduct substantive research into existing literature on organizational behavior, culture and effectiveness, culminating in the development of a research-ready proposal for cultural advancement or transformation.

Understand and manage organizational responsibility and integrity

It’s a modern-day business imperative: evaluate, assess and apply ethical constructs of business to provide more responsible management and leadership. From understanding theoretical principals, to developing ethical decision-making processes, to cultivating a social responsibility-minded corporate culture, Franklin DBA students will explore, assess and apply a full range of ethical theories and practices.

Get 360-degree support as you earn your DBA online

We’ve taken a comprehensive and systematic approach to our online DBA program, which includes team-based curriculum development, doctorally qualified faculty, and student-centered activities designed for the working adult. You’ll receive robust academic support from a variety of resources, including a graduate advisor, faculty advisor, personal librarian and peers, as well as the Student Learning Center staff and your Dissertation Committee members. You’ll also enjoy a cohesive and robust graduate culture and cohort. Together, our practice-minded faculty and your fellow students will support, mentor, encourage and keep you accountable to the program – and to yourself. At Franklin, you’re never alone on your doctoral journey.

Transfer up to 24 credit hours & finish your DBA faster

Want to complete your terminal degree in less than three years? Franklin grants up to 24 hours of prior-learning credit for previous doctoral work . We honor your prior-learning and make it easier to get credit for what you already know. Transfer credit can help you earn your applied doctorate degree faster, as well as reduce your overall tuition expenses.

Succeed with our unique dissertation structure

If there’s such a thing as a no-fear dissertation process, Franklin has it. We’ve intentionally designed a dissertation structure to help you complete your dissertation step-by-step, beginning with your enrollment in the program. We’ve also built-in faculty mentoring and guidance, and peer-to-peer support so you’re never left to “figure it out” on your own.

Throughout the online DBA program, you’ll develop important research skills and the necessary writing prowess to publish a dissertation or a dissertation in practice as a capstone project to your studies. Your dissertation will showcase your ability to identify a topic of interest within the workplace, develop a proposed solution to a problem, and test your hypotheses in the real world.

Dr. Augustine O.

Dba graduate '23.

"From the initial orientation class to the final dissertation defense, Franklin's faculty and staff were consistently ready to provide support. The availability of resources like the library commons, writing, and technology workshops made the return to school more accessible, especially for individuals who had been away from academic settings for decades. With the guidance of a dedicated and supportive dissertation committee, I carried out innovative management and finance research."

Future Start Dates

Start dates for individual programs may vary and are subject to change. Please  request free information  & speak with an admission advisor for the latest program start dates.

online dba no dissertation

If there’s such a thing as a no-fear dissertation process, Franklin has it. We’ve intentionally designed a dissertation structure to help you complete your dissertation step-by-step, beginning with your enrollment in the program. We’ve also built in faculty mentoring and guidance, and peer-to-peer support so you’re never left to “figure it out” on your own.

Throughout the Ed.D.-Higher Education leadership program, you’ll develop important research skills and the necessary writing prowess to complete and publish a dissertation in practice (DiP) as the culmination of your studies. Your DiP will showcase your ability to solve a challenge within the workplace using action research. As a part of the (DiP), you will test your hypotheses in the real world, or based on your findings, document a process to implement your solution. 

Your Best Value Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Choose Franklin's DBA and get an applied doctorate that fits your budget and your ambition. 

The Finish Formula

2 years of coursework + 1 year for the dissertation.

Transfer MORE Credits, Pay LESS tuition*

Faculty support.

Be mentored + guided by doctoral faculty advisor from first term through candidacy. 

Highly Recommended

98% of graduating students would recommend Franklin to their family, friends and/or colleagues.

Source: Franklin University, Office of Career Development Student Satisfaction Survey (Summer 2023)

Doctor of Business Administration Courses & Curriculum

This course will establish the doctoral program structure and associated expectations, requirements, and support resources, as well as prepare students to be active participants in advanced professional and academic discourse by examining and practicing the writing conventions associated with their chosen field of study. As part of an intentional learning community, students will become familiar with the varied conventions of disciplinary writing and analyze the ongoing scholarly conversations pertinent to their academic interest by identifying common scholarly writing conventions, composing knowledge base articles, and responding to both their peers? works in progress and published scholarly writing.

This course will build on the foundational work of ENG8010 to ensure that students continue to compose in academic and professional genres in order to compose and communicate scholarly arguments and perspectives in their chosen field of study. In addition to applying scholarly writing conventions associated both with doctoral scholarship and with their chosen field of study, students will continue to cultivate a learning community and develop field-specific research in order to compose knowledge-base articles, annotated bibliographies, literature reviews and analytical research papers.

Through this course, students will gain an overview of qualitative research methods. The course starts with successful completion of the CITI training - the protection of human research participants, then move on to introduce some of the critical works in qualitative research methods and design as well as give an overview of the historical progression of the field. Students will become familiar with the various approaches to qualitative methods, including narrative approach, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case studies. Students will gain hands-on experience with qualitative sampling design, observations, and qualitative data collection. They will also get some introduction in qualitative data analysis, validity, reliability, and researchers' bias in qualitative work. At the end of this course, students will be introduced to the research proposal to get a start on the guidelines required for their dissertation proposal.

Through this course, students will gain an overview of quantitative research designs and methods, including experimental, quasi-experimental, and non-experimental designs. The course will also introduce students to quantitative sampling techniques, data collection approaches, and data analysis. Students will also engage in practical hands-on experience with formulating a research question or hypotheses, discussing important ethical issues, designing sampling methods, collecting data, and analyzing data. They will learn how to examine validity and reliability issues and will be introduced to available software for conducting quantitative design. At the end of this course, students will be introduced to the research proposal to get a start on the guidelines required for their dissertation proposal.

This course will introduce students to the concepts underlying basic data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Core topics include descriptive statistics, selection and operationalization of variables, scales of measurement, data types, sampling techniques, and means of collecting data. Using a current statistical analysis program, students will learn to describe data sets using measures of dispersion and relative position, to compute probability of occurrence of events, to compute measures of relationship, and to convey and interpret results of various analyses in written form.

This course will emphasize the alignment of statistical procedures with research methods, including selection and application of appropriate statistical analyses given a data set and a problem statement, including comparison tests, tests of prediction/relationships, and tests of predicting group membership. Moreover, students will develop skills of data set manipulation, including ?cleaning and screening? data, and assessing conditions in order to choose between parametric and non-parametric tests. Additional emphasis will be placed upon conveying and interpreting results of analyses in written form.

This is a hands-on course designed to equip student with skills and knowledge necessary to develop new, valid and reliable instruments as well as help improve existing ones. In particular, the course looks at the evolution of measurement development, the different types of tests used in various settings, the psychometric properties and the process involved in developing reliable and valid measurement instruments. The course includes creation of a reliable and valid measurement that can be readily applied in a given context and/or field.

The qualitative data analysis course focuses on qualitative coding, analysis, and interpretation of findings, and writing of the qualitative results. These skills will prepare students for the doctoral candidacy journey. The goal of this course is to collect readily available text data, work on mapping, memoing, coding, analyzing, interpreting, and writing qualitative results.

In this course, students will be introduced to the main schools of critical and social theory: structuralism, post-structuralism, cultural theory, queer theory, gender theory, critical race theory, disability studies, and post-colonialism among others. Students will analyze foundational theoretical scholarship, examine how critical and social theory has developed over time, and consider the ways in which theory might inform their own research. Throughout the course, students will complete short papers as well as a major writing assignment at the end of the term.

The aim of this course is for students to learn about and be able to apply key research design frameworks in quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. In particular, students will learn conditions under which each design and/or approach would be most appropriate and effective. Additionally, students will learn how to formulate research questions, critically evaluate various research designs in order to select a suitable one for a given research problem, develop appropriate data collection and analysis procedures and plans as well as ethical conduct of research studies. During the course, students will learn to craft a research propose integrating critical components, namely background of study, purpose statement, research question, theoretical framework, significance of the study, critical review and synthesis of key literature underpinning the study, appropriate research design, and data collection and analysis procedures.

This is an advanced course in statistics that covers analyses used in multivariate statistical techniques. The course is designed to broaden and deepen learners understanding of advanced statistics in multivariate techniques. As such, several multivariate techniques are covered, including their appropriateness to given situations, analysis, and interpretation. The emphasis of the course is on practical application of concepts learnt to given research problems and/or opportunities. The course is developed to balance theory and application and provides numerous opportunities for application to practical problems. Learners also complete a draft research proposal integrating sound research plans and procedures.

The advanced qualitative research course builds on the knowledge and skills students acquire in MTHD 803 and MTHD 804. This course leads students on an in depth treatment of qualitative research methodology, exploring its theoretical underpinnings and associated methods for design, data collection, interpretation, and reporting of results. Ethics are emphasized for each stage of research. This course will also guide students to develop the methodology and data analysis for their dissertation proposal and research.

Through this course, students will familiarize with mixed-methods research and design. They will gain knowledge on the four different types of mixed-methods: triangulation design, embedded design, explanatory design, and exploratory design. Students will learn how to conceptualize their own study in terms of these different design types. They will gain hands-on experience on how to formulate a research question fitted for a mixed-methods design, collect some data, and analyze it. They will discuss and learn about challenges and advantages of mixed-methods designs. At the end of this course students will be able to work on their dissertation proposal.

This course is an advanced research seminar in the field of organizational culture and behavior. The seminar allows you to begin the process of substantive academic research and formal inquiry into these important theories and the implications of these for managers. The seminar will require the synthesis of critical thinking, analysis, research writing and evaluation. Students will develop a key deliverable that involves a research proposal in the fields of organizational culture and behavior and then conduct substantive research into the literature developed by others. The final project in the seminar is the development of a research ready proposal utilizing at minimum one research methodology.

This course addresses historical and current leadership concepts, theories and constructs. An emphasis will be on the application and assessment of transformational, servant and authentic leadership theories for us by both leaders and followers in 21st century business and academic settings. The course will challenge students to assess their own leadership strengths and weaknesses and produce an in-depth plan of action to develop and refine leadership competencies. Students will conduct substantive scholarly research to address and capture relevant and cutting edge leadership theoretical work for application in course assignments.

Organizational Systems Perspectives Theory and Applications. This course focuses on the theory and practice of organizations as open and adaptive systems. Students will address the implications of systems theory for organizational sense-making, learning, innovation and transformation. The complexity of organizations as integrated participants in while systems will be addressed through research and presentations.

This course focuses on research and evaluation of the key theoretical concepts and practices central to the leading of organizational change initiatives. Students will evaluate real-world situations, cases and scenarios in order to recommend and justify theoretically-based change management practices to ensure ongoing organizational acceptance and effectiveness of these programs. Students will conduct scholarly research to explore, evaluate and interpret state-of0the-art change concepts for their viability in today's organizations. Students will assess the role of change agents as key players in the overall change process.

16 credits from levels 8000-8999 in the following subjects: ACCT, CJAD, EDUC, HCM, HIM, HRM, IDL, ITEC, MGMT, MKTG, MTHD, PUAD.

Students can also select from: FINA 737, FINA 750, or FINA. 773.

This course is designed for students to prepare for, take and complete their comprehensive exam. Remedial strategies and actions will also be provided for students who do not successfully pass their comprehensive exam on the first attempt, with the opportunity for a retake during the six weeks of the course if the student chooses to do so. A third attempt on taking the Doctoral Comprehensive Examination will not be automatically provided to doctoral students failing to successfully pass the examination after two attempts. Any third attempt will only be considered upon receiving a written petition by the student requesting a final attempt. The request may or may not be approved based on review by the Dean of Doctoral Studies and the student's doctoral Program Chair. Students who fail the comprehensive examination two times, or fail the examination three times when a third attempt was granted through appeal, are dismissed from doctoral studies at Franklin University.

At least 6 credits from the following courses:

In consultation with the Dissertation Chair and Committee Members, the doctoral candidate will design and conduct research to complete the aims identified in their research prospectus, proposal and IRB application or as subsequently modified in line with recommendations from the Chair and Committee Members. This course may be repeated as necessary to earn sufficient credit or to finalize the Dissertation to fulfill requirements to earn the doctorate.

Doctoral candidates will finalize all aspects of the Dissertation/Dissertation in Practice and make an oral defense of their design, methods and findings.

Students may complete 8 credit hours of a focus area to count within the Major Elective requirement.

At least 8 credits from the following courses:

In order to effectively lead a criminal justice organization, one must understand the principles and practices of effective leadership. Having the ability to inspire, challenge, and encourage subordinates toward a shared mission and goal is a critical skill that criminal justice leaders must possess. Additionally, having the tools to assess, evaluate and make critical decisions in extreme situations is necessary for all criminal justice leaders. This criminal justice leadership course equips students with the skills necessary to ethically and effectively lead a criminal justice organization. They will also be challenged to create practical leadership policies for criminal justice organizations.

This course examines administration of justice agencies and processes from a historical and contemporary context. It includes an in-depth analysis of contemporary issues and challenges in justice organizations. It also explores policies and procedures that impact the administration of justice.

This course explores the role of race, class, and gender in the administration of justice. It provides an in-depth analysis of historical and contemporary research on race, class, gender, and crime. Special emphasis is placed upon social, economic, and political factors that impact crime and the administration of justice policy and planning.

This course is an advanced accounting research seminar in financial reporting. The seminar allows you to begin the process of substantive academic research and formal inquiry into important financial reporting theories and the implications of these for accountants. The seminar will require the synthesis of critical thinking, analysis, research writing and evaluation. Students will develop a key deliverable that involves a research proposal in financial accounting thought and then conduct substantive research into the literature developed by others. The final project in the seminar is the development of a research ready proposal utilizing at minimum one research methodology.

This course is an advanced accounting research seminar in managerial accounting. The seminar allows you to begin the process of substantive academic research and formal inquiry into these important theories and the implications of these for managerial accountants. The seminar will require the synthesis of critical thinking, analysis, research writing and evaluation. Students will develop a key deliverable that involves a research proposal in managerial accounting and then conduct substantive research into the literature developed by others. The final project in the seminar is the development of a research ready proposal utilizing at minimum one research methodology.

This course is an advanced accounting research seminar in auditing. The seminar allows you to begin the process of substantive academic research and formal inquiry into important auditing theories and the implications of these for accountants. The seminar will require the synthesis of critical thinking, analysis, research, writing and evaluation. Students will develop a research proposal in auditing based on their substantive research into the accounting, auditing and business literature. The final project in the seminar is the development of a research ready proposal, including an appropriate research methodology that describes an issue, problem or proactive need as documented in the literature, for which the student will formulate, describe and defend an appropriate solution.

The course will study the teaching and learning philosophies, methods, and techniques in higher education. Topics will cover learning theories, instructional design models, instructional strategies, and evaluation of student performance. By the end of this course, students will develop their own teaching philosophy along with an instructional unit demonstrating their mastery of learning theories and instructional design models, selection of proper learning technologies in designing the instruction, and incorporation of appropriate instructional and assessment methods. In addition, students will also explore faculty careers in higher education.

This core course focuses on state-of-the-art leadership skills necessary for the effectiveness of today's leaders and managers. The course concentrates on the specific transformational, servant-leadership, and other leadership competencies and skills necessary for providing sound management of institutional resources, projects, and performance. Students will apply leadership theoretical underpinnings to real-world cases, scenarios and situations that involve effective and ineffective resource and performance management practices. The course concentrates on the application of critical thinking and decision-making in optimal practices for providing highly effective leadership in today's organizations.

This course provides an examination of leadership theories and structures in institutions of higher education. Focusing on major theories of leadership of higher education organizations that inform leadership practices, students will develop skills as practitioners in university leadership. By the end of the course, students will be able to understand the structure and function of university leadership structures from multiple theoretical perspectives. Students will gain an understanding of the management, leadership, and administrative roles of academic and student affairs offices in colleges and universities including personnel, program definition, research and teaching issues, and other functions of academic and programming oversight. Additional consideration to the roles, responsibilities, and leadership styles required will be examined for different organizational contexts. Through the linking of theory to practice, the class activities will lead students to develop skills as campus leaders and to empower them to make conscious, deliberate decisions, utilizing multiple, and at times divergent, theoretical frames.

The purpose of this course is to explore critical, challenges facing American higher education. The course explores the history of higher education, with an emphasis on the development of higher education in the United States, to present day challenges facing intuitions. It includes issues of access, accountability, academic freedom, financial aid, state and federal government policy, changing legal structures, teaching and learning in a digital age, student issues, diversity, and the influence of business models and values on institutional strategy and practice. This course also covers different educational systems (Community Colleges, Private Colleges, and Public Colleges) and the critical issues affecting their institutional type. Students will gain an understanding of their responsibilities, critical thinking, and explore current issues that affect managers in institutions of higher education. This course addresses interdisciplinary influences on leadership practice within learning organizations and focuses on recent developments that have broad implications for research and practice in educational leadership.

In this course students will evaluate an organizations current health information governance infra-structure and will make recommendations for improvement that will cover the broad spectrum of strategic issues in healthcare including policies, guidelines, standards, processes and controls required to manage and implement enterprise-level information. Students will research how health data and organizational information systems are utilized as a strategic asset to healthcare organizations, process to manage various risks to the quality of information and ensure its appropriate use.

In this course students will evaluate an organizations existing clinical workflows to include a variety of inpatient, outpatient and emergency healthcare environments. Material in the course covers the documentation, review, mapping and diagramming of clinical workflow information and processes. Students will also assess and make recommendations for improvement of patient care to workflow mapping and change management, as part of evidence based decision making in healthcare.

In this course students will evaluate an organizations existing process of retrieving, analyzing and reporting intelligence to make healthcare decisions. Student will assess and make recommendations for improvement on the techniques of extracting, transforming and loading data from a myriad of operational databases into corporate data warehouses, as well means to ensure that decision making is based on clean and reliable information. Students will also develop skills for reporting the healthcare intelligence gathered.

This science of epidemiology is essential for projecting the population health needs, and appropriate allocation of public and private resources. This course focuses on the utilization of epidemiologic studies and techniques as a basis for organizational policy and administrative decision-making. Students will examine the connection between organizational leadership and social health. Students will create and recommend organizational strategies that enhance organizational, community, and global health.

This course will explore various aspects of corporate, state and federal policy making. Students will examine the impact of existing health policies on healthcare organizations, providers and patients. Students will develop skills to influence and change existing healthcare policies. Students will also create and propose a new healthcare policy.

This course will examine the importance of resource and financial management in a healthcare organization. Students will determine the financial status of a healthcare organization and create strategic plans to sustain healthcare services. This course will also explore the various concepts driving healthcare economics. This course will also critique the use of organizational supplies, human resources, and technology.

This course will examine various aspects of patient safety, quality improvement and risk management in healthcare. Students will compare and contrast several process improvement models with the goal of improving organizational efficiency, patient safety, and service quality. Students will also research governmental agencies driving quality improvement in healthcare organizations.

Healthcare Leaders, more than ever, are facing challenging opportunities with the changing dynamics of the industry. During this course students will explore how executive-level leaders can manage complex health systems using strategic planning, risk management and innovative business practices.

The science of epidemiology and population health concepts are essential for addressing and projecting the health needs of communities and the allocation of public and private resources. This course focuses on the utilization of epidemiologic findings and population health data to support and aid health care policy development and administrative decision making. Students will be able to apply these concepts to analyze public health and population health data for epidemics, chronic health conditions, or diseases to develop data supported strategies as healthcare administrators.

With the changing landscape of disease concerns the healthcare industry has had to pivot to use innovative ways to reach patients in uncertain times. This has raised many issues such as HIPAA, access to care, and healthcare workers competencies. This class will explore the new and changing landscape of the future delivery models and how to ethically address patient, family, healthcare professionals and government concerns.

Organizations across the globe are composed of groups of people working together to achieve goals that include organizational success, employee growth and contribution, and contribution to the larger community. The defining factor that differentiates the most successful companies from those that struggle to survive is the people who make up the employee base. While the Human Resources function has the specific task of planning for and resolving many employee issues and needs, individual managers and employees have direct responsibility and accountably for achieving sustained organizational success. Organizations that invest in their employees and develop workplace environments that encourage full employee engagement are rewarded with a competitive advantage in the marketplace. This course provides students with an opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills needed to enhance the contributions of all employees in support of an organization's purpose. Student's research will analyze trends and issues influencing the development and application of these elements within contemporary organizations. Additionally, students will come to understand the benefits afforded to organizations that create, craft and maintain a rich, empowering culture.

In Strategic Human Resource Management, students will analyze workforce management processes in light of their strategic importance. This will include an examination of the relationships between traditional human resource functions and the various business functions so that efficiency and effectiveness are balanced and optimized. Students will also review these processes and relationships in both the domestic and global environments now and in the future. Further, students conduct research to explore trends within the discipline of Human Resource Management that have a positive impact upon employee engagement as well as the productivity and profitability of an organization.

In this course, students will evaluate the process of change as related to the principles and practices of various types of organizations. Students will conduct research into the area of total rewards to determine what influences are leading many organizations to implement progressive human resource practices. Students will apply this learning to examine change processes and techniques used to facilitate transformational change in order to enhance employee engagement and organizational success. Students will also understand the business case supporting why companies should invest in their employees and internal cultures, regardless of industry affiliation, company size and/or revenue generation and apply this research to examine the processes and techniques for facilitating transformational change.

Financial decisions made at the higher levels of a business organization can have far-reaching effects. Intended to achieve firm operating goals and create shareholder value, they must be made judiciously, with a thorough understanding of all the factors involved. In this course, you will learn to apply the analytical techniques required for developing effective and workable financial solutions at the executive level. You will gain an overall understanding of the workings of the U.S. financial system. In addition, you will study the concepts of financial risk, return, and the valuation of bonds, common and preferred stock, cost of capital, capital budgeting, capital structure, and the evaluation of investment opportunities.

This course provides students with advanced knowledge of the capital markets, financial institutions, financial products, and analytical tools and skills needed for investments portfolio management. The objective is to provide students with a solid foundation of advanced concepts, tools, and techniques for making informed decisions in the highly dynamic investment environment. Students will utilize computer software, simulations, and internet tools to understand the viewpoint of professional investors more fully. The course will adopt an application-oriented approach so that students will be able to explain their financial decision under conditions of uncertainty. The course will provide students with a framework that will be useful in business settings where such analyses are routinely made.

No longer are only mammoth corporations concerned with the complexities and nuances of multinational financial operations. Today the leaders of companies of even moderate size often must have at least a fundamental knowledge of the global financial environment. In this course, you will be introduced to the workings of international finance as it relates to business operations. You will gain an understanding of such international macroeconomic topics as the balance of payments and models of exchange rate determination, while at the same time focusing on institutional issues such as the choice of exchange rate regime and growth of offshore currency markets. You will examine business and investor decisions involving exchange rate risk management, cross-border investment strategies, and participation in international money and capital markets.

This course focuses on theories and practices for leading cross-sector collaborations to accomplish public policy goals and objectives of mission-driven organizations. Students evaluate different collaborative approaches for delivering government and nonprofit services and assess the risks and benefits of engaging in cross-sector collaborations. Students learn analytical approaches, principled negotiation skills, and best practices for initiating and managing effective cross-sector collaborations.

The course examines the latest technologies that can be used to improve service delivery, engage stakeholders, and solve problems. Students learn the technologies and best practices for using web-based applications, e-commerce solutions, geographic information systems, crowd-sourcing, social media and other e-tools to make government and nonprofit organizations more efficient and effective. Ethical, legal, and implementation, aspects of these approaches are assessed.

This course examines concepts, tools, and techniques for evaluating government policies, philanthropic, and social programs to assess the performance of mission-driven organizations. The course focuses on evaluating different approaches to program evaluation and applying methods for performance evaluation, including needs assessments, logic models, evaluation designs, quantitative and qualitative evaluation techniques, ethics, and reporting.

This course critically analyzes the current state of IT strategy practices and demonstrates how an IT strategy serves as a strong foundation for competitive IT management. Several tools and methods are synthesized to assess internal and external environments for formulating a strategy, execute a strategy based on environmental factors, and improve a strategy. The course brings the current academic and business literature to the class. It examines emerging IT strategy and management issues such as hyper-automation, AI, cybersecurity mesh, anywhere operations, and the internet of behaviors.

This course aims to improve critical thinking and decision-making skills in the IT policy and governance field. The course brings forth today's complex and cutting-edge computing environment by taking threats, vulnerabilities, and cyber controls into account. Course provokes the questions of how the GRC (Governance, Risk Management, Compliance) practices should be applied in today's complex IT environments to make the most out of the cutting-edge technology and how critical assets should be protected from adversarial actions of advanced persistent threats. The course brings various essential processes and services to the table, including but not limited to supply chain risks, innovation, and resilience. Research papers and discussion assignments help students obtain pertinent information and improve research & academic writing skills within the field.

This course aims to improve critical thinking and decision-making skills while building your capabilities as an IT leader. The course helps you build a strong foundation on how to internally and externally lead others in a complex IT environment. This course will challenge you to create a leadership style that will bring the best out of people and yourself. Research papers and discussion assignments help students obtain pertinent information and improve research & academic writing skills within the field.

This course is an advanced research seminar in contemporary marketing management. The seminar relies on critical inquiry and analysis as the foundation for substantive academic research involving current marketing issues that shape and are shaped by society. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have completed a comprehensive research study proposal.

This course is an advanced seminar in consumer behavior and market-driven applied research. Readings and assignments will synthesize prior knowledge of consumer behavior, research methodologies, methods, and theories with critical analyses of how these are used to inform marketing decision-making. Upon successful completion of this course, students will have developed a plan to conduct and analyze a research study.

This course is an advanced seminar in the use of quantitative and qualitative data in the marketing process. Upon successful completion of this seminar, students will have an understanding of how quantitative and qualitative analyses are used by marketing academicians and practitioners for academic and applied research, assessment, and decision- making.

Leaders of instruction and learning must stay abreast of continual changes in technology and leverage them to ensure the competitiveness and health of their organization. However, not all technologies and emerging processes are worth adopting. In this course, students will examine pedagogical trends and emerging technologies. Students will learn how to evaluate theories and incorporate designs, processes, and technologies in strategic and tactical decisions for instruction and learning in the organization.

In this course, students will be exposed to new and innovative approaches for designing effective learning and instruction. This course will equip students with knowledge of applicable frameworks and strategies for implementation at the organizational level. Students will review learning environments such as e-learning, blended and hybrid learning, mobile learning, game-based learning, and informal and social learning, to determine the appropriate learning environment based on the learning and training needs of an organization.

Today's researchers, leaders and managers in the instructional design field must be able to use data to make decisions, as well as to influence others in their organizations. In this course, students will learn how to apply relevant tools, techniques, theories, and principles of strategic assessment and decision-making to address the learning and performance needs to continuous improvement for learning problems or a learning organization.

Learning and knowledge management is crucial to the success of organizations. In this course, students will go beyond the design of learning environments and acquire skills to lead and manage the learning organization at a strategic level. Students will be able to recognize and meet the evolving learning needs of an organization within the framework of the organization's strategic goals. Multicultural awareness and how to lead multi-functional and cross-cultural instructional design teams and projects will also be addressed in this course.

In this course, you will learn leadership, coaching, and consulting theories, specifically for leading in the instructional design and training industries. You will learn to identify the knowledge, skills, and qualities needed in your development to become a successful instructional design leader. Toward this end, you will develop a personal instructional design leadership philosophy and plan.

This course examines the theoretical framework and practice of curriculum design, development, and evaluation in educational settings. Students will learn the theories that are being used to guide curriculum design in educational settings. Students will apply those theories and processes in creating a curriculum and planning teaching & learning activities accordingly.

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Microcredentials Align with Job Essentials

In today's dynamic work environments, adaptive professionals thrive. A microcredential - either as a stand-alone course or integrated into your degree program - is a short, skill-specific recognition that enables you to demonstrate your competency in a distinct area. Like Franklin's degree programs, microcredentials are aligned with market and industry demand to ensure what you learn can be put to use right away. Microcredentials are easily shared via digital badges and can be stacked to create a unique portfolio of in-demand skills.

Doctoral Leadership

Doctor of Business Administration Degree Program Details

2023 - 2024 TuitionCost Per Credit
Standard Tuition$748
International students$899
2024 - 2025 TuitionCost Per Credit
Standard Tuition$748
Current Service Members$636
International students$899
Other Fees and ChargesCost
Application fee (non-refundable)$50
Nursing programs fees
Graduation application fee (non-refundable, non-transferable)$150
Graduation application late fee (non-refundable, non-transferable) $100
Late payment fee for deferred tuition reimbursement plan$100
Returned check processing fee$25
E-Textbook Optional Charges

A learning outcome map functions as a roadmap to help guide students' progress through their program of study. Click HERE to view the Doctor of Business Administration matrix.

The admission process reflects Franklin University’s efforts to clearly identify the performance standards that can help predict student success in graduate level study. The selection criterion for Franklin’s graduate programs, as determined by faculty, emphasizes academic ability, contributory work experience, and personal qualities and characteristics.

Requirements for admission include having earned a master’s degree from an institution accredited by a Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)-recognized accrediting organization with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Applicants who earned lower than a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale in their earned master’s degree can petition for admission to the program chair by submitting an essay detailing other criteria that the applicant believes should be considered to demonstrate their ability to be successful in a doctoral program. This petition could include details on the applicant’s work experience, work ethic, level of professionalism, personality characteristics, level of difficulty of program of study previously completed, etc. 

If a student is admitted as a result of the petition, the student will need to obtain a “B” average (3.0 GPA) during the first doctoral-level course (ENG 800) of their program. If the terms of the conditional enrollment are not met, the student will not be allowed to advance in their program and will be unable to earn this graduate degree from Franklin University. 

Program Prerequisites

The Doctor of Business Administration - Management requires a minimum of 30 hours of graduate coursework in a business-related field.

English Language Testing & TOEFL IELTS

Prospective students must demonstrate English Language Proficiency. The requirement is met through any of the following:

  • The applicant is a citizen of a country where English is the official language.*
  • The applicant has received a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an institution located in an English-speaking country in which the courses were taught in English.*
  • The applicant has earned appropriate scores on language proficiency exams taken within the last two years, as listed in the  Academic Catalog .  

*For more information about English proficiency, including a list of English-speaking nations, please visit our International Students section.

To be awarded a graduate degree, students must:

  • Successfully complete all required curriculum courses.
  • Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00.
  • Earn in residence at Franklin University at least 34 of the 58 required credits. According to the Ohio Department of Higher Education, to earn a doctorate degree, students must have completed a minimum of 90 semester credit hours above the bachelor’s degree. Students requiring additional credit hours to meet this minimum will take GRAD 900 Advanced Integrative Research.
  • Complete the payment of all requisite tuition and fees.
  • Not to be under disciplinary dismissal due to academic dishonesty or violation of Student Code of Conduct.

The University employs a team approach to planning, developing and maintaining its academic curriculum. An essential element of this process – and a key to the institution’s quality assurance practices – is the Program Advisory Board (and the associated Alumni Advisory Board). A diverse array of business and industry leaders make up these discipline-specific boards that provide guidance on theory-to-practice ideas, global business perspectives, and emerging topics in the field. Each academic year, Program Advisory Boards meet with Division Chairs and faculty for lively and engaged conversations, thus bringing members’ substantial professional experience and expertise into the classroom. In addition, some Division Chairs elect to engage Program Advisory Board members in the assessment of academic program outcomes.

Name Organization Title
Timothy Meixner US Air Force Chief, Air Force Sustainment Center
Tami Moser, Ph.D Southwestern Oklahoma State Univ. Chair, Prof. of Pharm. Admin.
Michael Powers, Ph.D Huntington Bank SVP, IT Risk Director
Gregory Timberlake, Ph.D North Central College Retired Dean
Steven Tincher, Ph.D Franklin University Adjunct Faculty
Michael Williams Thomas Edison State University Dean, School of Bus. + Mgmt.

Doctor of Business Administration '21

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Doctor of Business Administration Careers & Jobs

Professors primarily plan curriculum, conduct original research, and teach and test students, helping expand their knowledge within a particular subject matter or discipline.

Analysts assess strengths, weaknesses and opportunities, recommending improvements and solutions to help organizations enhance performance and competitive advantage.

Consultants are paid experts who assess a particular problem, challenge or opportunity and provide strategic recommendations for action.

Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are innovative business practitioners who strategically lead an organization to success and profitability.

Executives are responsible for oversight of an organization, including determining and/or implementing initiatives and leading senior management.

Human Resources Specialist

Human Resources Specialists source, recruit, and interview prospective employees; support implementation of human resources programs, and mediate employee issues.

Doctor of Business Administration Employment Outlook

From 2021-2031 jobs in business administration are expected to increase by 5%..

All Occupations

2021
2031

Computer and Information Systems Managers

Sales Managers

Software Developers

Source information provided by Lightcast.

Doctor of business administration frequently asked questions, back to college blog.

What Can You Do with a Business Degree? More Than You Think.

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Will My Business Doctoral Credits Transfer? Answering Common Questions About Finishing Your Doctoral Degree

DBA vs. Ed.D.: Which Leadership Degree Should You Pursue?

Doctorates in Business: How to Find The Best Program For You

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Marymount University Online

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Online Doctorate of Business Administration in Business Intelligence

online dba no dissertation

Why Marymount? | Admission Requirements | Curriculum | FAQs

Prepare for what’s next with a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA)

Rapid technological advancements are transforming the business world. Marymount University’s online DBA in Business Intelligence expands your ability to navigate current and future challenges facing businesses, governments, and nonprofits in this “what’s next?” economy. 

Elevate your understanding and agility at the intersection of business, data, innovation, and technology. This online program can help you harness the power of technology and data insights so that you can make the high-level data-driven decisions needed to lead with advanced knowledge, vision, and clarity. 

Earning a DBA degree will position you as an agile leader who is at the forefront of an ever-changing economy—through actionable research that advances the field of business intelligence and its applications in the real world.  

Why Marymount?

Our interdisciplinary online DBA program is highly personalized, allowing you to conduct original applied research directly related to your career goals. There are no residencies required so you can advance your career, without putting it on hold, in our fully online and part-time format.

Marymount’s online DBA in Business Intelligence is:

  • Cost-effective: This part-time program costs $1,340 per credit hour, for a total program investment of $48,240.
  • Accelerated: With intakes in the fall and spring, it is possible to complete 36 credit hours needed to graduate in just under three years (8 terms). 
  • Connected: Build connections with diverse, accomplished, and supportive faculty based in the nation’s capital, home to the most educated workforce in the country.*

*Ranking America's Most Educated Cities, Bloomberg

What are the admissions requirements? 

Doctoral applicants must have an MBA (preferred), or a master’s degree in a business specialty field or IT (may require prerequisites), from a regionally accredited institution, with 3.5 GPA or higher. Professional experience of 5-10 years or more is required. No GRE/GMAT required.

A phone interview with an admissions advisor is required prior to applying. The following is a list of documents to be submitted after the completion of your online application.

  • Official transcripts
  • Current resume
  • Writing sample
  • Statement of research background and interest
  • Virtual interview with faculty member

Program Features

  • 8 semesters/Minimum 30 months to complete
  • $1,140 per credit hour
  • Fall and Spring intake
  • Fully online – no residencies required
  • Accredited by the SACSCOC

Compare a DBA to a PhD: Applied vs. Theoretical

A DBA and a PhD, also called terminal degrees, are the highest post-graduate degrees you can earn. As a rule, the DBA is considered a professional doctorate and the PhD is an academic doctorate . Here are some commonly asked questions to help clarify the differences.

Those who choose to become a Doctor of Business Administration are typically working professionals with managerial experience who want to focus on applied research to solve real-world problems in business. Most PhD holders accept teaching positions as professors or researchers at universities after developing theoretical research .

The DBA program applied research dissertation focuses on concrete, real-world organizational and business concerns. The research explores and solves practical problems with real-world applications. The PhD dissertation is focused on academic research methods to develop theories or identify gaps in theories deemed important by the academic community.

While both business administration programs are comprehensive and time-intensive, DBA programs are typically studied on a part-time basis to accommodate working professionals, while PhD programs are typically full-time.

DBA Curriculum Snapshot

This doctoral course assesses the implications of strategic management and leadership in a dynamic environment. Emphasis is placed on the development of action-based strategies for the purpose of creating competitive advantage. Students critically examine leading theories of organizational strategy, as well as the evolution of strategic management, enabling them to identify new perspectives applicable to their areas of interest. (3 credits)

Consistent with the ideal that leadership is not just an act but a way of being, this doctoral course will explore the ethical foundations that inform the leader’s personal and professional practices in today’s changing environment. Students examine ethical theories and concepts applied to leadership challenges in real-world situations, across business and government. Emphasis will be placed on understanding ethical leadership for social and organizational change, the leader’s role as a moral agent, and the organization’s role as a moral agent in society. (3 credits)

This doctoral course covers the effective management of digital transformation efforts taking place throughout government and business organizations to improve operations through the effective use of technology. Students develop a thorough understanding of how to intelligently manage the organizational transformation that occurs when all or parts of an enterprise “go digital.” Students develop strategies to best harness the strategic business value of digital technologies by examining the principles behind the design of business models for product and service delivery via digital platforms. (3 credits)

Next application deadline:

  • July 26, 2024 Fall 2024

Next start date:

  • September 3, 2024 Fall 2024

View Full Curriculum

In this course, doctoral students will develop the documentation necessary for approval of their research topic and overall research plan. They will also obtain approval from their dissertation advisor and submit their dissertation proposal for approval by the Faculty Dissertation Committee. Students will evaluate which type of IRB submission is appropriate and prepare the material for its timely submission. Students will be guided in a thorough literature review on their chosen topic and develop a clear understanding of previous work in their field. (3 credits)

Is this program right for me?

If you want to leverage your professional experience to strengthen your understanding and application of data and technology—in business, academia, or the nonprofit community—the Marymount online DBA in Business Intelligence could be right for you. 

In this video, Online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Business Intelligence student Ihab Marcus discusses how the DBA professors' experience in industry adds a real depth to the instruction and also adds great diversity and dynamic element to the actual teaching itself. 

Hear From a Student

Featured Videos

Meet jennifer bates.

Meet James Ryerson

DBA outcomes graphic

Reach the Summit

In a job market saturated with MBA graduates, your doctoral degree will distinguish you as a professional who has reached the highest level of education in your field.

DBA in Business Intelligence Program Summary

Marymount University’s online DBA in Business Intelligence program prepares you for executive leadership positions and to be ready for “what’s next” in the ever-changing environment of business, government, and non-profit organizations. The DBA provides the real-world business intelligence tools you need to advance your career and prove your capabilities as a strategic, data-savvy business executive. As a student at Marymount, your ethical foundation will be expanded while you grow as a leader.

The program is strategically designed to develop your higher-order thinking and research skills. This will enable you to apply theory to practice, which will empower you to address today’s business challenges with knowledge, vision, and clarity that will lead to groundbreaking insights.  

An interdisciplinary education

Marymount’s College of Business, Innovation, Leadership, and Technology (BILT) enhances the synergistic benefits of these four disciplines and represents the foundation of the DBA in Business Intelligence.

Expert faculty

The Washington, D.C. region has the most educated workforce in the country, so you’ll learn from, and study with, this talented group of leaders.

Applied research

Unlike theoretical research, the DBA in Business Intelligence uses applied research to affect practical change in real-world business scenarios.

Concurrent dissertation model

Rather than having the research component of the degree addressed at the end of the program like most universities, the coursework and dissertation are integrated from the beginning.

FAQs About The Online DBA Program

A DBA or Doctor of Business Administration is a terminal degree that incorporates theoretical coursework with applied research . Designed for those who have an MBA or business-related master’s degree, a DBA distinguishes you as an experienced professional who has reached the highest level of business education and practical expertise.

An online DBA in Business Intelligence integrates critical leadership skills, applied research, and data-driven strategy so you can thrive in an economy that relies on interdisciplinary collaboration in roles such as :

  • Entrepreneur
  • Government Analyst

Marymount’s online DBA includes an applied dissertation aligned with your current interests or professional aspirations. You will take business, innovation, leadership and technology (BILT) coursework in parallel with research courses. Starting in the first semester, you will build, write, and complete your dissertation throughout your studies.

This part-time program is 100% online and requires 36 credit hours to graduate. It is possible to complete this degree within three years.

The online DBA in Business Intelligence program costs $1,340 per credit hour, for a total program investment of $48,240.

Washington, D.C. is home to the most educated workforce in the country. Build your network as you learn from our elite, talented community of professors who are connected to the real world. Marymount faculty are socially conscious, culturally diverse, and passionate about teaching.

Marymount’s DBA offers a unique focus on business intelligence that incorporates in-demand skills such as AI, business intelligence, digital transformation, and creative problem-solving. You will be equipped to make decisions and lead in an ever-changing economy —so that you can address the challenges of today and the future.

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Customer Intelligence Examples: How to Gain Better Customer Insights

By setting the parameters for data collecting and analysis according to a specific question or challenge, brands can increase their chances of gaining customer intelligence and actionable insights that address their specific situations.

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Executive Leadership Skills You Develop in a DBA

As company leaders continue to navigate the work-from-home revolution, the need for executive leadership skills grows more important. Many professionals choose to develop these essential skills through a Doctorate of Business Administration degree program.

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Pros and Cons of Getting a Doctorate Online

Online doctoral programs provide students with a long list of benefits. While some may come to mind immediately — the ability to complete coursework from your home office or a breakroom at work, for example — others are less obvious but equally meaningful.

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Best 18-Month Doctorate without Dissertation [2024 Guide]

An 18-month doctorate without dissertation is a strategic option for those looking to advance their education quickly and efficiently.

18-Month Doctorate without Dissertation

This guide explores a variety of professional doctorates, covering diverse fields from business administration to social work. You can gain insights into the subjects each degree covers as well as the potential career paths they can lead to.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

Whether you’re looking to climb the career ladder or pivot to a new field, read on to discover a range of accelerated doctorate programs that don’t have a dissertation component.

List of Colleges Offering No Dissertation Doctorates

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Boston University

Boston University’s 18 month post-professional OTD program is tailored for occupational therapy graduates and focuses on innovative practice and research. It requires the completion of 33 to 37 credits, depending on prior coursework. Classes are online and 7 weeks long, allowing flexibility with three annual start dates. Students work on their doctoral projects each semester instead of completing a final dissertation.

Boston University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

Chatham University

Chatham University offers a 16 month online OTD program designed for occupational therapists aspiring to leadership roles. It requires the completion of 30 credits over 4 terms and allows students to progress by taking two classes at a time. Some courses in the curriculum are 7 weeks long, while others are 14 weeks long. The program is 100% online, providing flexibility for professionals to balance their studies with other commitments.

Chatham University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is intended for registered nurses seeking advanced clinical, leadership, and organizational roles. It’s an 18 month, online program that requires the completion of 30 credit hours.

Students undertake a Quality Improvement project instead of a dissertation, focusing on enhancing healthcare delivery and outcomes through practical, evidence-based initiatives.

FNU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Quinnipiac University

Quinnipiac University’s post-professional OTD program is tailored for practicing registered occupational therapists. It has minimal campus requirements and may be completed in 5 semesters.

Courses are offered in varying durations (5, 7, and 14 weeks long) and designed for working professionals. The program seeks to help students become leaders and evidence-based scholars without a dissertation requirement.

Quinnipiac University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

Utica University

Utica University’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program combines online and on-campus learning and may be completed in 3 years. It’s crafted to enhance evidence-based practice, clinical, and research skills, aiming to equip aspiring physical therapists for the licensure exam. The curriculum encourages the development of diagnostic and critical thinking skills through a mix of instructional methods and practical case studies.

Utica University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Valparaiso University

Valparaiso University’s online post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (DROT) is a 30 credit, fully online program. It is designed to be completed over 4 semesters and a capstone, potentially in just 18 months. It aims to prepare graduates for advanced roles in mentorship, education, evidence-based practice, and policy-making. The curriculum focuses on innovation without requiring a dissertation.

Valparaiso University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau , there’s a growing trend in higher education, with more people earning advanced degrees. Online doctorate programs that don’t require a traditional dissertation can often be completed in less time, some in as little as 18 months.

The following degree options showcase the wide range of fields that offer accelerated doctoral programs. Select the program that most interests you to jump to that section of the guide:

  • Doctorate in Accounting
  • Doctorate in Business Administration
  • Doctorate in Computers & Information Technology
  • Doctorate in Criminal Justice
  • Doctorate in Education
  • Doctorate in Engineering
  • Doctorate in Entrepreneurship
  • Doctorate in Finance
  • Doctorate in Healthcare Administration
  • Doctorate in Information Technology
  • Doctorate in Liberal Arts
  • Doctorate in Marketing
  • Doctorate in Ministry
  • Doctorate in Nursing
  • Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
  • Doctorate in Physical Therapy
  • Doctorate in Public Administration
  • Doctorate in Public Health
  • Doctorate in Psychology
  • Doctorate in Social Work

The program that’s best for you will depend on your personal interests and professional goals.

DBA in Accounting

DBA in Accounting

An online DBA in Accounting helps you develop advanced accounting expertise and qualifications. This doctorate emphasizes applying accounting principles and strategies directly to professional settings, equipping you with skills to lead in dynamic business environments.

Key subjects studied include advanced financial reporting, strategic taxation, and auditing practices. With a focus on real-world financial challenges and strategic decision-making, an online DBA with no dissertation program can help prepare you for high-level finance roles, such as chief financial officer or financial strategist.

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Doctor of Business Administration

An accelerated Doctor of Business Administration program with no dissertation offers a swift path to advanced business leadership expertise.

Key subjects studied include global business strategies, organizational leadership, and business analytics. This program is beneficial for those aspiring to senior management roles or consultancy, as it focuses on broad-based business acumen applicable across various industries.

A DBA can help you develop practical skills for effective leadership and strategic planning in the ever-evolving global business landscape.

Computer Science

Doctorate in Computer Science

An 18-month non-dissertation doctorate in computer science program is a rapid route to advanced technological expertise.

This program is aimed at professionals who are eyeing leadership roles in tech industries. It emphasizes cutting-edge computing technologies and problem-solving in real-world contexts. Key subjects studied include advanced algorithms, data analytics and big data, and cybersecurity.

You can learn to apply advanced computer science principles in areas like software development, data security, and AI.

Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ)

Doctor of Criminal Justice

An accelerated Doctor of Criminal Justice program offers a fast-track to expertise in criminal justice leadership. With a focus on contemporary issues in the criminal justice system, the program covers key subjects like advanced criminology, law enforcement leadership, and criminal justice policy and administration.

You can become better equipped to make informed decisions and lead effectively in various criminal justice settings. Many graduates pursue high-level positions in law enforcement, policymaking, or justice administration.

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Doctor of Education

A non dissertation EdD program is designed for rapid advancement in educational leadership and innovation. This program emphasizes applying educational theories and practices to address contemporary challenges in education.

Key subjects studied include curriculum design and assessment, educational leadership and policy, and instructional technology. An EdD is common for aspiring educational leaders, administrators, and policymakers.

With in person or online doctoral programs in education without dissertation , you can become adept at implementing effective educational strategies, driving organizational change in educational settings, and contributing to policy development.

Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng)

Doctor of Engineering

A non-dissertation Doctor of Engineering program offers a rapid path to advanced engineering leadership. This program is designed for professionals who want to pursue executive or high-level managerial roles in engineering.

A DEng program helps prepare you to effectively lead engineering projects and innovations, integrating theoretical knowledge with hands-on application in a variety of engineering fields. Key subjects studied include advanced engineering management, sustainable engineering practices, and emerging technological innovations.

DBA in Entrepreneurship

DBA in Entrepreneurship

An online DBA in Entrepreneurship program without a dissertation is a streamlined path to mastering entrepreneurial leadership. This specialized DBA is tailored for aspiring entrepreneurs or business leaders, helping you hone skills in creating, developing, and managing successful entrepreneurial ventures.

Core subjects studied include innovation and venture development, strategic entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurial finance. With an entrepreneurship DBA, you can grow your knowledge of how to launch and grow businesses, apply innovative strategies, and lead entrepreneurial initiatives.

DBA in Finance

DBA in Finance

A DBA in Finance emphasizes strategic financial management and decision-making in business. Key subjects studied include advanced corporate finance, investment strategies and analysis, and financial risk management.

A finance DBA is geared toward professionals who want to pursue roles such as CFOs or financial consultants. As a graduate, you may be ready to take charge in finance departments, handle complex investment portfolios, and tackle the intricacies of financial markets.

Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)

Doctor of Healthcare Administration

A Doctor of Healthcare Administration focuses on managing healthcare systems effectively and ethically. This doctorate program is designed for professionals who are seeking leadership and executive roles in healthcare organizations.

A DHA combines theoretical knowledge with practical skills for real-world healthcare management. Key subjects studied include healthcare policy and regulation, organizational leadership in healthcare, and health services management. You can become better equipped to improve healthcare delivery, lead healthcare organizations, and influence policy.

Doctor of Information Technology (DIT)

Doctor of Information Technology

A doctorate in information technology is beneficial for professionals who are eyeing senior and leadership roles in the IT sector. DIT programs emphasize the strategic application of IT in business and organizational contexts.

Key subjects studied include advanced data analytics, cybersecurity management, and IT strategic planning. You can become better equipped to tackle complex IT challenges, lead technology-driven initiatives, and drive IT strategies that align with organizational goals.

Doctor of Liberal Arts (DLA)

Doctor of Liberal Arts

A Doctor of Liberal Arts offers an advanced education through diverse interdisciplinary studies. A DLA is aimed at professionals in education, policymaking, and cultural sectors.

While this program involves a broad perspective on arts and humanities, key subjects include cultural studies, ethical and political theory, and interdisciplinary research methods. Graduates can could apply their comprehensive liberal arts knowledge in a variety of fields, promoting understanding and innovation in both academic and real-world settings.

DBA in Marketing

DBA in Marketing

A DBA in Marketing blends advanced marketing strategies with practical applications. This program focuses on applying contemporary marketing theories to real-world business scenarios.

Key subjects studied include consumer behavior analysis, digital marketing strategies, and brand management. This program can help you develop the skills to lead innovative marketing campaigns and strategies. A marketing DBA is especially beneficial for professionals working toward senior marketing roles.

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Doctor of Ministry

A Doctor of Ministry focuses on practical ministry skills and leadership strategy. Since it’s designed for ministry professionals, it emphasizes real-world application of theological concepts and leadership in faith-based contexts.

Key subjects covered in a DMin program include pastoral care and counseling, theological reflection and application, and ministry leadership dynamics. A DMin could help prepare you to lead congregations, manage ministry programs, and engage effectively with communities.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Doctor of Nursing Practice

A DNP program is designed for nurses seeking advanced nursing roles and leadership roles in healthcare settings. This program focuses on applying advanced nursing skills to improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery.

Key subjects studied include advanced clinical practice, healthcare policy and advocacy, and nursing leadership and management. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics , 45% job growth is projected for nurse practitioners over the next ten years, making it one of the fastest growing occupations.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

An online Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is tailored for occupational therapists aiming for higher-level clinical or administrative roles. This type of program emphasizes enhancing therapeutic practices and leading in healthcare settings.

Core subjects include advanced clinical practice, occupational therapy leadership, and evidence-based practice in occupational therapy. Graduates may apply their skills in diverse healthcare environments, implementing innovative therapy techniques, managing therapy programs, and contributing to the development of OT practices.

Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

Doctor of Physical Therapy

A Doctor of Physical Therapy is the minimum educational requirement for aspiring licensed physical therapists. This program focuses on applying advanced therapeutic techniques and leading in diverse healthcare environments.

Key subjects studied include advanced clinical biomechanics, physical therapy in special populations, and health care policy and administration in PT. A DPT can help equip you to improve patient rehabilitation, bring new approaches to physical therapy, and effectively manage physical therapy departments or practices.

Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)

Doctor of Public Administration

A doctorate in public administration is designed for professionals who aspire to lead in government or non-profit organizations. This program centers on applying advanced concepts to public administration challenges.

Key subjects studied include public policy analysis, organizational leadership in government, and public financial management. A DPA program can help prepare you to shape policies, lead public organizations, and manage resources effectively, making a meaningful impact in public service.

Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)

Doctor of Public Health

A Doctor of Public Health is designed for professionals who want to pursue senior or leadership roles in the public health sector. This program emphasizes the practical application of public health theories in addressing global and community health challenges.

Key subjects studied include epidemiology and biostatistics, health policy and management, and community health promotion. DrPH graduates may be equipped to lead in public health organizations, design effective health programs, and influence health policy.

Psychology (PsyD or PhD)

Doctorate in Psychology

Doctoral psychology programs help prepare you for careers in clinical psychology, counseling, or research.

A Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) focuses on practical psychological skills. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Psychology tends to emphasize research and theory in the field. Key subjects include clinical practice and assessment, counseling techniques, and behavioral therapy.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA) , psychology professionals work in various settings, like schools, healthcare facilities, and private practice.

Doctor of Social Work (DSW)

Doctor of Social Work

A Doctor of Social Work is geared toward social work professionals who want to pursue leadership roles in agencies or nonprofits. This program can help you hone skills in both clinical practice and social work administration.

Key subjects studied include advanced clinical practice, social policy analysis, and leadership in social work. Advanced social work roles include clinical directors, policy advisors, and heads of social service organizations.

Advantages and Challenges of No Dissertation Doctorates

Exploring the shortest doctoral programs without dissertation is beneficial if you’re looking to fast-track your career with practical skills. It’s helpful, though, to first weigh the pros and cons to see if it’s the right fit for you.

At the end of the day, the easiest doctorate degrees or easiest PhD without dissertation programs are beneficial if they help you work toward your personal, professional goals.

online 18 month doctorate program

When choosing an online 18 month doctorate program, here are some key factors to consider:

  • Accreditation . It’s beneficial to make sure the school is accredited. This stamp of approval means it meets certain quality standards, which is crucial for your degree’s value.
  • Program flexibility . You can look for programs that fit your schedule, especially if you’re balancing work or personal commitments.
  • Faculty expertise . You can research the faculty’s background. You might prefer experienced instructors who are experts in their fields.
  • Curriculum relevance . You can check whether the coursework aligns with your career goals and interests.
  • Technology and resources . Some schools offer robust online resources and tech support—essential for a smooth online learning experience.
  • Cost and financial aid . You can evaluate the total cost as well as what financial aid or scholarships are available.
  • Alumni network and career services . A strong network and career support can be invaluable for post-graduation opportunities.

The right program for you is the one that not only meets your preferred criteria but also fits your personal and professional aspirations.

Admissions Requirements

doctoral student preparing admissions requirements

Each program has its unique admissions requirements, but here are some common criteria for doctoral programs:

  • Advanced degree . Many doctoral programs require a master’s in a related field.
  • Professional experience . Relevant work experience showcases your practical knowledge in the field.
  • Letters of recommendation . These can come from academic or professional references who can vouch for your qualifications.
  • Personal statement . You can explain your motivations and goals for pursuing a doctorate.
  • Standardized test scores (if required) . Some grad programs ask for GRE or GMAT scores.

Tailoring your application to each school’s criteria will strengthen your chances of success.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Financial Aid for Doctoral Program Students

Financial aid options can help make paying for a doctorate more manageable. You can start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) . It will determine your eligibility for grants, loans, and other federal aid. You can also check out what financial aid opportunities your state offers.

If you’re working, you could see if your employer has tuition assistance programs. Many employers are willing to invest in their employees’ education. In addition, you can keep an eye out for scholarships offered by universities, private organizations, or community groups. They can help cover the cost of higher education.

Find quick answers to the most frequently asked questions below.

Can You Get a Doctorate Degree Without a Dissertation?

doctorate degree without a dissertation

Yes, you can get a doctorate degree without a dissertation, and it’s becoming a popular choice for many. These programs focus on practical knowledge and skills rather than traditional research.

Instead of a dissertation, you might work on a capstone project, an applied research project, or a professional portfolio that’s more aligned with your career goals. This approach is especially appealing if you’re a working professional looking to advance your career without the time-intensive commitment of a traditional dissertation.

How Is a Doctorate Without Dissertation Different from a Traditional PhD?

Here are some of the differences between a doctorate without a dissertation and a traditional PhD.

Both the fastest PhD programs online and accelerated doctorate programs without dissertations have their merits. You can choose the path that best fits your career aspirations.

Program Cost

18-month doctorate program cost

The cost of an 18-month doctorate program can vary. But according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) , the average cost of graduate tuition and required fees for an academic year is $12,596 at public institutions and $29,931 at private nonprofit institutions.

Keep in mind, these are averages. The actual cost could be different based on the specific program and school. When considering a program, it’s helpful to look at the detailed tuition fees and factor in other expenses like books, program fees, and living costs. This helps you plan financially for your educational journey.

Are 18-Month, Non-Dissertation Doctorates Credible and Accredited?

There are 18-month, non-dissertation doctorates that are both credible and accredited. Accreditation is key here, especially regional accreditation, which is regarded as the gold standard in higher education.

When a program is regionally accredited, it means it has met rigorous standards set by a recognized accrediting agency. This stamp of approval ensures the quality and credibility of your degree, making sure it’s recognized by employers and other educational institutions.

So, when you’re scouting for programs, it’s always strategic to check their accreditation status. You can find more information and a list of accredited institutions on the US Department of Education’s website.

Can You Get a Doctorate Without a Masters Degree?

student taking a doctorate program

Yes, you can get a doctorate without a masters degree. Some PhD programs welcome candidates straight from their bachelor’s program, especially if you have a strong academic record and relevant research or work experience.

These programs typically integrate the coursework of a master’s degree into the PhD curriculum, so you’re not missing out on any vital knowledge. Every program has its unique admissions criteria, so it’s important to check the specific requirements of the schools you’re eyeing. That way, you can find a path that fits with your educational background and career goals.

What Kind of Career Opportunities Can I Pursue with an Accelerated Doctoral Degree?

The jobs available to you with a doctoral degree depend on a number of factors, including your degree specialization, work experience, and geographic location.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are a few roles that typically require doctoral degrees.

Political Scientists $128,020 Study political systems, research policies, and analyze governments
Mathematicians $112,110 Work with formulas and data to solve problems in various fields
Medical Scientists $99,930 Conduct research to understand and improve human health outcomes
Statisticians $98,920 Analyze data and apply computational techniques to solve problems
Psychologists $85,330 Study and help individuals with mental health and behavioral issues
Postsecondary Teachers $80,840 Instruct students beyond high school and possibly conduct research

Your career opportunities will likely depend on your field of interest, skill sets, and experience.

Getting Your Degree Online

man getting his 18 Month Doctorate Without Dissertation Online

Diving into an 18-month doctorate program without a dissertation component can be a game-changer for your career.

It’s a fast track to advancing your expertise with a practical focus that fits into your busy life. The key is to choose an accredited doctoral program that aligns with your goals. So, why wait? You can start exploring your options today!

The sooner you find the accredited school and program that’s right for you, the sooner you can take that next step in your educational and professional journey.

online dba no dissertation

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Online Doctoral Degree Doctor of Business Administration

online dba no dissertation

Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral students are required to complete a dissertation and defend their research before a committee and University representatives, which may take place at a distance through audio/visual means. No degree shall be awarded without majority of committee approval. Information regarding this capstone doctoral requirement is published in the Dissertation Handbook.

Graduates will successfully complete a minimum of 61 semester hours and dissertation research courses as outlined below.

Multiple factors, including prior experience, geography and degree field, affect career outcomes. CSU does not guarantee a job, promotion, salary increase, eligibility for a position, or other career growth.

Degree at a Glance

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online dba no dissertation

Program Summary

Program description, learning outcomes.

Upon completion of the program, students should be able to do the following:

Student Achievement

Concentration

Concentration outcomes, ready to get started.

For more information regarding courses outside the recommended course of study, view the full course listing . ( * Indicates recommended course of study. )

Major Requirements

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Major Requirements – Group {{group}}
Course Number Course Title Credit Hours
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Concentration Courses

12 credit hours

To fulfill the General Concentration for this degree, student may choose any 5000-6000 level course not used to satisfy program requirements. Student can review all available courses at our full course listing. Students are strongly encouraged to speak to their academic advisor prior to choosing general concentration course options.

General Education

The following courses indicated by * are recommended to satisfy General Education Requirements .

{{subject}} — {{hours}} required hours
Course Number Course Title Credit Hours
{{ CourseHours }}
   

To fulfill open electives, students may choose any course not used to satisfy program requirements, taking into consideration the degree program upper-level requirements. Students can review all available courses at our  full course listing. Students are strongly encouraged to speak to their academic advisor prior to choosing open elective options.

Program Electives

Program Electives

Dissertation Requirements

To satisfy the requirements of the Doctor of Business Administration, students must complete a minimum of 15 hours of dissertation/research hours. Doctor of Business Administration students should communicate regularly with their dissertation chair regarding the completion of these hours.

online dba no dissertation

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Our goal is to provide the strongest online academic programs at an affordable rate. On average, our tuition is less than half the cost of our competitors.

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Course Type Tuition Rate Per Credit Hour
Undergraduate $270
Graduate $349
Doctoral $545

* Rates are per credit hour. Most courses are three (3) credit hours. Tuition and fees are payable in U.S. funds. Tuition rates are subject to change. CSU’s tuition rate for associate, bachelor’s and master’s courses is $250 per credit hour for all active-duty military members using tuition assistance except those who are using a Learning Partner discount. The lower rate is offered to keep the tuition rate at the DoD cap of $250. † CSU Learning Partners receive a tuition discount that is applied to the full tuition rate.

Tuition reports include tuition and required fees per academic year for full time beginning students. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Affordability and Transparency Center, National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2021-2022, Student Financial Aid component.

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Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Complete your coursework in just 36 months — 100% online.

OKWU DBA program will prepare experienced professionals and academics to become senior executives, educators, and consultants. DBA graduates become “scholar-practitioners” who are able to provide meaningful contributions in either the classroom or the board room.

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Expertise and Specialization

A doctorate in business allows individuals to specialize in a specific business area, becoming subject matter experts in their field and gaining a deep understanding of advanced concepts and theories.

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Career Advancement

A doctorate in business can significantly enhance career prospects, opening doors to senior-level positions, leadership roles, and academic positions in universities and research institutions.

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Research and Analytical Skills

Doctoral programs emphasize rigorous research methodologies, equipping individuals with advanced analytical and critical thinking skills necessary for conducting in-depth research and contributing to advancing knowledge in their field.

Earn your DBA at OKWU

Career Path

DBA graduates benefit from enhanced opportunities in high-level positions and leadership roles. Some of those possible job titles include:

  • Chief Financial Officer
  • VP of Operations
  • Executive Director
  • Training and Development Manager

Earn Your Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA)

“Earning a DBA from OKWU can set students up for either a career in academia or a senior role in the industry. Our program is user-friendly – 100% online – with optional virtual connection sessions each week so students can network, bond, and collaborate with other professionals throughout the program.”

– Dr. Wendel Weaver, Dean

Taught from a Christian Worldview

Why Pursuing a DBA Matters

A DBA is essential because it represents the highest level of education and expertise. It enables individuals to contribute to advancing knowledge through original research, shape business practices, and policies, and make significant contributions to academia, industry, and society. In addition, it opens doors to prestigious career opportunities, enhances critical thinking and analytical skills, and positions individuals as thought leaders and experts in their chosen areas of specialization. Ultimately, a doctorate in Business empowers individuals to make a meaningful impact and drive innovation in the dynamic and evolving business landscape.

The Advantage of Industry Experts

Elevate your education with the expertise of our distinguished faculty at the Chesapeake Energy School of Business. Our professors bring a wealth of knowledge and real-world experience to the classroom, holding advanced post-graduate degrees in their respective subject areas. Benefit from their practical and industry insights.

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Issues in marketing.

This course clarifies the connections between a market-driven strategy, organizational and customer satisfaction, and profitable growth. By examining how strategic marketing approaches are developed and executed within both small and large organizations, students will be equipped to understand and create competitive advantages. The course will emphasize strategy development, implementation, and evaluation.

Issues in Accounting & Finance

This course bridges the conceptual foundations of accounting and finance with strategic implementation and considerations needs for the current marketplace. Introduction to seminal and current research in each area will be emphasized with the intended goal of applying this knowledge to solve contemporary problems facing business organizations.

Issues in Strategic Planning & Execution

In this course, students are introduced to classic theories of corporate strategy and then challenged to move beyond the mechanistic concepts, varied procedures, and tools that are widely used in organizational strategic planning. Emphasis will also be placed on the execution of strategies.

Cost Information

This 56-credit-hour degree will take approximately 36 months to complete and is available totally online. Apply today to learn more about the OKWU DBA.

Estimated Cost Estimated Total
Registration Fee $50
Graduation Fee $100
Technology Fee @ $65 per term $650
Student Health Fee* $528
Tuition $44,744
Total Estimated Cost $46,072

*Students may opt out of the health fee.

Tuition and fees are subject to change at anytime. Changes to your course schedule may result in an increase in the estimated total cost.

Tuition Per Credit Hour

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online dba no dissertation

Online DBA Programs Without Dissertation

Last Updated on June 21, 2024 by Team College Learners

The MBA Without Dissertation degree is for people who want to build their knowledge within the Business Administration field without requiring a dissertation. The DBA Without Dissertation online programs prepare graduates for management level positions, but students do not have to submit a paper doctoral dissertation. 

It is really easy to acquire information on Online Dba Programs Without Dissertation when you look for it on a place overflowing with relevant information on colleges and degrees.

accelerated online dBA programs

We’ve ranked the 15 Best Online DBA No Dissertation Programs for 2020. Want to get a Doctorate in Business without dissertation? Here’s how!

Online DBA No Dissertation

If you truly want to set yourself apart in the business world, you’ll need to take your education to the next level with a Doctorate in Business Administration. Earning your DBA will not only enhance your credentials, but it will also ensure that you’re on the forefront of modern business leadership.

And now, it’s possible to get enrolled in  online doctoral programs without a dissertation .

With a Doctor of Business Administration, you can increase your responsibility, your respectability and your annual earnings.

accountant working on his computer

To help businesses manage their money, consider a specialization in Accounting. An accounting concentration prepares doctoral students for careers as Certified Public Accountants, chief financial officers, budget analysts, financial managers and auditors. Classes will cover various disciplines in the accounting field, such as managerial accounting, cost allocation and data analysis.

Entrepreneurship

two young entrepreneurs working

Challenge yourself to become a more innovative leader through a DBA specialization in Entrepreneurship.

You can put this degree into practice as a trailblazer in a startup, or you can apply the principles in an established business setting. Your classes may cover ways to encourage creativity and new ideas, and you’ll talk about how to market successfully in today’s business world. You and your fellow students will also learn about financing business endeavors and providing wise financial leadership.

team of financial analysts in a meeting

Professionals with a  concentration in Finance  may be well-suited for executive positions in corporations, banks or nonprofit organizations. For example, with this degree, you could choose to  pursue a career  in investment banking or hedge fund management.

In preparation, your coursework will cover topics like asset pricing, credit risks, business leadership and microeconomics. You will probably discuss both domestic financial matters and those that relate to conducting business in an international setting.

General Business

business professionals meeting in a conference room

Do you know that you want to earn an advanced  business degree , but you’re not interested in settling on one specific specialty? Pursuing a generalist DBA will allow you to study many aspects of this field.

You may be able to select electives from multiple specializations in order to design a course of study that addresses your particular areas of interest. Your coursework may cover corporate leadership, change navigation, and sustainable marketing.

Healthcare Management

healthcare professionals in a meeting

From insurance companies to hospital systems, many healthcare organizations require experienced business professionals. With a specialization in Healthcare Management, you could also pursue work in the pharmaceutical industry, the nonprofit sector or the government.

During your studies, you’ll discuss how healthcare is delivered, and you’ll explore factors that can disrupt that process. You’ll also study ethics, pricing factors, legal regulations and access to care.

Homeland Security

male security guard guarding a building

The safety and security of people and infrastructure are vitally important. You can play a role in protecting these critical assets when you obtain a DBA with a concentration in Homeland Security.

Some experts in this area work for government agencies, but others play leadership roles in the private sector. You and your classmates will explore ways that security issues have changed over time and how they affect modern business practices.

Human Resource Management

head of human resource department talking to an employee

The success of a business depends on its people. If you have a passion for ensuring that organizations are equipped with the best talent, then a specialization in Human Resource Management could be right for you.

In this program, you’ll study planning for future needs, managing costs, outsourcing tasks and abiding by contracts. After graduation, you may head up a human resources team, serve as a corporate executive or become a recruiter.

Information Systems Management

information system administrator with colleague checking their data base

To blend your passions for technology and business, choose a concentration in Information Systems Management for your DBA.

Not only will this degree program cover ways to make the most of technology in your organization, but you’ll also explore ways to be innovative and forward-thinking with tech. This degree program can prepare you to run networks, maintain databases or perform research so you can help your company gain an edge over the competition.

International Business

multi-ethnic team of businessmen having a meeting

In many ways, global markets are becoming more connected, and businesses are becoming more international. A specialization in International Business can help you operate in markets around the world.

You’ll study business law in different countries and the roles of various global financial institutions. This program can prepare you for a leadership position in a business with worldwide offices, or you can use your training to become a consultant for various companies.

team of professionals having a meeting

Nearly every top position in the business world requires strong leadership skills. You can gain an advantage in this area by earning a DBA with a Leadership specialization.

A well-rounded degree program will help you learn how to lead your organization through change, work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and apply principles of human motivation. Your coursework may also address topics of ethics, professional responsibility and environmental sustainability.

digital marketers collaborating on a project

Businesses rely on marketing professionals to build awareness of their brand, analyze trends and create a positive image of their company. With a Marketing concentration, you can explore topics like these in-depth. Your classes may help you learn more about performing marketing research and understanding how consumers make decisions.

You’ll also explore different marketing channels, including digital media and business-to-business (B2B) marketing. Career options may include advertising executive, media director, or research lead.

Project Management

team of marketing professionals collaborating on a project

When an organization has an objective to accomplish, a project management professional may be the person in charge of overseeing the process from beginning to end.

When you pursue a concentration in Project Management, you will be equipped with the skills necessary for leading major projects, navigating obstacles and guiding organizations through times of change. In addition to becoming a project manager, you could work as a third-party consultant.

Supply Chain Management

logistics manager checking the products in a factory

There are many steps involved in transforming raw materials into consumer-ready goods. Even after the manufacturing process is complete, there’s the additional task of getting items onto store shelves and into consumers’ hands.

You can become an expert in seeing this process through from beginning to end when you earn an online DBA with a specialization in Supply Chain Management. Course topics will include international operations, logistics management and quality assurance.

Careers & Salaries

A doctoral degree gives you necessary credentials to land a  top-paying job . Salaries vary depending on position and geographic region, but  top executives make  an average of $104,980 per year. Financial managers may earn $127,990 annually, and that field is growing at a rate of about 16 percent.

Best Online Bachelor's in Marketing

  • Because analysts work in many areas of the business world, you could choose a specialty like budgeting, operations or data.

Computer Information Systems Managers:

  • In this managerial role, you can take charge of a company’s computers and networks as well as the ways that data is handled.

Consultant:

  • Third-party consultants help organizations or employees improve their operations by suggesting ways to save money or streamline processes.

Entrepreneur:

  • Although there is financial risk involved in launching startups, entrepreneurs often find the experience thrilling.

Financial Managers:

  • You can oversee an organization’s financial matters, such as tracking spending and making projections, in this management position.

Human Resources Manager:

  • HR directors deal with personnel issues. They may coordinate benefits, resolve disputes, maintain policies and acquire talent.

Marketing Manager:

  • As a marketing professional, you might be in charge of advertising, brand recognition or consumer research.

Operations Managers/Top Executive:

  • In this role, you could be responsible for providing leadership and direction as well as overseeing daily operations.
  • With a position in academia, you can teach business principles to undergraduate or graduate students.

Accreditation for Online Doctorate in Business Administration Programs

logos of the six regional accreditors

Every reputable online college bears regional accreditation. This is an institution-wide distinction for schools that do a good job of educating students.

Among others, regional accreditors include:

  • No rthwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)

Many business schools also seek accreditation from the  Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) . This accreditation is available only for programs related to business or accounting. Although there may be good programs without AACSB accreditation, this industry-specific certification serves as a reassuring sign that your DBA program meets or exceeds industry standards.

Professional Organizations

Joining a professional organization can be an excellent way to further your knowledge and network with other business professionals. Members often have access to newsletters, job postings, conferences, discounts and online training materials.

  • American Management Association
  • American Society of Association Executives
  • National Association for Female Executives
  • National Management Association

Financial Aid

Many online doctoral students rely on financial aid to fund their studies. The first step to qualifying for assistance is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your financial aid package may consist of grants, loans, scholarships, work-study or fellowships from government, university or private sources.

Can You Get a Doctoral Degree in Business Online?

Online DBA programs are an excellent option for many students, and, often, they require no on-campus residency requirements. For this reason, online doctorate studies are often the best choice for busy professionals. Accredited online programs are just as rigorous and comprehensive as their traditional counterparts.

 What’s the Difference Between a Ph.D. and a DBA?

Ph.D. in Business programs prepare you to conduct original research. People with this degree often teach at universities.

DBAs are professional doctorates in which you apply existing knowledge to real-world problems. Those with DBAs often work in corporations or other business settings.

What’s a Dissertation Really Worth?

A dissertation for a doctorate is often used as an evaluation tool at the conclusion of the program. Its purpose is to demonstrate that you have acquired sufficient skills and knowledge in your field. Most doctorates have a dissertation component, but others do not require a dissertation and rely on projects or alternative evaluation methods.

Can I Work While I Pursue My Doctorate in Business Administration Degree?

Yes, many  online DBA  are able to balance school and work. Online universities often design their programs with working professionals in mind. They offer  accelerated schedules  and flexible formats that can help you fit school into your busy life.

What Are the Advantages to Earning My Doctorate Online?

If you earn your  doctorate degree online , you can take classes from a reputable, accredited school without having to move across the country or quit your job. You can study from wherever you are, and you can take classes and complete coursework whenever it fits into your schedule.

How Long Does it Take to Get an Online Doctorate in Business Administration?

The  length of your doctorate  in  business administration program  will depend whether you enroll full-time or part-time and how long it takes you to complete your dissertation or another final project. On average, most students spend three to four years working toward DBA completion.

12 Best Online DBA No Dissertation Programs [2021 Guide]

List of Doctorate of Business Administration Online Programs

Rankings Methodology

The following 15 universities are fully accredited and offer online DBA programs that do not require a dissertation.#1 Apollos University

Apollos University campus

Apollos  is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC).

#2 Bellevue University

Bellevue University campus

Bellevue  is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

#3 California Southern University

California Southern University campus

CalSouthern  is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

#4 Capella University

Capella University campus

Capella  is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

  • DBA – Accounting
  • DBA – Business Intelligence
  • DBA – Global Operations and Supply Chain Management
  • DBA – Human Resource Management
  • DBA – Information Technology Management
  • DBA – Leadership
  • DBA – Project Management
  • DBA – Strategy and Innovation

#5 Columbia Southern University

columbia southern university campus

Columbia Southern  is an accredited member of the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)

#6 Franklin University

Franklin University campus

Franklin  is fully-accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

#7 Indiana Wesleyan University

Indiana Wesleyan University campus

IWU  is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

  • DBA – Healthcare Administration
  • DBA – Management

#8 Liberty University

liberty university campus1

Liberty University  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

  • DBA – Finance
  • DBA – Healthcare Management
  • DBA – Human Resources
  • DBA – Information Systems
  • DBA – International Business
  • DBA – Marketing
  • DBA – Non-Profit Leadership and Management
  • DBA – Strategic Management
  • DBA – Strategic Media and Digital Content
  • DBA – Supply Chain Management and Logistics

#9 Thomas Edison State University

Thomas Edison State University campus

TESU  is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education

  • DBA – General Management
  • DBA – Organizational Leadership

#10 Trevecca Nazarene University

Trevecca Nazarene University campus

Trevecca  is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

#11 Trident University

Trident University campus

Trident  is the first fully online university regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission.

#12 University of the Incarnate Word

University of the Incarnate Word campus

UIW  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

#13 Walden University

Walden University campus

Walden  has been accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) since 1990.

  • DBA in Accounting
  • DBA in Energy Management
  • DBA in Entrepreneurship
  • DBA in Finance
  • DBA in Global Supply Chain Management
  • DBA in Healthcare Management
  • DBA in Homeland Security
  • DBA in Human Resource Management
  • DBA in Information Systems Management
  • DBA in International Business
  • DBA in Leadership
  • DBA in Marketing
  • DBA in Project Management
  • DBA in Social Impact Management
  • DBA in Technology Entrepreneurship
  • DBA – Self-Designed

#14 William Howard Taft University

William Howard Taft University campus

William Howard Taft University , as an educational division of the Taft University System, is institutionally accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC).

#15 Wilmington University

wilmington university campus

WilmU  is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Start Earning Your DBA and Don’t Worry about Writing a Dissertation!

DBA student working on her laptop in a university library

While a dissertation can certainly be useful for proving your expertise, it isn’t necessary for all doctoral programs. You can become an expert in your field and continue working with your new credential faster when you don’t have to write a dissertation.

Look into the universities above to see which programs provide a curriculum that matches your interests, and don’t forget to apply for financial aid at the same time as you’re applying to your doctoral programs. We suggest applying to 3-5 doctoral programs to ensure acceptance.

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10 Most Affordable DBA Online Programs – Online PhD Business

Home / Graduate School Resources /10 Most Affordable DBA Online Programs – Online PhD Business

By GSH Staff

Considering an online DBA program (online doctor of business administration)? This article considers both online DBA programs and online Ph.D. business programs.

Although most businessmen and women who are looking for an advanced degree opt for an MBA program, there are certain benefits to a Ph.D. in business that an MBA simply can’t offer. First and foremost, a doctoral program in business can prepare you to teach business at the collegiate level and to conduct research. However, holding a Ph.D. can also help you get ahead in other areas – particularly higher level management positions in specialized industries, such as information technology.

Grad School Hub - Most Affordable Online Programs

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Methodology

The ten colleges and universities listed below are the most affordable online DBA programs in business in the United States. We first assembled a list of all the online Ph.D. business degrees available nationwide (there actually aren’t a lot!) and then ranked them according to graduate tuition cost (data taken from College Navigator). From there we were able to identify the 10 overall cheapest schools, which we have listed below. Please note that in some cases the tuition reported on College Navigator is an average assessment of annual cost and may not reflect the  exact  price of specifically attending the online Ph.D. business program at each of these schools. We encourage you to speak with each college you are considering to confirm precisely what your financial obligations will be.

Ranking the Most Affordable Online DBA Programs / Online Ph.D. Business Programs

10. northcentral university, online phd in business administration.

Northcentral University offers high-level training for students who don’t want to stop at an MBA. This online Ph.D. business program combines extensive training in research and leadership strategies to produce graduates who will find equal success in academia and industry, or as entrepreneurs. NCU almost offers more specialization options than you can count; Healthcare Administration, International Business, Applied Computer Science, Marketing, and Project Management are just a few of the concentrations you could choose. The ACBSP-accredited curriculum includes all the most important topics PhD students will need to succeed in the real world, and in fact past graduates have gone on to secure positions as vice presidents, project managers, chief information officers, international business consultants, and more. Tuition:  $15,307/yr

Learn more about Northcentral University

9. Capella University

Online phd in general business management.

This online PhD business program from Capella, which is designed for professionals who want to become scholars in their field (in the form of teachers, consultants, or industry leaders), is as affordable as it is reputable. There is no end to the unique opportunities offered through this online Ph.D. program in business, from optional trips overseas to engage in multinational networking to free connections with  The Wall Street Journal . The four-part degree seamlessly intertwines online coursework, “hybrid” class sessions, rigorous exams, and a final dissertation project. The degree is not for the faint of heart (which is true of most doctoral programs!), but those who graduate benefit from an earning potential that is more than $40,000 higher than those with a terminal master’s degree. Tuition:  $13,770/yr

Learn more about Capella University

8. Colorado Technical University

Doctor of management online.

Earning a doctorate in management from Colorado Technical University can allow you to develop the advanced business expertise that alludes many in the industry. Over three years you will not just analyze problems and pitch solutions to common management issues, but you will also contribute your own original thoughts to the field. The 96-credit program divides itself between three types of learning: research and writing, leadership/change management courses, and students’ concentration of choice. This latter area of study might focus on any one of twelve different disciplines, proving that CTU aims to provide something for everyone. Although the university also offers MBA courses, the online DM program in management allows students to acquire an MBA or MSM along the way and still earn their doctoral degree in just a few years. Total Tuition:  $59,800

Learn more about the Colorado Technical University

7. Baker College

Online doctorate of business administration.

Good leaders follow standards; great leaders create them. At Baker College, you can become a trendsetter in business by gaining a thorough understanding of the ins and outs of the corporate world. Students learn about best practices and business strategies as a starting point for their own careers as pioneers in management. Baker’s online DBA program combines traditional college courses with engaging seminars, skill-building residencies, and research projects to help students maximize their potential. All of this challenging coursework culminates in the completion of a comprehensive dissertation, putting students in a position to far outperform their less-educated colleagues in the real world. Tuition:  $10,080/yr

Learn more about Baker College

6. Hampton University

If you have already established yourself in business but feel as if you may have hit a wall in your career progression, Hampton University’s online PhD business program can be your wrecking ball. The curriculum – which includes coursework in Organizational Behavior, Strategy and Policy Leadership, and Advanced Computer Applications – is powerful enough to help you break through any obstacles in the workplace. Students must complete two residencies during the program (four weeks each summer for 24 credits) where they will put their skills to good use and delve into the research process. Students also don’t wait until their dissertation work to start contributing to the field; Hampton University asks all graduate learners to produce a publishable paper in their first year! Tuition:  $9,774/yr

Learn more about Hampton University

5. Grand Canyon University

Online dba program with an emphasis in management.

Grand Canyon University views doctoral education in business as a way to expand the knowledge of even the most seasoned management professionals and MBA wielders. This online DBA program pushes students to augment their expertise with additional theories and practices in order to become leaders on a global scale. Although some Ph.D. graduates work in academia, GCU welcomes applicants who have the “vision to innovate” and apply their training to concrete solutions within corporate America. You’ll explore financial decision-making, micro- and macroeconomic principles, organizational strategy, and business analytics before synthesizing this newfound information into a final dissertation. Tuition:  $9,563/yr

Learn more about Grand Canyon University

4.  Liberty University

Online doctor of business administration.

Liberty University’s online Ph.D. in business goes well beyond the traditional scope of such programs. Students can effectively earn an online doctorate in accounting, marketing, international business, leadership, human resources and more by judiciously choosing one of Liberty’s specialized “cognates.”

As a Christian university, Liberty also promotes Biblical ideas and integrates religious instruction into its curriculum as a way to mold students into ethical business leaders who use spiritual principles as their guide. The 60 credit hour program is available almost entirely online, save for three on-campus “intensives” in Virginia, which will help you engage with faculty, get to know your classmates, and build relationships. Tuition:  $9,360/yr

Learn more about Liberty University

3. Saint Leo University

Online dba program.

The online PhD in business administration from Saint Leo University is uniquely tailored to the needs of future management consultants, college professors, and business executives. Although the program offers a broad enough education to cover all the traditional bases of business – including components similar to an online doctorate in finance – it is also flexible enough to let students spread their entrepreneurial wings. Coursework emphasizes real-world problems plaguing an increasingly complex industry, while three one-week seminars on campus (during the intersession breaks) ensure that students are staying on task and networking along the way. Tuition:  $8,442/yr

Learn more about Saint Leo University

2. Trident University

The goal of Trident University’s online Ph.D. program in management is to “take business leadership to the next level.” The 100% online degree (no on-campus residencies!) assists students in improving their writing and presentation skills, researching complex subjects, and understanding the vast – and still growing – world of business. Students receive plenty of support from Trident’s unique online learning community (TLC) as they explore one of five concentrations: Leadership, Marketing, Accounting/Finance, Management and Operations, or Information Systems/Information Technology Management. Each of these concentrations is incredibly comprehensive; for example, the marketing specialty covers coursework in search engine marketing, advertising/branding, pricing, retailing, and more – and rivals standalone online doctorates in marketing. Tuition:  $6,518/yr

Learn more about Trident University

1. California Southern University

Why bother to get a DBA from California Southern University? In addition to its almost too-good-to-be-true annual cost, regionally accredited CSU offers a flexible education for today’s busiest professionals. Even highly experienced executives who want to distinguish themselves from other MBAs will find there is still much to learn about management and leadership once they enroll at CalSouthern. This curriculum includes work in Managerial Economics, Ethnography of Corporate Culture, Coordinating and Managing Supply Chains, and Business Research Methods, among other topics. And of course, no Ph.D. would be complete without a dissertation requirement. CalSouthern’s online DBA program includes 14 credits of work on a “doctoral project,” plus one credit for passing a comprehensive – and no doubt challenging – cumulative exam. Tuition:  $6,650/yr

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  2. 10 Best Online DBA Degrees with No Dissertation Programs

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  3. 12 Best Online DBA No Dissertation Programs [2024 Guide]

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  6. Top online schools for business administration

COMMENTS

  1. 12 Best Online DBA No Dissertation Programs [2024 Guide]

    Find out how to get a Doctorate in Business Administration without a dissertation from accredited online universities. Compare 12 programs in various specializations and learn about the benefits of online learning.

  2. Top 20 Cheapest Online DBA Programs 2021

    Compare the tuition, rankings, and specializations of online Doctor of Business Administration programs. Learn how to earn a DBA online without a dissertation in as little as three years.

  3. Best Online DBA Degrees Of 2024

    Learn about online DBA programs, their benefits, costs and accreditation. Compare the top 10 schools for online DBA degrees and find out how to apply.

  4. 10 Best Online DBA Degrees with No Dissertation Programs

    Learn about online doctor of business administration programs that do not require a dissertation. Compare common courses, specializations, career paths, and top online DBA schools.

  5. Online Doctorate No Dissertation Programs

    The cost of an online doctorate depends on the school, program length, and degree. On average, you can expect to spend around $41,000 per year for a Ph.D. program, according to BestColleges research. However, professional doctorates can cost around $58,650 per year. Choosing an online format can help you save money.

  6. Doctor of Business Administration

    Earn your Doctor of Business Administration degree in 3 years † with a research-based doctoral project instead of a dissertation. Learn online with no GMAT or GRE, two-week breaks, and transfer credits.

  7. Inside Online DBA Programs with No Dissertation

    Online DBA programs with no dissertation often require applicants to have substantial professional experience — typically between three and five years' worth. Indiana Wesleyan University's DBA program, for example, requires applicants to have at least five years' work experience in the field of their chosen specialization. The work ...

  8. 30 Best Doctorate Degrees Online No Dissertation Required [2024

    An online DBA program focuses on advanced decision-making and leadership skills, integrating business theory and applied research. The capstone project or doctoral study project will relate to the specialization you have chosen and prepare you for that particular career path. ... Some online PhD no dissertation programs can be completed in as ...

  9. Best Online Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) Programs

    Online DBA programs require submission of an online application that asks candidates to outline their educational, professional, and extracurricular histories. ... This DBA program requires no dissertation. Two-week breaks between courses help participants manage their schedules. Admission to the online doctorate in business administration ...

  10. 50 Best Online DBA Programs [Accredited & AACSB: 2024 Guide]

    50 Best Online DBA Programs [2024 Doctor of Business Administration Guide] Online DBA programs can help you earn your Doctor of Business Administration in as little as 2 years. With average salaries ranging from $87K to $184K (Bureau of Labor Statistics), DBA benefits can be immense. With an eye on the horizon, you may be considering what steps ...

  11. Doctor of Business Administration

    Through our 100% online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree, you can benefit from advanced training in professional management, human resources, marketing, and other important fields of ...

  12. Online Doctor of Business Administration Degree

    The JWU Doctor of Business Administration is a fully-online, 54-credit program developed and assessed by the College of Business and delivered online.The program is delivered in a cohort, semester-system model with two 8-week sessions in each of the fall, spring, and summer semesters over three years.. The DBA degree program is structured to support student learning in a format that works for ...

  13. DBA in Information Systems Online

    A DBA is a terminal degree that provides doctoral study and typically a research project or dissertation. This degree will give you the highest attainable level of education in your field. What ...

  14. Online Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Degree

    Earn a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) online without a dissertation. Learn business research and leadership skills in various topics and prepare for top executive positions.

  15. Online DBA

    Students enrolled in dissertation courses (numbered 860-880): The residencies are held online. Students enrolled in the prerequisite course (DBA 600): There is no residency. These residencies are scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays, usually in the fifth week of the term. On Fridays, the residency is held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

  16. Doctorate Degree Without A Dissertation

    Consider CIU's Doctorate in Business Administration program, which allows students to earn a doctorate degree without dissertation requirements of any kind. The program is designed to be able to be finished within 3 years, but students are free to pace themselves as they see fit.

  17. Online Doctorate Degree With No Dissertation Requirements

    Learn about online doctorate programs that may not require a dissertation. Compare different types of dissertations, applied projects, and capstone projects in various fields of study.

  18. Doctor of Business Administration Program

    Throughout the Ed.D.-Higher Education leadership program, you'll develop important research skills and the necessary writing prowess to complete and publish a dissertation in practice (DiP) as the culmination of your studies. Your DiP will showcase your ability to solve a challenge within the workplace using action research.

  19. Online DBA in Business Intelligence

    There are no residencies required so you can advance your career, without putting it on hold, in our fully online and part-time format. Marymount's online DBA in Business Intelligence is: Cost-effective: This part-time program costs $1,340 per credit hour, for a total program investment of $48,240. Accelerated: With intakes in the fall and ...

  20. Best 18-Month Doctorate without Dissertation [2024 Guide]

    An 18-month non-dissertation doctorate in computer science program is a rapid route to advanced technological expertise. This program is aimed at professionals who are eyeing leadership roles in tech industries. It emphasizes cutting-edge computing technologies and problem-solving in real-world contexts.

  21. Doctor of Business Administration

    Doctoral Dissertation. Doctoral students are required to complete a dissertation and defend their research before a committee and University representatives, which may take place at a distance through audio/visual means. No degree shall be awarded without majority of committee approval. Information regarding this capstone doctoral requirement ...

  22. Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

    This 56-credit-hour degree will take approximately 36 months to complete and is available totally online. Apply today to learn more about the OKWU DBA. Estimated Cost. Estimated Total. Registration Fee. $50. Graduation Fee. $100. Technology Fee @ $65 per term.

  23. Online DBA Programs Without Dissertation

    The following 15 universities are fully accredited and offer online DBA programs that do not require a dissertation.#1 Apollos University. Apollos is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). #2 Bellevue University. Bellevue is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.