DBA Degree Requirements

Doctorate of Business Administration students must successfully complete a total of 60 credits, including a DBA dissertation, to meet the degree requirements and graduate. While it takes discipline and focus to complete the program within three years, it should be noted that most Ph.D. programs take five or more years to complete.

Coursework phase

Students take classes with their cohort for two years. This coursework is focused on integrating business functions such as accounting, finance, management, marketing, and information technology. Students also learn the fundamentals of business research and statistics. At the end of the second year, they are well-trained to pursue scholarly research independently.

Please visit the Course Catalog for a list of courses and a schedule by semester.

Dissertation phase

During their third year, students apply their training to complete an original research project. The dissertation is a significant work that will address a substantial question and contribute to solving a problem or advancing a strategy that addresses an important interest. Successful completion involves research and writing, as well as formal defense.

The dissertation defense involves two phases: proposal defense and final defense. Candidates are expected to defend their proposal during the beginning of their third year, after they have completed all coursework, and to complete the final defense by the end of their third year.

All DBA candidates must successfully complete their dissertation and final defense to be recommended for the DBA degree.