Doctorate in Business Administration

The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) delivers a comprehensive program designed to enhance critical thinking and analytical skills, hone leadership abilities and develop an expertise in conducting and understanding research, methodology and evaluation. This fully online DBA program is designed to serve business and working academic professionals who want to propel their careers forward.

JIU’s world-class faculty members develop and deliver a rigorous curriculum that is designed with professional development in mind. Our unique DBA perfectly balances courses and research so students will develop expert-level knowledge in their chosen field. Assignments are authentically based and are appropriate to the courses’ needs, whether it is problem-based or project-based learning. DBA students often turn their coursework into work projects for real and immediate benefits.

All too often, a large percentage of doctoral students across the country get through their program but become overwhelmed by the thought of producing a dissertation. JIU’s doctoral program is unique – we combine a Dissertation with a unique parallel advising track which supports our students’ academic progress from the outset and keeps their focus on degree completion. As with any doctoral degree, graduates will master the English language and applied research methodologies.

DBA Program Mission

The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program is designed to create new knowledge, and advance the professional development of practicing managers and professionals in the business arena: first by extending their knowledge of management science; and, second, by equipping them with broad research and process-management skills.

CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT IN CONTENT AND DISSERTYATION ADVISING (DOC) COURSES IS MANDATORY.

Required Program Disclosures

Graduates of the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) degree program:

  • Contribute to advanced professional practice through the utilization of extensive knowledge of emerging business and management research within the context of applied business settings.
  • Analyze critically the literature of both business management and applied research.
  • Integrate applied research with academic learning as a forerunner to the formulation of vision and strategy in the business enterprise.
  • Create rigorous, independent and creative dissertation research using applied research methodologies, in order to contribute to the professional body of knowledge and communicate the research findings.
Who Should Enroll: 

This program is ideal for managers, executives, and entrepreneurs who require a practitioner-based executive doctoral education that allows them to become “research professionals.” The subject areas for potential students seeking such programs include non-profit management, community college and other faculty and administrative positions, and corporate training, coaching and management consulting. Like all doctoral programs, mastery of the English language and the ability to conduct action-based research are requirements of all successful graduates.

HOW TO APPLY:

Your course sequence will be determined in cooperation with your Student Support Counselor.

CURRICULUM
1 Orientation Course - no costNo Credit
6 Business Foundations Courses18 Credits
6 Research Courses18 Credits
1 Comprehensive Written Examination Course3 Credits
1 Formal Proposal Course4 Credits
4 Dissertation Courses16 Credits
13 Dissertation Writing Courses13 Credits
TOTAL Required for Graduation
72 Credit Hours
1 Orientation Course - no costNo Credit
DOC900 Doctoral and Specialist Programs: Year 1 Colloquium
6 Business Foundations Courses18 Credits
BA710 Foundations of Management Science
BA711 International Business Management
BA712 Organizational Development
BA713 Leadership and Organizations
BA714 Sustainability and Innovation in the Business Enterprise
BA717 Strategic Management
6 Research Courses18 Credits
RES700 Foundations of Doctoral Research Methods
RES701 Qualitative Doctoral Research Methods
RES702 Quantitative Doctoral Research Methods
RES703 Advanced Quantitative Doctoral Research Methods
RES704 Trend Forecasting
RES705 Leading Change
1 Comprehensive Written Examination Course3 Credits
BA730 Comprehensive Examination
1 Formal Proposal Course4 Credits
BA731 Formal Proposal – School of Business
4 Dissertation Courses16 Credits
DISS820 Dissertation Data Gathering
DISS821 Dissertation Analysis
DISS822 Dissertation Results
DISS823 Dissertation Final Defense
13 Dissertation Writing Courses13 Credits
DOC910 Foundations of Doctoral Writing
DOC911 Foundations of Doctoral Research
DOC912 Structure of the Literature Review
DOC913 Developing the Research Question
DOC914 Structure of the Research Methodology
DOC915 Structure of the Introduction and the Prospectus
DOC916 Initial Drafts of the Literature Review
DOC917 Initial Drafts of the Research Methodology
DOC918 Final Draft of the Literature Review
DOC919 Final Draft of the Research Methodology
DOC920 Initial Drafts of the Introduction
DOC921 Final Draft of the Introduction and IRB Application
DOC922 Proposal and IRB Approval

Transfer credit is available for applicable courses.