The DBA program is designed for visionary professionals who want to use their expertise to change how their business changes the world. With access to resources that allow students to track their progress more closely, they will define the social change impact they want to make—and then design their doctoral experience around it. Coursework in this program includes self-analysis activities as well as international case studies. Students can explore some of today’s greatest business challenges and opportunities—including globalization, ethics, and relationship management—and examine those issues in relation to their own organization.
Accreditation
Walden University’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation association that identifies and supports excellence in business education.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of the program, students will be able to:
- Evaluate the relevance of current and emerging business theory and practice from an interdisciplinary perspective (WO III, IV, V, VI, VIII).
- Formulate effective solutions to complex, real-world problems common to the practice of business and management (WO II, IV, V, VIII).
- Apply current research literature to practical problems found in business and management (WO III, IV, V, VI, VIII).
- Evaluate scholarly research in business and management (WO II, III, IV, V, VI).
- Design rigorous research that contributes to the professional body of knowledge of business and management (WO II, III, IV, V, VI).
- Design rigorous research that contributes to positive social change (WO I, II, IV, VII, VIII, IX).
- Apply professional ethics appropriately (WO I, II, IV, VII, VIII, IX).
Minimum Degree Requirements
- Doctoral Writing Assessment (0 semester credits)
- Foundation courses (3 semester credits)
- Core business course (3 semester credits)
- Business strategy course (3 semester credits)
- Research methods courses (12 semester credits)
- Specialization courses (9 semester credits)
- Completion of Doctoral Study
- Doctoral mentoring (4 semester credits)
- Doctoral study writing courses (3 semester credits per term for a minimum of 5 terms until completion, with two 8-week terms taken per semester)
- Two academic residencies
Note: Students who have earned a Professional in Human Resources (PHR), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), or Global Professional in Human Resources (GPHR) certification may be eligible to accelerate their DBA program. For information, contact the Student Success Advising Team.
Curriculum
Foundation Courses (3 semester credits)
Core and Business Strategy Courses (6 semester credits)
Research Methods Courses (12 semester credits)
Specialization Courses (9 semester credits)
These courses are dependent upon the particular specialization. Please see the course list on each specialization page. Changing specializations may increase a student’s expected time-to-degree completion and cost.
Residency Requirements
- Complete Residency 1 face-to-face as soon as you begin your program (while taking DDBA 8006 or DDBA 8151); required in order to advance into DDBA 8300.
- Complete Residency 2 face-to-face just prior to the start or during the first few weeks of DDBA 8303; required in order to advance into DDBA 8307.
- Optional: Complete a DBA Doctoral Study Intensive retreat face-to-face during DDBA 8101/8101C/8101P or DDBA 9001/9001C/9001P. Contact Student Success Advising to register.
Completion of the Doctoral Capstone
OR
OR
1 credits each session = total 4 credits To be taken along with other coursework after completion of DDBA 8303 until beginning DDBA 9001/9001C/9001P.
OR
OR
Students take this course for a minimum of five terms (two 8-week terms per semester) and are continuously enrolled until completion of their doctoral study with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.
To complete a doctoral study, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the CAO. Students must also publish their doctoral study on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral study process in the DBA Doctoral Study Rubric and Handbook.
Course Sequence
The recommended course sequence is as follows:
| Semester | Course | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 |
DDBA 4990 - Business Essentials |
0 semester credits |
| Complete Residency 1 face-to-face as soon as you begin your program (while taking DDBA 8006 or DDBA 8151); required in order to advance into DDBA 8300. | ||
|
DDBA 8006 - Contemporary Challenges in Business |
3 semester credits | |
|
DDBA 8151 - Organizational Leadership: Doctoral Theory and Practice |
3 semester credits | |
| Semester 2 |
DDBA 8161 - Business Strategy and Innovation for Competitive Advantage |
3 semester credits |
|
DDBA 8300 - Qualitative and Quantitative Methodology for Applied Business Research |
4 semester credits | |
| Complete Residency 2 just prior to the start or during the first few weeks of DDBA 8303; required in order to advance into DDBA 8307. | ||
| Semester 3 |
DDBA 8303 - Qualitative and Case Study Methodology for Business Analysis Research |
4 semester credits |
|
DDBA 8307B - Quantitative Business Data Analysis Using SPSS AND DDBA 8101 - Doctoral Study Mentoring* OR DDBA 8101C - Doctoral Study Mentoring* ORDDBA 8101P - Doctoral Portfolio Capstone Mentoring* |
4 semester credits
1 semester cr |
|
| Semester 4 | Specialization Course 1 AND DDBA 8101 - Doctoral Study Mentoring* OR DDBA 8101C - Doctoral Study Mentoring* ORDDBA 8101P - Doctoral Portfolio Capstone Mentoring* |
3 semester credits 1 semester credits |
| Specialization Course 2 AND DDBA 8101 - Doctoral Study Mentoring* OR DDBA 8101C - Doctoral Study Mentoring* OR DDBA 8101P - Doctoral Portfolio Capstone Mentoring* |
3 semester credits 1 semester credits |
|
| Optional: Complete a DBA Doctoral Study Intensive retreat during DDBA 8100/8101 or DDBA 9000/9001. Contact Student Success Advising to register. | ||
| Semester 5 | Specialization Course 3 AND DDBA 8101 - Doctoral Study Mentoring* OR DDBA 8101C - Doctoral Study Mentoring* OR DDBA 8101P - Doctoral Portfolio Capstone Mentoring* |
3 semester credits 1 semester credits |
|
DDBA 9001 - Doctoral Study Completion** OR DDBA 9001C - Doctoral Study Completion** OR DDBA 9001P - Doctoral Portfolio Capstone Completion** |
3 semester credits per term for a minimum of five terms = 15 semester credits* | |
| Semester 6+ |
DDBA 9001 - Doctoral Study Completion** OR DDBA 9001C - Doctoral Study Completion** OR DDBA 9001P - Doctoral Portfolio Capstone Completion** |
3 semester credits per term for a minimum of 5 terms; taken continuously until completion |
* DDBA 8101/8101C/8101P - 1 credits each session = total 4 credits; To be taken along with other coursework after completion of DDBA 8303 until beginning DDBA 9001/9001C/9001P.
** Students take this course for a minimum of five terms (two 8-week terms per semester) and are continuously enrolled until completion of their doctoral study with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval. To complete a doctoral study, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the CAO. Students must also publish their doctoral study on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the doctoral study process in the DBA Doctoral Study Rubric and Handbook.