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Online DBA

Doctor of Business Administration

Business Administration
Doctor of Business Administration
AT A GLANCE
  • 48 credits
  • No transfer credits accepted
  • All courses available online
  • Select hybrid courses available
  • Program restrictions apply
  • On-site residency required
TUITION
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Stand out with a Doctor of Business Administration, a degree that defines accomplishment.

Designed for executive-level working professionals, the Doctor of Business Administration at University of Maryland Global Campus emphasizes management theory, strategic thinking, organizational leadership, change, research, innovation, and sustainability in the global business environment. Through applied research and analysis of real-world management issues, you'll gain sophisticated knowledge for the executive level of management.

Our cohort structure promotes close, interactive partnerships among students, faculty, and staff and a supportive network for lifelong learning. You'll also benefit from exposure to national and global perspectives and collaboration with geographically diverse classmates and faculty. CEO Magazine has recognized UMGC as one of the premier global DBA providers in 2022.

Please note: This program requires students to attend a two-day residency each term. For the 2022-2023 AY, residencies will be onsite in Maryland for the Fall and Spring terms. The residency held in the Winter term will be 100% virtual.


Total Credits Required: 48

Take the following courses in the order listed:

Prerequisite Course

  • (3 Credits, DBA 600)

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

Core Courses

  • (6 Credits, DBA 800)
  • (6 Credits, DBA 810)
  • (6 Credits, DBA 820)
  • (6 Credits, DBA 830)
  • (6 Credits, DBA 840)
  • (6 Credits, DBA 850)

Dissertation Courses

  • (4 Credits, DBA 860)
  • (4 Credits, DBA 870)
  • (4 Credits, DBA 880)

  • You may only take one course per term.
  • You must complete each course with a grade of A or B to advance to the next course.
  • The grade of C is not available for these courses.
  • You must complete each dissertation course with a grade of S or higher to advance to the next course.
  • 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.

Through the DBA program, you'll learn how to conduct and use evidence-based research to make data-informed management decisions. Your dissertation will include a systematic review of a complex issue or problem in the workforce. Most students choose to apply the results of their dissertation research to their current work environment.

Recent dissertation 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"

Search Course Catalog

These requirements are for students who enroll in the 2023–2024 academic year. For prior year requirements, visit our catalog archive.

View Schedule of Classes

Review the online schedule of classes to see a full list of courses and their timings, instructors, and locations.

Program Highlights

  • Utilize research: Conduct and evaluate management research for decision-making.
  • Present ideas: Present innovative ideas at professional conferences and submit for publication.
  • Analyze business environments: Investigate the overall business intelligence environment in an organization.
  • Initiate change: Lead successful change in your organization.
  • Make recommendations: Assess an enterprise's analytic capabilities for a stronger business climate.
  • Develop solutions: Establish ethical solutions to complex organizational problems.

You might be interested in similar programs

Additional Program Information

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

Prerequisite Course

You must pass the prerequisite course, DBA 600, with an A or B to be admitted into the program.

(3 Credits, DBA 600):

  • 11-week course
  • Pass with a grade of A or B for admission to the DBA program
  • 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 (see program admissions requirements below)

Note: DBA 600 cannot be waived.

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

  • A 700-word personal statement outlining your career goals, including how the DBA degree will fit in your future

  • Optional writing sample: This can be an article or paper you have authored, thesis, blog post, or any published material

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

Interview

UMGC may require a phone interview to gather additional information from an applicant. The need for an interview will be determined by the detail 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 DBA 600.

Mailing Address for Admission Documents

If mailing 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.

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.

You must pass the program's prerequisite course with an A or B to be admitted into the program.

(3 Credits, DBA 600):

  • 11-week course
  • Pass with a grade of A or B for admission to the DBA program
  • 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

This course cannot be waived.

One on-site residency is held each term and is mandatory for all students enrolled in the program. Residencies consist of two full days of face-to-face classroom 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.

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.

There is no on-site residency for the prerequisite course, (3 Credits, DBA 600).

The School of Business reserves the option to conduct residencies virtually to comply with guidance from UMGC in view of the pandemic situation prevailing at that time.

Residencies for upcoming terms will take place in Maryland on the following dates:

  • 2022:
    • Fall 2022: Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5, 2022
  • 2023:
    • Winter 2023: Friday, February 10 and Saturday, February 11, 2023
    • Spring 2023: Friday, May 12 and Saturday, May 13, 2023
    • Fall 2023: Friday, November 3 and Saturday, November 4, 2023
  • 2024:
    • Winter 2024: Friday, February 9 and Saturday, February 10, 2024
    • Spring 2024: Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11, 2024
    • Fall 2024: Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, 2024
  • You are expected to have supervisory management experience and demonstrated leadership ability.
  • This program is writing-intensive; to improve your writing skills, we recommend you take ASC 601.
  • In addition, the ideal applicant will have the motivation to do applied research and possess the intellectual curiosity to engage in scholarly discourse.

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ)

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