The University of Atlanta’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program in Managerial Science has been designed for a diversified student body: experienced business professionals who wish to translate corporate experience into senior leadership options, be it as a member of the executive team within their current organization or as a top competitor in other settings; individuals at any stage of their career who, beyond their completed Master’s level studies in Business or Management, are inspired to soar higher, to explore, examine and critically evaluate theories, applications, concepts, processes and conventions in new, creative ways; those who, already part of the world of higher education or headed in such direction, seek an appointment or professional advancement that the DBA is apt to facilitate; and those who, focused less on specific objectives, as conventionally defined, and more on the process of, and quest for, further growth and development, seek the learning experience that such a program promises to provide.

Whatever the personal or professional motivation, as part of a DBA cohort at the University of Atlanta, students will engage with highly-qualified corporate executives and academic professionals alike who build upon each candidate’s established core skills and knowledge to develop a superior level of competence in managerial science. Sophisticated critical thinking skills will be honed via guided scholarly and practical enterprise, action research, complex problem-solving activities and analytical assessment of relevant case studies.

Developed with the input and insight of a broad-winged panel of experienced faculty members and leading business practitioners, the DBA program emphasizes advanced decision-making and leadership skills, in-depth knowledge of both theory and application, and the ability to manage positive social change. Throughout this educational journey, students will explore many of the greatest challenges and opportunities confronting business and leadership today, including, among others, globalization, ethics, and management of stakeholder relationships. Whatever one’s specific background or particular interests, the DBA candidate will develop the critical knowledge and practical skills required for success. Students will have ample opportunity to target specific areas of interest within the program setting and will ultimately be well prepared and well positioned for forward direction and upward mobility.

The DBA program, while academically rigorous, has been developed to foster the needs of active professionals who must balance the demands of career, family, and educational advancement. Moreover, U of A’s School of Business and Managerial Science welcomes and encourages students with diverse backgrounds and from all geographic locations, world-wide. In consequence of such diversity and cross-national emphasis, we are able to provide an enriched, value-added environment for expanded learning, one wherein global perspectives and multi-cultural exchange flourish. The largely a-synchronous delivery model (with synchronous, cohort-based components) affords an opportunity to those who, despite their qualifications and desire for doctoral-level studies, would not be able to pursue this option within the traditional academic setting. It is for this reason, too, that, unlike most online programs, we require no time in residence, thereby eliminating the significant costs travel and inconvenience.

Those who are accepted into a doctoral cohort of the University of Atlanta’s DBA program will embark on a “new intellectual journey.”

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of the program is to produce graduates who can contribute to the advancement of their professions and to the expansion of knowledge and awareness of contemporary strategic issues and practices. Through the DBA curriculum and its correlative components, participants will achieve this objective through the development of:

• A thorough and deep-rooted knowledge of scientific and scholarly research methods and their application in the business setting for senior executives, consultants and university professors
• Advanced critical thinking as well as refined conceptual and analytical skills
• A mastery of both the seminal theories and the latest practices in business management
• The tools to perform original applied research that advances knowledge within the business arena
• An appreciation of cultural, ethical, and global issues and their impact on evolving theories and practices
• The skills necessary for sophisticated and effective decision-making in complex environments through the integration of theoretic insights, extensive practical knowledge and innovative concept development.

ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
The DBA program is designed to prepare graduates for advancement in their current career or to allow them the flexibility to realize a broader array of professional options. Those who successfully complete the Doctor of Business Administration program will, as a combined function of this much-coveted academic credential and the nature, level and history of previous experience, be positioned to compete for senior level positions, which include, but are surely not limited to: Administrative Director, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Officer, Director of Organizational Development, College or University Faculty or Administrator, Controller, Dean of Business, Director of Operations, Director of Training and Development, Director or Vice President of Human Resource Management, Senior Managerial Consultant, along with an almost endless list of other specialized options..

Course No.	Course Title	Credits
Research Methods Courses (REQUIRED) = 2 Courses
DBA 861	Research Methods 1	3
DBA 862	Research Methods II	3
Core Course (Choose 9 of 12)
DBA 800	Human Capital Management in Organizations	3
DBA 801	Enterprise Leadership in Organizations	3
DBA 810	Managerial Technology in Business	3
DBA 811	Managerial Negotiations	3
DBA 816	Innovation Management	3
DBA 820	Marketing Research and Analysis	3
DBA 825	Applied Corporate Finance	3
DBA 836	Contemporary Global Marketing	3
DBA 839	Dynamics of Corporate Strategy	3
DBA 840	Organizational Management and Change	3
DBA 841	Business Strategies for a Global Environment	3
DBA 851	Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility	3
Topic Courses Directed Individualized Research (All Three Required)
DBA 871	Special Topics - Global Studies	3
DBA 872	Special Topics - Strategic Studies	3
DBA 873	Special Topics - Project Management	3
Dissertation Proposal Course (Required)
DBA 900	Research Proposal and Prospectus	3
Dissertation Research (All Three Required)
DBA 971	Doctoral Dissertation I	- (S/U)
DBA 972	Doctoral Dissertation II	- (S/U)
DBA 873	Doctoral Dissertation III	15
Total	18 courses	60 credits

Program Tuition

Program cost = 15 courses @ $1000 + 3 Dissertation modules @ $500 each = $16,500

Presently, the Commission's scope of recognition extends through the first professional degree level with CHEA and through professional doctoral degrees with U.S. Department of Education.