FAQ – Doctor of Business Administration

FAQ – Doctor of Business Administration What are the admissions requirements? 1. An MBA or related master’s degree from a U.S. school accredited by one of the regional accrediting associations, or from a non-U.S. institution with comparable accreditation. Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE) must evaluate a degree awarded from a non-U.S. institution as equivalent to a master’s degree awarded by a U.S. institution. 2. A minimum grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 in their master’s course work. 3. A minimum of five years of professional experience related to business, management or administration. 4. Three professional references. 5. Completed application form and application fee. 6. Writing sample. 7. Access to a computer and the internet. Do you accept transfer credits? Yes. Students may transfer up to 12 graduate credits taken at other regionally accredited schools. Credits applied to another degree are not eligible. In order to be transferred a grade of B or better must have been achieved in the course. What is the cost? Tuition is $450 per credit hour. The total cost of the program is $40,500. What are the program requirements? The program requires 90 quarter credits of doctoral level study, which includes a research-based dissertation worth 20 quarter credits. Required seminars and research requirements are listed below. YEAR I BUS 800 Doctoral Seminar in Information Proficiency BUS 801 The Scholar Practitioner BUS 810 Leading 21st Century Organizations BUS 811 Managing in a World-Wide Context BUS 812 Knowledge Management and Information Systems BUS 840 Statistics for Executives BUS 813 Quality Improvement and Organizational change BUS 880 Professional Residency BUS 890 Portfolio Development I BUS 891 Portfolio Development II BUS 892 Critical Reading Essay YEAR II BUS 841 Introduction to Research Design BUS 844 Defining the Dissertation Research Problem and Research Question BUS 842 Designing Qualitative Dissertation Research or BUS 843 Designing Quantitative Dissertation Research BUS 881 Professional Residency BUS 893 Qualifying Paper One of the Following: BUS 861 & 871 Doctoral Seminar in Finance Part I & II BUS 862 & 872 Doctoral Seminar in Marketing Part I & II BUS 863 & 873 Doctoral Seminar in Information Systems Part I & II BUS 864 & 874 Doctoral Seminar in Leadership and Change Part I & II BUS 865 & 875 Doctoral Seminar in HR Part I & II BUS 866 & 876 Doctoral Seminar Self Designed Part I & II YEAR III BUS 814 Corporate and Personal Ethics BUS 896 The Dissertation Proposal BUS 897 Conducting Dissertation Research Part I BUS 898 Conducting Dissertation Research Part II BUS 899 Completing Dissertation Research BUS 882 Professional Residency How long will the program take? The program is designed for working adults. Students who are working full-time should be able to complete the program in three years. Is there a residency requirement? No. The program is 100% on-line. Baker College has been a pioneer in delivering high quality online education dating back to 1994. Students are expected, however, to attend at least one professional conference per year during their program of study where they will meet with other students and faculty. Is there a dissertation requirement? Yes. By the time you reach the second year of the program, you should have narrowed your area of interest into several possible research ideas. The DBA program is designed to help you accomplish this, beginning with BUS 801 The Scholar Practitioner in which you create your Autobiographical Learning Plan and continuing through BUS 844 Defining the Dissertation Research Problem and Questions at the beginning of the second year. In that course, you will develop a prospectus, in essence a concept paper for your dissertation research. What is the Autobiographical Learning Plan? The Autobiographical Learning Plan consists of three parts: 1) a reflection on past personal and professional experiences and a statement of goals for the program, 2) an assessment of academic and professional strengths and weaknesses and overall readiness to start the program, and 3) a learning plan to achieve learning and professional goals, with a clearly identified program of study, identifying first, second and third year milestones. Is there a comprehensive or qualifying exam? No. However, you will be asked to write a comprehensive essay synthesizing the content of the courses and the material collected in your Reading Asset Library during the first year. At the end of the second year of the program you will be asked to submit a qualifying paper suitable for publication. What is the Reading Asset Library? Beginning with the first course and throughout the program, you will be expected to critically annotate what you read. These annotations will form an important resource for you as you conduct your research projects in the program, including the dissertation. It should also serve you well when you graduate, forming the basis of a robust professional library. You will maintain the Library in the Scholarly Activity Portfolio. Do I have a faculty advisor? Yes. Upon enrollment, doctoral students are assigned a first-year advisor. The first-year advisor also teaches their initial course in the program, BUS 801, The Scholar Practitioner. The role of the first-year advisor is to assist students in getting off to a strong start in the program. In this role, faculty members evaluate student work and progress as documented in their portfolios, and assist students in the completion of program requirements in the first year, such as the Autobiographical Learning Plan, and the Program of Study form. The first-year advisor also may assist students with program planning and course selection and will be the instructor for BUS 890 Portfolio Development I and BUS 891 Portfolio Development II. At the beginning of the second year students request an advisor for the remainder of the program. This may or may not be the first-year advisor, and should be determined by the student’s research interest. The role of the advisor at this stage of the program is to help the student develop their research skills and to develop their dissertation topic and proposal. In the third year, the student’s faculty advisor becomes the dissertation committee chair. The dissertation committee will be comprised of three DBA faculty members, the committee chair and two committee members. A fourth member from outside Baker may be added with the mutual consent of the chair and student and with the approval of the Dean of Doctoral Studies. Who should I contact for additional information? Admissions Advisor adm-ol@baker.edu