The DBA is a professional degree program that can be completed in as few as four years. It requires ninety hours of graduate level work in business. The ninety hours are divided into three categories: (1) forty-five hours of doctoral coursework from Anderson University; (2) fifteen hours of dissertation credit; and (3) thirty hours of additional graduate business coursework (typically satisfied by a masters in business).
The forty-five hours of course work in the AU DBA is comprised of two components:
(1) CORE
Research Methods 9 hours
Higher Education & Teaching Methodologies 9 hours
Conceptual Foundation Courses in Business disciplines 9 hours
(2) MAJOR 18 hours
(available in accounting, finance, management, and marketing)
Major courses will include seminars, global studies, advanced ethical applications and classroom applications
At the completion of coursework, students will take qualifying exams. After discipline proficiency has been established, students will be required to complete a dissertation. The dissertation process will include a proposal of the dissertation topic and a final defense of the research work.
A cohort of 8-12 students will be admitted to the program each May. A variety of instructional methodologies will be utilized in the program including on campus classes, independent studies and appropriate web-based instruction. Students will be expected to spend two weeks in May, one week in August and one week in January on campus during the three years of coursework. This will fulfill the residency requirements for the program. These "residency" weeks will involve intensive class time as well as presentations of student work from the previous semester. Students will be assigned both reading and written assignments before and after each of these "on campus" class sessions.
A student may complete the program in four years by taking 15 hours in each of the first three years and completing the exams and dissertation during the fourth year. Persons will also be able to adopt a five or six year schedule for the completion of the program.
