The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program at Concordia University will prepare you as a leader to make data-informed decisions.
What is the DBA Program?
Through a balanced approach of theory and practice, studying trends, and real-life case studies, you’ll gain the skills you need to lead at the next level.
You’ll learn quantitative and qualitative business concepts in order to prepare you to be a scholared practitioner. A scholared practitioner is someone who can conduct and read the research, and then apply it to his or her context.
Why Choose Concordia?
Concordia takes an Uncommon approach to the DBA model. We’re with you every step of the way, from start to finish. You’ll have faculty support as you choose your classes and your dissertation topic. You’ll get the chance to network with our industry partners and learn from the best. Additionally, you’ll have the support of your peers in our cohort model. Don’t be surprised if you end up building lifelong relationships with your peers and professors.
We’re no strangers to higher education and doctoral programs here at Concordia, and this program is built on our university’s solid educational foundation. Our legacy and program strength are second to none, but the interpersonal experience at Concordia is what truly makes us Uncommon.
Check out our DBA program webinar here to learn more.
What is Concordia’s curriculum model?
“All aspects of our coursework are able to be applied at work immediately.” -Dr. Matthew Hurtienne, Program Director
The DBA program uses an Applied Learning Model, which means that all of the coursework should relate to real-life on the job. For example, if you gain new insight on an economic theory or you interact with an industry expert who was guest lecturing, you will be able to apply what you learn to your work right away.
All of the faculty are scholared practitioners, meaning they have their doctorate and they were/are industry experts. The professors bring their own experiences to class, and you should do the same. You’ll have the opportunity to learn not only from your professors but from the others in your cohort.
The Cohort Model
You’ll benefit from the small cohort size. This allows you to build lifelong relationships, receive peer mentoring, and collaborate on case studies and projects in a meaningful and effective way.
In addition to peer support, you’ll get a mentor for one-on-one guidance to help with your research process and capstone.
Choose from Three Concentrations
Each concentration is four classes total and is specialized to give you the skills and insights you need to achieve your goals.
Financial & Economic Management:
- Choose this concentration if you love finance and economics and want to make data-based decisions. You’ll be well-versed in business and industry, and you’ll have the tools to stay current with the trends. You want to think critically about economic concepts like free enterprise.
Organizational Change & Performance:
- Choose this concentration if you want to improve productivity and effectiveness as a leader. You want to learn the skills you need to do this at the employee level, team level, and/or organizational level. You’ll learn to unleash your expertise so a change can be made. You regularly think about how to minimize resistance to change. This is ideal for you if you see yourself in HR, learning & development, C-suite, consulting, etc.
Healthcare Administration:
- Choose this concentration if you want to analyze the current state of healthcare and become well-versed in management and the healthcare delivery system. You’ll be fluent in the economics of healthcare, as well as the financial limitations of healthcare. You’ll get the chance to learn from the significant number of healthcare administration organizations in Concordia’s network.
What is the workload like for the DBA program?
As you can probably guess, a doctoral program requires a high level of commitment. In your residency, we will help you understand the workload expectations and give you tools to help you manage your time and coursework. You’ll even learn some reading strategies to help you get the most out of the required readings.
Each class is 8 weeks and is interactive. These courses are not self-paced, so you’ll be experiencing the content along with your classmates. At the minimum, you should expect 10 hours per week of coursework.
How long is the DBA program?
This is a 3-year-program at the minimum, and it’s built this way for you. We want you to start this program to finish this program and not get derailed during your research process.
The program could take you longer, depending on how aggressive you are with your research topic. You’ll actually take research courses as a part of the core curriculum. These classes are built to help you write your literature review and methodology section of your dissertation. At Concordia, you get to research your topic while taking classes as opposed to waiting until you’re at the end of your coursework. You’ll work with us to build up your faculty review committee for your dissertation along the way.
How much does the DBA program cost?
This program is $838 per credit hour, and it’s 60 total credits. If you plan to use FAFSA, remember that you can use these funds to help cover room and board as well as travel expenses during your residency.
Are there scholarships available?
Yes! If you’re an alumnus of Concordia, you’re eligible for the Alumni Scholarship, which is $500 per course. We also have numerous Business Community Partners, so if you work at one of these businesses, you are eligible for our Business Community Scholarship.
Concordia also offers Veteran scholarships, as well as scholarships for those in public and Christian places of education.
When it comes to funding your education, be sure to check with your employer to see if they will pay a portion of your tuition.
You can learn more about our Uncommon Scholarships here.
Application Requirements
Here is a list of what you need to do to apply:
- Apply at cuaa.edu/apply
- Submit the following:
- Official Transcript
- Resume/CV
- Personal Statement
- Candidate Interview
Once you get accepted, you’ll pay a $250 deposit that secures your seat within 30 days. This deposit goes toward your tuition and is not an additional fee.
Jennifer will be there to answer any questions you might have along the way.
Feeling Inspired?
If you want to learn more about what it takes to get your DBA at Concordia University, you can check out the program page here.
This blog was originally published on 12/14/2020. It has been updated to reflect current information.
— Vanessa Lane is the Content Marketing Lead at Concordia University and can be reached at vanessa.lane@cuaa.edu. When she's not at work, she can be found playing with her kids or watching NBA basketball with her husband.
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