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2012-2013 Academic Catalog and Handbook

Doctor of Business Administration

Doctor of Business Administration

(DBA degree)

Purpose

The purpose of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program is to prepare Christian business educators for the college/university classroom. This program equips students to research and teach a variety of business disciplines, with a unique focus on the integration of faith and ethics into teaching and practice. Students complete a business core, research core, and education core (including a teaching practicum). In addition, they choose a management or marketing concentration for in-depth study.

Courses are offered in hybrid and on-line formats all year round (Spring, Summer and Fall semesters). Hybrid courses include an on-campus residency. On-line courses are conducted entirely over the Internet. Students can expect to spend three four-day residencies on the Newberg campus every year. Coursework can be completed in three years with the dissertation to follow. The program follows a cohort model for all core classes. Students who drop classes may be required to stop out of the program and join the next cohort.

Program Objectives

Educational Objectives

To enable students to:

  • Integrate faith, moral character, and sound ethical reasoning into managerial practice
  • Understand the important issues and trends facing organizations in an increasingly global society
  • Be equipped with the concepts, theories, and methodologies that enable them to conduct organizational research
  • Master cross-cultural competencies that enable them to lead diverse groups in a global society
Professional Objectives

The Executive Management track seeks to enable students to:

  • Lead organizational and societal change efforts
  • Understand the practice of management as a liberal art, improving personal effectiveness by applying insights from a variety of academic disciplines
  • View the management role from a variety of disciplinary and historical perspectives

The Management Education track seeks to enable students to:

  • Understand the role of human relations, knowledge management, training, and development in the modern organization
  • Acquire additional expertise in selected subject areas tailored to individual interests (marketing, leadership, nonprofit, enterprise development, crisis management)
  • Demonstrate effective instructional strategies and practices acquired through mastering educational principles and hands-on experience

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the DBA program must hold both a four-year baccalaureate degree and approved master's degree from a regionally accredited college or university (students holding both bachelor's and master's degrees from George Fox will not be admitted to the program unless granted a special exemption by the DBA admissions committee), with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

  • Doctor of business administation application form and application fee
  • Submit one official transcript from each college/university attended
  • Evidence of appropriate professional experience
  • Three letters of reference (as specified in admissions materials)
  • GMAT test results (GRE results may be substituted with permission of the DBA Admissions Committee)
  • Evidence of completion of the following prerequisites: one course in economics, one course in accounting and one course in finance (can be completed at either the undergraduate or graduate level)
  • A sample of academic writing from prior coursework, which demonstrates the applicant's ability to gather, synthesize, organize, and evaluate research or an essay assigned by the DBA Admissions Committee
  • A personal statement describing the applicant's vision for her or his future contribution as a result of completing this degree (not to exceed three pages)
  • A formal interview (invitation will be extended to those meeting initial program criteria)
  • Non-native English speakers must submit a TOEFL score of 550 or higher

Transfer Credit

Transfer of up to 6 hours credit beyond the master's degree is allowed toward the DBA program from accredited graduate schools. Students must have earned a grade of B or better for a course to be considered for transfer. In addition, only courses taken elsewhere within 10 years of the date of matriculation to the DBA program will be considered for transfer. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.

Residence Requirements

Of the 56 hours required for the DBA program, a minimum of 50 hours must be taken in resident study at George Fox University. All work leading to the DBA must be completed within 7 years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires approval of the School of Business Faculty. However, only one such extension may be considered due to special circumstances, such as ill health. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Course Requirements

The Doctor of Business Administration program is generally 4 years in length with 56 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 21 are in core business courses, 17 in doctoral research and dissertation, 9 in education and teaching, and 9 hours in an area of concentration.

Other Degree Requirements

Students will be evaluated annually by program faculty to certify their ability to continue in the program.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with the doctor of business administration degree students must:

  • Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 56 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Achieve no grade lower than a B- in all core courses. If a grade lower than a B is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).
  • Successfully complete four written qualifying essays.
  • Be admitted to candidacy for the degree.
  • Submit an approved written doctoral dissertation.
  • Successfully defend the written project.

Curriculum Plan

Core Business Courses (21 hours)
BUSD 701 Faith and Spirituality in Business 3
BUSD 702 Foundations of Management and Leadership 3
BUSD 703 Foundations of Marketing 3
BUSD 704 Conceptual Foundations of Economics 3
BUSD 705 Conceptual Foundations of Finance 3
BUSD 706 International Business 3
BUSD 707 Ethics and Moral Decision-Making in Business 3
Doctoral Research and Dissertation Courses (17 hours)
BUSD 710 Doctoral Research and Writing I 2
BUSD 711 Doctoral Research and Writing II 1
BUSD 712 Research Methods 3
BUSD 713 Research Design 3
BUSD 801 Doctoral Dissertation I 1
BUSD 802 Doctoral Dissertation II 1
BUSD 803 Doctoral Dissertation III 1
BUSD 804 Doctoral Dissertation IV 1
BUSD 805 Doctoral Dissertation V 1
BUSD 806 Doctoral Dissertation VI 1
BUSD 807 Doctoral Dissertation VII 1
BUSD 808 Doctoral Dissertation VIII 1
BUSD 815 Doctoral Dissertation Continuation (as needed†) 1
Education and Teaching Courses (9 hours)
BUSD 721 Effective Teaching in Higher Education 3
BUSD 722 Critical Issues in Higher Education 3
BUSD 723 Business Teaching Practicum 3

Concentrations (9 hours - must select one)
Management
BUSD 730 Organizational Theory and Behavior I 2
BUSD 731 Organizational Theory and Behavior II 1
BUSD 732 Human Resource Development 3
BUSD 733 Strategic Management I 2
BUSD 734 Strategic Management II 1
Marketing
BUSD 740 Research Design in Marketing I 2
BUSD 741 Research Design in Marketing II 1
BUSD 743 Advanced Topics in Marketing 3
BUSD 746 Seminar in Consumer Behavior I 2
BUSD 747 Seminar in Consumer Behavior II 1

Note:

† Students must maintain continuous enrollment in the doctoral dissertation until completion. BUSD 815 is required for students who do not finish their dissertation research within the minimum 8 hours. BUSD 815 is repeatable until the dissertation is finished.

Doctor of Business Administration Course Descriptions
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