Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
Be a changemaker with a DBA
Are you ready to take your business career to new heights? It’s time to elevate your expertise, broaden your horizons, and position yourself as a true leader in the ever-evolving world of business.
At Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, our Doctorate of Business Administration program empowers you to make an enduring mark on your specific industry, equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and strategic insights needed to thrive in today’s complex business landscape.
Through our rigorous and comprehensive curriculum, you’ll delve deep into advanced business concepts, sharpening your critical thinking abilities and honing your decision-making prowess. With a focus on research, innovation, and real-world application, our program nurtures your intellectual growth while ensuring practical relevance.
But it doesn’t end there. Our distinguished faculty, composed of industry leaders and renowned academics, will guide and mentor you throughout your journey, providing invaluable insights and fostering an environment of intellectual curiosity.
As a doctoral student, you’ll engage in cutting-edge research, exploring emerging trends, and contributing to the body of knowledge in your field. Your findings will not only enhance your credibility but also shape the future of business practices.
Moreover, the networking opportunities available to you are unparalleled. Connect with fellow ambitious professionals, renowned experts, and influential thought leaders, forging lasting connections that can open doors to new collaborations and career advancement.
So, if you’re seeking to make a lasting impact, differentiate yourself from the competition, and unlock a world of opportunities, our Doctorate of Business Administration program is your gateway to success. Embrace the challenge, embrace the possibilities, and enroll today.
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Program Highlights
- Flexible, part-time schedule designed for working professionals
- Explore and research your interests as they align with one of two specializations: Business Economics and Finance, or Management and Strategy
- Our full-time faculty are dedicated to guiding you with your dissertation at every stage. As a doctoral student, you’ll begin your dissertation while taking classes and power your research topic with your interests and career goals.
What You'll Learn
- Analyze complex issues in a global, diverse business context
- Conduct relevant, applied business research
- Create innovative and adaptive solutions to complex business problems
- Provide adaptive leadership for continual organizational sustainability
- Serve through ethical practices and social responsibility
- Communicate effectively in a variety of modes appropriate to the setting
Virtual Information Session
Becoming a leader with a global perspective
Jessica Hansen-Ley D’21 had the technical know-how to excel in her career, but thanks to the DBA program at Saint Mary’s, she now has the management training to become a leader in her field.
“I wanted to challenge myself to a doctorate-level degree without having to sacrifice my family or my full-time job, and the DBA program at Saint Mary’s offered me the most flexibility and support to pursue that.”
Admissions
Ready to apply? Learn about taking the next steps.
- Applicants must have a master’s degree in business or management-related area and the following courses with a grade of B or better: Managerial Finance, Managerial Economics, and one semester of graduate statistics.
- Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution and maintained an overall grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale.
Students with transcripts from universities outside the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada (except for the Quebec Province) must take and pass English proficiency testing.
Saint Mary’s accepts:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum score of 72
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum score of 6.0
- International Test of English Proficiency (ITEP) with a minimum score of 4.0 or Pearson Test of English with a score of 51
- Duolingo with a minimum score of 100.
Your application must include the following items:
- A completed application form
- An official transcript(s) issued to Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota from the institution posting the applicant’s completed bachelor degree and other relevant transcripts documenting program prerequisites and potential transfer credits. (An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.
- An official transcript is one that is sent to the university by the credit-granting institution.
- Transcripts from countries other than the U.S. must be evaluated on a course by course basis by a university accepted evaluation service, such as World Education Services, Educational Credential Evaluators, Educational Perspectives, or One Earth International Credential Evaluators and be deemed equivalent to accredited U.S. university standards.
- Evaluations from an approved member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES.org) will also be accepted.
- All applicants must submit an essay that includes:
- brief description of the applicant’s background, training, and experience; and
- statement indicating the career goals of the applicant and their reasons for seeking admission to the program; and
- description of the areas the applicant considers to be their strengths and areas in which the applicant wishes to develop greater strengths and abilities; and
- personal information the applicant wishes to share.
- Two letters of recommendation that verify professional and/or volunteer experience and academic ability.
- A current résumé listing educational background and work experience.
Official Transcripts should be sent to Office of Admission
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404Or electronically: tcadmission@smumn.edu
Please reach out with any questions about the application process.
Phone: (612) 728-5100
Toll-free: (866) 437-2788
E-mail: tcadmission@smumn.edu
July 15, 2024
Sept. 3, 2024
You can expect to be notified about your acceptance approximately two weeks following your application completion date.
Tuition & Fees
We help you find ways to finance your education. Talk to your Enrollment Counselor about scholarships, loans, and other ways to make your education affordable.
Course Catalog
You’ll take courses such as:
- Global Markets and Resources
- Social Responsibility and Ethics
- Organization Development and Leadership
- Strategic Governance
The course catalog provides complete information about course requirements.
Career Outlook
Take your career to the next level as a college or university faculty member, consultant, C-suite officer, or executive manager.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The DBA degree is designed to allow you to transition into a leadership position within your professional area of expertise or expand your professional profile and opportunities. This program focuses on real-world organizational and business problems, combining original and secondary research for you to explore, examine, and address complex issues in business.
Traditionally, the Ph.D. degree is primarily research-focused for those planning to pursue a career as a faculty member in higher education or as a career researcher at a research center.
Upon graduation from the Doctor of Business Administration program, you’ll receive the credential of doctorate or doctoral degree. You’ll be referred to as a Doctor of Business Administration, and your signature line can include DBA. after your name.
We encourage you to focus on areas of research that most interest you! Our faculty come from a wide range of business professional backgrounds to mirror that of our students.
Examples:
- Food Insecurity Amongst Ethnic Minorities
- What is the Experience of BIPOC and Immigrant Parents Raising a Child Diagnosed with Neurodevelopmental and Related Disorders Living in Minnesota?
- Financial Impact of Student Loan on Black Borrowers in the United States
- Educational Values Ecosystem Services and Its Impact on Carbon Footprint. A Study in Peru
- Can Entrepreneurship Promote Economic Development? A Case Study of the Entrepreneurial Experience of College Graduates in Ghana
After determining your chair and committee members, you’ll work with your chair on determining your research question and methodology before moving into the Proposal Development course.
Sources and Disclaimer
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Top Executives, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/top-executives.htm (visited May 10, 2023).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational and Employment Statistics at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes111011.htm (visited March 4, 2023).
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Management Analysts, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/management-analysts.htm (visited May 10, 2023).