The University acts to fulfill the purposes of the DBA Program
through appropriate coursework, coupled with continuing direction,
evaluation of student progress, and regular assessment of student
learning outcomes, supervised and administered by qualified faculty.
The University's independent study modality recognizes that education
is an individual process where individuals with different learning
needs and study schedules can be accommodated. It emphasizes learning
that is meaningful, where individuals enjoy the learning process,
and acquire knowledge to better understand and manage their own
careers.
The Doctor of Business Administration Program’s
Faculty memberes support the student’s independent-study
learning role by guiding and stimulating the learning process
in one-on-one interaction. Our faculty members recognize individual
learning styles and emphasize the relevance of the material to the individual's situation.
Each course in the online DBA Program contains a series of lesson
assignments generally consisting of reading requirements and research
projects. Students are evaluated through examinations and/or research
assignments which are submitted for faculty evaluation.
All assignments are submitted electronically. As set forth in
the University’s General Catalog, Internet access
and minimum computer requirements and skills are required as a
condition of admittance.
The first three courses in the curriculum are known as qualifying
courses. A student must take and pass a Qualifying Examination
before a student can earn academic credit for a core course. The
Qualifying Examination is a three hour proctored test that covers
material covered in the qualifying courses. It consists of a combination
of objective and subjective questions.
Curriculum
To earn the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree, a
student must complete the courses outlined below in good academic
standing, pass the Comprehensive Examination, and present
a successful oral defense of the Dissertation or Major
Personal Project, all with a cumulative grade point average
of at least 3.00. The requirements may be completed in as little
as 27 months. All requirements must be completed within seven
years from the date of initial enrollment.
The following courses are required for the Doctor of Business
Administration Program.
| Qualifying Courses (10 units)
|
| BUS602 |
Business Research |
4 units |
| BUS603 |
Strategic Planning and Implementation |
3 units |
| MKT603 |
Problems and Methods in Marketing Management |
3 units |
| |
Qualifying Exam |
pass/ no pass |
| Core Courses (20 units) |
| MGT607 |
Organizational Design |
3 units |
| MGT605 |
Leadership Theory and Practice |
3 units |
| FIN602 |
Designing Economic Business Strategies |
3 units |
| HMR605 |
Corporate Social Responsibility and Ethics |
3 units |
| MKT605 |
Marketing Research for Managerial Decision Making |
3 units |
| BLW602 |
Business Law |
4 units |
| |
|
|
| BUS700 |
Comprehensive Examination |
1 unit |
| Elective Courses (Select 15
Units - 5 courses) |
| BLW607 |
Legal Environment for Managing Employees |
3 units |
| BUS605 |
Global Strategic Management |
3 units |
| BUS606 |
Negotiations and Dispute Settlement |
3 units |
| FIN603 |
Conceptual Foundations of Accounting & Finance |
3 units |
| FIN604 |
Global Economy |
3 units |
| HMR606 |
Management of Organizations |
3 units |
| MGT603 |
Leadership Solutions for Innovation, Change, and
Decision Making |
3 units |
| MGT604 |
Global Business Practices and Challenges |
3 units |
| MGT609 |
Executive Leadership |
3 units |
| MKT604 |
International Marketing |
3 units |
| MKT606 |
Competitive Analysis and Strategy |
3 units |
| Dissertation or Major Practical
Project (15 Units) |
| DIS701 |
Dissertation/MPP Proposal |
3 units |
| DIS702 |
Dissertation |
12 units |
| BUS703 |
Major Practical Project |
12 units |
Total Semester Units Required for Graduation: 60
Admission Policies and Requirements
A master’s degree from an accredited institution is generally
required for admission. In the context of this statement, “accredited”
for institutions within the United States requires they be a member
of an accrediting body recognized by the United States Department
of Education. Applicants with earned degrees from institutions
outside the United States must obtain an evaluation from an approved
evaluation service documenting that their education is equivalent
to a master’s degree from an accredited institution in the
United States.
An applicant may be conditionally admitted into the Program
based on a completed Application
for Admission, student copies of transcripts reflecting the
applicant’s highest relevant degree, documentation of the
applicant’s professional work experience, and the receipt
of two completed Doctoral Applicant Reference Forms. Official
copies of all relevant college level credits received directly
from the institution of origin will be required within 60 days
of enrollment.
While professional work experience is not a condition of admission
to the Program, applicants need to provide evidence of
any previous professional work experience prior to formal admission.
The vast majority of the institution’s applicants are mature
adults working in a variety of professional settings. Many have
not attended college for several years. Consequently, prior class
rank and grade point average are not significant factors in the
admission process.
Foreign Applicants and Applicants with International Credentials
Applicants who do not possess a degree from a postsecondary institution
where English is the principal language of instruction must receive
a minimum score of 550 on the paper-based Test of English as a
Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT) or 80 on the Internet Based Test
(iBT) or 6.5 on the International English Language Test (IELTS).
For more information on TOEFL visit the website: www.ets.org/toefl.
Transfer Credit
The acceptance of transfer credits between academic institutions
lies within the discretion of the receiving college or university.
Credits earned at William Howard Taft University may or may not
be accepted by another institution depending upon its own programs,
policies, and regulations.
Transfer credit toward the DBA degree may be awarded for postsecondary courses completed by the student at other institutions if such courses are found to meet the standards and learning objectives of the specific course for which credit is sought. Transfer credit must be from an appropriately accredited institution. Transfer credit is limited to 15% of the total doctoral credits
required to complete the degree (9 units). The courses considered
for transfer must be equivalent in both content and degree level.
No credit may be awarded for experiential learning (Portfolio
Credit) in this program.
Financial Information
Tuition is billed at the rate of $420.00 per month during the
term of enrollment. The obligation of students to pay tuition
shall continue until the earliest of the following events:
a. satisfaction of all degree requirements;
b. 48 billing months (four years);
c. withdrawal from the Program;
d. academic dismissal from the Program.
Additional information on financial aid and tuition financing
can be found under Tuition, Financial Aid
and Financing.
|
| Application Fee |
$75 |
| Transfer Credit Evaluation Fee |
$55 |
Registration and Orientation Fee
This one-time fee is charged at the time of a student’s
initial enrollment and is related to the costs associated
with setting-up the student’s file and developing a
Degree Completion Plan. |
$100 |
Dissertation Defense Fee
(Payable
when the oral defense is scheduled) |
$450 |
Dissertation Fee
(Payable after
the oral defense) |
$350 |
Continuation Fee (Per Month)
Students who have not completed all degree requirements after
four full years of active enrollment in the Program will be
assessed a monthly continuation fee for the balance of the
enrollment period or until they have satisfied all degree
requirements. (This is in lieu of tuition.) |
$125 |
| Graduation Check/Diploma Fee |
$75 |
| Transcript Fee (Two Provided at No
Cost) |
$10 |
Late Payment Fee
(Returned Check/Declined Credit Card/ACH) (Per Item)
|
$25 |
The cost of books and materials, other than each course syllabus,
is not included in the tuition. The University does not sell books
or materials. Most books and materials may be purchased at local
colleges, retail bookstores, directly from publishers or over
the Internet. The cost is estimated to average approximately $150.00
per course. Students are provided with a mail or Internet source
for acquiring all required materials.
How to Enroll
To apply for admission to the Doctor of Business Administration
Program, an applicant must first complete the University’s
Application for Admission Form and
submit it to the Admissions Office with a check in the amount
of $75.00.
It is not necessary to submit official transcripts at the time
of application. (However, official transcripts must be received
by the University within 60 days of enrollment. The University
provides students with a form which may be used for this purpose.)
Should additional information be required the applicant will
be contacted. If the applicant is accepted for admission to the
Program, a formal enrollment agreement will be prepared and sent
to the applicant for review and signature. All payments submitted
for tuition and fees must be payable in U.S. dollars. Payments
may be made by MasterCard® / Visa® / American Express®
or personal/business check.
Applicants are encouraged to call the Admissions Office if there
are any questions regarding enrollment procedures.
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Course Descriptions
Qualifying Courses
BUS602 Business Research (4 Units)
A fundamental key to successful management is information. Knowing
what information is needed, when it is needed, how to collect
it, and how to interpret it can be the critical process to success.
More than basic decision making research; managers should be able
demonstrate the capacity to add unique knowledge to the national
body of knowledge of business. This course will focus on practical
theory and processes that managers can use to assist in the decision
making matrix. It will also provide the foundation for developing
the practical projects of each course and the program. The process
will include analyzing the information, evaluating the results,
and developing a strategy that leadership can implement.
Prerequisites: None.
BUS603 Strategic Planning and Implementation
(3 Units)
This course focuses on the key role of management – strategic
planning. This course explores the process of looking at the broad
view of strategic planning and bringing the plan to fruition through
effective leadership. The manager must have both the vision, and
the skill of implementation to be effective.
Prerequisites: None.
MKT603 Problems and Methods in Marketing Management
(3 Units)
This course focuses on how managers identify, resolve, and manage
marketing related problems from a management perspective. The
course looks at marketing issues from a corporate global perspective
as do managers with an eye to the interrelationships marketing
decisions will have on the entire business.
Prerequisites: None.
Core Courses
MGT607 Organizational Design (3 Units)
A key to business success is building an organization that meets
the market and business philosophy. Managers are constantly watching
and adjusting their organizations. This course will provide insights
on how to build, change, and organize business structures.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MGT 605 Leadership Theory and Practice (3 Units)
This course offers a comprehensive study of leadership theory and practice. Topics include the leader-follower relationship, the effects of gender, personal qualities that affect leadership, positive and productive leadership styles and strategies, and substitutes for leadership.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
FIN602 Designing Economic Business Strategies
(3 Units)
Most managers have been developing budgets and looking at the
business financial structure. Managers need a broader perspective
so they can raise additional capital for expansion, plan for economic
shifts in the national or world economy, and insure financial
stability for the entire business entity. This course will explore
these and other related topics.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
HMR605 Corporate Social Responsibility
and Ethics
(3 Units)
The old concept of laissez-faire in business is a thing of the
past. Businesses are under pressure from any sectors. One of them
is corporate social responsibility and ethics. This course explores
the definition of these terms, how the concepts have evolved over
the recent decades, and how managers must incorporate them as
part of their business operations.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MKT605 Marketing Research for Managerial Decision Making
(3 Units)
Research is commonly looked at as a marketing tool and this course
is a marketing course. The course goes beyond the basic marketing
decision making process and identifies processes that managers
must use including knowing what questions to ask, being able to
identify which issues are critical, and bringing the right resources
together to analyze and recommend the best solutions.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
BLW602 Business Law (4 Units)
Everything a manager does will have legal implications for the
business. Personnel, contracts, product liability, international
trade, taxes, and financial development are some of the key areas.
This course explores the critical areas of business law with a
focus on providing managers with enough knowledge to know how
to avoid the obvious legal problems and when to bring in the legal
experts.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
BUS700 Comprehensive Examination (1 Unit)
This proctored examination, which can be taken anytime between
the completion of the core courses and the Dissertation or Major
Practical Project Proposal, is designed to measure a student’s
knowledge and understanding of the curriculum content that has
been covered in the Program. Students must pass the examination
prior to beginning the Dissertation or Major Practical Project
Proposal.
Prerequisites: Completion of Core and Qualifying Courses.
Dissertation or Major Practical
Project Courses
DIS701 Dissertation or Major Practical Project Proposal
(3 Units)
This course assists students through the organization and design
of a formal proposal including a substantive research topic of
original work. An accepted proposal constitutes the framework
for the Dissertation or the Major Practical Project. In the case of the Dissertation, the proposal constitutes the framework for the Statement of the Problem (Chapter 1), Review of the Literature (Chapter 2), and Research
Methodology (Chapter 3).
Prerequisites: Successful Completion of the Comprehensive Examination
(BUS700).
DIS702 Dissertation (12 Units)
The successful completion of a Dissertation results in a quality research effort, documented and written following American Psychological Association, (APA) guidelines, an oral defense consisting of a PowerPoint presentation presented to the student’s dissertation committee, and written in a format ready for publication. The completed dissertation document is a five-chapter dissertation beginning with the Introduction to the Problem, Chapter 1; Review of the Literature, Chapter 2; Research Methodology, Chapter 3; Research Findings, Chapter 4; and the Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations of the Researcher, Chapter 5. In addition, the final document will include the frontal pages as described in the University’s Dissertation Handbook, as well as necessary appendices, references, and other appropriate documents.
Prerequisites: Approval of Proposal (BUS701).
BUS703 Major Practical Project (12 Units)
The Major Practical Project (MPP) is an option for those who prefer
to do a project related to their professional life. MPPs are no
less structured or time consuming than a dissertation. Dissertations
generally focus on significant research while the MPP deals with
some specific problem or challenge the student’s business
is dealing with.
Prerequisites: Approval of Proposal (BUS701).
Elective Courses
BLW607 Legal Environment for Managing Employees (3
Units)
The leadership role in human resources management is full of legal
pot holes. This course would benefit human resources managers
who need to understand the role of managers in the dealing with
the complex world of legal employee management.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
BUS 605 Global Strategic Management (3 Units)
Managing a global business is much different than a U.S. business.
This course delves into how managers, as part of the decision
making process, investigate and integrate knowledge about social
and business cultures, management techniques, and local government
regulations as part of how to manage their international business
units.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
BUS606 Negotiations and Dispute Settlement
(3 Units)
Negotiations and dispute settlement are part of every business.
Negotiations can be with suppliers, distributors, employees, or
foreign governments. This course provides managers with theory
and philosophy of negotiations and dispute resolution so they
can provide a total organization policy on how their employees
are to operate in these situations.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
FIN603 Conceptual Foundations of Accounting & Finance
(3 Units)
Part of the financial role of managers is to lead the organization
with the best financial program possible. In order to do that,
managers must have a basic understanding of the accounting and
finance role in the broad scope of business leadership. This course
will provide a conceptual foundation for effective financial planning.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
FIN604 Global Economy (3 Units)
This course will be useful for managers who are, or will be, exploring
international trade. The course focuses on the philosophies and
actual operations of different foreign economic models. Using
this knowledge will improve the decision making process for making
the international move.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
HMR606 Management of Organizations (3 Units)
This course investigates the more specific aspects of organizational
management. It will provide insights in the techniques that managers
can utilize to improve employee performance and job satisfaction.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MGT603 Leadership Solutions for Innovation, Change,
and Decision Making (3 Units)
One of the most difficult tasks of any manager is implementing
change. In reality, some of the best change can come from the
ranks. Managers must know how to bring the ideas for change to
the surface, organize them, and then present them in a manner
that encourages the employees to adopt them. The course will explore
techniques to help maximize this process.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MGT604 Global Business Practices and Challenges
(3 Units)
Global or international business is a hot topic. Most businesses
know they must join the globalization process but many don’t
know how. This course will provide insights on how managers can
begin to develop international business projects by knowing how
to do it and knowing some of the downside issues.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MGT609 Executive Leadership (3 Units)
Managers and leaders do things very differently and it is important
to understand that difference. This course will investigate the
difference between management and executive leadership. This course
will look at how executive leaders look at issues from a different
perspective than other management levels.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MKT604 International Marketing (3 Units)
International marketing in the context of this course is the process
of making leadership decisions in the international business world
that will benefit the corporation. The manager has many issues
to consider when moving into foreign markets starting with the
questions “should we,” “if so, where,”
and “what’s in it for us.” Additional considerations
include legal, financial, and organizational impact.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
MKT606 Competitive Analysis and Strategy (3
Units)
Dealing with competition is fundamental to operating a business.
This course demonstrates how managers must be able to look at
the competitive environment. It includes a more sophisticated
perspective on how to recognize the value of competitors, how
competitive decisions can have both positive and negative consequences,
and how to lead the business to gain competitive positions.
Prerequisites: Completion of Qualifying Courses.
