DBA Update

The MCOB Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) degree program has reached a new milestone. In 2013 the DBA program accepted its first class and is now in the final stages of selecting the fifth class.  For the first four years the program offered a concentration in management. With the fifth year we are offering concentrations in both management and marketing. This year’s Cohort 5, which begins in May, will be the largest enrollment in the USA DBA ever, with possibly as many as 20 new doctoral students.

As is typical of most new programs, each year adjustments are made to strengthen and streamline the initial structure, and 2017 is no exception. In an effort to provide applicants a realistic preview of the curriculum and success requirements, a writing exercise was added as an additional selection criterion this year.  The writing exercise involves first reviewing the scholarly literature on selected topics, and then preparing a paper that summarizes the theoretical foundation of a research project, including proposed testable hypotheses. The applicant must defend their proposed research project during an interview, as well as answer other relevant questions.  The DBA degree is one of the most successful new programs implemented by the MCOB in recent years, and it is clear the future of this program is very bright.   

Contributed by Dr. Joe Hair, Director, Cleverdon Chair of Business and Distinguished Professor of Marketing, Mitchell College of Business