Program Highlights
Complete your dissertation and DBA with our Doctor of Business Administration All But Dissertation (ABD) option.
Data indicates that only 56% of doctoral students have graduated 10 years after starting their programs. Completion rates are even lower for women (37%) and minority students (6%), according to PhD Completion and Attrition: Analysis of Baseline Program Data, Council of Graduate Schools, 2008. Withdrawal often occurs in the transition from course work to the dissertation research phase of programs due to the lack of mentor support, inconsistent standards and expectations, and a timed structure.
Why students choose Baker College for their ABD-DBA:
- Program is disciplined and structured to ensure quality and timely completion
- Supported with strong mentors (DBA chairs) who guide the student as the “instructor” for the dissertation process
- Step by step guidelines and templates for the dissertation and evaluation.
- Process is project based providing students with a familiar business driven structure.
With a Baker College ABD-DBA students will:
- Be able to move beyond standard managerial positions and into positions such as business consultant, analyst, C-level executive (CEO, CIO, CMO, etc.) or business operation specialist.
- Start a career in academia by teaching business classes at colleges and universities.
- Have a chance to develop these higher-level skills without having to put your career on hold.
Credit Hours
Years (Avg.)
Students who receive scholarships, grants or financial aid
Learn Your Way
Business Administration - ABD classes are taught exclusively through Baker Online.
Learn MoreWhy Business Administration?
In the online DBA ABD option program, you’ll have the education and skills it takes to solve problems at the very highest level of a business. Students may choose from six areas of specialization or design their own specialized fields of study. After earning your DBA, a whole new world of career opportunities will be open to you.
Career Facts
Median Yearly Income
Outlook 2018–2028
Median Salary for Executives
Curriculum
The Baker College Doctor of Business Administration online program is a 1+-year program consisting of 28 credit hours to satisfy dissertation requirements only. Our curriculum includes a dissertation research problem and question, a doctoral specialization seminar and six dissertation courses.
View Full CurriculumSample Courses
Additional Requirements
Students who have 32 semester credits from an accredited doctoral program can apply for advanced standing in the All But Dissertation (ABD) Option.
To apply to the DBA ABD Option, you simply submit an official transcript verifying that you have completed a minimum of 32 semester credits or equivalent in a regionally accredited doctoral program, along with a resume including your educational and professional experience. You will also submit a writing sample from your previous doctoral work.
Program Outcomes
Our quality-focused, market-driven, and rigorous program curricula will establish and enhance core business knowledge and the ability to anticipate and react to societal changes, as well as provide students with technological proficiency, the ability to make ethical decisions, and the communication skills that embody the professional acumen graduates need to make positive contributions to their chosen fields.
How Does The Baker College ABD Option Work?
Admission Requirements
To apply to the Doctor of Business Administration All-But-Dissertation (DBA ABD Option), you simply submit an official transcript verifying that you have completed a minimum of 32 semester credits or equivalent in a regionally accredited doctoral program, along with a resume including your educational and professional experience. You will also submit a writing sample from your previous doctoral work.
Faculty Mentor
Once you’re admitted into the ABD Option, you will be paired with an experienced faculty mentor who will serve as your dissertation chair and will provide one-on-one guidance throughout the dissertation process.
Dissertation Milestones
You will begin by completing an individual learning plan with your faculty mentor, which will include the specific milestones required to complete your dissertation and earn your doctoral degree. Next, you will develop a prospectus that includes all the major components of your doctoral dissertation, from a statement of the research problem and research questions to a description of your research design and the methods you plan to employ.
With the support of your faculty mentor and dissertation committee, you will develop a draft dissertation proposal. Once your proposal is approved, you will begin to collect and analyze data and, ultimately, complete your dissertation. At this point, your dissertation will go through a form and style review, and you will present your results orally over the phone to the committee. If your dissertation meets all requirements, you will submit your dissertation for publication to Proquest.
Time to Degree
You will be required to complete a minimum of 28 credits. Typically, students complete the dissertation in 1.5–2 years.
Resources
You will have access to a number of resources. For instance, in addition to your faculty mentor, dissertation committee, and other university staff who will be there to guide and assist you, Baker’s online ABD Option gives you access to a vast online library.
If you’ve been a part of a doctoral program but were not able to complete your dissertation, the all-but-dissertation program can help you finally earn your doctoral degree. It’s an amazing opportunity to reach a lifelong goal.
Accreditation
Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission / 230 South LaSalle St., Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604-1411 / 800-621-7440 / www.hlccommission.org.
On Campus Unavailable
Core courses for this degree program are not offered on campus.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available on campus each semester.
View campus locationsAvailable on Baker Online
Courses for this degree program are available through Baker Online.
100% online, this format offers flexible scheduling with 8-week semesters
Baker OnlineUnavailable on Online Live
Courses for this degree program are available through Online Live.
100% online with set class times, this format offers live, real-time virtual learning.
Online Live