The mission of the DBA program is to develop enterprise-level leaders, consultants, and educators who can help companies and organizations to create unique value in today’s marketplace.
The Doctor of Business Administration program builds on the well-established Trevecca MBA program that is one of the largest in Tennessee. The DBA is a broad, industry-strength degree that is academically equivalent to the Ph.D. for faculty roles. It is also well-suited for applied business and organizational leadership in both consulting and management.
This degree will provide students with a foundation from which to flourish with integrity while facing the evolving challenges and opportunities within the professional setting.
The DBA provides doctoral-level business studies that can support students’ professional goals through three career tracks:
Graduates can serve in the growing area of executive consulting and coaching. Many organizations and companies will engage internal and external consultants to help them improve their efficiency and effectiveness. Executive coaches partner with leaders in their professional development.
In today’s fast-moving world, growing organizations need leaders and managers who can help them to move forward through innovation and entrepreneurial endeavors.
The Trevecca DBA program equips graduates to serve in a variety of ways. Graduates will be well equipped to teach business at the collegiate level as well as serve as program directors, academic administrators, and in academic support positions at higher education institutions.
DBA Academic Policies
Graduation Requirements
To receive the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree, a student must meet the following requirements:
- For students entering the program who have obtained an MBA, 60 semester credits are required for graduation. As mentioned above, those without an MBA may have additional prerequisite hours.
- Students must have an overall GPA of at least a 3.00.
- No course grade of C- or below will count toward graduation.
- Application for graduation must be completed by October 31 for December diplomas and by December 31 for May or August diplomas. Graduation requirements are defined by the student's "graduation year" catalog or the catalog immediately preceding his/her graduation year.
There is no qualifying exit examination.
Withdrawal from Courses
The last day to drop out of a course in progress with a grade of W is by the end of day 21 for most courses or day 35 for a 12-week course during regular business hours. If the student attends/participates after that time, a letter grade must be assigned.
Any student who wishes to withdraw must contact his/her academic advisor immediately to report that decision. Failure to do so will result in the student's earning Fs in the classes for which he/she is registered and not receiving reimbursement.
Withdrawing from a class will result in a graduated refund and may affect financial aid, so the student should contact his/her financial aid counselor. Failure to attend class does not constitute a withdrawal, and students will receive an F if not properly withdrawn.
Withdrawal from Programs
Students who drop out of a group due to an academic issue may continue in a later group with the approval of their academic advisor. The student must be in good standing and the group he/she selects must have space available. Any student withdrawing from a program for the second time must seek reinstatement through the Admissions Committee if a third or subsequent re-enrollment is desired. A fee of $100 is charged for changing groups. The $100 fee will officially hold a place in the group requested but is not applied towards tuition.
Any student withdrawing from an entire program will be governed by the above regulation for the grade in any module in progress and be given a grade of W for any subsequent modules for which registration has been completed. Any refund of tuition or fees will be governed by the Refund Policy which appears in the financial information section of this catalog.
Any student who wishes to withdraw must contact his/her academic advisor immediately to report that decision. Failure to do so will result in the student's earning Fs in the classes for which he/she is registered and not receiving reimbursement.
Grading System
The grading system for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program includes the letter grades A, B, C, D, and F, as well as S and U where appropriate. Pluses (+) and minuses (-) may also be employed. Courses with grades below C or S must be retaken.
All courses in the DBA program are gate-keeping benchmarks and must be completed in the prescribed sequence and passed with the final grade of C or above to proceed in the DBA program.
The first final grade of F earned in the DBA program will lead to academic suspension. Students interested in being reinstated into the DBA program should consult the Reinstatement Policy.
The second final grade of F earned in the DBA program will likely lead to permanent termination from the program, unless an emergency circumstance arises or the student files a successful program appeal. Students are welcome to appeal to the program director.
| Description |
Grade |
Quality Points |
| Above Expected |
A |
4.0 |
| |
A- |
3.7 |
| Expected |
B+ |
3.3 |
| |
B |
3.0
|
| |
B- |
2.7 |
| Below Expected |
C+ |
2.3 |
| *Passing |
C |
2.0 |
| |
C- |
1.7 |
| |
D+ |
1.3 |
| |
D |
1.0 |
| |
D- |
0.7 |
| |
F |
0.0 |
*Note: A grade lower than a C in a course must be repeated.
| Incomplete |
"I" |
Given for sickness or emergency reasons near end of a course. The incomplete must be approved by the teacher and the program director. The "I" must be removed within six weeks or the grade will be based on points earned for completed work. |
| Withdrawal |
"W" |
Granted to a student who officially withdraws from a class before the end of day 21 for most courses or day 35 for 12-week courses. The grade of "W" may be assigned by the program director or the school dean in extenuating circumstances. |
DBA Academic Probation and Suspension
Each student must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to remain in academic “good standing.” If the cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 after the completion of one semester, the student will be placed on academic probation for the next twelve (12) hours. Upon gaining the minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, the student will again be in "good standing."
If the student does not increase the cumulative GPA to a minimum of 3.0 during the probationary period, the student will be placed on academic suspension for three (3) months. Students interested in being reinstated should consult the Reinstatement Policy.
No grade below C will be counted toward the degree.
DBA Academic Reinstatement
After a three-month waiting period, students who are on academic suspension may request permission to be reinstated in the program based on a review of the circumstances and information in the particular student’s case. Students on suspension may request permission to be reinstated in the program from the SGCS Reinstatement Committee. Requests for reinstatement must include a letter addressed to the SGCS Reinstatement Committee that addresses the circumstances that resulted in suspension and a plan of action as to how the student expects to be successful in completing the program.
If the student is granted reinstatement into the program by the SGCS Reinstatement Committee, then the student will once again be placed on probation and be given twelve (12) hours to bring their GPA up to a 3.0. The Reinstatement Committee may also provide additional requirements to be met during this probationary period.
After the student attains a 3.0 GPA by the end of this probationary period, the student will once again be placed in good standing and may continue the rest of the program However, if the student does not increase the average to a 3.0 during the probationary period, the student is placed on academic suspension for three (3) months.
If the request for reinstatement is denied, then the student is terminated from the program for a minimum of 1 year.
DBA Admissions Requirements
- Completed master's degree from a regionally accredited institution
- A 3.4 cumulative GPA for all prior graduate coursework
- Official transcript sent directly from graduate institution to Trevecca
- Two letters of recommendation (using the online form) from individuals who can speak to your abilities and character
- Submit resume or curriculum vitae
- Complete interview with the program director
- Provide photocopy of government-issued identification (e.g., driver's license, state ID, military ID, passport). This requirement ensures that Trevecca complies with the U.S. Department of Education expectations for student verification.
- For students entering the program who do not have an MBA but have a master's degree in a different area of study, up to 15 hours of prerequisites may be required. These prerequisites (6-week MBA courses) can be taken at Trevecca. Prerequisites must be completed before the start of the first DBA course. Prerequisites include:
- 3-6 credit hours in Accounting or Finance
- 3 credit hours in Economics
- 3 credit hours in Statistics
- 3 credit hours in Marketing
- 3 credit hours in Management or Leadership
English Requirements
Applicants outside of the United States are required to submit a TOEFL score of 550 or above to be considered for admission. For those who do not have a four-year degree that was completed within the United States, a 40-minute writing assessment at Trevecca is required as a part of the admissions process. A limited number of students may be admitted conditionally outside of the normal admission requirements based on an extensive amount of professional experience.
Students not meeting the minimum requirements may request conditional admission from the Skinner School of Business and Technology Graduate Programs Director.
Conditional Admission
If the admissions requirements are not fully met, the Skinner School of Business and Technology (SSBT) Graduate Program Director will review the applicant’s file and may grant admittance to the program on a conditional status. A student receiving conditional admission must have at least a GPA of 3.0 at the completion of 12 credit hours in the program. If this condition is met, the student will be granted full standing admission in the program and will be subject to the standard program policies. If the condition is not met, the student is placed on academic suspension. After a three-month waiting period, the student may petition to return to the program. The student must submit a written request to the Graduate Program Admissions Committee for consideration of whether the student should be allowed to continue under conditional status or be dismissed from the program. If such determination is made by the committee to allow further work under conditional status, then the student must have a 3.0 GPA after 24 credit hours in the program. If the student has less than a 3.0 GPA after 24 credit hours in the program, the student is again placed on academic suspension. Students interested in being reinstated should consult the Academic Reinstatement policy.
Tuition and Fees
| DBA Tuition |
$699 per credit hour |
| Technology Fee |
$50 per course |
| Total DBA Investment |
$41,940 |
Note: Additional fees may apply, such as the purchase of textbooks, supplemental course materials, and assessments.
DBA Program Curriculum
General Business Core - 40 hours
| BUS 8000 | Introduction to Doctoral Business Studies | 4 |
| BUS 8010 | Current Topics in Management and Leadership | 4 |
| BUS 8020 | Current Topics in Business Strategy | 4 |
| BUS 8030 | Current Topics in Accounting and Finance | 4 |
| BUS 8040 | Current Topics in Marketing | 4 |
| DBA 8050 | Introduction to Applied Business Research Design | 4 |
| BUS 8200 | Applied Business Research Principles and Practices | 4 |
| BUS 8210 | Introduction to Applied Business Research Analytics | 4 |
| BUS 8220 | Applied Doctoral Project Proposal / Dissertation Project Development | 4 |
| BUS 8300 | Applied Doctoral Project (ADP) 1 - Problem and Solution Design | 4 |
| BUS 8310 | Applied Doctoral Project (ADP) 2 - Project Execution and Analysis | 4 |
| BUS 8320 | Applied Doctoral Project (ADP) 3 - Project Report and Completion | 4 |
| BUS 8330 | Applied Doctoral Project (ADP) Continuation | 1 |
| | OR | |
| BUS 8350 | Dissertation 1 - Proposal Completion | 4 |
| BUS 8360 | Dissertation 2 - Data Collection and Analysis | 4 |
| BUS 8370 | Dissertation 3 - Dissertation Completion | 4 |
| BUS 8380 | Dissertation Continuation | 1 |
Choose one of the following tracks:
Healthcare Administration Track - 12 hours
| BUS | The Culturally Competent Healthcare Leader | 4 |
| BUS | Change Management and Negotiation Strategies | 4 |
| BUS | Quality Systems Management and Regulatory Affairs | 4 |
Higher Education Track - 12 hours
| BUS 8100 | Higher Education Leadership and Administration | 4 |
| BUS 8110 | Teaching in Higher Education: Principles and Practices | 4 |
| BUS 8120 | Teaching Practicum | 4 |
Enterprise Leadership and Management Track - 12 hours
Consulting and Coaching Track - 12 hours
| BUS 8160 | Current Principles and Practices in Consulting | 4 |
| BUS 8170 | Current Principles and Practices in Executive Coaching | 4 |
| BUS 8180 | Consulting and/or Coaching Practicum | 4 |