DBA Academic Policies
Graduation Requirements
To be eligible for graduation from the DBA program, students must:
1. Submit a graduation application by the required date.
2. Complete all requirements of the curricula.
3. Maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or better.
4. Repeat courses with grades below C.
5. Successfully complete the dissertation and all other requirements pertaining to the dissertation within the stated maximum time frame.
6. Satisfy all financial obligations to the University. All DBA program requirements must be successfully completed BEFORE students are eligible to participate in commencement.
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 Failure to attend class does not constitute a withdrawal, and students will receive an F if not properly withdrawn.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.
BUS 8000, BUS 8050, BUS 8200, BUS 8210, and BUS 8220 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. If a student earns a C- or lower in one of these courses, they will have to stop out immediately and wait to join a later cohort.
The Applied Doctoral Project (ADP) courses (BUS 8300, 8310, 8320) are all gate-keeping benchmarks and must be completed in the prescribed sequence and passed with the final grade of B- or above to proceed in the DBA program. If a student receives a C+ or lower, they will need to stop out of their cohort immediately and wait to join a following cohort to retake the course.
The dissertation courses, (BUS 8350, 8360, 8370), are all gate-keeping benchmarks and must be completed with a Satisfactory grade to proceed in the DBA program. If a student receives a U for the course, they will need to stop out of their cohort immediately and wait to join a following cohort to retake the course.
The first final grade of F earned in the DBA program will lead to immediate 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 within their program of study to remain in academic “good standing.” If the program cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 after the completion of twelve (12) hours (or one semester if credit hours differ from four credit hours per course), the student will be placed on academic probation for the next twelve (12) hours (or one semester if credit hours differ from four credit hours per course). Upon gaining the minimum program cumulative GPA of 3.0, the student will again be in "good standing."
If the student does not increase the program 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 Reinstatement Committee. Requests for reinstatement must include a letter addressed to the 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 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.