THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF A
LIFETIME
LEAP UP THE LADDER Take your professional career to the next level through the knowledge and prestige associated with a Doctorate in Business Administration. It’s more than a bullet point on a resume; it’s a lifetime
achievement. The Belk College of Business Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) is a unique program in the University of North Carolina system and the first program of its type in the region, created for experienced professionals who want to enhance their expertise, boost their consulting credentials or take their knowledge back to the C-suite. You’ll develop the skills to address complex and practical business challenges, so you can approach problems as an evidence-based thought leader in your field. As a DBA student, you will master the existing body of knowledge in your field and develop new knowledge through original, independent, and valuable research. Your initial focus will be on research content and methodology. As you progress, your emphasis will shift toward applied research and projects that address issues confronting today’s business leaders. This is a highly personalized program where you work closely with faculty mentors, who will advise you on your research and guide you through your dissertation. Together you will develop and publish meaningful research that addresses contemporary business problems that are relevant and valuable to your career.
DBA VS. PH.D. The DBA is a part-time, research-oriented program designed for professionals who want to influence the future of business as executives, consultants, entrepreneurs and educators while continuing to work full time. The Ph.D. in Business Administration is a full-time, research-oriented program that emphasizes a strong theoretical foundation in financial economics and prepares future researchers and teachers at leading academic institutions around the world. Here’s how the two UNC Charlotte programs compare:
DBA
Ph.D
3 years, part-time, with five UNC Charlotte residencies per semester for the first two years
4-7 years, full-time, year-round
Experienced professionals
Individuals who want a career in academic teaching and research
At least 5 years of professional experience
No business experience required; academic requirements in math
Previous Education
Must have an MBA or other relevant master’s degree
A bachelor’s is sufficient, but a master’s is often required
Curricular Emphasis
Core courses cover multiple business disciplines, business theory and research methodology. Program concludes with a dissertation.
Core courses cover one business discipline in depth, business theory and research methodology. Program concludes with a dissertation.
Degree Awarded
Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Program Length & Structure
Profile
Previous Work Experience
EXCEED YOUR EXPECTATIONS During this three-year, face-to-face program, you’ll
YEAR 1
meet with your cohort in Uptown Charlotte one
dynamic business centers in the United States. You
Fall Semester • Introduction to Experimental Design and Measurement • Organizational Theories and Systems
can continue to manage your work/life balance and
•
lead your organization toward growth — all while
Spring Semester • Introduction to Business Theory • Advanced Business Theory • Business Statistics and Data Analysis
weekend a month while networking with other business professionals in one of the fastest-growing and most
advancing your education.
Professional Issues I
YEAR 2 Fall Semester • Research Methods I • Current Topics Research Seminar • Professional Issues 2 Spring Semester • Research Methods 2 • Focused Research Seminar • Dissertation Proposal Development
YEAR 3 Fall Semester • Doctoral Dissertation Research • Dissertation Proposal Spring Semester • Doctoral Dissertation Research • Dissertation Defense
MEET OUR EXPERTS
UNC Charlotte’s rising research reputation and close connection to America’s second largest financial city attracts award-winning professors from all over the world. Our students learn from full-time faculty that are heavily invested in teaching, business research and their students’ success.
FRANZ KELLERMANNS DBA Academic Director, Professor and Addison H. & Gertrude C. Reese Endowed Chair Research and Expertise: International business, strategy process, entrepreneurship with a focus on family business
SUNIL EREVELLES Associate Professor, Marketing Research and Expertise: Marketing research (consumer marketing, personal selling and sales management), industrial marketing management, business ethics, database marketing and information technology and management.
XIULI HE Professor, Operations Management Research and Expertise: Supply chain management, supply chain contracts, production cost learning, product-service bundling and dynamic pricing and advertising
MEET OUR EXPERTS
Our Belk College faculty have been published in more than 100 peer-reviewed publications — including five on the Financial Times 50 Journals List — and served on 48 editorial review boards.
NATASHA RANDLE Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Clinical Professor of Management Research and Expertise: Workplace weight bias, work-life issues, relationships between leaders and followers
REGINALD SILVER Associate Dean of Graduate Programs and Executive Education, Clinical Professor of BISOM, Data Science and Business Analytics Research and Expertise: Operations management, finance, Lean/Six Sigma, statistical analysis and performance improvement methods
JUSTIN WEBB Belk Distinguished Professor of Business Innovation and Director of Entrepreneurship Academic Programs and Research at the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Research and Expertise: Entrepreneurship, informal economy, baseof-the-pyramid markets, innovation
COHORT CONNECTION
“
The professors were outstanding. The education was excellent. Learning theory and research skills moved my career forward. My cohort was, however, priceless. I learned as much from the interaction with my cohort as I did with the structured learning. Most of us still connect at least once a month and I value their diverse opinions and experiences. I feel fortunate that our cohort was tight and that we supported each other throughout the program and beyond.
” “
The learning, educational opportunities, the broadening of thinking and exploration of topics, the accessibility of our professors and the culture of the university were some of the best experiences I had during the DBA program. The added benefit of having new professional colleagues and new friendships has made it a remarkable journey.
CHARLOTTE + CHARLOTTE ABOUT UNC CHARLOTTE •
The Belk College of Business is one of fewer than 2% of the world’s business schools to achieve and maintain the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International) accreditation for both business and accounting programs.
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Belk College’s 37,000+ alumni live in all 50 states and in over 80 countries. 60% live and work in the Charlotte region.
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For the third consecutive year, CEO Magazine featured Charlotte’s DBA program in its 2023 Global DBA listing. We are also the only program in the Carolinas selected as a premier DBA provider.
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Charlotte’s DBA is ranked No. 2 for Overall Minorities and No. 4 for African Americans by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education (2023).
ABOUT CHARLOTTE, NC •
Second largest banking hub and 15th largest city in the United States
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Home of a growing number of Fortune 500 and 1000 companies, including Lowe’s, Bank of America, Nucor, Honeywell, Truist, Duke Energy, Brighthouse Financial, Ingersoll Rand, JELD-WEN and Sealed Air
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Highly-educated talent pool and workforce, with access to more than 25 colleges and universities (including UNC Charlotte)
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Charlotte Douglas International Airport is the second largest hub of the world’s largest airline, American Airlines, and is one of the ten busiest airports in the world with connections across the globe.
TUITION + ADMISSION TUITION Total graduate tuition and fees are approximately $87,000 for in-state students and $130,000 for out-ofstate students. The cost includes books, class materials, breakfast, lunch and snacks during the residencies. Students are responsible for travel to and from the oncampus residences and lodging.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS •
Letters of Recommendation: Three positive letters of recommendation are required.
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Admissions Essays: Two essays are included as part of the application process: One statement of purpose essay should address your goals and motivations for pursuing the DBA, and the second should outline your research interests.
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International Applicants: Our DBA program accepts applications from international prospective students. To learn more about International Admissions, visit the Graduate Admissions site.
APPLICATION DEADLINE Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis. Students are encouraged to apply early, as the size of the cohorts are limited. Students who are not accepted for a given year can reapply for future cohorts.
Ready to get started? Apply today. dba.charlotte.edu