Coles DBA

The demands on modern public and private organizations are greater than ever before. Globalization, cost control, product/service differentiation and managing an increasingly complex workforce are challenges faced by all senior executives regardless of industry or organization type. These demands challenge the skills of many executives and call for new models of performance and innovative solutions.

To meet these challenges, executives are looking for advanced professional development. Even after completing a masters degree in business or another field many managers and individuals seeking to get ahead in their current career or to prepare for a career change, are seeking life-long learning opportunities that will enable them to meet the challenges in their field of interest or explore new opportunities. Their challenge has been to find an academic program that is flexible and meets the advanced learning needs of the employed professional. We have listened to you and developed a part-time doctorate degree for the busy executive. The Coles Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) is a major developmental step towards helping you achieve your long term goals. It enables those completing the flexible, part-time DBA degree to go beyond just learning innovative solutions to creating those solutions. Graduates will be able to make a valuable contribution to organizational knowledge and practice, enhancing competitive advantage for the executive and their organization, while participating in discussions and solutions with academics and practitioners at the cutting edge of their fields.

The Coles DBA is designed to develop within candidates an expertise in a functional area of business that will enable them to advance practice and theory, as well as make a contribution to organizational effectiveness in general.

The Coles Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program is an academically rigorous experience that combines applied business concepts and a theoretical foundation. The degree can be pursued on either a part-time or full-time basis. Students choose the time commitment that most closely fits their own schedule, with full time students possibly finishing in a shorter time frame. The program builds upon the educational foundation acquired and the candidate’s extensive business experience, and is designed for the typical executive to complete in three years. The DBA improves an executive’s analytical and collaborative skills, helps them to better understand the role of theory in enhancing decision making effectiveness, and provides an intellectual framework that supports individual capabilities beyond that typically attainable with a masters degree and work experience.

To provide flexibility for diverse schedules, course work is delivered through a combination of one week intense classes, evening and weekend seminars, and online discussion and problem solving. During each scheduled residency, executives will enjoy stimulating discussions with world class faculty, as well as the opportunity to learn from other creative, high-need achievers in their cohort. Between each residency, executives will interact with world-class faculty, other cohort executives and student teams to complete assignments, explore complex organizational issues and opportunities, and pursue individual research topics with a research committee.

The Coles DBA, a globally recognized doctoral degree, is the highest-level business degree attainable. It is a unique opportunity to pursue an applied research project and at the same time earn a doctoral degree (Doctor of Business Administration). Individuals earning the DBA degree are adding to their career flexibility and choice by preparing themselves for expanded roles within their organization or another firm, a consulting career, and/or to become a professor at a university or college.

We hope our description of the Coles DBA degree program has answered your initial questions about this exciting new degree opportunity at KSU. If you believe the Coles DBA could help you move to the next level in achieving your career goals, or you have further questions, we invite you to attend an information session.