Online Doctorate of Business Administration
The Doctorate of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan-Flint is ideal for mid-level managers or executives who want to grow in leadership roles and those who want to transition to academia.
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Advance Your Career by Earning Your DBA Degree at UM-Flint
Accelerate your career with the fully online DBA program. You can achieve your degree in three years at a part-time pace. This flexible format empowers you to earn your graduate degree without disrupting your current career.
Whether you want to enhance your theoretical understanding or gain experience in applied research, UM-Flint’s DBA degree facilitates skill development and provides high-value, collaborative relationships with peers and world-class faculty that encourage your growth as a business leader.
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Why Earn Your DBA Degree at UM-Flint?
Craft Innovative Solutions to Real-World Problems
Harness your industrious nature in UM-Flint’s online DBA program, and receive intensive training in evidence-based decision-making, theory application, and research methods. Learn how to address strategic issues with actionable insights and enact position change in organizational performance.
Promote Practical Theory Application
The DBA program curriculum encourages you to put your theoretical knowledge into practice through action-based, hands-on learning. Whether you implement your classroom theory to work in your current place of employment or a new career role, you grow as a global-minded problem solver equipped with transferable skills and effective solutions in an ever-changing workforce.
Research Opportunities
Improve your critical thinking and analytical skills by participating in enterprising research opportunities. Play an active role in resolving problems related to strategic behavior, evaluating issues related to competitive advantage, and addressing a firm’s efficiencies and performance.
Achieve Your Career Goals
Use your DBA degree to advance your career and promotional prospects further. Your DBA degree prepares you to strengthen your position within your industry, as well as broaden your repertoire of theoretical models, frameworks, and methodological techniques that provide a new, research-based perspective.
Outstanding International Accreditation
UM-Flint’s Doctor of Business Administration program is the first and only AACSB International-accredited program in the state of Michigan. Not only does this distinguished recognition set our program apart from other universities, but it also ensures the quality and value of our DBA degree.
“The concept of the program is a game-changer, allowing working professionals to accomplish an academic goal that had previously been out of reach has impacted both my personal and professional life immensely.”
Michael Sartor, DBA
Online DBA Curriculum
The online DBA program emphasizes business strategy and research, equipping you with the necessary research methodologies, interpersonal and communication skills, and an understanding of the global economy to become an innovator in business.
Because a strong business strategy draws on expertise from various fields, our DBA degree prioritizes an interdisciplinary approach and draws on UM-Flint faculty’s diverse knowledge and experience. Faculty from the School of Management and visiting professors offer diverse approaches and perspectives, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of firm strategy and performance in a global economy. This attention to business strategy is a distinguishing factor of our DBA program and strengthens your business instincts.
Additionally, our curriculum uses an applied research model, meaning all seminars focus on theory-to-practice. The purpose of this model is to train scholars who excel not only in the classroom but also in the real world. As a graduate of the DBA program, you become skillful in putting theoretical knowledge into practice and yielding tangible, high-value results.
Year 1
Foundations: Theory & Research Methods
Fall semester (two 3-credit-hour seminars; one 1-credit-hour introductory seminar)
- MGT 701 – Becoming an Applied Researcher (first five weeks of semester)
- MGT 702 – Applied Research Methods & Design
- MGT 782 – Contemporary Theories of Strategy
Winter semester (two 3-credit-hour seminars)
- SCM 712 – Applied Qualitative Methods (3)
- MGT 783 – Global Strategy (3)
Summer 2 semester (one 3-credit-hour seminar)
- SCM 711 – Applied Quantitative Methods
Year 2
Applications: Concepts & Contexts
Summer 3 semester (one 3-credit-hour seminar)
- MKT 738 – Marketing Strategy
Fall semester (two 3-credit-hour seminars)
- ACC 702 – Managerial Accounting & Firm Performance
- SCM 779 – Supply Chain Strategy
Winter semester (two 3-credit-hour seminars)
- MGT 749 – Strategic Leadership & Change Management
- MGT 752 – Nonmarket Strategy
Summer 2 semester (one 3-credit-hour seminar)
- MKT 737 – Big Data & the Firm
Year 3
Research Project: Dissertation
Summer 3 semester (one 3-credit-hour seminar)
- MGT 800 – Dissertation Design & Proposal
Fall semester (6-credit-hour dissertation)
- MGT 801 – Dissertation I
Winter semester (6-credit-hour dissertation)
- MGT 802 – Dissertation II & Dissertation Defense
“During my time in the DBA program, I was able to dive deep into the various areas of Business Strategy. Each course allowed me to increase my knowledge and research abilities. This program has prepared me to create impactful research and succeed in a tenure-track position at my university.”
Reed Muehler, DBA
Doctorate of Business Administration Careers
Designed for working professionals, such as consultants, analysts, and college lecturers, the DBA online program provides opportunities for you to build upon your rich real-world experience and equip yourself with new skills and strategies.
With the strong strategic instincts you develop, you become a competitive candidate in an industry that promises steady employment growth, skill acquisition, and increased earning potential.
Graduate Program Ambassador
Seana G.
Master of Business Administration, Management, Nova Southeastern University and Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Minor in English, Georgia State University.
What are some of the best qualities of your program? The DBA program has provided me with an exceptional learning experience through its supportive faculty, collaborative cohort, and real-world approach to research. The rigor of the program has challenged me to think more strategically, strengthened my research and analytical skills, and shaped me into a stronger leader and decision-maker. I have also appreciated the opportunity to travel internationally for academic conferences, which broadened my global perspective and enriched my overall educational experience. One of the most rewarding aspects of the program has been the ability to immediately apply what I learn in the classroom to my work as a Leader in the entertainment industry, allowing me to bridge academic theory with real-world business practice every day.
Admission Requirements
UM-Flint seeks out applicants who meet the following requirements:
Have at least 10 years of progressive business experience with a minimum of five years of executive, mid-level management, consultancy, technical or college teaching experience.
Hold a master’s degree in the arts, sciences, engineering, or business administration from a regionally accredited institution.
How to Apply
To apply to our online doctorate in business administration program, please submit the following materials:
- Application for Graduate Admission.
- $55 application fee (nonrefundable).
- Official transcripts (undergraduate and graduate) from colleges and universities that issued your bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Please read our full transcript policy for more information.
- For any degree completed at a non-U.S. institution, transcripts must be submitted for an internal credential review. Read the International Transcript Evaluation for instructions on how to submit your transcripts for review.
- If English is not your native language, and if you are not from an exempt country, you must demonstrate English proficiency.
- Résumé or curriculum vitae.
- Statement of Purpose: a one-page, typed response detailing interest in the program.
- A minimum of two letters of recommendation (industry and/or academic).
- Students from abroad must submit additional documentation.
Email all other application materials to FlintGradOffice@umich.edu or deliver them to the Office of Graduate Programs.
This program is fully online; admitted students will not be eligible to receive a student (F-1) visa to pursue this degree. Non-U.S. citizens residing outside of the United States may not complete this program online from their home country. If you currently hold a non-immigrant visa and are residing in the United States, please contact the Center for Global Engagement at globalflint@umich.edu for guidance regarding your eligibility.
The Director of the DBA program may contact applicants to schedule an interview if deemed necessary.
Application Deadlines
Enrollment in the online DBA program is limited, and the admission process is selective and competitive. UM-Flint gives preference to applicants judged to be the best qualified to succeed.
- Fall semester early deadline: Dec. 1
- Fall semester final deadline: April 1
Applications completed by December 1 are considered for early admission to the fall cohort of the following year and receive one of the three following decisions:
- Admission
- Denial
- Deferral until the April 1 final deadline (this is utilized if you meet admission requirements but are not a competitive applicant for early admittance).
Applications completed by April 1 are considered for regular admission for the fall cohort of the current year.
Once accepted, students must pay a $2,000 nonrefundable enrollment deposit to reserve a seat in a cohort. We then apply the nonrefundable deposit toward tuition for the program’s first semester.
Graduate Program Ambassador
Tiffany H.
BS in Business Management from the University of South Florida and an MBA from Northern Illinois University.
What are some of the best qualities of your program? My journey in the DBA program has been truly life-changing, both academically and professionally. It has challenged me to retrain my brain to think differently and given me an entirely new lens through which to view business strategy in my role as a supply chain project manager. Bringing academia into industry has been a game-changer for me so far. This shift has strengthened my ability to make meaningful, research-informed recommendations and continue contributing to my career in a more impactful way.
Estimated Tuition and Cost
At UM-Flint, we pride ourselves on an outstanding doctoral degree at a competitive price.
Tuition for the DBA program is approximately $80,000 for 49 credit hours over three years.
Tuition rates are the same for Michigan residents and non-Michigan residents and remain consistent with your cohort, meaning your tuition does not increase during your time in the program. Learn more about our tuition and fees.
Academic Advising
Upon admission, you will be assigned a DBA faculty advisor. For questions prior to applying or admission, please reach out to Anna Swartz, DBA Program Assistant at annas@umich.edu or 810-424-5587.