Drive Organizations to Success
City University of Seattle’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is designed for professionals to develop advanced skills in organization interventional thinking, agile business practices, leadership, and critical thinking while developing specialized business knowledge in the area of their choice.
Through coursework, you’ll be supported through a highly interactive teaching model that includes three+ hours of live interaction with the professor and classmates through video conference protocols. The opportunity to complete the program in three years is achievable for invested students!
Interested in continuing your education beyond a DBA? Check out our postgraduate certificate options!
In addition to the doctoral admission requirements, applicants to this program must complete and submit the following and official transcript of your master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. A business degree is preferred but exceptions are considered.
Total Required Credits (91 Credits)
For full course descriptions please refer to the current catalog.
Pre-Entry Requirement (1 Credit)
- DBA 600 Introduction to Doctoral Program (1)
Business Administration Core (42 Credits)
- DBA 605 Organizational Development Theories and Trends (6)
- DBA 610 Financial Decision Making (6)
- DBA 615 Organizational Identity and Culture (6)
- DBA 620 Technology Implementation and Change Management (6)
- DBA 625 Industry Analysis and Market Innovation (6)
- DBA 630 Business Process Analysis and Strategic Management (6)
- DBA 671 Doctoral Seminar I (2)
- DBA 672 Doctoral Seminar II (2)
- DBA 673 Doctoral Seminar III (2)
Research Core (12 Credits)
- DBA 640 Quantitative Research for Business Administration (3)
- DBA 643 Qualitative Research Methods for Business Administration (3)
- DBA 645 Advanced Topics in Business Research (3)
- Select one of the following:
- DBA 647 Advanced Qualitative Data Analysis for Business Studies (3)
- DBA 649 Advanced Statistical Analysis for Business Research (3)
Specialized Study Concentration (18 Credits)
Graduate level credits of coursework may be completed through independent study, current course offerings, and/or transferred in from another accredited institution. Students entering the DBA with an MBA or EMBA can bring in up to 18 credits in a specific content area for their Specialized Study with PD Approval. Specialized master’s in business topics and all other masters-level transfer credits are based on PD approval, up to 15 credits. All courses must be approved by the program director.
Dissertation (18 Credits)
Prospectus
Under the supervision of a Doctoral Chair, the student completes a concept paper (Prospectus) that presents his/her proposed research idea including the statement of the problem, its background and significance, a brief review of the literature and a proposed methodology or research design to address the problem. This milestone (Prospectus) is complete when the student’s Chair and CityU Institutional Reviewers give their approval.
Proposal
During this phase of the dissertation process, the student builds on the concept paper and completes the first three chapters of the final dissertation (Introduction, literature review, and methods). The literature review will be exhaustive, containing sufficient references to allow the student to establish expertise related to the research problem. The methods section provides sufficient detail to allow for replication of the proposed research. This milestone (Proposal) is complete when the students Chair, committee, and CityU Institutional Reviewers have given their approval.
Dissertation
During this final stage, the student builds upon the completed and approved proposal, gathers research data, analyzes these data, and begins to draw conclusions based on the findings. The students prepare the final sections of the dissertation and make appropriate modifications to the proposal to complete the preparation of the full dissertation. This milestone is complete when the student receives final Chair, committee, and CityU Institutional Reviewer approvals. Continuing Dissertation Services courses are available to students who need more time to complete the Milestone within a specific lettered course. They until work on the final dissertation report has been completed.
- RESR 694A Dissertation 1 (3) Milestone: Prospectus
- RESR 694B Dissertation 2 (3)
- RESR 694C Dissertation 3 (3) Milestone: Proposal
- RESR 694D Dissertation 4 (3)
- RESR 694E Dissertation 5 (3) Milestone: Dissertation
- RESR 694F Dissertation 6 (3)
- RESR 99: Continuing Dissertation Services (0) – Optional course used for continuing enrollment and services as needed beyond provided Dissertation courses.
A Doctor in Business Administration will give you the in-depth business education required to take your career to the top. Upon completion of this program, you will be well prepared to take on a management and leadership role, including:
- CEO
- Company president
- Management analyst
- Professor
- Executive director
Networking Opportunities
At CityU, you’ll have the opportunity to expand your professional network by connecting with faculty working in your field, students from around the globe, and alumni employed at Seattle’s top companies. Plus, you’ll be part of a supportive community that’s dedicated to helping you reach your career goals.
Tuition Cost
Learn more about tuition and fees for our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs.
2025-26 Cost of Attendance (per quarter)
|
Living with Parent |
Not Living with Parent |
| Tuition & Fees |
See Tuition Calculator |
See Tuition Calculator |
| Supplies** |
$180 |
$180 |
| Housing |
$1,240 |
$4,089 |
| Food |
$1,812 |
$1,812 |
| Transportation |
$858 |
$930 |
| Misc./Personal |
$636 |
$636 |
| Total |
$4,726 |
$7,647 |
**Supplies include books, course materials, course supplies, and equipment.
Student budget values are established using student surveys, CPI index, and actual institutional expenses.
Books, Course Materials, Supplies, & Equipment component will be prorated based on enrollment intensity.
Students in a high-cost region may appeal and request a 10% increase to their housing and food budget component.
Students living in a rural area may appeal and request a 10% increase to their transportation budget component.
Financial Aid Opportunities
At CityU, we are committed to helping students achieve their academic goals no matter their economic situations. Our financial aid counselors are here to find the resources you need to pay for your education, including grants, loans, work study, and scholarships. Learn more about financial aid opportunities at CityU, or contact our Financial Aid Team at 800.426.5596, 206.239.4540, or [email protected].
Military Tuition Benefits
As a Yellow Ribbon school, CityU is proud to serve those who have served in the military. We offer military tuition discounts for active-duty servicemembers and their spouses and accept military benefits such as the Post 9/11 GI Bill® and Tuition Assistance. Learn more about military tuition benefits, VA benefits, and military partnership programs designed to help you reach your military and career goals.
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City University of Seattle’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program is a terminal business degree designed for working business, non-business and STEM professionals seeking to advance their business knowledge and expertise; completing the program in as little as 3 years. Emphasis is placed on exploring multi-disciplinary topics in Leadership, Technology, Finance, Operations, Strategy, DEI, Marketing, Innovation, ESG, and Ethics. Throughout the program, you will be able to integrate your work experience by applying theory and research to define your specialization as a consultant, leader, or educator. Become an expert in a specialized area of business through our flexible and affordable program. Explore the possibilities. Inquire today!