Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Ph.D.)
Purpose
Students pursuing the Ph.D. Business Administration will gain knowledge and skills in the area of business administration that can be applied in current and future business leadership and teaching roles. The program seeks to provide an opportunity for qualified students to attain a high level of academic, professional, and practical competence within a Biblical Worldview to prepare them for opportunities, and corresponding additional responsibilities, beyond the master’s degree level. The PhD BA program emphasizes theoretical and practical real-world applications in both the coursework and the research requirements. This 60-hour program is designed for individuals seeking to advance in their current academic or business career as well as those pursuing careers in business consulting.
Program Learning Outcomes
The student will be able to:
- Evaluate current theoretical research in the field of Business Administration.
- Recommend qualitative and quantitative analysis methods to perform effective research in the field of Business Administration.
- Add to the body of knowledge in the field of Business Administration based upon research, knowledge of the literature, and best practices.
- Integrate a Christian Worldview into in the field of Business Administration.
Program Specific Admission Requirements
In addition to the general admission requirements, specific requirements for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (Ph.D.) are as follows:
- Applicants must submit an official transcript indicating successful completion of a master’s degree in business or a business-related field, with at least 30 semester hours of graduate business credit from an institution accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or above (on a 4.00 scale) on the applicant's graduate degree is required for entrance into the program.
- TOEFL Scores for students who speak English as a second language (score of 600 paper-based test; 250 computer-based test, 80 internet-based test)
Transfer of Credits
Applicants may transfer up to 30 hours of coursework. For a transferred course to replace a Liberty University course, the following requirements must be met:
- The school at which the course was taken must be appropriately accredited.
- The course credit must be at least three semester hours of five quarter hours.
- The student must have earned a grade of B- or better in the course.
- The course must overlap one of Liberty's courses by at least 80%. The course(s) to be transferred must have been completed within seven (7) years of the start date of the student's program at Liberty University.
- Credits from a prior degree on the same academic level earned through Liberty University are considered transfer credits.
Transfer credit will not be given for the following course: BUSI 815, BUSI 816, BUSI 820, BUSI 821, BUSI 886, BUSI 987, BUSI 988, BUSI 989, & BUSI 990.
Administrative Dismissal Policy
Ph.D. Courses: Students are allowed to repeat two Ph.D. from Business Administration Core, Cognate Courses, and Research Courses (not including BUSI 886) for a total of 6 hours if they fail to pass or withdraw.
Ph.D. Concept Paper Course (BUSI 886): Students are allowed to repeat BUSI 886 one time if they fail to pass or withdraw.
Dissertation Courses: Students are allowed to repeat each Dissertation course (BUSI 987, BUSI 988, BUSI 989, & BUSI 990) one time for a total of four courses if they fail to pass or withdraw.
Once any of the above limits have been reached, the student will be evaluated for administrative dismissal from the program by Doctoral Programs Administration.