DBA Program Information

Admission to the AU DBA program occurs once per year, in the fall. The deadline to apply is March 15 of the same year.

Program Structure

DBA students begin their program with two orientations: one online and one on site. On site orientations coincide with research workshops for current DBA students.

In years one and two, students complete seven online courses plus two on site research workshops. Following this coursework, in year three, each student prepares a dissertation research proposal (under supervision) followed by an oral candidacy exam. Upon successfully passing the oral candidacy exam, a student becomes a 'doctoral candidate' and commences work on the final dissertation.  The doctoral candidate must participate in an oral defence that is approved by a supervisory committee. 

Course Descriptions and Schedules

How Courses Work

All online DBA courses are paced, meaning there are scheduled start and end dates, and assignment deadlines within each course. The learning environment is asynchronous, meaning students do not have to be online at a prescribed time.

Time Commitment

Students will normally complete the DBA program in four years, but students may have up to seven years to complete all requirements.

Graduation Requirements

To be awarded the Doctor of Business Administration, students must meet all of the requirements as set out in the Faculty of Graduate Studies guidelines. A minimum grade of B- (2.7) is required for all courses. Students must also complete and submit an Application for Graduation form, and meet all other regulations.

In addition, students must have paid any fees owed to the University and have returned all library resources.