Doctor of Business Administration Program Handbook

Table of Contents

• Introduction

• Welcome

• Mission Statement

• DBA Program Purpose
• DBA Program Learning Outcomes
• Admission Requirements
• DBA Audience
• DBA Program Director and Steering Committee
• Transfer Credits
• Graduation Requirements
• Institutional Review Board
• Curriculum Requirements
  • Core Course Requirements
  • Specialization
  • Comprehensive Exam
  • Capstone Experience
• Doctoral Core Courses
• Research Competency Courses
• Subject Area Specialization Courses
• Comprehensive Examination
  • Exam Format
  • Exam Grading
• Capstone Experience
• Dissertation
• Applied Project
• Final Defense
• Residency Requirements for Domestic Students
• Residency Requirements for Hybrid Students

• Continuous Enrollment Policy
• Time Limits for Degree Completion
• Student Responsibility for Contens of Handbook
• Student Grade Appeals
• Program Grading Policy
• Course Repeat Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Learning Management System
• Academic Misconduct
  • Plagiarism
  • Responsible Research
  • Plagiarism Defined
  • Consequences of Plagiarism
  • Tools to Help Students Avoid Plagiarism
  • Specific Practices to Avoid
• Minimum Computer Requirements
• Preparing to Graduate from the Belhaven DBA Program
  • Let’s Define Terms
  • Preparing to Graduate
  • The “All Done” Rule
  • Scheduling Your Oral Defense
  • After the Final Defense
  • Format Review Process
  • Commencement Participation

• Choosing Between a Dissertation and an Applied Project
• Dissertation Completion Roadmap

The purpose of this DBA Program Handbook is to guide the graduate learner in policy and process issues, as well as the academic expectations of the Doctor of Business Administration degree program.

Becoming a graduate student at Belhaven University is more than just enrolling in a degree program; it is a commitment to academic excellence and a calling to service. All doctoral students of Belhaven University are expected to meet their classroom responsibilities in harmony with the institutional goals and objectives of the university. The official policies of Belhaven University governing this degree program can be located in the Belhaven University Academic Catalog, which is supplemented by this handbook. Each doctoral student is expected to know and abide by the policies contained therein. Copies of the Academic Catalog may be obtained via the university’s webpage. 

Dear DBA Students,

On behalf of the faculty and staff of the School of business, it is my pleasure to welcome you to Belhaven’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program. Congratulations on your decision to embark on this remarkable journey towards attaining the highest level of business expertise and scholarly accomplishment.

The DBA program at Belhaven University is designed to cultivate and refine your intellectual capacity, enhance your research skills, deepen your faith, and empower you to make significant contributions to both industry and the academy. We call that being a “scholar-practitioner.” The faculty and I firmly believe that the pursuit of a DBA degree is an exciting and transformative endeavor, one that will shape your professional trajectory and open doors to new opportunities.

As Dean, I want to assure you that Belhaven is fully committed to providing you with an exceptional educational experience. Our faculty members are renowned scholar practitioners in various business disciplines. They bring a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and passion to the classroom, and are dedicated to fostering an environment of intellectual curiosity and academic rigor.

In the DBA program, you will engage in rigorous coursework that covers a wide range of business disciplines, including organizational behavior, strategy, finance, marketing, and change management. You will be challenged to think critically, analyze complex business problems, and develop innovative solutions. Our curriculum is designed to provide you with a solid foundation in business theory and practice while also encouraging you to explore emerging areas of research or professional practice that will help you contribute to the advancement of knowledge in your chosen field.

One of the distinguishing features of our DBA program is its emphasis on applied research. You will be challenged to consider how cutting-edge business concepts are being applied in both the literature and the boardroom. This applied approach will not only deepen your understanding of business concepts but also equip you with the skills necessary to drive meaningful change in today’s dynamic business environment. You can tailor your education to your chosen professional path by choosing either a traditional dissertation or a corporate applied project as your culminating experience.

Beyond the academic realm, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive community. As DBA students, you will have ample opportunities to network, collaborate, and engage with your peers, faculty, and industry professionals. Belhaven organizes a range of residencies, workshops, conferences, and other events that will allow you to forge valuable connections and build an extensive professional network before you’ve even graduated.

The final distinguishing feature of the Belhaven DBA program is that it is infused with a Christian worldview. Regardless of the program emphasis you select, you’ll be led by Christian faculty members 7 who will challenge you to consider how your personal faith can help shape the decisions you make about your life and career.

In conclusion, the pursuit of a DBA degree is a significant undertaking, but it is one that promises immense personal and professional growth. I look forward to witnessing your achievements and the impact you will make as scholar practitioners.

Sincerely,

Dr. Brett Andrews

Dean, School of Business

Professor of Management 

The School of Business at Belhaven University offers a quality educational experience to traditional and adult students in a variety of formats in the context of a values-based, ethical worldview of business. Students will learn to apply business principles to a variety of settings both private and public, profit and non-profit.

The purpose of the BU DBA program is to prepare experienced professionals and academics to become senior executives, educators, and consultants. Using a scholar-practitioner model, the program seeks to graduate students who are grounded in both theory and research who can also recognize problems in the modern workplace, examine them closely, propose productive solutions, and create new knowledge. To accomplish this purpose, we will provide doctoral students with the following: (a) the courses and mentoring necessary for a solid academic grounding in their discipline; (b) essential learning experiences that will provide opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and wisdom; and (c) an understanding of their Christian mission and calling to influence individuals and the larger society.

In light of our mission and purpose, the faculty of the school of business have established the following program learning outcomes for the DBA program. Each student will be able to:

• Formulate scholarly research that contributes to the professional body of knowledge relevant to business and management
• Justify current and emerging theory and practice of the key content areas of business management through an interdisciplinary perspective to exigent business situations
• Evaluate the subject matter with a high order of cognitive ability and in a manner that is concise, clear, organized, and professional with well supported, appropriate, and original content
• Synthesize practical applications which contribute to the creation of original theory
• Display proficiency in the evaluation of ethical situations consistent with the university’s Christian worldview and communication of the practical congruence of faith and business practices.

Admission to the DBA program is competitive, and the submission of admission materials does not guarantee admission to the program. Further, admission to the graduate program does not constitute 9 degree candidacy status in the program. The university reserves the right to refuse admission or readmission to any prospective student or re-enrollment to any student. Any applicant who intentionally withholds pertinent information or who falsifies information may be required to withdraw from the DBA program and/or Belhaven University. The regulations listed herein are subject to change after the publication of this handbook. The university reserves the right to make necessary changes to admission requirements without notice.

Applicants must submit a completed application and supplemental materials to the Belhaven University Office of Adult, Graduate & Online (AGO) admissions in order to be considered for admission. Once a completed set of admission materials is received by AGO, the materials will then be sent to the DBA Steering Committee for review. Upon completion of review, the applicant will then be informed of his/her acceptance, denial, or probationary acceptance into the program.

Applicants are evaluated based upon the criteria listed below. The DBA Steering Committee may request additional information from individual candidates to assist in making an admissions decision.

1. A completed master’s degree, preferably an MBA, from a college or university.
2. Official transcripts showing a conferred master’s degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on 4.0 scale).
3. Submission of a 2-page career statement that articulates the purpose for pursuing the DBA and how it will assist the student in reaching his/her future career goals.
4. Submission of a complete resume or curriculum vitae.
5. Submission of two original letters of recommendation that address the applicant’s potential as a doctoral scholar. These letters are usually submitted by corporate executives from the applicant’s place of employment or from the applicant’s current/former university professors. 

The DBA Program serves multiple different markets. There is a version of the DBA program for domestic American students, for domestic international students (hybrid), and for mandarin-speaking students (China DBA). The main programmatic differences among these versions relate to either/both residency requirements and the capstone experience. While this handbook contains academic policies that govern all programs, the curricular requirements in this handbook apply only to domestic students.

The DBA Program Director manages the day-to-day operations of the Program (i.e., implementation of Program procedures). The Director is a member of the DBA Steering Committee. This Committee has four members (i.e., the Dean of school of business, the DBA Program Director/China, the DBA Program chair for hybrid/US, and one full-time school of business faculty member). The Steering Committee is responsible for creating and setting Program policy and is responsible, through the work of the DBA Program Director, for all DBA Program affairs (i.e., plans, practices, and outcomes). 

With approval by the dean, up to thirty (30) semester hours of graduate credits may be transferred into the DBA program. Transfer of coursework may be granted for the DBA Program if the following requirements are met: (a) courses must be comparable in content to the corresponding BU DBA courses; (b) courses must carry a grade of at least a B (80%); (c) courses transferred in must have been taken at the doctoral level, not the masters level, and (d) coursework must have been completed within the ten years prior to the student’s date of admission. Comprehensive exam credit and dissertation coursework may not be transferred into the BU DBA program.

Applicants are responsible, via the admissions advisor, to make a request for transfer credit during the application process. Transfer credit will not be granted once the student has matriculated into the DBA program. 

In addition to other regulations governing graduation as stated in the Belhaven University catalog, DBA students must meet the following graduation requirements:

1. A minimum of 30 semester hours of DBA coursework must be taken in residence at Belhaven University.
2. Completion of the approved plan of study.
3. A cumulative 3.0 GPA for all doctoral coursework.
4. The dissertation or applied project must be successfully defended and approved with all required signatures. The final manuscript must be submitted to the Library.
5. All contracts and requirements made between the DBA Steering Committee and the student upon acceptance into the degree program must be satisfied before the degree will be awarded.
6. Submission of a Graduation Application to the Registrar’s Office and payment of applicable fees.

The school of business requires that all research involving human subjects will be carried out in an ethical manner. The institutional review board (IRB), is designed to protect human subjects from potential harm resulting from research studies. Any and all DBA research involving human subjects will need to go through review by the IRB. See the dissertation guidelines for detailed steps to seeking IRB approval. The paperwork that is required should be submitted in collaboration with the dissertation committee chair. Even if the student’s research does not involve human subjects, a DBA student is required to submit an IRB application in support of his/her capstone experience. 

A minimum of 60 semester credit hours beyond the master’s degree in business administration is required for the doctorate. Course descriptions are available in the university’s Academic Catalog.

CORE COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Required Major Courses (36 credits)

• BUS 700 - Orientation Seminar
• BUS 719 - Issues in Management
• BUS 720 - Business Knowledge Studies
• BUS 701 - Advanced Christian Worldview
• BUS 704 - Issues in Accounting/Finance
• BUS 722 - Issues in Marketing
• BUS 724 - Leadership in Organizations
• BUS 725 - Issues in Technology
• BUS 717 - Teaching Methods OR BUS 718 - Consulting Methods
• BUS 710 - Research Statistics
• BUS 706 - Qualitative Methods
• BUS 705 - Quantitative Methods

SPECIALIZATION REQUIREMENTS

Choose ONE specialization area below (9 Credits)

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS (9 Credits)

• BUS 740 Seminar in Forecasting and Analysis
• BUS 741 Seminar in Management of Technology Strategy
• BUS 742 Seminar in International Issues

CYBERSECURITY (9 Credits)

• BUS 734 Telecommunications and Network Security Management
• BUS 735 Enterprise Security and Risk Management
• BUS 736 Strategic and Enterprise Planning in Cybersecurity Management

HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (9 Credits)

• BUS 754 Advanced Healthcare Policy and Economics
• BUS 755 Advanced Healthcare Informatics and Innovation
• BUS 756 Advanced Strategic Management and Innovation in Healthcare Administration

HUMAN RESOURCES (9 Credits)

• BUS 758 Advanced Human Resource Talent Management and Succession Planning
• BUS 759 Organizational Behavior and Performance Evaluation
• BUS 767 Advanced Strategic Management in Human Resource Management

PROJECT MANAGEMENT (9 Credits)

• BUS 745 Projects as Complex Adaptive Systems
• BUS 746 Program Risk Management Systems
• BUS 747 Strategic Application in Project Management

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT (9 Credits)

• BUS 730 Seminar in Leadership Theory & Practice
• BUS 731 Seminar in Strategic Management in a Global Environment
• BUS 732 Emerging Topics in Strategic Management and Innovation

COMPREHENSIVE EXAM (3 CREDITS)

• BUS 779 Comprehensive Exam

CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE (12 CREDITS)

DISSERTATION (12 Credits)

• BUS 784 Dissertation Research
• BUS 785 Dissertation Research
• BUS 786 Dissertation Research
• BUS 787 Dissertation Research

ORAL DEFENSE (0 Credits)

• BUS 800 Oral Defense

Total Program Requirements (60 credits).

Doctoral core courses are designed to ensure that doctoral students have the necessary breadth of exposure to the foundational knowledge and theories to succeed in the program. Core subject areas broadly defined by the faculty are strategy, management & leadership, marketing, accounting, and finance.

Embedded within the doctoral core are courses designed to concentrate on the student’s development as a researcher. Every effort is made to develop scholar practitioners with the perspective and capacity to pursue significant academic research or solve complex corporate problems. Students are challenged to increase not only their quantitative and qualitative skills but also their ability to craft research designs appropriate to either an academic or business/industrial setting.

Specialization courses are designed to ensure that doctoral students have the necessary depth of exposure within the subject area. The level of competence required in this area is that of a scholarpractitioner concentrating in the field and contributing to its progress through research and practice. Thus, students must be knowledgeable of its literature and possess a detailed understanding of both classical theory as well as current research and industry conversations.

A comprehensive exam is administered to the student at the end of the student’s coursework. Typically, the exam is given during the student’s third year. These exams cover all material from the core seminars and the emphasis coursework.

EXAM FORMAT

The comprehensive exam is a written exam that takes place with the LMS system. Upon notification of the intent to sit for the exam, the Program Director will solicit exam questions from the student’s prior professors. The student will be presented with 5-7 questions of which the student must answer 3-5. These number will vary from year to year. The exam will open on a specified date and the student will have 14 days to complete and submit answers.

EXAM GRADING

The student will be notified of the exam grade within 14 days of submission. Each question on the exam is graded using the following scale:

• Pass with Distinction - Reserved for work of clearly exceptional merit.
• Pass - The standard mark for satisfactory work.
• Pass with Clarification - Indicates some minor deficiencies in mastery of the subject matter which could be remedied with additional work.
• Fail - Is reserved for work that is unsatisfactory. The student’s answers do not reflect mastery of the subject matter.

Regardless of whether a student scores high pass, or pass, the grade of “Pass” is recorded on the student’s transcript. Upon passing the comprehensive exam, the student is admitted to degree candidacy and may then proceed into the capstone phase.

If a student receives a Pass with Clarification on any question of the comprehensive exam, the student will be given an additional question or questions to answer to resolve in deficiency in mastery from the initial answer. If the student successfully answers that question, the student grade will change to Pass. If the student does not accurately resolve the subject matter deficiency with the clarifying question, the grade will change to Fail.

If a student receives a Fail on any question of the comprehensive exam, a remedy plan will be given to the student by the DBA Steering Committee. Potential remedy could include (but is not limited to) 14 retaking that portion of the comprehensive exam in the future, retaking coursework related to the portion of the comprehensive exam in which the student failed, or not being allowed to continue with the program.

Once admitted into candidacy, each student must complete an original research project, either in the form of a dissertation or an applied project. 

The dissertation component requires the student to complete a significant original research project that contributes to the body of knowledge. After being admitted into degree candidacy, the student completes the dissertation under the guidance of the dissertation chair and the individual student’s dissertation committee. (See process guide).

The doctoral applied project component, usually either a case study or a consulting project, requires the student to complete a significant work-based project that contributes to the organization by solving a significant problem, leading a major change effort, or constructing a qualitative case analysis. Even though the applied project will have its basis in literature, it is expected that the outcome is applied as opposed to theoretical. After being admitted into degree candidacy, the student completes the project under the guidance of the project chair and the individual student’s project committee. (See process guide). 

The final component of the DBA program is an oral defense of the dissertation/project in a public forum. The dissertation committee members serve as the reviewers. Other persons may attend the presentation with the advance permission of the committee chair.

Each domestic DBA student is required to attend 4 digital residencies during the DBA program: one orientation residency, and three annual residencies. The digital orientation residency is offered each fall and spring. New DBA students are expected to attend the first orientation residency after they matriculate into the program.

The annual digital residency is held during the summer term, typically during the month of July. All currently enrolled DBA students are expected to attend this residency. The summer residency is presented in a seminar format with multiple sessions of interest to students at any stage of the program. 

The hybrid DBA program holds three on-campus residencies per calendar year. Hybrid doctoral students are required attend at least one on-campus residency per academic term. Each residency is presented in a seminar format with multiple sessions of interest to students at any stage of the program. Designed to build community as well as facilitate faculty-student relationships, students should expect to devote several hours of time to reading/homework assignments in preparation for these residencies, as indicated by the professor. 

The program policies listed below rest upon the foundation of academic policies published in the academic catalog. Where there is a difference between this handbook and the university’s academic catalog, the academic catalog shall prevail.

All DBA students are required to maintain continuous enrollment in the DBA program once degree candidacy has been achieved. Once students enter into candidacy, they are required to be enrolled for each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer) until graduation. Once a student begins the dissertation process, s/he must maintain continuous enrollment in the program until the completion of the dissertation or the expiration of the time limit, whichever comes first. Students are required to complete a minimum of 6 credits hours of applied project/dissertation research. If a student exceeds 6 credit hours of dissertation research, the student is required to enroll in a 3-credit hour Continuing Research course each academic term until the completion of the dissertation or the expiration of the time limit, whichever comes first.

All courses, including dissertation research, must be completed within seven years of the date of admission to the DBA program. If a student takes longer than seven years, the DBA Steering committee must evaluate the student’s progress and make a determination whether an extension may be granted. If an extension is granted, additional academic requirements are required. The student will be notified in writing of the decision of this committee. A copy of the written decision will become a part of the student’s academic file.

Upon admission to the DBA program, students are required to read the Doctor of Business Administration Program Handbook. Students are required to read the handbook each year for updates and revisions. It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with and abide by the Program Handbook policies and guidelines.

A student who wishes to appeal a grade in the DBA program shall follow the grade appeal process outlined in the Belhaven University Academic Catalog. 

1. All DBA coursework is graded using BU’s standard letter grade system.
2. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at all times to remain in good academic standing.
3. Grades of D or F are not considered passing for purposes of program progression. A student who receives a grade of D in any course must repeat that course and earn a passing grade.
4. A student who receives three grades of C or below will be dismissed from the program.
5. A student who earns a final course grade of F at any time will be dismissed from the program. NOTE: This element of policy does not apply to extenuating circumstances.

The repeat policy is limited to two courses if a grade lower than C is earned. The only exception to this policy is the dissertation research courses, which are designed to be repeatable. 

In the event of a dispute between a student and a dissertation committee member (other than a grade appeal, which has a separate process), the dissertation chair will call a meeting of the committee with the student to resolve the problem. If this does not resolve the dispute, the DBA Program Director may meet with the DBA Steering Committee to review the problem and recommend a solution.

All DBA courses will use the Canvas LMS platform. Plagiarism software is also utilized by the university to verify the originality of written work. A student may be required to submit assignments through plagiarism detection software submitted or posted in Canvas courses. Students needing assistance with these programs are directed to utilize the tutorials located within the Canvas classroom.

The faculty of the School of business takes seriously the challenge to train ethical leaders, teachers, and researchers. Thus, academic misconduct is strictly prohibited. Both the Belhaven University Academic Catalog and the Adult, Graduate, & Online Handbook address academic misconduct in detail.

PLAGIARISM

In a day in which moral relativism has become epidemic, it seems necessary to address the issue of plagiarism. Plagiarism is a practice that has become increasingly easy due to modern technology. Plagiarism is not only widespread on college campuses but has also been engaged in by leading historians. Belhaven University, with its emphasis on applying a biblical worldview to all of life and biblical ethics in the marketplace, must raise a high standard of honesty and responsibility with regard to research and writing. The Bible teaches that God honors honesty and fair dealing. God will bless the person who “walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks the truth” from the heart (English Standard Version, Ps. 15.2; see also Prov. 20.7). Only responsible, honest research fulfills this high ethical standard.

RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH

Responsible research is a critical component of a business school education. Students must learn how to investigate, read, understand, systematize, interpret, and finally explain complex ideas and issues in writing. There is no shortcut to good research and writing. Students gain immensely from personal experience with the research process, the broader and deeper knowledge of areas of academic study, and the discipline of summarizing their findings in a clear and orderly form.

Responsible research includes giving credit to all materials on which students rely in the research process. Students must realize that they are not experts; they rely on experts and must therefore fully credit these expert sources. Students must acknowledge all sources of ideas, words, phrases, or sentences included in the research paper.

One of the best ways to avoid plagiarism is to read thoroughly to gain an understanding of source materials and then, without looking at the source, give one’s own summary or evaluation.

Good research and writing are hard work. The Bible teaches that God blesses diligent, righteous labor (Prov. 12.20, 27). The Bible stresses that work should be performed in such a manner as will please God who always sees not only what pleases people when they are watching (ESV, Col. 3.22-24). 

PLAGIARISM DEFINED

Plagiarism involves the presentation of some other person’s work or idea as if it were the work of the presenter. It is a violation of the Belhaven Honor Code and is clearly unacceptable.

Plagiarism includes the following:

• The presentation of some other person’s work or idea as if it were the work of the presenter. It is a violation of the Belhaven Honor Code and is clearly unacceptable.
• Submitting a paper written by someone other than the student. (such plagiarism would also include parts of the paper written by someone other than the student.)
• Quoting from source materials without using quotation marks or block indentations to show that the material quoted as required in acceptable documentation.
• Failing to give proper credit (i.e. a reference citation or other notation) in a paper for all ideas, phrases, quotes, or concepts used in the paper. Typically, references must be made for all sources within each paragraph. Style forms may vary in the reference content. Students should consult an English handbook for more detail on plagiarism.
• Using papers/assignments submitted in a previous course to fulfill an assignment in a current course is considered plagiarism, however, a student may quote from the previous assignment as long as it is properly cited. (self-plagiarism) 
• Enabling academic dishonesty (contract cheating), i.e. helping another student violate the standards on Academic Integrity, is unacceptable and could result in censure or disenrollment. Masking of IP addresses is not permitted when accessing the Belhaven University LMS (Learning Management System - Canvas) as it is a common method of hiding contract cheating. Examples include: allowing one’s work to be copied, working together on an assignment where collaboration is not allowed (such as a quiz or exam, etc.), doing work for another student, or submitting work for a course to an internet site which other students can use to violate these standards.

CONSEQUENCES OF PLAGIARISM

The first instance of plagiarism within a course will result in a zero grade for that assignment. The second instance of plagiarism with a course will result in a ‘F’ grade for the course. The student will have received notice from the Instructor and Administration of the policies related to plagiarism as well as have had sufficient resources to avoid plagiarism. (If the same student plagiarizes in another course the student will receive an “F” grade for the course and the student will receive a warning that another incidence of plagiarism could result in a temporary six-month suspension from the program.) The third instance of plagiarism by the same student will receive an “F” grade for the course and the student may be temporally suspended, based on determination of an Administrative Committee. A fourth instance of plagiarism will result in the permanent dismissal from the university.

TOOLS TO HELP STUDENTS AVOID PLAGIARISM

• Use Grammarly
• Use correct APA formatted citations
• Start writing early and submit a draft to Tutor.com

SPECIFIC PRACTICES TO AVOID

• Do not attempt to get a research paper off the Internet (or anywhere else) and submit this for your paper, as this is dishonest and unethical.
• Do not merely copy from any book, article, or encyclopedia and submit this for your paper. This is not acceptable research.
• Do not fail to include references (including source and page numbers) which document every source which you have in any way relied upon for each paragraph of your paper. If sources are not properly referenced, the student has cheated the sources out of deserved credit and cheated readers out of valuable information.
• Do not use material from any other student’s paper or work unless you give that student full credit in reference notes.
• Do not use material submitted in another class.
• Do not hire someone else to write your paper. The definition of “someone else” includes using artificial intelligence. 

Students are expected to possess a computer throughout the duration of their program. Student computers must be able to run a supported browser and handle additional plug-ins as identified by the Learning Management System (LMS) company. Students should be able to produce, send, and receive documents that are compatible within the two most recent offerings of Microsoft Office to complete most of the assignments. Both the computer and internet connection may need to be fast enough in some courses to watch streaming videos, participate in live meetings, upload large files, install software, and listen to audio lectures. In addition to these minimum expectations, participation in a DBA course or program may entail additional computing and/or technology requirements.

LET’S DEFINE TERMS

Often, students will use two very important terms interchangeably: graduate and commencement. Let’s define these terms as they are used heavily in the policies below. To graduate means that you have completed all of the academic requirements for the degree, including all required courses and all elements of the dissertation/project. Your transcript is then stamped “degree conferred.”

“Graduate” is different from “commencement” (sometimes also called “graduation”). Commencement is the formal ceremony during which a DBA student receives their academic hood and walks across the stage. Belhaven University only has 2 commencement ceremonies per calendar year: Spring Commencement is typically in April/May, and Fall Commencement is in December. 

PREPARING TO GRADUATE

At the beginning of the semester you plan to graduate (Spring, Summer, or Fall), complete and submit the Intent to Graduate Form no later than the end of the second week of the semester. Degree conferral posting is based on the successful completion of your degree requirements and not the Intent to Graduate Survey. If you do not graduate in the expected term, contact your Academic Advisor to be term activated for a future term. 

THE “ALL DONE” RULE

In order to participate in commencement, the DBA student must be “all done” by the stated deadline in the spring or fall semester, respectively. All done means that all required courses are completed and the oral defense has been passed, not simply scheduled. The only exception to this rule is the final dissertation research class. It is permissible for a student to defend the dissertation while being simultaneously enrolled in the final dissertation course.

For the Fall 2024 semester, the deadline is October 15, 2024.
For the Spring 2025 Semester, the deadline is March 21, 2025. 

SCHEDULING YOUR ORAL DEFENSE

All oral dissertation defenses must be scheduled through the Office of the Dean for the School of Business. The dissertation chair is responsible for notifying the dean’s office and setting this schedule. This is necessary because the dean’s office tracks all dissertation defenses. If you intend to participate in either the spring or fall commencement, see the all done rule explained above. You may verify that your defense has been scheduled by contacting Ms. Keely Allen (kallen@belhaven.edu) in the dean’s office.

AFTER THE FINAL DEFENSE

Following the oral defense there are several more steps in the degree completion process.

First, the dissertation committee reviews the oral defense. Often, there are revisions and changes that result from the committee’s review of the oral defense. The student completes those changes and submits a revision to the dissertation committee. The committee also notifies the Registrar’s Office of the student’s passing grade on the oral defense.

Second, once all revisions have been approved, the committee will review the changes and complete the final content approval. Signatures are gathered from the committee and the dean at this time.

Third, the dissertation is submitted for pre-publication format review. This can be a lengthy process depending upon the grammar and APA mechanics of the submitted dissertation. It is highly advised to submit a “clean” dissertation as this will help speed the review process. See the Format Review Process section below.

Fourth is the Chair and Departmental approval for publication. Upon approval, the manuscript is published electronically to the dissertation database.

Fifth, the doctoral student enters into the graduation and/or commencement process. 

FORMAT REVIEW PROCESS

If your oral defense resulted in the need to make content changes to your manuscript, please make those changes before this step.

The Graduate School will review your manuscript to ensure that its formatting is consistent with the DBA program’s format guidelines before we authorize publication of the manuscript. As the format review process is the last step before publication of your dissertation, submit your document to Kim Ellington (kellington@belhaven.edu) only after you have completed the steps above and all written content is in its final form.

The format review is based on the graduate program’s format guidelines, APA format. The guidelines cover all aspects of a disquisition from the title page and prefatory material, through the chapters and references to the appendices. The format review is not a copy edit (in other words we will not ask you to make content changes).

COMMENCEMENT PARTICIPATION

Graduate students may participate in the commencement ceremony in the semester of their final defense or the semester in which the degree requirements are completed. Summer graduates are eligible to participate in the fall ceremony in the same year in which you graduate. It is important to complete the Intent to Graduate survey by the posted deadline to initiate your graduation audit and receive commencement information. The Registrar’s Office sends commencement ceremony information to your Belhaven email address only.

Neither the School of Business nor the Graduate School is responsible for disseminating ceremony information, registering students for the ceremony, or issuing guest tickets to the ceremony (if required).

A hooding ceremony, exclusively for doctoral students, is typically held in the week prior to commencement. As a DBA graduate, you’ll be invited to participate in this special event. 

As the capstone experience of the DBA program, a student must choose to either complete a dissertation or an applied project. There are multiple differences between an applied project and a dissertation. The key difference, however, between an applied project and a dissertation is that an applied project does not proceed from a research question. The purpose of an applied project is not to add to our understanding of research on a topic. Rather, the purpose of an applied project is to help solve an existing real-world problem, which is why project studies are also called applied studies. The purpose of an applied project is to collect information to help address an identifiable problem in a specific setting. The School of business uses the term “applied project” to refer to these work-based capstone projects. The table below articulates the differences between the two capstone experiences.

Table 1: Differences in Dissertation vs. Applied Project Milestones

MILESTONES

BUS 784 Dissertation Research I

BUS 785 Dissertation Research II

Dissertation: Best for future academics.

• Research Question
• Chapter 1
• Concept Paper

Applied Project: Best for future executives.

• Problem Definition
• Chapter 1

BUS 786 Dissertation Research III

Dissertation: Best for future academics.

• Chapter 3
• IRB Approval
• Proposal

Applied Project: Best for future executives.

• Chapter 2
• IRB Approval

BUS 781 Dissertation Research IV

BUS 783 Dissertation Continuation (if needed)

Dissertation: Best for future academics.

• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Prepare for Defense

Applied Project: Best for future executives.

• Chapter 3
• Prepare for Defense
  
   

The following are the steps to completing the dissertation:

• Prospectus - The student writes and submits a draft prospectus to the DBA Program Chair. Upon approval, the student is paired with an appropriate dissertation chairperson. The prospectus may be submitted at any time after the student’s second year.
• Committee Chair Assigned - The DBA Program Chair and the degree candidate cooperatively choose a chairperson for the dissertation committee. 
• Approval of Chapters 1 - 3 - The Committee Chair works with the candidate to review and revise chapters 1 - 3 of the dissertation.
• APA Review - When the draft of 1-3 is ready, the Chair submits it to the IRB office. During this time, the document will be reviewed for both APA format as well as IRB human subjects approval.
• Complete the Research - Upon being notified of IRB approval, the candidate may execute the research project as designed.
• Approval of Chapters 4-5 - At the conclusion of the research project, the candidate writes chapters four and five. The candidate works with the Chair until the Chair is ready to approve chapters 1-5. Once approved, the Chair submits a request to schedule the oral defense to the dean’s office of the school of business.
• Oral Defense - In order to pass the oral defense, the student must achieve a score of High Pass, Pass, or Pass with Clarifying Questions. If the student is required to make any further changes to the manuscript as a result of the oral defense, those changes are made at this time.
• Manuscript Publication - The final draft of the manuscript is sent by the student to the dean of doctoral studies. That office will process the manuscript for publication to the electronic database.