Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) Major in Business Administration Online
Pursue senior leadership roles with a practice-focused doctoral program that sharpens your research and analytics skills. You will also gain hands-on experience in creating solutions for real business issues.
Apply by:
7/22/26
Start class:
8/19/26
Program Overview
Elevate your impact by earning a Doctor of Business Administration online
Advance into top-level positions requiring strategic oversight, complex problem-solving, and change leadership expertise with the Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) Major in Business Administration from Texas State University's McCoy College of Business. This program includes a rigorous sequence of courses on analytics, strategic management, organizational leadership, and more. You will learn to design and interpret research, analyze financial data, and make evidence-based business decisions.
The dissertation and course projects encourage you to tackle real-world challenges and implement solutions before earning your doctoral degree. Learn from experienced faculty in a flexible online format designed for busy professionals like you. Housed in the AACSB-accredited McCoy College of Business, this program prepares you to forge ahead in corporate, nonprofit, government, healthcare, and higher education settings.
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) research areas
Doctoral students in the D.B.A. program engage in applied, practice-based research designed to solve real-world business challenges. Areas of focus include:
- Business Analytics & Decision Sciences: Apply analytical frameworks and data modeling to support complex business decision-making
- Applied Statistical Modeling & Quantitative Research: Use advanced statistical methods to analyze data, test hypotheses, and inform strategy
- Data-Driven Decision-Making & Organizational Performance: Leverage data insights to improve performance, efficiency, and competitive advantage
- Organizational Leadership & Applied Research: Examine leadership effectiveness, workforce dynamics, and evidence-based management practices
- Strategic Decision-Making & Organizational Change: Explore how organizations adapt, evolve, and implement strategy in dynamic environments
- Innovation, Technology & Digital Transformation: Study how emerging technologies reshape business models, operations, and customer experiences
- Information Systems & Data-Driven Organizations: Investigate the role of information systems in enabling agile, data-centric organizations
- Process Improvement & Operational Effectiveness: Optimize business processes to enhance productivity, quality, and scalability
- Cross-Industry Applied Business Research: Conduct research that translates across industries to address complex, interdisciplinary business challenges
- Business Analytics & Decision Sciences: Apply analytical frameworks and data modeling to support complex business decision-making
- Applied Statistical Modeling & Quantitative Research: Use advanced statistical methods to analyze data, test hypotheses, and inform strategy
- Data-Driven Decision-Making & Organizational Performance: Leverage data insights to improve performance, efficiency, and competitive advantage
- Organizational Leadership & Applied Research: Examine leadership effectiveness, workforce dynamics, and evidence-based management practices
- Strategic Decision-Making & Organizational Change: Explore how organizations adapt, evolve, and implement strategy in dynamic environments
- Innovation, Technology & Digital Transformation: Study how emerging technologies reshape business models, operations, and customer experiences
- Information Systems & Data-Driven Organizations: Investigate the role of information systems in enabling agile, data-centric organizations
- Process Improvement & Operational Effectiveness: Optimize business processes to enhance productivity, quality, and scalability
- Cross-Industry Applied Business Research: Conduct research that translates across industries to address complex, interdisciplinary business challenges
As a student in this online D.B.A. program, you will learn how to:
- Analyze complex organizational challenges using advanced research and evidence-based frameworks
- Design and implement strategic solutions that improve performance, sustainability, or competitive advantage
- Lead organizational change through effective communication, collaboration, and leadership influence
- Apply data and analytics to support strategic decision-making and evaluate business outcomes
- Conduct applied doctoral research that addresses real-world business problems in professional practice
- Analyze complex organizational challenges using advanced research and evidence-based frameworks
- Design and implement strategic solutions that improve performance, sustainability, or competitive advantage
- Lead organizational change through effective communication, collaboration, and leadership influence
- Apply data and analytics to support strategic decision-making and evaluate business outcomes
- Conduct applied doctoral research that addresses real-world business problems in professional practice
Career opportunities:
- Senior Manager or Senior Director
- Vice President or Executive Director
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
- Organizational Development Consultant
- Management or Strategy Consultant
- University Faculty
- Senior Manager or Senior Director
- Vice President or Executive Director
- Chief Operating Officer (COO)
- Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)
- Organizational Development Consultant
- Management or Strategy Consultant
- University Faculty
Also available:
We offer a variety of student-centered online degrees that can help you advance, including M.B.A. programs in a range of concentrations. Explore our M.B.A. programs.
Total Tuition
$36,900*
Duration
As few as 3 years
Credit Hours
54
Accreditation
The McCoy College of Business at Texas State University is an accredited member of AACSB International. For more than a century, AACSB accreditation has been synonymous with the highest standards in business education. McCoy College's Department of Accounting also holds an additional AACSB accreditation. Fewer than 200 universities worldwide earn AACSB accreditations in both business and accounting.
Tuition
Explore the competitively priced tuition and payment options
Tuition for the online D.B.A. degree program is affordable and paid by the course, so you can achieve your academic goals while remaining within your budget.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Course | Per Program |
|---|---|---|---|
| D.B.A. | $683 | $2,050 | $36,900* |
*Students in Accelerated Online Programs are not eligible for payment plans or emergency loans. Tuition and fees are subject to change by legislative or Board of Regents action; changes become effective on the date of enactment. BookSmart fees are automatically added each semester but are not included in program costs; students may opt out by the start of each term. Registrations after the tuition deadline require full payment at registration. Cost of Attendance details are available through TXST One Stop.
Tuition breakdown
Total Tuition
$36,900*
Per Credit Hour
$683
Ready to take the next step
toward earning your degree?
Calendar
Sync these important academic dates with your personal schedule
The Texas State D.B.A. program is delivered in a convenient online learning format that offers maximum flexibility for working adults like you. Choose the start date that fits your goals.
| Term | Start Date | App Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Class End Date | Term Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 1 2026 | 8/19/26 | 7/22/26 | 7/22/26 | 8/19/26 | 8/13/26 | 10/7/26 | 8 weeks |
Now Enrolling
Apply by
7/22/26
Start Class
8/19/26
Admissions
Learn how to begin the online Doctor of Business Administration program
Apply to the D.B.A. online program quickly and easily with our streamlined admission process. Review the admission requirements below and take the next step toward your professional goals.
To be eligible to earn your Doctor of Business Administration degree online from Texas State University, you must have the following:
- Completed online application
- Nonrefundable application fee of $55 ($90 for international*)
- Completion of a bachelor’s and master’s degree in a business-related area from an accredited college or university
- Copy of official transcripts from each institution where course credit was granted
- A competitive GPA, which typically means an overall GPA of 3.3 or higher, in all completed graduate course work
- GRE/GMAT not required
- Resume/CV outlining education, professional and technical achievements (including data-driven projects, data certifications, or roles involving data analysis), scholarships/grants, publications/presentations, other accomplishments.
- Statement of purpose outlining your personal history, research interests, and goals that are relevant to obtaining this doctoral degree
- Seven years or more of professional business experience. Senior-level management experience is preferred.
- Three letters of recommendation evaluating your skill and potential in this program
For applicants without a U.S. bachelor’s degree (or equivalent)**:
You must submit an approved English proficiency exam score that meets the minimum program requirements.
- Official TOEFL iBT scores required with a 78 overall and minimum individual module scores of
- 19 listening
- 19 reading
- 19 speaking
- 18 writing
- Official PTE scores required with a 52 overall
- Official IELTS (academic) scores required with a 6.5 overall and minimum individual module scores of 6.0
- Official Duolingo scores required with a 110 overall
- Official TOEFL Essentials scores required with an 8.5 overall
**Exemption: Applicants who have earned a bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or an equivalent degree from a country on our exempt countries list are not required to submit an English proficiency exam score.
Transcripts may be sent electronically to [email protected] or mailed to:
TXST One Stop
Texas State University – Graduate Admissions
601 University Dr.
San Marcos, TX 78666
*Texas State defines an on-campus international student as anyone with a nonimmigrant visa status, including H-1B visa holders, or those seeking a visa to enroll. If you are not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, you will be classified as an international applicant.
An online international student is someone who holds citizenship in another country, is not a U.S. permanent resident, and resides outside the U.S. while enrolling in an online program.
Students who are not on a visa but are graduating from a Texas high school after three years in residence are considered domestic applicants.
If you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, refugee, or asylee, you are considered a domestic applicant.
Admission Requirements
- Minimum 3.3 GPA
- No GMAT/GRE required
- All official transcripts
Courses
Find out more about the D.B.A. online courses
To graduate from the Doctor of Business Administration online degree program, you must complete a total of 54 credit hours, including 30 credit hours of core courses, nine credit hours of electives, and 20 credit hours of dissertation courses.
Core Courses
BA 7301: Business Research Foundations
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces students to research design theory, methodology, and its application in empirical business research. It focuses on both theoretical comprehension of research methods and practical skills for conducting research. The primary aim is to equip students with essential knowledge and skills for designing and evaluating research projects. Topics taught include positivism vs. interpretivism, quantitative and qualitative research distinctions, critical research literature evaluation, formulating research questions, study design, and effective findings communication. This course lays the groundwork for students to conduct rigorous and impactful research within business administration.
BA 7302: Business Research Methods I
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides a comprehensive introduction to quantitative research methodologies, focusing on the application of statistical tools for construct measurement, sampling techniques, regression analysis, multivariate statistics, and structural equation modeling. Through a systematic exploration of these key areas, students will develop the skills necessary to analyze and interpret quantitative data. The course equips participants with the knowledge to apply these methods in various academic and professional fields, emphasizing the critical role of quantitative analysis in informed decision-making.
BA 7303: Business Research Methods II
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces qualitative research methods, including case study, action research, ethnography, and grounded theory, for conducting applied business research. Students design and execute rigorous qualitative studies, employing best-practice data collection techniques and ethical protocols. Emphasis is placed on systematic coding, auditable analysis workflows, and evaluation using established reporting standards. Students analyze complex business phenomena, synthesize insights, and translate findings into actionable, practice-relevant recommendations for executive-level decision-making. The course strengthens critical thinking, methodological rigor, and the ability to communicate findings to diverse stakeholders.
BA 7304: Business Analytics Research
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines data-driven, evidence-based approaches to managerial decision-making in dynamic business environments. Students explore the design, implementation, and evaluation of diagnostic, descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics models. Emphasis is placed on translating complex data into actionable insights using contemporary analytical tools and methods. The course adopts an inquiry-based approach to assess model assumptions, performance, and limitations across diverse business contexts. Students engage with real-world datasets to develop, interpret, and communicate analytically grounded recommendations that support strategic and operational decisions.
BA 7305: Applied Econometrics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides middle- and upper-level business professionals with a diverse set of econometric, statistical, and forecasting tools, enabling them to adeptly handle complex business problems and make well-informed business decisions. We will apply a wide range of advanced statistical methods to explore the patterns of empirical data and make inferences and predictions about business decisions. Emphasis will be given to the proper use of different econometric methodologies and the interpretations of estimation results. Topics covered include simple and multiple linear regressions, hypothesis testing, model diagnosis, discrete outcome models, regressions with time series data, and panel data models.
BA 7306: Experimental Design and Survey Methods
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the methods and applications of survey, quasi-experimental, and experimental research by designing and testing models as appropriate. Topics include construct development, latent variables (formative and reflective), non-latent variables, hypotheses development, different types of research design (e.g. completely randomized design, Latin square design, factorial design), design with covariates, confounding, blocking, power analysis, random effects/mixed effects models, statistical techniques for analyzing data, interpreting results and ethical considerations including the role of IRB approval on different types of research.
BA 7310: Organizational Theory and Group Dynamics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the structure and behavioral dynamics of complex organizational systems, with emphasis on small groups. Students explore foundational theories, including systems theory and organizational behavior, and analyze stages of group development, power, influence, and conflict. The course addresses change management, group facilitation, and optimization of team performance. Students also assess challenges in managing virtual and dispersed teams and integrate theoretical and applied research to address organizational issues. Emphasis is placed on reflective leadership and evidence-based approaches to improving group effectiveness.
BA 7311: Analysis of Corporate Policy
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the measurement and analysis of corporate operations through an integrated strategic lens. Students apply advanced systems theory, organizational design, and financial and operational frameworks to evaluate and optimize corporate policies. Emphasis is placed on quantitative analysis, risk management, ESG integration, and governance structures. Through engagement with academic and practitioner research, students assess policy impacts on firm value, behavior, and performance, and ultimately develop data-driven, innovative strategies and original research proposals for sustainable growth.
BA 7360: Dissertation Design and Proposal
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course prepares DBA students to develop and present a dissertation proposal. Students formulate an original, business-relevant research question, analyze relevant literature to identify research gaps, and design appropriate methodologies to investigate the problem. Emphasis is placed on integrating theoretical frameworks with empirical evidence and managing the scholarly writing process. By the end of the course, students produce a comprehensive dissertation proposal outlining objectives, methods, and expected contributions to practice and scholarship. A dissertation committee is also formed to guide the research.
Elective - Choose 1:
BA 7312: Global Business Issues
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides a rigorous foundation for managing an enterprise that operates in a global economy. It integrates global economic issues and global strategic issues to provide a comprehensive understanding of macroeconomic concepts and models for analyzing the global environment in which managers of the multi-national enterprises need to make business decisions and develop strategies for diversification, vertical integration, global expansions, etc. The role of technology, supply chain, and government policies in affecting the economic and business conditions will be assessed.
BA 7313: Decision Making under Uncertainty
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines how decisions are made under conditions of uncertainty. It introduces methods used by policymakers, managers, and analysts to support decision-making, and discusses the concepts of decision making under uncertainty. Students will learn how to model complex business problems that involve uncertainty and risk using various methods. The course covers analytical models such as Inductive Judgment, Heuristics and Decision-making, Inferential Reasoning, Decision Tree, Stochastic Optimization, Simulation & Optimization, and Dynamic Optimization. Examples are drawn from a variety of industries (e.g., transportation, energy, health care, manufacturing, supply chain management) where decision making methods provide value.
Prescribed Electives - Choose 3:
BA 7351: Research Seminar in Analytics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course immerses DBA students in applied research in analytics through engagement with leading scholars and industry practitioners. Students explore essential analytics concepts and tools and learn how to apply them to complex business problems. Emphasis is placed on identifying appropriate analytical approaches and evaluating the roles of descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics in decision making. Through discussion of foundational research and applied examples, students develop the ability to implement and select optimal analytical methods to support effective, data-driven business problem solving.
BA 7353: Strategic Marketing Analysis and Applications
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides an in‑depth exploration of marketing strategy, focusing on value creation, marketing capabilities, branding, customer relationships, sales and channel management, and market performance. Students engage with foundational and emerging perspectives in the research literature and evaluate how theoretical constructs contribute to understanding strategic marketing issues. The course emphasizes critical analysis of research designs, methodological approaches, and analytical tools used in marketing scholarship. Students apply theory to organizational contexts, assess opportunities for future inquiry, and develop skills needed to interpret empirical findings and translate them into meaningful insights for managerial and scholarly decision‑making.
BA 7354: Natural Language Processing in Business and Finance
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course introduces Natural Language Processing (NLP) as a strategic tool for analyzing unstructured business and financial data. Students explore key approaches such as text classification, sentiment analysis, topic discovery, and language modeling to extract insights from earnings calls, financial reports, and market news. Emphasis is placed on how these methods support investment decisions, risk assessment, and corporate financial strategy. By linking analytical techniques to managerial applications, the course prepares DBA students to leverage language-based data for competitive advantage in financial markets and organizational decision-making.
BA 7355: Accounting Analytics for Decision Making
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course examines the use of data analytics in accounting-related decision making, with emphasis on improving complex business judgments and supporting accurate financial reporting. Students explore analytical approaches and develop an analytics mindset for addressing real-world accounting problems. Using relevant software tools, they apply statistical and analytical techniques to business data and interpret results. Topics include fraud detection, process mining for internal control evaluation, spatial modeling, and decision-tree analysis. The course emphasizes critical evaluation of analytical methods and their implications for accounting decisions.
BA 7356: Human Resource Management Analytics
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides a foundation for applied research in human resource analytics, focusing on the use of data and statistical models to address contemporary human capital challenges. Students apply analytical techniques to human resource management issues and interpret results to support evidence-based decision making. Emphasis is placed on synthesizing data from multiple sources and evaluating analytical outcomes to develop prescriptive recommendations for HR practices. The course also examines conceptual and strategic issues relevant to human resource professionals and the effective management of organizational talent.
Dissertation Courses
Student will take 15 credit hours of dissertation courses.
BA 7199: Dissertation
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
This course consists of original research and writing in business administration to be accomplished under direct supervision of the dissertation advisor. While conducting dissertation research and writing, students must be continuously enrolled each long semester.
BA 7299: Dissertation
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 2
This course consists of original research and writing in business administration to be accomplished under direct supervision of the dissertation advisor. While conducting dissertation research and writing, students must be continuously enrolled each long semester.
BA 7399: Dissertation
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course consists of original research and writing in business administration to be accomplished under direct supervision of the dissertation advisor. While conducting dissertation research and writing, students must be continuously enrolled each long semester.
BA 7599: Dissertation
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 5
This course consists of original research and writing in business administration to be accomplished under direct supervision of the dissertation advisor. While conducting dissertation research and writing, students must be continuously enrolled each long semester.
BA 7699: Dissertation
Duration: 8 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 9
This course consists of original research and writing in business administration to be accomplished under direct supervision of the dissertation advisor. While conducting dissertation research and writing, students must be continuously enrolled each long semester.
