Get a top-quality MBA through the world’s first interactive online Master of Business Administration program. Exercise your critical thinking and decision-making skills and apply what you learn to your work in your own organization—with imm...
Doctoral-level studies for highly motivated management professionals in business, government, and not-for-profits. Learn to conduct rigorous research and advance your skills to analyze management systems and issues.
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Program details
The Doctorate in Business Administration is a 21-credit online graduate program that trains students to become practitioner-scholars, who learn to understand the world of applied management through the eyes of a researcher. Learning how to carry out rigorous social science research is at the heart of the DBA program, thereby pushing students to acquire an advanced understanding of what systematic study and analysis entail. As a doctorate degree, the DBA is distinct from others (e.g., PhD) because it is intended to bridge academic and applied knowledge.
All courses are online grouped studies, delivered asynchronously, with defined start and end dates. The program also includes a 1-week on-site research workshop, held in Edmonton, Alberta, once a year for the first 3 years. The entire program must be completed through Athabasca University, with potential transfer credits being evaluated on an individual basis. You should plan to spend at least 25-30 hours per week on your studies.
You can finish this program in as little as 3 years of study or take up to 7 years to complete all requirements.
Calendar resources
Course schedule
You will be automatically registered in your core courses. Core courses are offered only one time per year.
You will be registered in the courses sequentially based on the date you commence the program.
| Year One | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Sep. 7, 2026 | Sep. 20, 2026 |
| Conceptual Foundations of Organizational Research (DDBA 800) | Sept. 21, 2026 | Dec. 20, 2026 |
| Current Research (DDBA 801) | TBA | TBA |
| Management Research in Practice (DDBA 802) | TBA | TBA |
| Year Two | ||
| Year Two Research Workshop – on-site | TBA | TBA |
| Quantitative Research Methods (DDBA 803) | TBA | TBA |
| Qualitative Research Methods (DDBA 804) | TBA | TBA |
| Advanced Readings (DDBA 805) | TBA | TBA |
| Year Three | ||
| Year Three Research Workshop – on-site | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Proposal (DDBA 806) | TBA | TBA |
| Year Four | ||
| Candidacy Exam | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Defence | TBA | TBA |
Course fee deadlines are set 6 weeks before the course start date. Students who do not pay fees by the deadline will be withdrawn from the course. As courses are only delivered one time per year and completed in sequence, being withdrawn will mean you will not be able to start most courses until the following year. Payments will be processed through a secure online banking site.
Students will receive 2 notices (one for tuition and one for GSA fees) 14 days before the payment deadline. Fees are posted as tuition and GSA fees, and full payment is required to remain registered in the course.
Students using student loans are advised at the beginning of their program that if applying for loans/bursaries, etc., fees still need to be paid on time. You can pay the fees using a credit card by the deadline, and you will then be reimbursed when your loan comes in. Changing your schedule or withdrawing from a course may impact your funding.
Please advise a Graduate Enrolment Advisor at [email protected] if you need alternate arrangements.
You will be automatically registered in your core courses. Core courses are offered only one time per year.
You will be registered in the courses sequentially based on the date you commence the program.
| Year One | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Sep. 8, 2025 | Sep. 21, 2025 |
| Conceptual Foundations of Organizational Research (DDBA 800) | Sept. 22, 2025 | Dec. 21, 2025 |
| Current Research (DDBA 801) | Jan. 5, 2026 | March 15, 2026 |
| Management Research in Practice (DDBA 802) | March 30, 2026 | June 7, 2026 |
| Year Two | ||
| Year Two Research Workshop – on-site | Sept. 14, 2026 | Sept. 20, 2026 |
| Quantitative Research Methods (DDBA 803) | Sept. 21, 2026 | Dec. 20, 2026 |
| Qualitative Research Methods (DDBA 804) | TBA | TBA |
| Advanced Readings (DDBA 805) | TBA | TBA |
| Year Three | ||
| Year Three Research Workshop – on-site | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Proposal (DDBA 806) | TBA | TBA |
| Year Four | ||
| Candidacy Exam | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Defence | TBA | TBA |
Course fee deadlines are set 6 weeks before the course start date. Students who do not pay fees by the deadline will be withdrawn from the course. As courses are only delivered one time per year and completed in sequence, being withdrawn will mean you will not be able to start most courses until the following year. Payments will be processed through a secure online banking site.
Students will receive 2 notices (one for tuition and one for GSA fees) 14 days before the payment deadline. Fees are posted as tuition and GSA fees, and full payment is required to remain registered in the course.
Students using student loans are advised at the beginning of their program that if applying for loans/bursaries, etc., fees still need to be paid on time. You can pay the fees using a credit card by the deadline, and you will then be reimbursed when your loan comes in. Changing your schedule or withdrawing from a course may impact your funding.
Please advise a Graduate Enrolment Advisor at [email protected] if you need alternate arrangements.
You will be automatically registered in your core courses. Core courses are offered only one time per year.
You will be registered in the courses sequentially based on the date you commence the program.
| Year One | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Sep. 9, 2024 | Sep. 22, 2024 |
| Conceptual Foundations of Organizational Research (DDBA 800) | Sep. 23, 2024 | Dec. 1, 2024 |
| Current Research (DDBA 801) | Jan. 6, 2025 | March 16, 2025 |
| Management Research in Practice (DDBA 802) | March 31, 2025 | June 8, 2025 |
| Year Two | ||
| Year Two Research Workshop – on-site | Sept. 16 2025 | Sept. 18, 2025 |
| Quantitative Research Methods (DDBA 803) | Sept. 22, 2025 | Dec. 21, 2025 |
| Qualitative Research Methods (DDBA 804) | Jan. 5, 2026 | March 15, 2026 |
| Advanced Readings (DDBA 805) | March 30, 2026 | July 26, 2026 |
| Year Three | ||
| Year Three Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sept. 14, 2026 | Sept. 20, 2026 |
| Dissertation Proposal (DDBA 806) | Sept. 11, 2026 | Jan. 17, 2027 |
| Year Four | ||
| Candidacy Exam | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Defence | TBA | TBA |
Course fee deadlines are set 6 weeks before the course start date. Students who do not pay fees by the deadline will be withdrawn from the course. As courses are only delivered one time per year and completed in sequence, being withdrawn will mean you will not be able to start most courses until the following year. Payments will be processed through a secure online banking site.
Students will receive 2 notices (one for tuition and one for GSA fees) 14 days before the payment deadline. Fees are posted as tuition and GSA fees, and full payment is required to remain registered in the course.
Students using student loans are advised at the beginning of their program that if applying for loans/bursaries, etc., fees still need to be paid on time. You can pay the fees using a credit card by the deadline, and you will then be reimbursed when your loan comes in. Changing your schedule or withdrawing from a course may impact your funding.
Please advise a Graduate Enrolment Advisor at [email protected] if you need alternate arrangements.
You will be automatically registered in your core courses. Core courses are offered only one time per year.
You will be registered in the courses sequentially based on the date you commence the program.
| Year One | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Sep. 4, 2023 | Sep. 17, 2023 |
| Conceptual Foundations of Organizational Research (DDBA 800) | Sep. 18, 2023 | Nov. 26, 2023 |
| Current Research (DDBA 801) | Jan. 8, 2024 | Mar. 17, 2024 |
| Management Research in Practice (DDBA 802) | Apr. 1, 2024 | June. 9, 2024 |
| Year Two | ||
| Year Two Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sep. 17, 2024 | Sep. 19, 2024 |
| Quantitative Research Methods (DDBA 803) | Sep. 23, 2024 | Dec. 1, 2024 |
| Qualitative Research Methods (DDBA 804) | Jan. 6, 2025 | March 16, 2025 |
| Advanced Readings (DDBA 805) | March 31, 2025 | June 8, 2025 |
| Year Three | ||
| Year Three Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sept. 16, 2025 | Sept. 18, 2025 |
| Dissertation Proposal (DDBA 806) | Sept. 22, 2025 | Jan. 18, 2026 |
| Year Four | ||
| Candidacy Exam | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Defence | TBA | TBA |
Course fee deadlines are set 6 weeks before the course start date. Students who do not pay fees by the deadline will be withdrawn from the course. As courses are only delivered one time per year and completed in sequence, being withdrawn will mean you will not be able to start most courses until the following year. Payments will be processed through a secure online banking site.
Students will receive 2 notices (one for tuition and one for GSA fees) 14 days before the payment deadline. Fees are posted as tuition and GSA fees, and full payment is required to remain registered in the course.
Students using student loans are advised at the beginning of their program that if applying for loans/bursaries, etc., fees still need to be paid on time. You can pay the fees using a credit card by the deadline, and you will then be reimbursed when your loan comes in. Changing your schedule or withdrawing from a course may impact your funding.
Please advise a Graduate Enrolment Advisor at [email protected] if you need alternate arrangements.
You will be automatically registered in your core courses. Core courses are offered only one time per year.
You will be registered in the courses sequentially based on the date you commence the program.
| Year One | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation | Sep. 5, 2022 | Sep. 18, 2022 |
| Conceptual Foundations of Organizational Research (DDBA 800) | Sep. 19, 2022 | Nov. 27, 2022 |
| Current Research (DDBA 801) | Jan. 9, 2023 | March 19, 2023 |
| Management Research in Practice (DDBA 802) | April 3, 2023 | June 11, 2023 |
| Year Two | ||
| Year Two Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sep. 12, 2023 | Sep. 14, 2023 |
| Quantitative Research Methods (DDBA 803) | Sep. 18, 2023 | Nov. 26, 2023 |
| Qualitative Research Methods (DDBA 804) | Jan. 8, 2024 | Mar. 17, 2024 |
| Advanced Readings (DDBA 805) | Apr. 1, 2024 | June 9, 2024 |
| Year Three | ||
| Year Three Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sep. 17, 2024 | Sep. 19, 2024 |
| Dissertation Proposal (DDBA 806) | Sep. 23, 2024 | Dec. 1, 2024 |
| Year Four | ||
| Candidacy Exam | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Defence | TBA | TBA |
Course fee deadlines are set 6 weeks before the course start date. Students who do not pay fees by the deadline will be withdrawn from the course. As courses are only delivered one time per year and completed in sequence, being withdrawn will mean you will not be able to start most courses until the following year. Payments will be processed through a secure online banking site.
Students will receive 2 notices (one for tuition and one for GSA fees) 14 days before the payment deadline. Fees are posted as tuition and GSA fees, and full payment is required to remain registered in the course.
Students using student loans are advised at the beginning of their program that if applying for loans/bursaries, etc., fees still need to be paid on time. You can pay the fees using a credit card by the deadline, and you will then be reimbursed when your loan comes in. Changing your schedule or withdrawing from a course may impact your funding.
Please advise a Graduate Enrolment Advisor at [email protected] if you need alternate arrangements.
You will be automatically registered in your core courses. Core courses are offered only one time per year.
You will be registered in the courses sequentially based on the date you commence the program.
| Year One | Start Date | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|
| Orientation – online | Sep. 6, 2021 | Sep. 10, 2021 |
| Orientation – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sep. 14, 2021 | Sep. 17, 2021 |
| Conceptual Foundations of Organizational Research (DDBA 800) | Sep. 20, 2021 | Nov. 28, 2021 |
| Current Research (DDBA 801) | Jan 3, 2022 | March 13, 2022 |
| Management Research in Practice (DDBA 802) | March 28, 2022 | June 5, 2022 |
| Year Two | ||
| Year Two Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sep. 13, 2022 | Sep. 15, 2022 |
| Quantitative Research Methods (DDBA 803) | Sep. 19, 2022 | Nov. 27, 2022 |
| Qualitative Research Methods (DDBA 804) | Jan. 9, 2023 | March 19, 2023 |
| Advanced Readings (DDBA 805) | April 3, 2023 | June 11, 2023 |
| Year Three | ||
| Year Three Research Workshop – on-site/or virtual TBC | Sep. 12, 2023 | Sep. 14, 2023 |
| Dissertation Proposal (DDBA 806) | Sep. 18, 2023 | Nov. 26, 2023 |
| Year Four | ||
| Candidacy Exam | TBA | TBA |
| Dissertation Defence | TBA | TBA |
Course fee deadlines are set 6 weeks before the course start date. Students who do not pay fees by the deadline will be withdrawn from the course. As courses are only delivered one time per year and completed in sequence, being withdrawn will mean you will not be able to start most courses until the following year. Payments will be processed through a secure online banking site.
Students will receive 2 notices (one for tuition and one for GSA fees) 14 days before the payment deadline. Fees are posted as tuition and GSA fees, and full payment is required to remain registered in the course.
Students using student loans are advised at the beginning of their program that if applying for loans/bursaries, etc., fees still need to be paid on time. You can pay the fees using a credit card by the deadline, and you will then be reimbursed when your loan comes in. Changing your schedule or withdrawing from a course may impact your funding.
Please advise a Graduate Enrolment Advisor at [email protected] if you need alternate arrangements.
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