3 Ways the Bellevue University Doctor of Business Administration Program Stands Out

The decision to pursue post-graduate education is not one you take lightly. After all, a commitment to earning an advanced degree will inevitably translate to time and money spent, and you need to be sure it will be a worthwhile investment.

But the prospect of accumulating some of the most sought-after knowledge and skills in the world of business is hard to pass up. Today's business leaders are expected to navigate rapid advancements in technology and other processes, all while making decisions that will impact their businesses and communities at large.

A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree will prepare you to solve current challenges in your industry, expand your influence in top executive positions, and address the complexities of today's fast-paced business landscape with vision, knowledge, and clarity. But not all DBA programs are created equal.

In fact, the Bellevue University Doctor of Business Administration program takes an entirely different approach. After identifying a gap in doctoral business education, the faculty at the College of Business designed this degree to fill that need. Read on to learn more about this innovative approach to a DBA degree.

Why earn a doctoral degree?

Before we explore the intricacies of the Bellevue University DBA program, it's worth discussing the overall benefits of earning a doctoral degree. This prestigious academic achievement can have a sizeable impact on the trajectory of your career.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the educational attainment of Americans is continually on the rise — the number of doctoral degree-holders has more than doubled since the year 2000. But still, recent data reveals that just 4.5 percent of the current population has earned this advanced degree.

It may seem that few go the extra mile, but those who do opt to pursue a doctorate open the door to some undeniable perks. An individual's career opportunities will depend on a variety of factors such as geography, industry and experience level. But generally speaking, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that those with doctoral degrees experience higher median earnings and lower unemployment rates.

This is because the skills acquired by doctoral candidates are often the most sought-after in their respective industries. Earning a doctorate will help you become a thought leader in your field. But if you truly want to become an expert in the field of business, you'll want a doctoral program that prepares you for the type of real-world business challenges that require informed, executive-level decision making. Now let's explore how the Bellevue University DBA does just that.

3 Reasons the Bellevue University DBA program is different

The Bellevue University Doctor of Business Administration program was created when faculty members recognized an opportunity in doctoral education that wasn't being fulfilled. "Today's organizations are facing significant change, internally and externally," Bellevue University President Dr. Mary Hawkins explained to Business Wire.

"They're dealing with issues involving how to recruit and retain talent, how to pursue growth and manage it, and how to operate in an increasingly more connected world. These challenges require leaders able to work across the organization, and their industry, to address complex, system-wide issues," Dr. Hawkins continued. "We created a DBA degree to prepare leaders who are well-qualified to diagnose these multi-dimensional issues and help their enterprises solve their most pressing business challenges."

But what is it that really makes the Bellevue University DBA degree stand out? Among the many notable benefits of the program, the following three features make it different from the rest.

1. It yields student outcomes outside of academia

One of the most notable differentiators of the Bellevue University DBA program is the very reason it was created. Traditionally, most professionals pursue doctoral education with the goal of teaching or focusing their career on academic research. But there are also individuals out there who are eager to further their education so that they can gain the specialized skills needed to actively meet the complex challenges of today's business landscape.

The Bellevue University program is different. We help you use your DBA to emerge as an expert and a thought leader in your field so that you are well equipped to tackle real issues in the modern business world.

In the DBA program at Bellevue University, you'll learn to do the following:

• Communicate advanced business analyses to lead an organization effectively
• Assess advanced scholarly thinking to identify and resolve business challenges ethically
• Conduct business research for organizational and societal problems
• Combine experience, knowledge, and judgment to build advanced competencies in business

2. A doctoral dissertation is not required

Another unique element of the Bellevue University program is that it's a DBA with no dissertation required. Students will complete a research-based doctoral project on a topic that's relevant to their industry. These research projects are designed to help students develop a working expertise on their chosen topic, even providing them with opportunities to present and publish their topic as an expert.

Many DBA programs have doctoral candidates wait until the end of the program to begin working on their dissertations, but that's not the case at Bellevue University. Students will begin working on their doctoral projects during their first year of study and continue throughout their time in the DBA program. This structure ensures that once your coursework is finished, your cumulative doctoral project will be complete as well.

3. You can finish the fully online program in just 3 years

Not all DBA programs are designed to complement the life of a business professional. As a leading university for working adults, Bellevue University has addressed the obstacles that often stand in the way of completing a doctoral degree, enabling you to become a business expert in a reasonable amount of time.

We understand that time is at a premium in the life of a business leader. This is why our DBA program is structured so that students who transfer in their MBA or equivalent master's-level credits, receive satisfactory grades, and complete all terms sequentially can earn their doctoral degree in just three years.

Because life doesn't stop when you earn your degree, we've built in a two-week break between each 10-week course to allow students time to recharge and focus on other responsibilities. While you are actively learning, our flexible online courses are designed to bring quality learning into a format that fits your schedule — and we do this in a way that doesn't sacrifice meaningful faculty feedback or collaboration with your peers across the country.

Enhance your expertise with a DBA degree

If you're eager to add to your repertoire of advanced business acumen and establish yourself as a true expert in your industry, a doctoral degree can help. The DBA program at Bellevue University was designed to help make your business leadership skills indisputable.

For more information on the DBA degree that was created specifically for practitioners like you, visit our Doctor of Business Administration program page.