Doctor of Business Administration
Unleash your potential with a Smith DBA.
If you are passionate about your field of expertise, the Smith Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a terminal business degree that opens up opportunities to publish, speak, consult, and teach.
In the Smith DBA program, you will develop competence in applied research, including demonstrating knowledge of relevant theory and scholarly literature, and create new knowledge about modern business problems.
This challenging program has been designed to maximize a candidate’s expertise and effectiveness in an area of specialization. Our world-renowned faculty work directly and closely with a small and select group of research-minded practitioners each year. We accept students who wish to specialize in marketing, information systems or management.
Program Structure
- 54 credits, taken over three years
- Part-time, minimizing interruptions to your career
- In-person, allowing you to benefit from a close connection to both faculty and fellow DBA students
- Convenient, meeting three days each month: two Fridays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and one Saturday each month from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Rigorous, with two summer research projects and a year 3 research capstone project
Who Is a Good Fit for This Program?
The ideal DBA candidate:
- Has a master’s degree in business administration or a related field
- Has significant career experience and expertise in their field
- Is intellectually curious
- Is passionate about doing research
- Is interested in rigorously investigating practical challenges in modern business, and using insights derived from data to drive strategic solutions
Curriculum
The DBA curriculum is carefully curated to be practice-focused, with segments in research methodology, analytics, legal and ethical issues in big data management, and regulatory structure.
Students will take 42 credits in the following categories: Research Tools and Methodologies (10–12 credits), courses in the student’s major field of study (22–24 credits), and practice-focused elective courses (10–12 credits). All students must complete 12 credits of the capstone project research in addition to the coursework for graduation eligibility.
Areas of Specialization
The DBA program currently offers three areas of specialization: Information Systems, Management & Organization and Marketing. Developed in response to evolving demands in the business world, they will elevate Smith DBAs to be prominent leaders of their respective industries.
Business analytics expertise with an expansion on project management.
Marketing analytics and consumer behavior from an industry and management perspective.
Human behavior at the individual and organizational levels and its impact on organizational outcomes.
Courses
Research Foundations: 18 credits Weekend In-Person
Required/Elective Courses: 18 credits Flex (In-Person/Online)
Individual Research: 18 credits (Customized)
Total Credits: 54
Year 1
Fall – I (9 credits)
Research Foundations: Quantitative Research Methods (3) (Weekend)
Research Foundations: Economics for Business Research (3) (Weekend)
BDBA: Data Processing and Analysis in Python (3) (Flex)
Spring – I (9 credits)
Research Foundations – Causal Methods in Business Research (3) (Weekend)
Research Foundations- Theoretical Foundations of Digital Organizations (3) (Weekend)
Data Mining and Predictive Analytics (3) (Flex)
Summer – I (2 credits)
Special Topics in IS Research – Customized Research Study (2) (Custom)
Year 2
Fall – II (10 credits)
Research Foundations: Executive Decision Making in the Age of AI (3) (Weekend)
Data Science – Big Data for Business (3) (Flex)
Special Topics: Electives (2) (Flex)
Special Topics in IS Research – Customized Research Study (2) (Custom)
Spring – II (9 credits)
Research Foundations: Emerging Technologies Research Foundations (3) (Weekend)
Special Topics: Advanced Electives (Choice of 3 electives) (6) (Flex)
Summer – II (2 credits)
Special Topics in IS Research – Customized Research Study (2) (Custom)
Year 3
Fall – III (6 credits)
Capstone Research Project (6) (Custom)
Spring – III (6 credits)
Capstone Research Project (6) (Custom)
Research Foundations: 18 credits Weekend In-Person
Required/Elective Courses: 18-20 credits Flex (In-Person/Online)
Individual Research: 16-18 credits (Customized)
Total Credits: 54
Year 1
Fall – I (9 credits)
Research Foundations: Quantitative Research Methods (3) (Weekend)
Research Foundations: Economics for Business Research (3) (Weekend)
Customer Analysis (3) (Flex)
Spring – I (9 credits)
Research Foundations – Causal Methods in Business Research (3) (Weekend)
Research Foundations- Theoretical Foundations of Digital Organizations (3) (Weekend)
Special Topics: Electives (3) (Flex)
Summer – I (2 credits)
Special Topics in Marketing Research – Customized Research Study (2) (Custom)
Year 2
Fall – II (9/10 credits)
Special Topics: Advanced Electives (9-10) (Flex)
Spring – II (9/10 credits)
Special Topics: Advanced Electives (9-10) (Flex)
Summer – II (3 credits)
Special Topics in Marketing Research – Customized Research Study (3) (Custom)
Year 3
Fall – III (6 credits)
Capstone Research Project (6) (Custom)
Spring – III (6 credits)
Capstone Research Project (6) (Custom)
Research Foundations: 18 credits Weekend In-Person
Required/Elective Courses: 18-20 credits Flex (In-Person/Online)
Individual Research: 16-18 credits (Customized)
Total Credits: 54
Year 1
Fall – I (9 credits)
Research Foundations: Quantitative Research Methods (3) (Weekend)
Research Foundations: Economics for Business Research (3) (Weekend)
OB Foundations (3) (Flex)
Spring – I (9 credits)
Research Foundations – Causal Methods in Business Research (3) (Weekend)
Research Foundations- Theoretical Foundations of Digital Organizations (3) (Weekend)
Strategy Foundations (3) (Flex)
Summer – I (2 credits)
Special Topics in M&O Research – Customized Research Study (2) (Custom)
Year 2
Fall – II (9 credits)
Executive Decision-Making in the Age of AI (3) (Flex)
Leading with a Strategic Mindset (2) (Flex)
Competitive & Collaborative Negotiations (2) (Flex)
Innovation & Product Development (2) (Flex)
Spring – II (10 credits)
Decision Modeling (2) (Flex)
Organizational Change (2) (Flex)
Entrepreneurship (2) (Flex)
Systems and Design Thinking (2) (Flex)
Special Topics in M&O Research – Customized Research Study (2) (Custom)
Summer – II (3 credits)
Special Topics in M&O Research – Customized Research Study (3) (Custom)
Year 3
Fall – III (6 credits)
Capstone Research Project (6) (Custom)
Spring – III (6 credits)
Capstone Research Project (6) (Custom)
Smith Faculty
Smith faculty are influential thought leaders, consistently pushing the boundaries of business knowledge and bringing unparalleled insights to the classroom. You will work closely with faculty and your advisor throughout your DBA experience, adding them to your lifelong network.
Smith professors in top 2% “most-cited” scholars worldwide (Elsevier, 2024)
Best business and management university in the U.S. (Research.com, 2024)
Research, U.S. (UT Dallas Top 100 Business Schools, 2023)
Featured Program Faculty
Experience a truly transformative educational experience with the research-driven curriculum and personalized mentorship of the Smith DBA program.
Information Systems
Tejwansh (Tej) Singh Anand
Il-Horn Hann
Marketing
Judy Frels
P. K. Kannan
Jie Zhang
Management & Organization
Sheetal Singh
Jennifer Carson Marr
Admissions
- Cover letter (please submit as Description of Research/Work Experience in the application)
- Statement of purpose
- Resume or curriculum vitae
- Official transcripts of undergraduate degree and any graduate-level degrees if applicable
- GMAT/GRE test scores: optional
- Marketing: 2 letters of recommendation; IS: 3 letters of recommendation
- October 1, 2024
- November 1, 2024
- December 15, 2024
- January 15, 2025
- March 14, 2025
- April 30, 2025
- Rolling Admissions after April 30
Our program is projected to cost approximately $150,000 plus university mandatory fees for three years. The program charges per credit during traditional semesters.
Schedule a one-on-one consultation to receive individualized feedback on your candidacy, or schedule your visit to a DBA class.
Doctor of Business Administration Info Session
6:30 PM EDT
Contact Us
For all inquiries about the DBA, contact DBAadmissions@umd.edu. An admissions officer will be able to assess your candidacy and provide further information about the DBA program. Please provide a brief description of the following information in your email inquiry:
- Education background
- Work experience
- Why are you interested in pursuing a DBA degree and how does it relate to your career objectives?