Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration

The Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration program at Florida Atlantic University’s AACSB-accredited College of Business is designed for senior-level professionals with extensive industry experience who are looking to earn the highest academic degree in business while continuing to advance their full-time careers.

The research-intensive Executive Ph.D. is an 80-credit hour cohort-structured degree program taught by the high-caliber and active research faculty at FAU’s College of Business and can be completed in three or four year tracks. The Executive Ph.D. program focuses on developing mastery of advanced research methodologies and in-depth analytical skills empowering you to become a more effective executive. The program also allows individuals to focus their program in the following business research areas: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Information Technology, Management or Marketing.

In an executive format, you will learn how to merge your business knowledge and experience with academic rigor to conduct and interpret business research, make evidence-based evaluations to solve today’s complex business challenges, and create data-driven strategies for tomorrow’s business opportunities. An additional component of our executive format is our hybrid delivery of instruction, in which students may attend live in-person or live online, with the requirement of two in-person residency weekends during the fall and spring semesters and once each summer session (five residency weekends per academic year). The residencies provide the opportunity for students to collaborate with our research faculty and their senior professional peers. 

Why an Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration?

The Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration is a professional doctoral program customized for senior managers, high-potential leaders, and C-suite professionals who want to become subject matter experts in their industries, highly valued thought leaders with fresh insights, and contributors of new knowledge and best practices to transform the future business landscape. The Executive Doctorate concentration enhances business, consulting, and research capabilities.

Business - Enhance your career with educational credentials and apply research competencies to advance to higher-level positions in your organization. Become part of the elite group with both C-suite and Ph.D. designations.

Consulting - Apply your methodological and analytical skills to research-oriented consulting positions.

Government/ Think Tanks - Contribute your understanding of research methodologies and skills to government agencies or to identifying and analyzing industry challenges for influential think tanks.

Why an Executive Ph.D. at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business? 

FAU’s College of Business is one of the few AACSB-accredited business schools in the United States to offer a Ph.D. in business in the executive format, and the first in Florida. We are also ranked among the top 15 largest colleges of business in the U.S.

Our Executive Ph.D. program offers academic excellence in an executive learning environment. Pursuing an advanced degree via a cohort-structured and career-friendly format, students are instructed and advised by high-caliber research faculty, receive VIP concierge support service designed for student success, and have access to state-of-the art facilities, cutting-edge business resources.

• FAU’s College of Business is AACSB-accredited, the highest accreditation distinction for business schools around the world and earned by only the top 5% of the world’s leading business colleges. FAU is the first AACSB-accredited Florida university to offer a research-intensive Executive Ph.D. in business program.
• Executive Format – Earn your degree in three years. Attend a minimum of five weekend residencies each of the first two years; the third year consists of independent research with limited on-campus visits (as determined by individual dissertation committees).
• Cohort-structured Classes – Benefit by extending your network to include professionals sharing a similar high-level of experience and common goal of professional advancement.
• FAU’s College of Business Faculty – high-caliber, research-active and business-minded faculty serve as instructors and faculty advisors for the Executive Ph.D. program. Active in business, publish across both academic as well as practitioner journals. They also offer consulting.
• Faculty Advisors – We are as much a program of individual mentoring as one of courses and predetermined requirements. In the first year, each doctoral student works with a Faculty member who supervises the summer research project, as needed, as well as give general guidance concerning academic and career development. Faculty also guides students in performing independent doctoral research and on presenting research findings. During the second year of course work, the advising role shifts to the dissertation committee chair once determined.
• VIP Concierge Service – Executive Education’s 24/7 support model centers on each student’s educational success. Dedicated staff coordinators are available for every step of the program and beyond: admissions, financial aid process, program duration, residency weekends and graduation as well as alumni networking.
• Executive Environment with Innovative Facilities – Learn in our innovative facilities with the latest in educational technology: our new 50,000 square foot facilities constructed as part of the Schmidt Family Complex for Academic and Athletics Excellence. This new facility has eight-tiered classrooms, two collaborative classrooms, a grand classroom, thirteen group rooms, private study areas, and our administrative offices. Additional amenities available for FAU students, faculty, staff and our business community include media labs, spacious study and meeting spaces, and a multi-tiered amphitheater. Enjoy atrium dining with deliciously catered meals during residency weekends.
• The FAU Boca Raton campus is located in South Florida, the heart of one of the nation's most desirable destinations, and is only a few miles from the Atlantic Ocean as well as a convenient drive between two accessible airports: Palm Beach International 20 minutes north and Ft. Lauderdale International airport 30 minutes to the south.