Ph.D. in Business

This program is a minimum of 60 credit hours in length, with 27 credit hours of core courses, 6 credit hours of electives and 27 credit hours in research and dissertation courses. The featured courses are outlined as follows:

Application Process – Doctor of Philosophy in Business – 60 credit hours

Doctoral Degree Requirements for Admission

When applying to the School of Business doctoral programs, the admissions committee, comprised of several faculty members, will use a rubric to independently evaluate and score each of the following criteria:

• Academic achievement in bachelor’s and master’s programs
• Writing quality
• Alignment of personal goals to Ph.D. outcomes
• Number of years in leadership positions
• Leadership development and impact
• Number of leadership positions held

Prerequisites:

Doctoral applicants must:

Hold an MBA or a master’s degree in a business-related field from a regionally accredited institution.

Submit all application materials such that they are received by the deadline for the semester to which they are applying. Once the application requirements have been fulfilled, an admissions interview may be requested. Interviews are by invitation only.

1. Complete Your Online Application

Submit your application using our Regent University Online Application.

Note: If you are unable to complete our application due to a disability, please contact our Admissions Office and an admissions representative will provide reasonable accommodations to assist you in completing the application.

2. Submit your Unofficial College Transcripts

We are able to examine and view your unofficial transcripts from U.S.-based schools, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, in order to review you for an admissions decision. Please submit your unofficial transcript to our Admissions Office by email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SBL Doctoral Application Pieces.

Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company. For further details, please review the International Admissions Checklist on the International Students Admissions page.

International Applicants: Please visit the International Students Admissions page for a more detailed explanation of the Regent University application information and to determine whether or not you qualify as an international student. Please also note that international students will also need to submit their TOEFL or proof or English proficiency. Find out more about this process.

*Upon conditional acceptance to the program by review of unofficial transcripts, Regent University’s Admissions Office will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institutions, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. We will notify you if your previous institutions will not release transcripts directly to us.

3. Send Your Professional Resume

Provide an updated copy of your professional resume or curriculum vitae that includes:

• Employment history with details of leadership responsibilities, skill sets and results – the committee looks at both quantity and quality of responsibilities
• School, community and church leadership positions – the committee looks at both quantity and quality of positions
• Service activities in which you have been involved
• Academic and non-academic honors and distinctions you have received

Your resume should be emailed directly to the Admissions Office at apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SBL Doctoral Application Pieces.

4. Submit a Government-Issued ID

To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please email a scanned copy or photograph of it to apply@regent.edu with the subject line: Government ID.

5. Submit a Leadership Essay (with Citations) or Graduate Degree Paper (with Citations)

Leadership specific writing samples play an important role in helping the Admissions Committee evaluate a doctoral applicant’s research, writing and analytical and problem-solving skills. Your essay should be on “The Most Pressing Leadership Issue of Today” and emailed directly to the Admissions Office at apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SBL Doctoral Application Pieces.

ESSAY

Writing samples play an important role in helping the Admissions Committee evaluate a doctoral applicant’s research, writing, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Please provide a separate essay to address the topic: “The most pressing issue facing business leaders today.” The body (excludes a title page or a reference page) of this writing sample should not exceed one page in length (single spaced, 12-point type).

The Admissions Committee will evaluate the essay based on the following criteria:

1. Thesis Development and Critical Thinking. The thesis expresses the main idea of the paper in one sentence and informs the reader of the paper’s focus. Critical thinking is the act of examining, analyzing and evaluating information followed by the drawing of accurate conclusions. Thesis development and critical thinking include the following four key elements: (a) thesis, (b) argument, (c) research and (d) analysis.
2. Organization. The structure or outline of the essay assists with the development of the argument and includes fluid transitions to achieve coherence between paragraphs.
3. Paragraph Development. The structure of each paragraph within the outline is vital to the overall stability of the essay and includes the use of transitions and language within each paragraph.
4. Mechanics. Clarity through spelling, grammar, punctuation and capitalization is vital in any written document.
5. Style (APA, MLA or other acceptable style). At the doctoral level, it is important to adhere to a particular writing style as required by the specific academic or professional publication in which one desires to be published. Therefore, the applicant should compose the essay in APA, MLA or other acceptable style. In addition, the applicant should identify the style being used in the writing sample. It is important that the writing sample exhibit the style’s guidelines in the areas of: (a) in-text citations, (b) reference list, (c) title, (d) headings, (e) sub-headings, (f) numbers, (g) serial content, (h) quotes, (i) punctuation, etc. While these styles typically require double spacing, we request that, in the case of this writing sample, applicants use single spacing so the essay does not exceed one page.

Your essay should be emailed directly to the Admissions Office at apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SBL Doctoral Application Pieces.

GRADUATE DEGREE PAPER

If you are opting to submit the Graduate Degree Paper, please ensure this is a submission that contains citations. Your graduate degree paper should be emailed directly to the Admissions Office at apply@regent.edu using the subject line: SBL Doctoral Application Pieces.

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