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Ph.D. in Business

Redefine the Business Industry Through Your Calling.

Influence systems and businesses to reach their full Kingdom-potential. Regent University’s full online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Business is committed to nurturing business scholars and leaders into excellent researchers of intricate organizational, financial, and technological challenges. This program offers a strong foundation in research and business knowledge from a Christian worldview. You can also gain advice on career choice, networking skills and professional development from seasoned business professionals through the Executive Mentor Program.

Online
60
August 19, 2024

Establish Your Expertise

Become a contributor to the body of knowledge in business research.

Lead the Way of Business

Develop holistic approaches to applying kingdom business strategies as an informed scholar in the field.

Learn from the Best

Receive mentorship from faculty who hold the highest degrees in their field and seasoned business professionals through the Executive Mentor Program.

Align Yourself With Excellence Through Regent’s Ph.D. in Business

Regent has been ranked among Top National Universities by the U.S. News & World Report for four years (2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023). Our programs have also been recognized among the Top 5 Best Graduate Online Business (Non-MBA) Programs in Virginia for 9 consecutive years (2015-23).

Please complete the Request Information form on this page to learn more about this program.

After completing our Ph.D. in Business, you can:

  • Integrate evidence-based principles and strategies that solve modern business problems. 
  • Make a global impact on businesses from a biblical perspective.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in quantitative and qualitative methods of business research.

Career Opportunities

  • Executive Leadership
  • University Faculty or Administrator
  • Consulting
  • Research Director
  • Senior Business & Data Analyst
33%
Potential increase in pay for a Ph.D. versus a master's degree. | U.S. Census Bureau

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:

Students explore the components of a Christian Worldview and its impact on the discovery and use of contemporary business theory and practice. Topics include personal and organizational spirituality, biblically based components of relational behaviors in business dyads, teams, and organizations. The course is interdisciplinary drawing on the disciplines of exegetical study of Scripture, psychology, sociology, organizational behavior, and team development.
Covers microeconomic theories of the firms, consumer behavior, resource allocation, capital theory, theories of choice under risk and uncertainty, competitive and non-competitive markets.
Concepts in accounting and financial management. Accounting issues include financial statement reporting, revenue and expense determination and classification of assets. Financial management concepts include capital budgeting and capital sources, equity and bond valuation, working capital management and cost of capital.
Understanding of global issues and the significance of global leadership competencies.
Effective decision-making, using data, analysis, and systematic reasoning to improve efficiency, risk-management, and profits.
Students explore the intersection of marketing and communication as both relate to understanding customers’ decision-making, consumer behavior, businesses product development, and customers’ brand loyalty. Foci include empathetic thinking about customers, design thinking in product development, human machine interface, sustainability, and the role of marketing research in forecasting demand and production operations.
Students will be exposed to different business ethics theories and legal frameworks for investigating issues, including, corporate moral agency, corporate social responsibility, theories of values, and corporate governance.
Strategic leaders’ future orientation as they assess emerging changes in an organization’s external environment, market diversities, competitive complexities, resource changes, socio-political shifts, and across technological discontinuities.
Exploration of manual and computer-assisted thematic coding, Delphi methods, document analysis, and recursive abstraction.
The purpose, rationale, and application of quantitative data analysis methods, including descriptive statistics, parametric and nonparametric analyses of differences and relationships, and factor analysis.
The purpose, rationale, and application of advanced quantitative data analysis methods. Prerequisite: LPHD 754.
Writing a manuscript for conference presentation, writing journal article or book chapter for publication purposes.
Writing a manuscript for conference presentation, writing journal article or book chapter for publication purposes.
Students will work on their dissertation research.
Centers on effective strategies for planning curricula and assessment procedures to a diverse group of learners---from 18 to adult age categories. Particular emphasis will be placed on: building an effective bibliography and syllabus; finding additional resources outside traditional boundaries of education (i.e. advanced technology application); examining a variety of assessment procedures that would be effective with diverse learners; choosing texts and materials, grading procedures and policies, etc. This course is open to all university doctoral students who are seeking a career in college or university teaching.

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.

Part-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Arts (MA) / Master of Science (MS)$6956$4,170
Master of Business Administration (MBA)$6956$4,170
Doctor in Business Administration (DBA)$1,0203$3,060
Doctor of Philosophy in Business (PhD)$1,0203$3,060
Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership (PhD)$1,0203$3,060
Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)$1,0203$3,060

Full-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Arts (MA) / Master of Science (MS)$6959$6,255
Master of Business Administration (MBA)$6959$6,255
Doctor in Business Administration (DBA)$1,0206$6,120
Doctor of Philosophy in Business (PhD)$1,0206$6,120
Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership (PhD)$1,0206$6,120
Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)$1,0206$6,120

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (On-Campus Students)$850
University Services Fee (Online Students)$700

Military Admissions & Aid » | Cost of Attendance »

PART-TIME STUDENTS

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Arts (MA) / Master of Science (MS)$6956$4,170
Master of Business Administration (MBA)$6956$4,170
Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership (PhD)$1,0203$3,060
Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)$1,0203$3,060

Full-Time Students

DegreeTuition Cost Per Credit HourAverage Credit Hours Per SemesterAverage Tuition Per Semester
Master of Arts (MA) / Master of Science (MS)$6959$6,255
Master of Business Administration (MBA)$6959$6,255
Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership (PhD)$1,0206$6,120
Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)$1,0206$6,120

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (On-Campus Students)$800 (Fall & Spring)
$650 (Summer)
University Services Fee (Online Students)$650

Military Admissions & Aid » | Cost of Attendance »

“"I wanted an education that would better prepare me both academically and spiritually. As a Christian, I'm always looking for ways to transform the world with the love of Christ, and I believe that's exactly what is happening right now thanks to my Regent experience."”

Geralde Gabeau, DSL, 2016 Deputy Director of Youth & Family Enrichment Services

“Unlike other schools I considered, Regent lets you customize projects around real-life work issues. The professors challenge you and genuinely want you to succeed.”

Kari Jacobs, MBA, 2013 President and General Manager at WVEC-TV ABC 13

“I was able to start with 15 credit hours toward the leadership program. But little did I know that, through research, the application of biblical principles and the Christian environment, God would speak to me.”

Chad Rose, M.A. in Organizational Leadership, 2020 Lieutenant Colonel - Reserve (Retired); American Airlines Airbus Captain

“Four years, thousands of words read and written, two babies, one move, and countless moments in between ... and here I am, Dr. Alicia Granholm! I'm humbled and honored to wear this hood. And I can't think of a better time to be able to serve leaders well!”

Alicia Granholm, Doctor of Strategic Leadership, 2020 Founder & Consultant, Alicia Granholm Consulting

“Proverbs 27:17 states, 'Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.' That's been my Regent experience academically and relationally. I am grateful to have grown together with such amazing people.”

Christian Ellis, B.S. in Business, 2018; M.A. in Organizational Leadership, 2020 Executive Assistant to the Executive Vice President, Regent University