July 2025
Next Start Date
17
Courses Required
53
Total Credit Hours
Online Courses
Learning Format
The Doctorate of Business Administration degree, offered by the John Chambers College of Business and Economics, serves experienced professionals who may be considering careers in academia, consulting, or in advanced professional positions. The DBA is carefully constructed to provide students with a foundation in research, an in-depth exposure to academic literature, and a supportive environment through faculty guidance and mentorship. The online curriculum is augmented by optional on-campus residences and allows students to maintain momentum in their career while pursuing their doctoral degree.
WVU's John Chambers College of Business and Economics is accredited by AACSB International, the principal accrediting organization for business schools. Only 5% of business schools worldwide achieve this distinction.
The program is designed to be completed in three years. The program is 53 credit hours with 17 credit hours in research methods, 16 credit hours in content seminars, 20 credit hours in research and the dissertation. Beginning in Summer 2023, the DBA program is offering concentrations in accounting, economics, management, and marketing.
Experienced Cohort that Bridges Academia and Industry
The DBA addresses the shortage of doctoral-qualified faculty in the
field. Given the experience level of the students entering the program,
this will create graduates who can easily help bridge the gap between
academia and the industry. DBA students will benefit from their faculty
members’ expertise but will learn a great deal from their peers through
professional networking and sharing experiences and expertise.
Attend a Virtual Information Session
Thank you for your interest in the Doctorate of Business Administration Degree program at West Virginia University! Check back soon for Virtual Information Session dates.
As a graduate of the WVU with a degree in business administration, Kelly understands your needs and is here to support and simplify the enrollment process for you. You can have open and honest discussions with her about how your passion in life can become your career. Contact Kelly today!
Admission to the DBA is highly competitive; meeting the minimum standards for admission does not guarantee admission. A holistic admissions process considers minimum requirements as well as professional accomplishments and certifications. The program is delivered in a cohort-based online asynchronous format and begins in the summer semester. Success in the program requires significant commitment and time. The cohort design does not permit for students to take courses outside of the prescribed sequence. Consideration for admission is only given to those applicants that have a complete application package on file with the WVU College of Business and Economics.
To be eligible for consideration for the DBA program applicants must:
Once qualified to proceed with the application to the DBA program, applicants will be required to submit additional documents, including:
The integrity of the admissions process is of paramount importance. All grade and/or score reports received are subject to verification. The above-mentioned items are required for admission review. Additional documents may be requested after initial evaluation of a student’s admission application.
Dr. Jack Dorminey is an associate professor of accounting. Prior to joining the College in 2009 he was employed with the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond in Richmond, VA for 20 years. Dorminey earned a Ph.D. in business from Virginia Commonwealth University and an MBA and BA in finance from Virginia Tech. His research interests include belief heterogeneity, capital markets, pricing of risk, and managerial systems. He is the author (or coauthor) of 22 articles. His teaching interests focus on financial accounting and managerial accounting topics.
Richard B. Dull earned bachelor’s degrees in computer applications and accounting from Harding University, an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech. Before joining WVU, he was an associate professor of accounting at Clemson University. He has had extensive experience in accounting and information systems including his time as a founding partner and owner of a CPA/Consulting company in Greensboro, NC. He holds the certifications of Certified Public Accountant (CPA), Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), and Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF). His research has been published in Journal of Information Systems, Issues in Accounting Education, Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, and International Journal of Accounting Information Systems.
Nathan Garrett is a Teaching Assistant Professor in the Accounting Department. His research focuses on the use of charts in accounting. He also researches ways to better teach programming and Microsoft Excel. Nathan’s work has been published in the Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, the British Journal of Educational Technology, and Innovative Higher Education. He is a member of the West Virginia Society of Certified Public Accountants.
Nigrini is the author of Forensic Analytics Second Edition (Wiley 2020) which describes tests to detect fraud, errors, estimates, and biases in financial data. He is also the author of Benford's Law (Wiley 2012).
His academic papers have been published in the Journal of Accounting, Auditing, and Finance, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Journal of the American Taxation Association, Journal of Forensic Accounting Research, The Journal of Emerging Technologies in Accounting, and others. Other applied research papers have been published in journals such as Hepatology, Managerial Auditing Journal, Mathematical Geology, and The International Journal of Mathematics and Mathematical Sciences. His practitioner papers have been published in journals such as the Journal of Accountancy, Fraud Magazine, and Internal Auditor. In 2014 Nigrini published an article in the Journal of Accountancy that was co-authored with Nathan Mueller, a fraudster, who at the time was incarcerated in a federal prison. That article won the 2014 Lawler award for the best article in the Journal of Accountancy. His forensic work has been featured in national media including The Financial Times, New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
His radio interviews have included the BBC in London, and NPR in the United States. His television interviews have included appearances on NBC's Extra and The Investigation Discovery Channel. He regularly presents professional seminars for accountants and auditors in North America, Europe, and Asia with recent events in Italy, Bahrain, and Panama.
His current research focus is on advanced theoretical work on Benford’s Law, cybersecurity, biases in published government statistics, and sports betting. In addition to his academic credentials Nigrini is a Chartered Accountant (South Africa) and his early accounting career included time with Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co. (now KPMG), and as a divisional accountant for a stainless steel manufacturing company. He has been called on as an expert witness and has done consulting engagements for organizations such as Procter & Gamble, Burger King, Eaton Corporation, American Airlines, AvalonBay Communities, CaseWare IDEA, and the New York State Comptroller’s Office.
Richard A. (Dick) Riley, Jr., is the Louis F. Tanner Distinguished Professor of Public Accounting at West Virginia University. He is also the Director of Research for the Institute for Fraud Prevention.
Since 2002, Dr. Riley has performed expert financial analysis and litigation support services, offering deposition and trial testimony. He has published four books: Financial Statement Fraud: Prevention and Detection with Zabi Rezaee (John Wiley & Sons, 2010); Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination with Joseph Wells and Mary-Jo Kranacher (John Wiley & Sons, 2011); Fraud Examination for Fraudulent Financial Reporting with Steven Albrecht, Chad Albrecht and Mark Zimbelman (MyEducator.com, 2015); Forensic Accounting and Fraud Examination: Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities with Richard Dull (WVU Press, 2015).
Dr. Riley has been recognized nationally for his contributions in forensic accounting and fraud examination: The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) 2008 Educator of the Year; 2012 ACFE Hubbard Outstanding Achievement Award*; 2009 American Accounting Association Innovations in Accounting Education Award; The 2013 Max Block Award* from the CPA Journal; the 2013 American Accounting Association FIA Section Outstanding Research Manuscript*. In 2013, the West Virginia University Foundation recognized him for his outstanding teaching, the highest recognition for teaching at WVU. In 2014, Dr. Riley was recognized by the WV Society of CPAs as Educator of the Year and by Wheeling Jesuit University for is service to the institution. In 2015, WVU College of Business & Economics presented him with the Dean’s Special Recognition for the Coursera MOOC and 21,600 participating students (with Richard Dull).
At West Virginia University, he not only teaches traditional accounting classes but also works in the classroom in the areas of forensic accounting / fraud examination (FAFE), performance measurement and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Riley is a CPA, CFE, CFF, forensic accountant and fraud examiner who has developed and implemented fraud and forensic accounting education programs for the United States National Institute of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service. Dr. Riley possesses an undergraduate degree in accounting from Wheeling Jesuit University, a Masters of Professional Accountancy from West Virginia University and Doctor of Philosophy Degree from the University of Tennessee. He has published 46 research papers, including manuscripts in Contemporary Accounting Research, Auditing: A Journal of Practice and Theory, Issues in Accounting Education, Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, among other top quality journals.
* These awards were shared with co-authors: Jack Dorminey, Scott Fleming and Mary-Jo Kranacher.
Dr. Christian Schaupp is currently a Professor of Accounting and the Coordinator of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Programs in the Chambers College of Business & Economics at West Virginia University. Dr. Schaupp is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and his primary research interests include information technology adoption, digital government, privacy, and fake news. He has published in several top-tier journals including Communications of the ACM, Government Information Quarterly, Information Systems Frontiers, the Journal of Computer Information Systems, and the Journal of Information Systems. He has also presented at several international conferences and is currently serving as a co-chair of the digital government track at the Hawaiian International Conference on Systems Sciences (HICSS).
Dr. Schaupp is a 2023-25 Innovation, Design and Entrepreneurship Applied (IDEA) Faculty Fellow, a multi-disciplinary initiative to bolster entrepreneurship and innovation. In addition, Dr. Schaupp is a 2023-24 Cloud Analytics Faculty Fellow where he will infuse data and analytics tools to innovate his current class offerings, enhancing student skills?in data mining, problem solving, critical thinking, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Dr. Schaupp possesses a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from West Virginia University, a master’s degree in Accounting and Information Systems from Virginia Tech, and a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a major in Accounting and Information Systems from Virginia Tech.
John Treu is an associate professor of accounting at the Chambers College of Business and Economics. His primary research interests include litigation risk in capital markets, taxation, and regulation. His research has been published in the top journals in accounting and tax law including The Accounting Review, the Journal of the American Taxation Association, and the Florida Tax Review. He has been quoted by Forbes, Bloomberg BNA, CorporateCounsel.net, FactCheck.org and Accounting Today as an authority on the topics of taxation and securities regulation in capital markets.
Dr. Treu's research has been presented at several workshops and conferences including: the Yale Summer Accounting Research Conference, the Financial Accounting and Reporting Section Midyear Meeting, the AAA Annual Meeting, the Conference on Empirical Legal Studies, the NTA Annual Meeting, and the BYU Accounting Research Symposium. He has conducted peer reviews for The Accounting Review, The European Accounting Review, the Journal of Accounting and Public Policy, and Management Science.
Dr. Treu taught previously at Brigham Young University and Pace University. He has taught undergraduates, graduates, and law students in the areas of introductory and advanced taxation as well as business law. He also serves on PhD committees and mentors PhD students in accounting. Professor Treu is licensed as a CPA and an attorney and he practiced as a tax associate at Deloitte Tax, LLP and as an attorney in law firms in the Salt Lake City and Washington D.C. areas.
Dr. Hall's areas of interest include applied microeconomics, with an emphasis on economic freedom, state and local public finance and entrepreneurship. In addition to being the author of more than 50 articles in journals such as Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, Journal of Public Administration, Research, and Theory, Contemporary Economic Policy, and Southern Economic Journal, he is co-author of the widely-cited Economic Freedom of the World annual report.
Dr. Alicia Plemmons is an Assistant Professor in the Department of General Business, Research Fellow and Coordinator of Scope of Practice Research in the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation, Resident Scholar of Data Driven West Virginia, and Research Fellow of the Hospitality, Innovation, and Technology (HIT) Lab. She is the Program Coordinator for the Online Master of Business Administration program and holds an Adjunct Assistant Professor position in the Department of Economics where she mentors several Ph.D. students on their research. Dr. Plemmons’ research uses applied spatial and econometric methods to determine how policy changes affect labor markets by studying how to create environments that facilitate healthy economic growth and business development through research into the determinants of entry, operation, and exit decisions of firms, laborers, and consumers. Her research has been published in numerous academic journals, such as the British Journal of Industrial Relations, Journal of Health Economics, and Annals of Regional Science. Her work on medical licensure and certificate of need laws has been featured in several news outlets and she is regularly asked to provide professional testimony on occupational licensing for both state and federal legislatures.
Dr. Timmons is a Service Associate Professor of Economics and Director of the Knee Center for the Study of Occupational Regulation at the John Chambers School of Business and Economics at West Virginia University. He completed his Ph.D. in Economics at Lehigh University. His research has been published in scholarly journals including The Journal of Law and Economics, The Journal of Regulatory Economics, The Journal of Labor Research, The British Journal of Industrial Relations, Health Policy, Monthly Labor Review, and Nicotine and Tobacco Research. His research has been heavily cited by the popular press, by the Federal Trade Commission, the Obama White House, and also in a Senate hearing entitled "License to Compete: Occupational Licensing and the State Action Doctrine."
He is regularly asked to provide expert testimony in state legislatures across the US on occupational licensing reform and the practice authority of nurse practitioners.
He has also authored numerous articles in the popular press in publications including Harvard Business Review, the Philadelphia Inquirer, US News & World Report, The Hill, the Washington Examiner, the Tampa Bay Times, the Dallas Morning News, the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Detroit News, the Virginian-Pilot, the Tennessean and the South Florida Sun Sentinel. In May of 2014 he worked as a visiting research fellow at the Collegio Carlo Alberto in Moncalieri, Italy. He is a Senior Affiliated Scholar at the Mercatus Center and a Senior Research Fellow with the Archbridge Institute.
In his spare time, Dr. Timmons enjoys spending time with his wife (Nelly) and his two sons (Warren and Francisco), traveling, cooking, and closely following his beloved New Orleans Saints.
Professor Yao's primary research interests are in theoretical and applied econometrics with a special emphasis on nonparametric and semiparametric methods, production frontier and efficiency analysis, risk management, test of regression structures. The secondary field is Industrial Organization.
Dr. Ryan Angus joined WVU in 2018 as an Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship. His academic research uses natural language processing and quantitative statistical analysis to develop a deeper theoretical understanding of how entrepreneurs and innovators can optimally position their products at entry, learn from experience, enroll others in their endeavors, and efficiently govern contracts. Additionally, Ryan has over 10 years of industry experience working for a Fortune 500 medical device manufacturer, a regional economic development agency, and as a medical device entrepreneur.
Tianxu Chen joined John Chambers College of Business and Economics, West Virginia University in 2019. His research focuses on the interface between entrepreneurship, innovation and competitive dynamics. He has published on academic journals such as Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Business Venturing, Research Policy, Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal, Strategic Management Journal and others.
Dr. James Field is a member of the Department of Management at West Virginia University. Since 2011 Dr. Field has contributed to the metaBUS project, which is the world’s largest searchable, cloud-based database of scientific findings since 2011. He is also an Ambassador for the Center for Open Science. Dr. Field’s research has been published in outlets like Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, Personnel Psychology, and Journal of Organizational Behavior. In 2015 he was a recipient of the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology’s Best International Paper Award and recently received awards from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Graduate School and SIOP for his dissertation research.
His research spans the areas of organizational behavior, human resource management, and organizational research methods. Dr. Field is especially interested in employee staffing (e.g., employee turnover), different aspects of employee motivation (e.g., stress, recovery, justice), meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, open science, and approaches for summarizing entire scientific literatures.
Dr. Houghton's research has been published in numerous academic journals including the Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, Journal of Managerial Psychology, Journal of Business and Psychology, Leadership and Organizational Development Journal, Team Performance Management, Human Resource Management Review, Public Personnel Management and Journal of Management Development. He has also presented his research at the annual meetings of several national and regional professional organizations including the Academy of Management, the Southern Management Association, the Western Academy of Management and the Southwest Academy of Management. Dr. Houghton's teaching and research interests include Leadership and Self-Leadership, Team Processes and Performance, International Human Resource Management, Creativity and Innovation, Personality and Individual Differences.
Xiaoxiao Hu’s primary research areas are on affective experience and relational dynamics in the workplace. She also does research on leadership as well as cross-cultural comparisons between the East and the West. Her work has appeared in journals including Journal of Organizational Behavior, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Business and Psychology, and Human Performance. She currently serves on the editorial board of Journal of Business and Psychology.
Hu has taught classes in research methods, statistics, personnel selection, and personality at work. She has offered courses at various levels (i.e., undergraduate, masters, and doctoral).
As the Assistant Dean for Strategic initiatives at the Chambers College of Business and Economics, I support special projects and strategic initiatives for the college. These include experiential learning, outreach efforts and coordination of resources with the needs of the university and the state. The position support the college in meeting emerging needs.
Dr. Crosno's research primarily focuses on the development and management of interfirm relationships in marketing channels. Her research draws on multiple theories and perspectives to gain a better understanding of how to maximize efficiency in channel relationships and minimize opportunistic behaviors (e.g., shirking, withholding information) and suspicions of such behavior. Her research has been published in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, Journal of Marketing Channels, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Journal of Service Research, Psychology and Marketing, among others.
Dr. Cui’s areas of research and teaching include brand management, international marketing, and consumer behavior.
Dr. Givi studies consumer behavior, with a focus on consumer decision making in the context of gift purchasing. For example, some of his projects explore how and why consumers err when gift giving, the (selfish and selfless) motivations of gift givers, the factors that impact consumer spending on gifts, and the mental processes of gift recipients. Aside from gift giving, Dr. Givi studies several other topics, including the biases that emerge when consumers forecast the future, how consumers perceive probability, the psychology involved with loyalty programs, self-other decision making, and consumers' evaluations of products and services.
Dr. Givi has published papers in many of the leading journals in marketing and psychology, including the Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Journal of Business Research, Psychology & Marketing, European Journal of Marketing, Marketing Letters, Current Directions in Psychological Science, and PLOS One. He has also presented his research at the top conferences in the field, including the annual meetings of the Association for Consumer Research, Society for Consumer Psychology, and Society for Judgement and Decision Making.
Professor Givi's research has been covered by several media outlets, including the following print outlets: Wall Street Journal, TIME, New York Times, Financial Times, Bloomberg, Good Housekeeping, BBC, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Buffalo News, MarketWatch, Psychology Today, The Guardian, BuzzFeed. He has also appeared on multiple podcasts, television stations, and radio stations, including The Hidden Brain, Science Weekly, Opinion Science, Gratitude Diaries, How To Hack The Brain, WDTV, FOX 26, Scripps News, and ABC Radio Australia, among others.
Marketing strategy, innovation, B2B marketing, and international business.
Financial aid is available. Students are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to determine their eligibility for federal and state funds as well as scholarships. WVU’s FAFSA Code is 003827.
Beginning fall of 2024, employee tuition waivers for the DBA program will no longer be accepted.
The tuition rate per credit hour listed above is for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition and fees increase beginning in the fall term of each academic year.
Tuition and fees are usually not the only educational expenses you may have while pursuing a degree. You may have other costs such as books, supplies and living expenses. Please see the Estimate Costs and Aid webpage for how to estimate and plan for other potential expenses.
The DBA is carefully constructed to provide students with a foundation in research, an in-depth exposure to business literature, and a supportive environment through faculty guidance and mentorship. The online curriculum is augmented by optional on-campus residences and allows students to maintain momentum in their career while pursuing their doctoral degree.
Our Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) program, with concentrations in accounting, economics, management, and marketing, targets experienced business professionals creating pathways for you to consider academia, consulting and advanced professional positions. The online delivery of the program allows you to maintain momentum in your career while also pursuing your doctoral degree. The DBA can be completed in three years and its online curriculum is augmented by optional on-campus residences.
Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) graduates are highly sought after by employers due to their advanced knowledge, research skills, and expertise in business administration. The career outlook for DBA graduates is generally positive, with a wide range of job opportunities available in various fields.
Some of the most common career paths for DBA graduates include:
Executive Leadership: DBA graduates may be well-suited for executive leadership positions such as CEO, COO, or CFO in organizations across different industries.
Consulting: DBA graduates may work as consultants for businesses, advising on areas such as strategy, operations, and finance.
Academia: DBA graduates may choose to pursue careers in academia as professors or researchers, working in business schools and universities.
Government and Non-profit Organizations: DBA graduates may also find opportunities in government agencies and non-profit organizations, where they can use their expertise to drive policy and social change.
Overall, the career outlook for DBA graduates is strong, with many opportunities for growth and advancement in various industries. The demand for highly-skilled business professionals continues to grow, making the DBA degree a valuable investment for those seeking to further their careers in the field of business administration.
In the Accounting emphasis, students gain a deep understanding of accounting areas such as financial reporting, analytics, forensic accounting, systems, managerial accounting, taxation and auditing, enabling them to make informed financial decisions and manage risks effectively. You will receive one-on-one mentorship from our research-active faculty who are thought-leaders in their fields. Graduates will be well-equipped with accounting research knowledge and skills to take on new challenges of an academic or research career.
Accounting AoE Course List
Choose a track
The Economics area of emphasis focuses on training students to conduct applied microeconomic research using the theories and methods most applicable to public policy. The focus on public finance, public choice, regional economics and labor will prepare students to conduct hiqh-quality research applicable to jobs in academia, consulting, government, or think tanks.
Economics AoE Course List
The management emphasis is comprised of two primary streams of research: 1) organizational behavior and human resource management and 2) strategy and entrepreneurship. Students in the management AOE explore employee performance and the factors that influence behavior in the workplace, leadership strategies and approaches for motivating employees, and strategic management processes including alliances, competitive dynamics, and technology and innovation.
Students in the management emphasis will receive one-on-one mentorship from a scholarly academic, research-active mentor. This provides students with the support needed to develop novel research ideas and independent research skills. Upon completion of the program students will be prepared to assume executive leadership roles as well as adjunct teaching roles at colleges and universities.
Management AoE Course List
WVU’s rigorous and transformative DBA in Marketing program provides marketing professionals and academics the opportunity to pursue the pinnacle of academic achievement. Through our core marketing courses, you will deepen your knowledge about important marketing topics, such as consumer behavior, marketing strategy, B-to-B marketing, international marketing, and brand management. You will receive one-on-one mentorship from our research-active faculty who are thought-leaders in their fields. Graduates will be well-equipped with marketing knowledge and skills to take on new challenges in their career in marketing industry, consulting or academia.
Marketing AoE Course List
The DBA can be completed in 3 years and is built on three foundational areas:
Research Seminars: you will be exposed to business literature with a deep dive into business research scholarship and advanced theoretical constructs. These seminars will provide a basis for selecting your intended area of research. Along with business-focused seminars, you will take seminars focused on pedagogy and ethics, diversity and inclusion.
Research and Methodology: you will receive intensive instruction in research methods and statistics to build the foundation upon which to conduct empirical research.
Dissertation: you will put your research skills into practice under the guidance of your faculty mentor to engage and conduct meaningful and impactful research that is focused on solving problems in industry.
To be eligible for consideration for the Executive DBA program applicants must:
*For students who do not possess a Master’s degree, inquire about the pathway to the DBA via the accelerated pathway.
While both a PhD and a DBA are doctoral-level degrees, a PhD in Business Administration emphasizes research and academic pursuits, while a DBA emphasizes practical skills and application in the business world. The choice between a PhD and a DBA depends on the individual's career goals and interests.