Athabasca University · Faculty of Business

Doctor of Business Administration

DBADBAEnglish-taughtDoctor of Business Administration

Overview

A 21-credit online professional doctorate in business administration with paced asynchronous courses, three required one-week on-site research workshops in Edmonton, a candidacy exam and a dissertation with oral defense.

Official program name: Doctor of Business Administration
Awarded degree: Doctor of Business Administration
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Degree level: Doctoral — DBA (professional doctorate)
Awarding institution: Athabasca University — Faculty of Business
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Location: Athabasca, Alberta, CanadaWhere the institution or the unit that runs the program is based. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll.
Subject: Business Administration · dedicated degree
Credits: 21 creditsCanadian credits — not directly comparable with other credit systems.
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Duration: Normally 4 to 5 years; up to 7 years
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Start terms: Fall
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Language of instruction: EnglishEvidence: the program is offered and assessed in English as published; a module-by-module language statement is not published.
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Why this program is listed

21-credit online doctoral program with asynchronous online courses plus required one-week on-site research workshops in Edmonton in each of the first three years and an oral dissertation defense.

Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

We list English-taught online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees in business subjects, awarded by institutions with legal recognition in their country. Eligibility rules

Online format and attendance

“Online” is not one format. Delivery, campus attendance, placements, schedule and time zones are shown separately, each only as the institution states it.

Academic delivery: Online + required attendanceTeaching is online, with required campus visits, residential weeks, in-person exams or an in-person defense.
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Campus visits: Campus attendance required
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Placement / internship: Placement requirement: not verified
Class schedule: Asynchronous
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Study intensity: Not verified

Attendance, exams and travel as published

Residential week / residency Required
1-week on-site research workshop once a year for the first 3 years
Once a year for the first 3 years · Edmonton, Alberta
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Thesis / dissertation defense Required
Oral dissertation defense (format/location not stated)
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Curriculum

Dissertation

Dissertation research proposal and oral candidacy exam in year 3, followed by an original-research dissertation.
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waiver-available and not-required items are shown exactly as the institution states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Prior degree / qualification: RequiredMBA or equivalent master's degree
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Work experience: RequiredAt least 5 years of significant managerial and/or professional experience
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
References / recommendations: Required3 letters — 3 letters of reference
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Application fee: RequiredC$238 — Program Application Fee $238
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Tests

IELTS Academic: Required — minimum 6.5Applicants submitting IELTS; English proficiency evidence required.
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the intake the institution printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
March 15 of the same year · for September (fall)
The institution does not print a year with this date.
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its published currency, fee category, academic year and basis. Nothing is converted; figures on different bases or in different currencies are not comparable, and tuition is not the full cost of study.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
All online students — Total program cost (4-year standard completion)	C$63,589CAD	entire programIncludes feesSource: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Other published fees

Program fee every 6 months after coursework until dissertation complete: C$2,587 per termMandatory
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Scholarships and financial aid

Awards published by the institution for this program or for online students at this level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; financial aid availability does not make a program “fully funded”. Scholarships & funding guide

Program-specific scholarships: not verified. We publish this only when the institution states it on an official page.

Recognition, accreditation and eligibility

Separate questions: is the awarding institution legally recognized to award this degree, is the business school accredited, and who may enroll in this online program?

Legal recognition of Athabasca University

Government of Alberta (GOA(E)
University established by statute or charter — Comprehensive academic and research university (CARU)
Authority in Canada
“Listed by the Government of Alberta as one of the comprehensive academic and research universities, which provide approved undergraduate and graduate degree programs.”
Source: alberta.ca · verified October 11, 2026
Government of Alberta (PLA()
University established by statute or charter — Authorized to grant degrees
Authority in Canada
“Institution's own statement of degree-granting authority under Alberta's Post-secondary Learning Act.”
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Business-school and program accreditation

AACSB International (AACSB)
Business-school accreditation — Accredited
“Faculty of Business accredited by AACSB (announced Feb. 16, 2022).”
Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Held by the business school. A school-level accreditation does not by itself mean that every program is covered.

Recognition in the institution's own country does not guarantee that the degree is recognized for employment, licensing or further study everywhere. Check with the relevant body where you plan to use it.

International applicants

Students may be of any nationality and reside anywhere in the world; a study permit is not needed for non-Canadian students living outside Canada.Source: athabascau.ca · verified October 11, 2026

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 11, 2026.

alberta.ca/types-publicly-funded-post-secondary-institutions — Accreditor directory, verified October 11, 2026
athabascau.ca/business/about/about-our-faculty/accreditation-and-memberships.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
athabascau.ca/business/programs/doctor-of-business-administration.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
athabascau.ca/calendar/graduate/fb/doctor-of-business-administration.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026
athabascau.ca/how-au-works/accreditation.html — Official program page, verified October 11, 2026

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Key facts

Online format
Online + required attendance · Asynchronous
In-person requirements
Campus attendance required
Language
English (verified)
Subject
Business Administration
Length
Normally 4 to 5 years; up to 7 years · 21 credits
Tuition
C$63,589 entire programAll online students — Total program cost (4-year standard completion)
Next deadline
No upcoming verified date
Location
Athabasca, Alberta, Canada

Official program page

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Online Business Schools is independent and not affiliated with Athabasca University. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the institution.