Executive Doctor of Business Administration Curriculum

Bobbi Thomason at DBA conference

The Pepperdine Graziadio Executive Doctor of Business Administration program is a fully-accredited three-year, 55-unit degree program, pursued in trimesters. For those seeking a personal, professional, and intellectual challenge within an academic environment, our hybrid learning model accommodates demanding schedules.

The coursework begins with an introduction to scientific business research, knowledge creation, and theory building, including seminar courses that cover the state of the art in business research across disciplines. These courses lay a foundation from a range of perspectives to guide you in your own research.
The coursework expands into research methodology and design, which specifically address your research project needs.
At the end of each year, you will be required to deliver key components of your research project: In year one, a literature review of existing theory and evidence related to your research topic; in year two, your formal research proposal; and finally in year three, your completed dissertation study and manuscript.

The course progression is intentionally laid out with dissertation completion in mind, and your dedicated faculty and advising team will guide you through the entire process.

Year-by-Year Requirements

Year 1: 3 one-week residentials and EDBA conference attendance

In year one, students will be required to present a brief synopsis of their research topic and collect feedback from faculty and peers. Once the topic has been approved, students will advance to the preparation and delivery of a comprehensive literature review.

Year 2: 3 one-week residentials plus EDBA conference participation

In year two, students will engage in a defense of their doctoral research proposal with a dissertation committee that includes their Dissertation Chair, additional faculty advisor(s), and other subject matter experts. The dissertation committee will deliver feedback to revise and resubmit the proposal, or will pass the student to continue onto the next stage of their research.

Year 3: Dissertation defense and EDBA conference participation

In year three, students will share their preliminary or completed findings to EDBA conference participants and incorporate feedback into their dissertations or publishable papers. Successful sign-off on the completed dissertation by the dissertation committee is required for graduation.

Business Doctorate Learning Outcomes

Assess theoretically-grounded and methodologically-sound research skills that provide the foundation for impactful, practice-focused research

Synthesize relevant theoretical models and past research on a business issue or challenge
Apply and/or develop theory, models, and methods into new, practice-relevant contexts
Evaluate the current literature and construct a literature review to support a defendable research question and justify why it makes a contribution to the field

Devise quantitative and qualitative research methods oriented to applied research

Explain epistemology of research and determine among alternatives the appropriate qualitative or quantitative methods that will address research questions
Develop a research study that applies quantitative research methods to collect, organize, and analyze data to address an applied research question
Develop a research study that applies qualitative research methods to collect, organize, and analyze data to address an applied research question

Disseminate research by effectively communicating to audiences within an applied academic setting

Create an original research manuscript suitable for publication in practitioner and/or academic journals
Present research in a professional conference setting, effectively communicating research findings

Integrate applied research, with specific consideration of ethics, innovation, and global factors

Evaluate the impact of ethical factors in a complex business or societal environment
Explore innovative and value-creating products, processes, or organizational forms
Analyze the implications of economic, environmental, technological, legal, and regulatory factors on global business practice
Articulate and defend a point of view on business as an integrated practice

Engage World-Class Leaders at Our EDBA Conferences

As one of the top-ranked Executive DBA programs in the world, our curriculum offers unparalleled opportunities to learn from leading researchers, industry executives, and global advisors. Each year, Pepperdine Graziadio hosts its own DBA conference, bringing together distinguished faculty and influential business leaders for a transformative, research-driven experience. In addition, in 2025, Graziadio hosted the global DBA conference, where the DBA community and prominent business leaders from across the world came together on the Malibu campus. Explore insights from two of our keynote speakers:

Dr. Cristina Gibson

University Professor at Pepperdine Graziadio Business School

Johnny C. Taylor Jr.

President and CEO of SHRM