Wiley University’s Executive Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration is designed for accomplished professionals ready to advance from leadership to scholarship. Rooted in Wiley’s historic mission and proud HBCU legacy, this doctoral program prepares executive leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, administrators, and scholar-practitioners to conduct original research, solve complex organizational challenges, and create meaningful impact across business, industry, education, faith-based organizations, and community-centered institutions.
As Wiley University enters a historic new chapter as a doctoral degree-granting institution, the Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration reflects our commitment to academic excellence, innovation, leadership, and service.
This program is designed for working professionals who are ready to deepen their expertise, strengthen their research capacity, and contribute new knowledge to the field of business administration.
Applications for Wiley University’s inaugural Spring 2027 Executive Ph.D. cohort will open soon.
The Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration is a 60-credit hour, post-master’s doctoral program delivered through an online/hybrid format with intensive 8-week sessions. The program is structured to support working professionals while maintaining the academic rigor, research expectations, and dissertation requirements of doctoral-level study.
Students move through a focused sequence of advanced coursework, research foundations, concentration courses, comprehensive examination preparation, and a guided dissertation process.
Degree: Executive Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Credit Hours: 60 post-master’s credit hours
Program Length: Designed for completion in approximately 2–3 years
Format: Online/Hybrid
Term Structure: 10 terms of 8-week intensive sessions
Application Fee: $50 non-refundable
Full Program Cost: $55,000
First Cohort: Spring 2027
The Executive Ph.D. was created for professionals who are already leading and are ready to expand their influence through research, strategy, and scholarship. The program’s online/hybrid model allows students to remain active in their careers while progressing through a structured doctoral experience.
Students should expect a rigorous academic environment that includes advanced reading, research writing, data analysis, scholarly presentations, and progressive dissertation development throughout the program.
This is not simply a degree for those who want to study leadership. It is a program for those who are ready to shape the future of leadership.
Doctoral students are supported through a structured dissertation process that includes faculty advising, dissertation committee formation, research development, proposal defense, IRB approval when applicable, data collection, analysis, writing, and final defense.
The dissertation sequence includes:
Dissertation I: Proposal Development
Dissertation II: Literature Review and Framework
Dissertation III: Research Design and IRB
Dissertation IV: Data Collection and Analysis
Dissertation V: Findings and Discussion
Dissertation VI: Defense and Completion
Students are expected to develop original research that contributes meaningfully to their field, profession, organization, or community.
Wiley University is committed to supporting doctoral students throughout their academic journey. Executive Ph.D. students have access to academic, research, technology, and wellness resources designed to promote persistence and success.
Support services include:
Doctoral orientation
Faculty mentorship
Dissertation advising
Online library databases and research assistance
D2L Brightspace learning platform
Academic advising and degree planning
Technology support
Counseling and wellness services
Disability and accessibility services
The program also uses a cohort model to encourage collaboration, accountability, and a strong doctoral learning community.
Applicants to the Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration must submit the required application materials for review by the Division of Graduate Programs and Online Studies.
• Wiley University Admissions Application
• Division of Graduate Programs and Online Studies Doctoral Application
• $50 non-refundable application fee
• Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges and universities
• Master’s degree in business administration, management, or a closely related field from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum cumulative master’s GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale
• Current curriculum vitae or professional resume
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of Purpose, approximately 1,500–2,000 words
• Admission interview with doctoral faculty and/or graduate leadership
• GRE or GMAT scores, unless waived
• Applicants with a master’s GPA between 3.0 and 3.24 may be considered for probationary admission.
• GRE or GMAT scores may be waived for applicants with a master’s degree GPA of 3.5 or higher or for applicants with at least 10 years of executive-level professional experience.
The Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration is ideal for:
Executives and senior leaders seeking doctoral-level expertise
Entrepreneurs and business owners
Higher education and nonprofit administrators
Faith-based and ministry leaders
Professionals working in business, government, education, or community organizations
Leaders interested in research, consulting, teaching, or executive scholarship
Professionals ready to complete a dissertation connected to real-world impact
Graduates of the Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration will be prepared to:
Conduct original doctoral research
Apply advanced business theory to complex organizational challenges
Lead with ethical, data-informed, and mission-centered decision-making
Analyze business, social, technological, and organizational trends
Advance scholarship in their chosen concentration area
Develop research that strengthens organizations, communities, and industries
Serve as scholar-practitioners in business, education, nonprofit, faith-based, and executive settings
Wiley University is a historic HBCU founded in 1873 in Marshall, Texas, with a legacy rooted in leadership, faith, education, and social progress. For more than 150 years, Wiley has prepared students to lead with purpose and serve with distinction.
The Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration continues that legacy by preparing the next generation of scholar-practitioners, executive leaders, researchers, and innovators.
At Wiley University, doctoral education is not only about earning a credential. It is about expanding what is possible.
Wiley University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Wiley University has been approved to confer doctorates and offer the Executive Ph.D. in Business Administration.
Your leadership has brought you this far. Your research can take you further.
Join Wiley University’s historic first doctoral cohort and prepare to lead, research, and transform the future of business administration.
Applications for Wiley University’s inaugural Spring 2027 Executive Ph.D. cohort will open soon.
Request Information
Contact Graduate Programs and Online Studies
Dr. Brandon Lacey
Dean of Graduate Programs and Online Studies
blacey@wileyc.edu | 903-923-1657
