Application to the Doctorate of Business Administration program at UW-Whitewater involves a rigorous four-phase process, which has been designed to determine whether applicants have the skills and commitment necessary to succeed in the challenging program. The DBA program committee strives to identify candidates who have the highest likelihood of succeeding in the program. Admission decisions for each phase are made only after receipt of the documents required.
NOTE: International students cannot be issued a student visa to enroll in the DBA program.
Applications for the Fall 2021 cohort will be accepted starting September 1, 2020 and the application deadline will be January 31, 2021. If you have reviewed the requirements and are ready to proceed, Apply Now will take you to the University of Wisconsin System application portal.
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Year after year, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and the College of Business and Economics rank highly on Best for Vets and Military-Friendly lists. Our master's and doctorate graduate business programs can help you transition the knowledge, skills, and experience you acquired in the military into a civilian career.
UW-Whitewater's Veteran Benefits Coordinator will be happy to provide specific details on veteran benefits to finance your degree program. Veterans, active duty service members and U.S. Army Reserve/National Guard members with at least 90 days of qualifying active duty service, excluding training time, are also eligible for waiver of the $56 application fee through Graduate Financial Assistance by submitting a certification form signed by our Veteran Benefits Coordinator.
See UW-Whitewater Veteran Resources for additional information.
Rolling admissions decisions are made annually starting on November 1; however, decisions can only be made after receipt of all documents required in Phase 2. The Admissions Committee reviews all documents to identify candidates who will have a high likelihood of succeeding in the program. If you are offered admission, you will be invited by email to proceed to Phase 3.
Because the class size is limited, you are encouraged to apply early. Not all successful candidates will be selected. Some may be asked to reconsider the program in a subsequent year.
We strongly encourage you to attend an information session (either online or face-to-face) before applying to the program. The information session will provide you with extensive detail on the program and what it will take to succeed. These sessions also provide you with the ability to meet and interact with program faculty and leadership. They are designed to enable you to make an informed decision about joining the DBA program.
To apply:
Description of Application Materials
Resume and Cover Letter
Your resume should document your professional experience. In your cover letter, please explain how your experience meets the admission requirements. Submit an electronic copy of your resume and cover letter via email.
Academic Transcripts
Applicants to the DBA program should have a master's degree, preferably in business or a related topic, from an appropriately accredited institution. You should request that official transcripts from each institution attended (all previous college work) be sent directly to:
School of Graduate Studies
Roseman 2013 UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190
Statement of Interest
Your personal and professional statement of interest should be two to three pages in length and should discuss the following:
Submit an electronic copy of your statement of interest via email.
Research Overview
Your research overview should be two to three pages in length and should discuss the following:
Submit an electronic copy of your research overview via email.
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation should be requested from professionals in academia or industry who can comment on the following:
Letters of recommendation should be emailed directly to dba@uww.edu by recommenders.
You will be invited by email to attend a mandatory one-day research interest workshop at UW-Whitewater. The date for the Fall 2021 Cohort workshop will be May 15, 2021. This is an important opportunity for you to meet other prospective students, learn more about the opportunity and challenges of doctoral-level research, and begin preparation for your doctoral program. Faculty members will discuss the various aspects of doctoral research, and you will be provided with textbooks and other review materials. You will be expected to review those materials prior to starting class in September.
Once the offer is made, candidates have 30 days to accept and pay a non-refundable deposit. After admittance, new students will attend a Friday evening reception and orientation in September when classes begin.