Executive Ph.D. in Business

Residency Session dates are determined by the course that you are registered for. It is very important that you make note of the class you registered for, as well as the designated residency weekend for that course as each course will only meet one weekend for the duration of the semester.

You can view your semester schedule in your self-service portal in your Student Profile. Once you log into your MyUC account, click on Academics, then click on Current Schedule. Your schedule details will indicate the date and location of your residency weekend.

You can find information on the residency site locations on our website.

Attendance to each executive residency class session is mandatory. Students may make up no more than one (1) residency session throughout the duration of their academic program. Missing a second residency will result in the student being dismissed from the university.

A missed session will result in the student attending a make-up session, and paying a $300 residency make-up fee. In addition, the student may be asked for documentation from the program department providing an explanation as to why the scheduled residency session was missed. Make-up sessions must be completed prior to the end of the term. Noncompliance with this policy will result in dismissal from the executive program.

The Department of International Graduate Services will contact you via your UC student email as registration for the next term approaches. Please remember that you are required to register for (one) main class, (one) online class, and Applied Learning Practicum each semester in order to maintain your F1 status – late registration will not be accepted and can result in the termination of your student status. 

Once you register for a class you will want to make note of the residency weekend that your class is scheduled, as that is the only session for that class that will be scheduled for the semester. You will need to be sure to plan your travel accordingly to ensure that you are in attendance for the full residency session.

Registration is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once a course is full, there will not be additional seats added, as we cannot exceed classroom seating capacity; therefore, it is advised that you register for classes as much in advance as possible. As a reminder, students cannot register for future semesters until their current tuition balance is paid in full.

*Please note all times are in local time zone*

Friday

Facility will open at 4:00 p.m.

Saturday

Facility will open at 7:00 a.m.

Sunday

Facility will open at 7:00 a.m.

We ask that you please take note of the above-mentioned times and schedule your travel accordingly.

*These dates have been set; however, if any changes are made, they will be made prior to registration for that semester. Not all dates are available at each residency location.

Fall 2024 (August 26th – December 13th)

• September 27 – 29
• October 4 – 6
• October 11 – 13
• October 18 – 20
• October 25 – 27
• November 1 – 3
• November 8 – 10
• November 15 – 17
• November 22 – 24 

Spring 2025 (January 6th – April 30th)

• January 31-February 2
• February 7-9
• February 14-16
• February 21-23
• February 28-March 2
• March 7-9
• March 14-16
• March 21-23
• March 28-30
• April 4-6
• April 11-13

While both are doctoral degrees, these programs differ in a few ways — most notably, in their approach to research. Because an executive Ph.D. is traditionally intended for those pursuing careers in academia, this program emphasizes original rather than applied research. Therefore, executive Ph.D. candidates focus on making contributions that advance the field of business. Meanwhile, executive DBA programs also require research, but the focus is on applying existing theories to real-world business problems. 

Executive Ph.D. and executive DBA programs may also lead to different professional outcomes. Many students pursue an executive Ph.D. in Business because they intend to teach in a postsecondary setting or work as researchers. An executive DBA, on the other hand, is designed for business practitioners who hope to attain advanced leadership roles in their organizations. That said, after earning an executive Ph.D., many graduates pursue a business career outside the realm of academia. With a doctoral degree under your belt, you’ll be ready to choose your own path.

Earning your executive PhD in business in a flexible yet practical hybrid format could unlock a range of management and leadership career paths. There are many lucrative fields that offer room for growth as you pursue your business leadership aspirations.

After earning an executive PhD in business, you could pursue career paths such as:

• Financial Manager
• Healthcare Administrator
• Project Manager
• Marketing Manager
• Management Analyst

Among other things, by the time you complete your hybrid-format executive PhD in business management at Cumberlands, you will be able to:

• Research and attain business discipline-specific knowledge and competencies,
• Develop business-related professional skills—from communication to collaboration, and
• Assess your personal values, connecting them with ethical business and research behaviors.