Advice for US Online / On-campus DBA Program

[Asghar12345]

Dear Colleagues,

I hope you are all doing well and in good health.

The purpose of this communication is to seek your expert advice. I am interested in pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration Program from the US. I am from Pakistan, I did my Bachelors in Business Administration (3.67 / 4 GPA) [Gold Medal Recipient] from COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus on full scholarship basis. I later gained employment at a local SME business. Subsequently, I completed my Masters of Business Administration from University of the People, (USA 3.81/4 GPA) (Both Nationally Accredited by DEAC, and Regionally Accredited by WASC on my Transcript). I have a band 8 in IELTS. Moreover, I have a score of 313/340 (159/170 Verbal Reasoning, 154/170 Quantitative Reasoning; 5/6 Analytical Writing) on the GRE Exam. With respect to my professional career, I have over 5 years of experience in a chemical company. I am interested in transferring credits from my BBA/MBA Degree to the DBA Program and obtaining scholarship if possible. 

Please guide and advise in which universities I should apply. I would be most grateful for your assistance.


Thank you

[Jonathan Whatley]

A note on language usage around “transferring credits.”

You’re not going to transfer any credits from your BBA to a DBA. It’s much like how you don’t transfer credit from elementary school to secondary school. Rather, elementary school is separate thing you complete before entering secondary school.

Whether you can transfer any credits from your MBA to a DBA varies between DBA schools. School A structures its DBA as a program of nominally 90 credits, but 30 credits of those are master’s-level and can be transferred from your MBA. School B structures its DBA as a program of nominally 60 credits, but those are all doctoral-level credits, and it requires a master’s degree to enter. Although School B may accept 30 credits from your MBA, that gives you no real advantage: You still have 60 credits remaining to complete at either School A or School B.

[Asghar12345]

A note on language usage around “transferring credits.”

You’re not going to transfer any credits from your BBA to a DBA. It’s much like how you don’t transfer credit from elementary school to secondary school. Rather, elementary school is separate thing you complete before entering secondary school.

Whether you can transfer any credits from your MBA to a DBA varies between DBA schools. School A structures its DBA as a program of nominally 90 credits, but 30 credits of those are master’s-level and can be transferred from your MBA. School B structures its DBA as a program of nominally 60 credits, but those are all doctoral-level credits, and it requires a master’s degree to enter. Although School B may accept 30 credits from your MBA, that gives you no real advantage: You still have 60 credits remaining to complete at either School A or School B.

Thank you for your response, Jonathan. It was helpful. I am grateful.

[SteveFoerster]

Hi Asghar,

Getting a US student visa as a Pakistani is very difficult right now because of political reasons.

If you're really keen to study in person in an English-speaking country, you should also consider universities in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

And even if you're approved for one, if your goal is to stay abroad long term to work afterwards, then other countries make that much easier for international students than the US does—and that was true even before this administration.

[bjcheung77]

Another choice is to take the online DBA approach, or other business related doctorates that are from US/UK institutions. There are some that are blended or hybrid learning systems, and there are many that are entirely online. Have you done a search already? I would do a search of comparable programs in the UK/US that interest you, it doesn't have to be a DBA, it can have concentrations or something.

[Asghar12345]

Hi Asghar,

Getting a US student visa as a Pakistani is very difficult right now because of political reasons.

If you're really keen to study in person in an English-speaking country, you should also consider universities in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

And even if you're approved for one, if your goal is to stay abroad long term to work afterwards, then other countries make that much easier for international students than the US does—and that was true even before this administration.

Hello Steve,

Thanks for the information. Your response is helpful. You're right. Things are politically tense. It is so bad that I cannot access the US department of education from here in Pakistan. I have to use a VPN to access the Department of Education and check the accredition status of various US universities.

Unfortunately, I got scammed by some "foreign study consultants" who promised me admission into a public Canadian University and they got me admitted through agents into Private University Canada West (Affordable Fees). My Canada student visa got refused. Later, I actually got admitted for an on-campus MBA at Delta State University, USA. Their tuition fees were among the most affordable. However, my student visa got refused. This was back in 2023. Then I enrolled in UoPeople. Later I applied for Job seeker visa in Dubai and that got rejected. I only have 1 foreign country visa travel approval when I went to Dubai in 2023 for Business Purposes. Now, I'm scared to even apply for a Visa anywhere.

Thank you.

[Asghar12345]

Another choice is to take the online DBA approach, or other business related doctorates that are from US/UK institutions.  There are some that are blended or hybrid learning systems, and there are many that are entirely online.  Have you done a search already?  I would do a search of comparable programs in the UK/US that interest you, it doesn't have to be a DBA, it can have concentrations or something.

Hello bjcheung77

I'm grateful for the info.

I would myself much prefer to do an accredited online DBA.

This post was very helpful. Affordable accredited doctorate options under 10k

Some Options I have are:

Acacia University is DEAC Accredited around 12k
WestCliff University has regional accredition (is expensive) but may provide 80% Scholarship.
Also, Edgewood University Offers 50% off for international students through UpGrad
Golden Gate University DBA Offering 70% Scholarship via UPGrad (WASC Accredition)

I am considering Edgewood University (if they provide 50% scholarship to me as an international student) (HLC Accredition) 
Also, I could go for WestCliff University (if they provide the 80% Scholarship) (WASC / ACBSP)
Finally, Golden Gate University is another choice. (WASC)

I'm a bit confused in between choosing these three. I am very much open to suggestions and feedback. If there are other affordable regionally accredited options, please share them. 

I would be grateful if anyone could recommend/suggest a list of affordable United States Public State Universities that offer affordable online DBA Programs. In case of a Public Regionally Accredited DBA Program, I would be willing to pay more.

This is one affordable option I found, Texas State University. I think this might be the cheapest AACSB Accredited DBA Program in the US. Please let me know if I am correct.
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) : McCoy College of Business : Texas State University

Thank you all for your helpful information/suggestions. It means a lot!

[Jonathan Whatley]

Edgewood’s business school is ACBSP but their DBA is too new to have ACBSP accreditation itself. But consider that the DBA might attain ACBSP at or soon after your graduation.

[SteveFoerster]

Hi Asghar,

Getting a US student visa as a Pakistani is very difficult right now because of political reasons.

If you're really keen to study in person in an English-speaking country, you should also consider universities in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

And even if you're approved for one, if your goal is to stay abroad long term to work afterwards, then other countries make that much easier for international students than the US does—and that was true even before this administration.

Hello Steve,

Thanks for the information. Your response is helpful. You're right. Things are politically tense. It is so bad that I cannot access the US department of education from here in Pakistan. I have to use a VPN to access the Department of Education and check the accredition status of various US universities.

Unfortunately, I got scammed by some "foreign study consultants" who promised me admission into a public Canadian University and they got me admitted through agents into Private University Canada West (Affordable Fees). My Canada student visa got refused. Later, I actually got admitted for an on-campus MBA at Delta State University, USA. Their tuition fees were among the most affordable. However, my student visa got refused. This was back in 2023. Then I enrolled in UoPeople. Later I applied for Job seeker visa in Dubai and that got rejected. I only have 1 foreign country visa travel approval when I went to Dubai in 2023 for Business Purposes. Now, I'm scared to even apply for a Visa anywhere.

Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear that! There are some pretty knowledgeable people around here. If you start wondering about a school, just post it here and ask and we'll let you know if it's okay.

[Asghar12345]

Edgewood’s business school is ACBSP but their DBA is too new to have ACBSP accreditation itself. But consider that the DBA might attain ACBSP at or soon after your graduation.

Thank you for the insightful information! ACBSP would definitely be a value-addition factor.

---

Hi Asghar,

Getting a US student visa as a Pakistani is very difficult right now because of political reasons.

If you're really keen to study in person in an English-speaking country, you should also consider universities in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

And even if you're approved for one, if your goal is to stay abroad long term to work afterwards, then other countries make that much easier for international students than the US does—and that was true even before this administration.

Hello Steve,

Thanks for the information. Your response is helpful. You're right. Things are politically tense. It is so bad that I cannot access the US department of education from here in Pakistan. I have to use a VPN to access the Department of Education and check the accredition status of various US universities.

Unfortunately, I got scammed by some "foreign study consultants" who promised me admission into a public Canadian University and they got me admitted through agents into Private University Canada West (Affordable Fees). My Canada student visa got refused. Later, I actually got admitted for an on-campus MBA at Delta State University, USA. Their tuition fees were among the most affordable. However, my student visa got refused. This was back in 2023. Then I enrolled in UoPeople. Later I applied for Job seeker visa in Dubai and that got rejected. I only have 1 foreign country visa travel approval when I went to Dubai in 2023 for Business Purposes. Now, I'm scared to even apply for a Visa anywhere.

Thank you.

I'm sorry to hear that! There are some pretty knowledgeable people around here. If you start wondering about a school, just post it here and ask and we'll let you know if it's okay.

I am grateful Steve. The reason I came here was for guidance from experts. It would definitely help a lot.