Earn Your Online DBA
with a specialization in Innovation in Health Care Management
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Realize Your Full Potential as a Health Care Leader and Innovator with a DBA Degree
Success in business relies on a spirit of innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurship. Getting there requires an education that emphasizes these key values and offers cutting-edge research and theory with a focus on practical, real-world applications.
The Doctorate in Business Administration with a Specialization in Innovation in Health Care Management from Concordia University Chicago, offered fully online, delivers on all of these fronts. Designed for professionals ready to become leaders in their field, the DBA in Innovation in Health Care Management prepares professionals to lead innovation and change management in the health care industry.
DBA Program Features
- Application-oriented research
- Best practices and strategies to meet real-life business challenges
- A synthesis of global trends, business knowledge and leadership theory to advance both theory and practice
- Courses in quantitative research and advanced statistics
Qualified leaders are in high demand in today’s rapidly evolving, highly competitive business world and within the modern health care industry. Earning a DBA in Innovation in Health Care Management prepares graduates to excel in these roles from the moment they earn their degree.
Take a look at what the experts have to say.
“One of the best ways to prepare for the future of healthcare is by building a solid foundation. Managing a healthcare clinic, hospital or healthcare organization is a lot like running a business. We prepare students with essential skills like decision-making and problem-solving, accounting and budgeting, and marketing and compliance. That’s why an MBA with a healthcare specialization like ours is so valuable.”
– Dr. Karen Calendo, Assistant Professor of Health Care Management
Read the full article to unlock all of Dr. Calendo’s expert insights on navigating the healthcare industry.
Pursuing a doctorate in business administration improves innovative abilities and enhances problem-solving capabilities. It also opens the doors to opportunities within academic research, and improves critical thinking and the development of views and ideas. The rapid development of modern business is evolving more than ever before, and employers are attracted to individuals who have taken the time to stay ahead of new theories, concepts and tools to gain a better understanding of the complexities of modern business. A DBA gives students the tools to move a business forward, and that’s attractive to employers.
- Dr. Khaled A. Alharahsheh
Jordan
DBA ’21
Explore Career Insights for Health Care Leaders in Your Location
Why Earn A Concordia University Chicago DBA
Tuition Lock
Guarantee
Global
Impact
Driven by
Innovation
Mentors That
Support Success
Networking and
Collaboration
The DBA in Innovation in Health Care Management program from Concordia University Chicago prepares students to:
- Critically examine the literature of business, leadership and applied research
- Conduct independent, ethical, innovative and rigorous business research
- Design and implement innovative business solutions
- Evaluate the efficacy of business principles to effect change in global environments
- Master strategic marketing in a global environment
- Apply best practices involving business analytics and financial decision-making
- Become global leaders who understand the importance of social responsibility and ethical decision-making
Please visit the Admission & Tuition page for important application deadlines and start dates.
Program Details
The Doctorate in Business Administration with a Specialization in Innovation in Health Care Management program requires 60 credit hours of online coursework, including a six-credit dissertation. Courses are eight weeks in duration, and students typically earn their DBA in three years.
The Mentor Experience
At Concordia-Chicago, DBA students gain a strategic advantage through our structured mentorship program, launching in the second term of study. Each student is paired with a seasoned mentor—an expert in both business and research—who provides critical guidance throughout the dissertation process. This partnership ensures a methodical, results-driven approach, refining research quality at every stage. With a clear roadmap and measurable progress, students are equipped to collect data efficiently and complete chapters 4 and 5, positioning them for dissertation completion by the end of year three.
“The heart of the CUC DBA is the one-to-one mentoring course room experience. ‘To innovate is not to reform: It is introducing useful change’ (Adair, 2011, p. 412). The CUC DBA mentoring experience is an innovation in doctoral education. Concordia’s DBA dissertation mentoring experience starts as a continuous support to you as your mentor helps you orchestrate the dissertation journey. ‘We Can Do This Together,’ is the winning mantra.”
Charlene Dunfee, DM, PhD
DBA Core Faculty
DBA Residencies
The Concordia-Chicago DBA program is designed to elevate your learning experience through three strategically timed residencies. These immersive sessions provide invaluable opportunities to engage directly with faculty, receive personalized guidance, and collaborate with peers—all essential for successfully navigating program milestones. Residencies enhance your academic journey by blending hands-on learning with structured coursework, ensuring you stay on track for timely graduation. With pre- and post-residency work integrated into an 8-week term, you’ll gain a deeper, more impactful learning experience without disrupting your professional commitments.
"The CUC DBA prepares students to become not just managers, but leaders in their current roles and to step up to the next level of leadership. Students engage with seasoned professionals in courses that build their capacity to think creatively and critically in addressing business problems. At the same time, students also work with a mentor to hone their communication skills as they write a dissertation to address an issue meaningful to them. As noted by one of our longstanding faculty members, “These essential skills transcend skills acquired at the master’s level and enable the professional to adapt to a continuously changing world.” Our students earn not only a DBA, but a CUC DBA."
Less than 2%
of the US population
have earned a doctorate
Career Outlook
Those who earn a DBA in Innovation in Health Care Management degree from Concordia University Chicago will be well prepared to take on leadership roles in business or health care organizations or to successfully launch a business of their own.
Salaries for business managers and leaders vary widely depending on the position and location. However, BLS data reveals that the median annual pay for top executives was $98,980 as of May 2021, and the top 10% earned upwards of $208,000 per year.
DBA graduates can expect to find employment opportunities:
- Heading large departments within an organization
- Leading nonprofits and government agencies
- Consulting with companies on innovation and strategic leadership
- Teaching at the university level
- Managing health care facilities such as hospitals, physician clinics, community centers and long-term care homes
- Working for professional organizations
- Managing technological advancements in global health care settings
- Administration of health care products, services and policies
In today’s competitive, global marketplace, the need for expertise in leadership is greater than ever. The need for ethical, socially responsible leaders is just as great. The online DBA in Innovation in Health Care Management program from Concordia University Chicago will prepare you to become a highly effective leader who drives positive change and sets the standard for other professionals industry-wide.
Doctorate in Business Administration, Innovation in Health Care Management Specialization: 60 Credit Degree Program
Doctorate in Business Administration, Innovation in Health Care Management Specialization Courses
| DBA 7010 | Foundations of the Doctoral Experience | 2 |
|---|---|---|
| DBA 7000 | The DBA Residency Experience 1 | 1 |
| DBA 7020 | The Global Leader: Social Responsibility and Ethical Decision Making | 3 |
| DBA 7901 | Doctoral Research Design for Business | 4 |
| DBA 7404 | Accompanying Mentor Courseroom 1 | 1 |
| DBA 7405 | Accompanying Mentor Courseroom 2 | 1 |
| DBA 7401 | Mentor Courseroom 1 | 3 |
| DBAH 7701 | Innovative Best Practices in Health Care Management | 3 |
| DBA 7406 | Accompanying Mentor Courseroom 3 | 1 |
| DBA 7605 | Quantitative Data Analysis for Applied Business Research | 3 |
| DBA 7200 | The DBA Residency Experience 2 | 1 |
| RES 7700 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| DBA 7407 | Accompanying Mentor Courseroom 4 | 1 |
| DBA 7030 | Strategy Formulation, Deployment & Innovation: A Global Perspective | 3 |
| DBA 7040 | Global Business Operations | 3 |
| DBA 7402 | Mentor Courseroom 2 | 3 |
| DBAH 7702 | Health Care Analytics & Financial Applications for Health Care Management | 3 |
| DBA 7408 | Accompanying Mentor Courseroom 5 | 1 |
| DBA 7050 | Business Analytics & Financial Decision Making | 3 |
| DBA 7300 | The DBA Residency Experience 3 | 1 |
| DBA 7403 | Mentor Courseroom 3 | 3 |
| DBA 7060 | Global Concepts in Strategic Marketing | 3 |
| DBAH 7703 | Governance of Health Care Systems | 3 |
| DBA 7409 | Accompanying Mentor Courseroom 6 | 1 |
| DBA 8000 | Dissertation 1 | 3 |
| DBA 8010 | Dissertation 2 | 3 |
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission into the online DBA program at Concordia University Chicago, students must have earned a master’s degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. Prospective students must complete the free online application and submit all required admission materials:
- Official Transcripts – Provide one official, sealed transcript from each institution that has granted you a degree.
- Letters of Recommendation – Send two letters of recommendation from individuals who are able to comment on your academic proficiency, professional competencies, personal character and potential for doctoral study. If possible, please submit one academic and one professional reference.
- Professional Resume – Provide a copy of your resume or curriculum vitae, including relevant work experience, degrees, certifications and skills.
- Writing Sample – Capture your goals and ambition for pursuing the Doctorate in Business Administration in approximately 2-3 pages, double-spaced, using proper grammar, professional writing style, and correct paragraph composition. This is not your resume; it is an opportunity for you to present who you are, and how your academic and professional background has prepared you to pursue the DBA.
There is no application fee and no GRE requirement to apply for the online DBA degree program at Concordia University Chicago.
Tuition & Financial Aid
If there is no interruption in your course of study at Concordia University Chicago, you are guaranteed there will be no increase in tuition rates. Visit the Admission & Tuition page to confirm the current tuition and fees for the online DBA program. Students who enroll in the program as a degree candidate are eligible to apply for federal financial aid.
Active-duty military service members, veterans and eligible dependents can take advantage of financial programs available to assist in paying for a college education. For more information, please visit our website.
Featured Doctorate in Business Administration Content
Important Information for International Students
Discover an enriching education just 10 miles from Chicago, providing you with unique opportunities to connect
with diverse cultures and explore career prospects in many leading industries across the U.S.
International applicants may be required to submit additional supporting materials, such as proof of English language
proficiency, a copy of their passport and a foreign transcript evaluation from an approved credentialing service.
For full requirements, visit the Admission & Tuition page.
