Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration

Mission Statement

The PhD in Business Administration program develops researchers and thought leaders who advance business theory and practice by generating scholarly innovations that shape the future of regional, national, and global organizations.

Program Overview

The PhD in Business Administration program at Lincoln Memorial University offers an academically rigorous pathway for professionals seeking advanced expertise and a focus on scholarly contributions to the fields of Business Analytics, Management, or Marketing. This 66-credit hour, fully online program is structured to prepare graduates for impactful careers in academia, research, and leadership roles.

The curriculum begins with 12 credit hours of foundation courses focusing on essential business theories and practices. Candidates with an MBA or business-related master’s degree may transfer up to 12 credit hours of equivalent coursework to fulfill this requirement. The program also includes 12 credit hours of business core courses that provide advanced knowledge in critical business areas, 15 credit hours of specialized concentration courses tailored to the chosen discipline, and 15 credit hours of research methods courses designed to equip students with the skills needed to conduct rigorous, high-quality research. The program culminates in 12 credit hours of dissertation credit, during which students work closely with their dissertation committee to produce original, impactful research that contributes to their field.

Delivered in a cohort model, with a maximum of six (6) credit hours per semester, the program fosters collaboration and a supportive academic environment. With a strong focus on preparing graduates for roles as educators and researchers, this program equips students to excel in academic institutions and other research-driven organizations.

Student Learning Outcomes

Expected outcomes of the PhD include:

PhD1: Evaluate and apply core business theories and strategies relating to microeconomics, management, leadership, and marketing to promote organizational growth, innovation, and competitive advantage.
PhD2: Demonstrate the ability to generate innovative ideas and solutions through a variety of creative thinking techniques and processes, and will communicate these ideas effectively to varying audiences.
PhD3: Communicate effectively and persuasively in oral and written formats.
PhD4: Locate, evaluate, and use information effectively to solve problems, make decisions, and communicate ideas.
PhD5: Design, deliver, and evaluate effective and engaging pedagogical methods that meet the needs and interests of diverse learners.
PhD6: Conduct rigorous and ethical research using a variety of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Students will construct research questions and hypotheses, select appropriate methods, collect and analyze data, and interpret and report findings.
PhD7: Demonstrate mastery of survey research theory and practice, including understanding of measurement theory, sampling theory, and the epistemological foundations underlying survey methods and their application.
PhD8: Develop, conduct, and defend original research through the dissertation process.

Expected outcomes of the Management concentration include:

MGMT1: Develop the knowledge and analytical capability to lead an organization in adapting, evolving, and learning in an ever- changing environment
MGMT2: Acquire and apply knowledge of behavioral, policy, and strategic issues to improve organizational effectiveness.

Expected outcomes of the Marketing concentration include:

MKTG1: Apply integrated marketing communications strategies that aid in advancement of global branding.
MKTG2: Examine the psychological, sociological, and cultural variables that influence buyer motivation.
MKTG3: Evaluate the use of data-driven decision making within the marketing sector, and apply statistical methodologies as they relate to product analytics, marketing-mix analytics, customer analytics, and digital analytics.

Expected outcomes of the Business Analytics concentration include:

MSBA1: Apply critical thinking skills to solve complex business problems
MSBA2: Classify data sets and select the appropriate analytical tool
MSBA3: Generalize the necessary theoretical, mathematical, and statistical concepts to ensure data is properly analyzed
MSBA4: Acquire data from a diverse population of computer storage systems
MSBA5: Execute in a team environment

PhD Admission Requirements & Procedures

Applicants must submit the online application for admission, application essays, the $50 application fee, a current resume including professional references which may be checked, official transcripts showing the completion of a regionally accredited bachelor’s degree, official transcripts showing the completion of a regionally accredited Master of Business Administration (MBA) or business-related master's degree with a cumulative GPA of a 3.5, and official transcripts of all other undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate/professional course work from regionally accredited institutions.

International students must have a minimum score of 70 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or a six (6) on the IELTS exam. In cases where a foreign student is otherwise qualified for admission to the program, but his/her TOEFL score indicates the need for additional English language instruction, he/she might be admitted conditionally to the program pending satisfactory completion of the necessary courses.

If an applicant, domestic or international, has completed their bachelor’s degree in a country other than the United States, the applicant is required to submit a degree evaluation report from a reputable credentialing service (WES – World Education Services, https://wes.org/) that demonstrates degree and course equivalency. The official report for each degree evaluation report must be submitted directly from the credentialing service and provided to the School of Business; Graduate Department; 421 Park 40 North Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37923.

The admission decision is based on an evaluation of all application materials submitted by the individual. The following are criteria utilized in the decision process:

PhD application
Previous work experience
Undergraduate GPA
Graduate GPA (MBA or business-related master's degree)
Specific course work completed
Writing Sample
Reference check

Conditional PhD Student Status

Under special circumstances, a person who does not meet the requirements for PhD admission may be allowed conditional status. To be considered for conditional PhD status, the student must complete the online application for admission, application essays, the $50 application fee, a current resume including professional references which may be checked, official transcripts showing the completion of a regionally accredited bachelor’s degree, official transcripts showing the completion of a regionally accredited Master of Business Administration (MBA) or business-related master's degree with a cumulative GPA of a 3.0, and official transcripts of all other undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate/professional course work from regionally accredited institutions. Additionally, an applicant may be required to participate in an interview with the Director of Business Doctoral Programs to further assess suitability for the program. If granted conditional PhD status, candidates may take no more than six (6) semester hours of graduate coursework from their planned program within the first semester of the program and earn no grade less than “B”. A grade less than “B” disqualifies the candidate from full admission. Students will be granted full admission upon earning grades of “B” or above within all enrolled courses during their first semester within the PhD program.

Maximum Program Completion

Students who enter the PhD graduate program must complete their studies for their graduate degree within seven (7) years after initial registration. An extension may be requested of the Program Director for personal or professional reasons.

PhD Dissertation

PhD students who are within the dissertation portion of their program should refer to the LMU School of Business Dissertation Manual for in depth information pertaining to the dissertation and all processes involved.

Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of dissertation work in order to meet graduation requirements. The minimum of 12 hours and maximum of 30 hours for dissertation credit will be assigned a grade based upon the grading scale given in the Graduate Programs Catalog. The grade assigned will become a permanent part of the student’s academic record and will factor into the student’s GPA. PhD students are ineligible to register for dissertation credit hours until they have completed all PhD coursework within their appropriate curriculum. Once course work has been completed, PhD students will be assigned a dissertation committee comprised of three LMU employees. The dissertation committee chair and second committee member must be employed by the LMU School of Business. The third committee member must be employed by LMU. The use of external dissertation committee members is not permitted.

Students within the dissertation portion of their degree must maintain continual enrollment and engagement in their dissertation post-classwork. This means that all candidates must enroll in a minimum of three credit hours of BUSN 899 – Dissertation during both Fall and Spring semesters once coursework is completed. If a student completes 12 credit hours of BUSN 899 – Dissertation and has not finished their dissertation, the student can then register for 1 credit hour of BUSN 899 – Dissertation per semester until the completion of the dissertation. There is not a requirement to take BUSN 899 during the summer term, however, if a student wishes to work on their dissertation under the guidance of their Chair during this time, the student will have to register for BUSN 899 – Dissertation. Students receiving financial aid should consult with their Financial Aid Officer to determine financial aid guidelines pertaining to credit hours during the dissertation process. It is the responsibility of the candidate to register and maintain enrollment in the program. If a candidate does not enroll as indicated above, the candidate must request reentry into the program by contacting the Director of Business Doctoral Programs. The Director of Business Doctoral Programs will have the candidate make a written request for permission for readmission into BUSN 899 and explain reasons for not complying with the requirement of Fall and Spring dissertation enrollment. The Director of Business Doctoral Programs will evaluate the request and forward to the Dean of the School of Business for approval.

Dissertation coursework will be assigned a letter grade of “A” through “F” as outlined within the ‘Grading Scale’ section. Grades earned will be added to the permanent academic record. The permanent academic record in its entirety will be used when evaluating academic probation or dismissal.

Upon completion of the dissertation and all appropriate paperwork as specified in the LMU School of Business Dissertation Manual, students will defend their dissertation. When scheduling a dissertation defense, students should refer to the LMU School of Business Dissertation Manual for date requirements.

PhD Dissertation Academic Dishonesty, Cheating, and Plagiarism Policies

All submissions, drafts, edits, and final copies of dissertation manuscripts will be evaluated for plagiarism, inappropriate citation, and substantive misrepresentation by both electronic and manual means. It is the expectation that any and all work submitted by an LMU PhD candidate is solely and originally the work of the candidate and does not include inappropriately represented work from any outside source, nor does it resubmit the candidates previous work from another project. It is at the discretion of the Committee Chair to evaluate candidate work for violation of this policy. Any evidence suggesting that this policy has been violated, regardless of how small, will subject the candidate to dismissal from the LMU PhD program.

Dissertation submissions for the LMU PhD program should be solely the work of the PhD candidate. No part of any dissertation submission, draft, or final copy should include any portion, regardless of how small, that has been generated by artificial intelligence. All dissertation submissions will be subject to verification of originality through the use of available technology and software to detect any part which may have not been solely and originally composed by the PhD candidate. Upon verification by two or more independent sources that this policy has been violated, the PhD candidate will be subject to dismissal from the LMU PhD program.

PhD Graduation Requirements

No student will be allowed to participate in Commencement exercises until all degree requirements have been met.

The following requirements must be met for earning the PhD degree:

Completion of the course and credit hour (66) requirements associated with the academic program.
Successful defense of the PhD dissertation
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (B)
The receipt of no more than two course grades of ‘C’ or below.
Completion of all outcomes assessment testing and activities
The completion of the PhD degree within seven (7) years
Payment of all fees

Final Evaluation for the PhD Program

As part of the outcomes assessment procedures, students are required to complete the following items prior to graduation:

LMU PhD Outbound Exit Exam
An exit interview
All graduating student surveys