PhD in Business Administration – Leadership This is the way – Lead the Way

60
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Guide Your Business to Success with a PhD in Business Administration – Leadership
Businesses rely on sound decisions made by informed leaders. Liberty University’s Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration – Leadership can help you gain knowledge and skills in business that can be applied in current and future leadership and teaching roles. Our PhD in business leadership is designed to help you attain a high level of academic, professional, and practical competence to better prepare you for opportunities and responsibilities beyond your current role.
This leadership PhD program emphasizes theoretical and practical applications in both the coursework and the dissertation process. You’ll be able to study a wide range of skills and advanced knowledge that can assist you in your current academic or business career. Our goal at Liberty is to help you develop leadership expertise that can be applied to broad areas of business administration in the ever-changing industry landscape.
Your PhD in leadership will culminate in a dissertation that enables you to apply what you’ve learned to develop solutions or alternative practices that contribute to the existing body of knowledge. Strengthen your expertise and make a difference in the business world with Liberty’s 100% online doctoral leadership degree.
Your officially conferred degree name will be Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business Administration – Leadership.






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What Sets Us Apart?
- Private Nonprofit University
- 600+ Online Degrees
- No Standardized Testing for Admission
- Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
- Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree
Why Choose Liberty’s Online PhD in Business Administration Program?
At Liberty, we’ve designed our online doctorate in business leadership with your success in mind. Our professors seek to equip qualified professionals with the knowledge, skills, and values essential for impacting the world and contributing to the greater good of society.
In our PhD program, you can learn how to become an essential contributor in your field and the kind of leader who inspires others. Your final dissertation can further prepare you for success by giving you the proper tools to conduct both qualitative and quantitative research — allowing you to demonstrate your specific expertise.
Perhaps the greatest asset of our 100% online leadership degree is that it gives you the ability to pursue your education and conduct your research from the comfort of your own home. You can stay invested in the things that matter most — like your family, job, and community — while working towards your academic goals.
What Will You Study in Our PhD in Business Administration – Leadership?
This PhD in Business Administration – Leadership degree offers a blend of classes focused on business management as well as specialized courses that cover successful leadership theories and styles. Utilizing your own experience in the business world, you can contribute to the current body of knowledge in business leadership through your dissertation.
Your core courses will explore a variety of pertinent topics, including:
- Financial resource allocation
- Human resource management
- Strategy formulation
- Supply chain management
You can also develop your leadership skills as you gain an overview of leadership theory and how to effectively lead teams. Additionally, you will explore ethics, reasoning, and worldviews from the perspective of a strategic leader to help you guide organizations using sound morals.
Liberty’s PhD program culminates in a dissertation, which is where you will put your knowledge to the test and solve a current business problem. Through this dissertation, you can combine theory with praxis and help contribute to the rapidly changing business field. The research you conduct may even set the foundation for future business leaders.
Potential Career Opportunities
- Company executive
- Management analyst
- Nonprofit organization director
- Private business consultant
- University professor in business administration or leadership
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the School of Business.
- View the Graduate Business Course Guides (login required).
- View the PhD in Business Administration Handbook.
- Contribute to the body of knowledge in your field through this program’s integrated dissertation process.
Degree Completion Plan

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Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, online undergraduate tuition rates have been frozen for the last 10 years!
Doctoral Full Time | $595/Credit |
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Doctoral Part Time | $650/Credit |
Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour (learn more).
These rates are reflective of academic year 2024-2025. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Liberty’s PhD in Business Administration – Leadership Program
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree in business or business-related field with at least 30 hours of graduate business credit and at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
- Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.
Transcript Policies
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515

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Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
Military Tuition Discount
We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour. Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.
These rates are reflective of academic year 2024-2025. Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will it take me to complete this degree?
You can complete your PhD in Business Administration at Liberty University in 60 credit hours!
What resources will be available?
As an online student, you can access a wide variety of resources through Liberty’s library portal while completing your doctorate in business administration – leadership.
Why should I pursue a degree from Liberty?
Liberty University’s degrees are designed to provide maximum affordability, flexibility, and accessibility.
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- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
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