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Davis College of Business - Graduate Programs

The Davis College of Business builds thoughtful, engaged leaders who create sustainable high performance and value in their careers, organizations, communities and world. A graduate degree from Davis assures well-developed critical thinking skills and a strategic mindset. The innovative curriculum balances the development of “hard skills,” such as statistical and financial analysis, and critical leadership skills, such as effective communication and change management. Though delivered in a variety of ways to a variety of students, the graduate programs all meet the objective of preparing participants for a broad-based business career, and meet Jacksonville University’s requirements and standards for the various graduate degrees.

Additional Information

Additional details about the graduate programs are published in separate publications. Copies of these publications can be obtained from the DCOB website.

Degrees

Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business offers the following graduate programs:

  • Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) Program – This cohort-based program, with specializations in Leadership Development and in Accounting and Finance, is offered on weekends (Friday and Saturday) once a month.  It is designed for mid-level to senior managers and "Rising Stars" in business, with at least six years of work experience with increasing responsibility. It requires an opening immersion weekend and a week-long international trip or a virtual international trip when conditions will not allow international travel to the planned designation.    
  • Master of Science in Applied Business Analytics* (MSABA) – This is a program designed for individuals who desire the analytical skills, technologies, practices for continuous iterative exploration and investigation of past business performance to gain insight and drive business planning.
  • Master of Science in Aviation Leadership (MSAL) – The MS in Aviation Leadership (MSAL) is designed for individuals who desire the practical knowledge and skills for leading people in management, human resources, and sales within the international aviation industry.
  • Master of Science in Organizational Leadership* (MSOL) - The MS in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) is designed for experienced professionals wanting the practical knowledge and skills for leading people engaged in large scale innovation, change and transformation initiatives within organizations.
  • Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - This program is an applied terminal degree program where candidates use analytical tools to solve current work problems and challenges and is ideal for executives, aspiring consultants, and “clinical” or applied faculty. The cohort-based program meets on campus one weekend (Friday and Saturday) per month for the first two years of the three-year program. The final year is spent working with the dissertation chair and committee. Optional concentrations in Management, Accounting and Finance, and Marketing are available.  
  • Dual Degrees:
    • Master of Business Administration (MBA)/Juris Doctor (JD) Program – This program is done in concert with the Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL) and is a slight modification of the FLEX MBA Program in which nine credit hours of transfer credit are allowed for certain courses taken at FCSL. Program details see here.
    • Master of Science in Applied Business Analytics (MSABA)/Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program * Program details see here.
    • Master of Science in Applied Business Analytics (MSABA)/Master of Science in Organizational Leadership (MSOL) Program* Program details see here.

*The MBA, MSOL, MSABA, dual MSABA/MBA and dual MSABA/MSOL programs are offered both campus based and online in a FLEX format.  FLEX classes allow students to come to class, stream the class online or watch a recording of the class at a time of their choosing. This allows maximum flexibility.    

 

Academic Standards and Grade Appeals

All MBA, EMBA, MSABA, MSAL, and MSOL graduate program students must maintain an academic GPA of at least 3.0 (“B”) during enrollment in their program. To graduate, a student must have at least a 3.0 GPA. No course in which a grade below a “C” (2.0) is earned will be accepted as fulfilling a requirement of these graduate degrees. For the purposes of determining academic standing, purely elective courses, foundation courses, or courses taken on a transient basis will not be included in the GPA computation.

An MBA, EMBA, MSABA, MSAL, or MSOL graduate program student will be placed on Academic Probation at the conclusion of any semester in which the student’s cumulative GPA is less than a 3.0(B). The student has the following one semester (or two courses) to raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0. A graduate student will be dismissed from the program if the student does not raise the cumulative GPA to a 3.0 within one semester (or two courses) of being placed on Academic Probation. A graduate student earning one grade of “F” in any graduate course (excluding foundation courses used as a prerequisite to a graduate program) will be dismissed from the program. A student can appeal to the Graduate Advisory committee to retake a foundation course if they earn an “F”. A second “F” in a foundation course will result in immediate dismissal from the program.

An “I” indicates that a student did not complete a course for a reason acceptable to the professor and requested and received permission to complete the course within the first four (4) weeks of the next Fall, Summer or Spring semester. The student must be passing and have completed all but a particular segment of a course to qualify for a grade of “I.” The “I” will be converted to the appropriate letter grade if the course work is completed by the end of the fourth week of the next Fall, Summer or Spring semester. Faculty may grant an extension of the time to complete the “I” grade to the last day of classes of the next semester by submitting a written request to the Registrar’s Office. If the “I” course work is not completed on schedule, the “I” will convert to an “F.” The “I” converted to grades “A” through “F” will then be used in computing the GPA and may result in a change of academic status if the resulting GPA so indicates. Grades of “P,” “I,” “AU,” and “W” are not considered in computing GPAs.

All Davis College of Business DBA candidates must maintain an academic GPA of at least 3.33 (“B+”) during their enrollment in the program. To graduate, a DBA student must have at least a 3.33 GPA. No course in which a grade below a “B-“ (2.65) is earned will be accepted as fulfilling a requirement for the graduate degree. For the purposes of determining academic standing, purely elective courses, transfer courses, or courses taken on a transient basis will not be included in the GPA computation. For DBA candidates, any foundation courses taken also will not be included. A DBA candidate will be placed on probation at the conclusion of any semester in which the student’s grade point average is less than 3.3. The DBA candidate has one semester to raise the average to 3.33. The DBA candidate is dismissed from the program if the candidate does not raise the grade point to 3.33 within one semester of being placed on academic probation. A DBA candidate earning two grades of “C” or lower in any graduate course will be dismissed from the program.

In addition, a DBA candidate must pass the comprehensive activities in order to continue into dissertation phase and the DBA program. The comprehensive activities will test the knowledge in fields related to the classes taken and research conducted in the DBA program. A candidate has a maximum of two opportunities to take the comprehensive exam and pass (one written, one oral). A candidate who has failed the written comprehensive activity will be required to take an oral exam only on the topic for which he/she did not receive a passing grade. A candidate who has failed both the written and the oral formats of the comprehensive exam will be dismissed from the DBA program. DBA Candidates should see the most current DBA Candidate Handbook for more detailed information concerning the comprehensive activities process and policies. For the grade appeals process for the DBA comprehensive activities, also see the Grade Appeal Process section below.

Students dismissed from a graduate program have 30 days in which to appeal the action to the Graduate Advisory Committee. The Committee will review the appeal and make a recommendation to the Dean who will rule on the appeal.

Grade Appeal Process

The graduate programs follow the Jacksonville University established procedures and appeals process for grade and academic dishonesty appeals.

A DBA candidate who has failed both written and oral formats of the comprehensive exam may appeal his/her grade to the Graduate Director. The Graduate Director will ask the Graduate Committee to review the appeal and to accept or deny the appeal. If the appeal is denied, the candidate’s dismissal from the DBA program will stand and the student shall not be readmitted in the program again. If the appeal is accepted, the committee shall provide specific guidelines and recommendations as to the options to rectify the exam deficiencies.

Honor Code and Pride Program

Honor Code

To underscore the importance of truth, honesty and accountability, students, faculty and staff of the Davis College of Business (DCOB) developed the P.R.I.D.E document.

All DCOB students must sign a P.R.I.D.E. document each year that states that they understand and agree to conform to this concept of honor. All graduate program students also sign a Graduate Programs Honor Code form that states that they understand and agree to conform to the following: I do not lie, cheat, steal or condone those who do.

Professional Results in Daily Efforts (P.R.I.D.E.) Program

“We the students and faculty of the Davis College of Business understand learning is a process of interaction, partnering, and collaboration. To create the learning environment necessary to produce the future generators of sustainable value for business and society at large, we understand we must focus our daily efforts to achieve lasting success. Therefore, as indicated by my signature below, I agree to support the tenets and professional behaviors of the P.R.I.D.E. Program outlined below applicable to my position within the Davis College of Business.”

As DCOB Faculty, you can count on us to:

  • Treat each student in a fair and equitable manner
  • Come to class prepared
  • Start and end class on-time
  • Honor office hours
  • Make required textbooks and reading materials relevant to the material taught
  • Use a proper mix of IT and lecture (Blackboard)
  • Return assignments in a timely manner
  • Allow peer review to reduce “free-riders” on team projects

As DCOB Students, you can count on us to:

  • Respect everyone’s right to have a positive academic experience
  • Respect other students’ property
  • Respect other students’ cultures and opinions
  • Support academic integrity
  • Be enthusiastic and productive members of team projects
  • Come to class on-time
  • Come to class prepared
  • Be attentive and participate
  • Turn assignments in on-time
  • Respect others by not having real or virtual side conversations
  • Turn off electronic devices during class
  • Dress appropriately

Academic Honesty

All students of the Davis College of Business are expected to adhere to the highest standard of academic honesty. It is the responsibility of all students to ensure that the integrity of this standard is not violated. The programs define academic dishonesty as: submission of false records of academic achievement; cheating on assignments or examinations; plagiarizing, altering, forging or misusing a University academic record; taking, acquiring or using test materials without faculty permission; acting alone or in cooperation with others to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards or professional achievement.

Procedures for Addressing Academic Dishonesty - The Davis College of Business adheres to the established processes and procedures of Jacksonville University regarding definitions and standards for academic honesty and all appeals as outlined in the Academic Information section of this catalog.

Orientation

All students in the Davis College of Business graduate programs must attend orientation.