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Management Information Systems
The Management Information Systems specialization explores using LAN/WAN/database systems and the application of contemporary research and current theories in the MIS field to enhance management processes and business outcomes. You will have the opportunity to examine current trends in directing organizational information systems and explore efficient information management strategies designed to maximize business potential. As a graduate with advanced knowledge and skills, you might choose to pursue advanced leadership positions in the field.
General Degree Requirements
Admission to a doctoral program at NCU requires a master's degree from an accredited institution.
The PhD program may be completed in 60 credits. Up to an additional 15 credit hours will be allowed as needed to complete dissertation research. The University may accept a maximum of 12 semester credit hours in transfer toward the doctoral degree for graduate coursework completed at an accredited college or university with a grade of "B" or better.
Completion Period for Doctoral Degrees
Northcentral University allows 7 years to complete all doctoral programs of 60 credits or less. Normal time to complete varies depending upon course take rate and credits transferred.
Foundational Competencies for DBA Programs
- Graduate-Level Research Methods Competency - PhD students are required to complete BTM8102, BTM8103, BTM8104, BTM8106, BTM8107, BTM8108 and BTM8109 at Northcentral.
- Graduate-Level Statistics Competency - PhD students are required to complete BTM8107 Statistics II at Northcentral.
- Computer Competency - Doctoral students are required to have computer skills necessary for completing a dissertation. Students must be able to prepare documents using advanced word processing skills (e.g., creation of tables and figures, headers and footers, page breaks, tables of contents, hanging indents). Students must use computer programs for the statistical analysis of data (e.g., SAS). Students must produce a computer-based presentation (e.g., PowerPoint) for their dissertation oral defense.
Course Length
All new students enrolling in the Business PhD program are automatically enrolled in courses that are eight weeks in length. All eight-week courses are indicated by a "-8" (dash eight) at the end of the course code.
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
Specialization Course 1 | ||
BTM8102, BTM8102-8 | Business Research Methodology | This Doctoral level course provides students with an overview of the research process, and an opportunity to learn about business research methodology and the components of a dissertation. The course will also provide the student with the opportunity to identify and develop a research topic, define a research problem, describe the purpose of the research study, and establish associated research question(s). The student will prepare a Topic Paper and a preliminary annotated bibliography for the dissertation topic in the Signature Assignment. |
Specialization Course 2 | ||
BTM8103, BTM8103-8 | Research Design | In this course, the Student acquires the basic skills necessary for the interpretation and application of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research. The student will examine the formal research process carefully, with an emphasis on practical applications and skill development. Critical concepts and principles intrinsic to research paradigms, study designs, and methods of inquiry are presented to empower the student's ability to formulate and respond to research questions. The resources listed below from the Northcentral University Dissertation Center are critical resources throughout the whole research process students are highly encouraged to become deeply familiar with the resources from the Northcentral University Dissertation Center. |
Specialization Course 3 | ||
BTM8108, BTM8108-8 | Qualitative Research Design | This course is an examination of qualitative methods for studying human behavior including grounded theory, narrative analysis, ethnography, mixed methods, and case studies. |
Specialization Course 4 | ||
BTM8107, BTM8107-8 | Statistics II | Doctoral Students in this advanced course will address statistical techniques that may be useful for analyzing quantitative data in a dissertation. Topics include Multivariate Analysis, Multiple Regression Analysis, Log-Linear Analysis, Logistic Analysis, Factor Analysis, Structural Equation Models (Two Stage Least Squares) and Time Series Analysis. Students will use SPSS and/or SAS to conduct statistical analysis. Assessment will be through a series of problems designed to demonstrate competence in techniques and a number of advanced data analysis projects. |
Specialization Course 5 | ||
BTM8106, BTM8106-8 | Quantitative Research Design | Prerequisites: BTM8102, BTM8104 |
BTM8109, BTM8109-8 | Planning Dissertation Research in Business | Students in this course will begin the process of writing a dissertation for a research or professional doctorate. The course will address the University dissertation process and aids to successfully complete a dissertation, including self-care and time management. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
BTM7101, BTM7101-8 | Foundations for Doctoral Study in Business | This course is an orientation to Northcentral University and to the essential skills needed to pursue a doctoral degree in Business. Doctoral level skills, such as academic integrity, time management, effective use of the Northcentral Library, comprehending complex scholarly texts and research articles, and APA form and style in professional communication are also introduced. Students will complete the course with a better understanding of personal goals, strengths, and challenges, and a roadmap to navigate their way to completion of their educational aspirations. |
MGT7019, MGT7019-8 | Ethics in Business | No longer are ethics and social responsibility, including the green movement, something organizations can ignore or do "if they have funding left over at the end of the year. Ethics are required by local, state and federal legislation and today, more than ever, stakeholders at organizations are being held accountable for their actions and societal harm. Doctoral students in this course, through a series of essays and papers, will learn about current laws and their application to business; and how to maintain an ethical perspective within the context of a global framework. |
SKS7000, SKS7000-8 | Doctoral Comprehensive Strategic Knowledge Studies | Students will analyze and apply knowledge in 12 business areas necessary to address a wide variety of business-related situations. The focus of the course is demonstrating core proficiencies in the following business areas: Marketing, Business Finance, Accounting, Management, Legal Environment of Business, Economics, Business Ethics, Global Dimensions of Business, Information Systems, Quantitative Techniques and Statistics, Leadership, and Business Applications. The intent is not to introduce these core business concepts, but rather to verify a graduate-level threshold competency within each. The course includes a comprehensive case study that will allow students to demonstrate their competency within all 12 professional component areas. |
BTM8104, BTM8104-8 | Statistics I | This course provides an introductory exploration of statistics for the doctoral student. It includes instruction on the calculation, use, and interpretation of descriptive statistics, and introduces inferential statistical analysis. The emphasis of this course is on providing a working knowledge of basic statistical concepts to help the Student understand statistical methodology used in education, and also more generally, developing a working knowledge of statistical usage in everyday life. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
MIS7000-8 | Information Technology Management | This doctoral course provides a basic understanding of the value and uses of information systems (IS) for business operations, management decision-making, and strategic advantage with a focus on eBusiness. The course concentrates on providing the tools needed for mastery of the information systems concepts and terms, which are important to end user managers. This course is designed for students who want an overview of information business applications that can be deployed and managed across a broad spectrum. This course, thus, provides a synthesis regarding the ways in which information technology (IT) managers may use various resources to improve business performances to achieve organizational goals. |
MIS7002-8 | Database Administration and Management | This course will encourage database administration and management personnel such as executives, strategic planners, network and information technology (IT) and system (IS) managers and scientists, data archivists, corporate librarians and information managers, systems integrators, and consultants to enhance their knowledge of the process of data collection, conversion, and migration. This course will present to students how data models align with the overall scope of business operations, which include hiring and forming strategic partnerships with knowledge workers. |
MIS7003-8 | Information Technology Decision Support | This doctoral course provides a professional understanding of the value and uses of information systems for business collaborations and management decision-making. This course is designed for students who desire to understand collaboration, decision support systems, and executive information systems from a business perspective. This course provides with a synthesis regarding the ways in which the students can utilize decision support systems to improve corporate competitiveness within the global marketplace. The course concentrates on providing the tools needed for mastery of decision support systems concepts and terms, which are important for all senior executives and stakeholders. |
MIS7004-8 | IT Data Communications Management | This doctoral course will present the economic, social, and management issues involved in building digital production and distribution technologies and network architectures to deliver reliable, consistent, low cost services. Communications network specialists, managers, and consultants, telecommunication managers, satellite tracking system designers, and technical support engineers who manage corporate network equipment, facilities, and land-lines will be able to understand the need to migrate from traditional communications networks to 21st century communication wireless, sensor, and broadband networks. |
MIS7005-8 | IT Network Architecture | This course provides a professional understanding of the value and uses of information systems architectures and processes aimed to improve the overall performances of an organization. This course is designed for students who want an overview of designing an enterprise architecture, computer networks, systems applications, and information systems processes. This course provides students with a synthesis regarding the ways in which technologists might develop an enterprise network architecture to improve application accessibility, data storage, and management, communications, and business processes. The course concentrates on providing the tools needed for mastery of enterprise network architecture concepts and terms, which are important for all managers who communicate with technologists about business-related planning that aims to improve enterprise network systems. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
CMP9500B | Doctoral Comprehensive Examination - Business (PhD) | In their pursuit of any doctoral degree (PhD, DBA, or EdD) at Northcentral University, students gain expertise in their academic discipline and in one or more specializations that complement their academic discipline. The Doctoral Comprehensive Examination is intended to assure that students have mastered knowledge of their discipline before candidacy status is achieved and research in support of their dissertation is initiated. The Doctoral Comprehensive Examination is taken following the completion of all content and Research courses. This course is graded using Satisfactory (S), In Progress (IP), and Unsatisfactory (U) grading criteria. The Doctoral Comprehensive Examination must be successfully completed with an (S) grade prior to beginning any Dissertation Research course. The exam is twelve weeks. |
Course Code | Name | Course Description |
|---|---|---|
DIS9501B | Doctoral Dissertation Research I | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the PhD degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral defense. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once a month. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
DIS9502B | Doctoral Dissertation Research II | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the PhD degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral defense. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once a month. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
DIS9503B | Doctoral Dissertation Research III | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the PhD degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral defense. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once a month. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
DIS9504B | Doctoral Dissertation Research IV | In this course sequence, students work progressively on completing each doctoral dissertation milestone toward the completion of the PhD degree. These milestones include Committee and University approval of a dissertation concept paper, a dissertation proposal paper, an approved IRB application by the Northcentral University Institutional Review Board, the collection and analysis of research data, the preparation and approval of the final dissertation manuscript, and the successful completion of the oral defense. Courses are taken continually and sequentially until all dissertation milestones have been completed. Throughout these courses, students often work independently but are required to be in communication with the Chair of their Dissertation Committee at least once a month. These courses are graded utilizing Satisfactory (S) and Unsatisfactory (U) as the grading criteria. |
At Northcentral University, we pride ourselves in being completely transparent when it comes to tuition and fees. We have adopted an all-inclusive tuition model that gives you the cost of your Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration tuition and fees in one flat program rate*. The only additional cost above your PhD in Business Administration program rate is books. Learn more about the NCU’s PhD in Business Administration costs below:
- Per credit cost: $857
- Per 3 credit course cost: $2,570
- Program cost: $51,400
- Average book cost per course: $150
- Application Fee: $0
- Technology Fee: $0
- Registration Fee: $0
Click here to learn more about payment and financing options.
*Program rates are subject to change and generally increase at the start of each calendar year.
If there’s one thing we’ve learned about our students, it’s that they are motivated and ambitious—but they are also busy! At Northcentral University, we’ve designed our education experience to work with you, not against you, so you can achieve your academic goals without sacrificing the quality, flexibility and support you need to be successful.
- Regionally Accredited
- No Physical Residency Requirements
- One-to-One Teaching
- 100% Doctoral Faculty
- Flexibility of Online Learning
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