Dissertation Faculty, DBA

The Dissertation Chair works with each student and their Doctoral Committee Members to ensure that the student designs and executes a defensible, applied research dissertation, following accepted research practices, CityU policies and formats, and Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements., The Dissertation Chair serves as the primary mentor and academic guide for the doctoral candidate, leading the committee and shepherding the student from topic development through a successful defense. Responsibilities include:

• Coach and advise the doctoral candidate across all components of the dissertation, from topic discovery through completion, offering expertise in research methods, theoretical frameworks, and analysis relevant to the student’s topic.
• Guide the student in meeting deadlines, academic milestones, and program requirements.
• Recommend resources and support services to strengthen the candidate’s writing, research, and analytical skills.
• Coordinate and communicate with Committee Members, the Program Director, the IRB, and other university stakeholders.
• Ensure efficient review of student work from proposal through dissertation defense by providing constructive feedback within established turnaround expectations and offering guidance on presentation and defense techniques.
• Lead the committee in a rigorous, fair, and objective evaluation of the student’s work.
• Uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ethics, and professional conduct.

Dissertation Committee Members

Committee members work in partnership with the Dissertation Chair to guide and evaluate the student throughout the dissertation process. Responsibilities include:

• Serve as a member of the Dissertation Committee and support the student and Chair throughout the dissertation journey.
• Provide subject matter expertise relevant to the student’s research topic, theoretical framework, and methodology.
• Review milestone documents and provide timely, constructive feedback to the student and Chair within established turnaround expectations.
• Participate in committee meetings and consultations as needed.
• Assess and participate in the student’s proposal and dissertation defense.
• Contribute to a rigorous, fair, and objective evaluation process.
• Uphold the highest standards of academic integrity, ethics, and professional conduct.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Earned doctorate (PhD, DBA, EdD, or equivalent) in business, management, or a closely related discipline from a regionally accredited institution or international equivalent.
• Demonstrated methodological competence in at least one research tradition (qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods) sufficient to guide design, data collection, and analysis.
• Working knowledge of IRB processes and human subjects research protections, with a willingness to complete CITI (or equivalent) training prior to first assignment.
• Commitment to maintaining current knowledge in one’s field through active engagement with professional organizations and scholarly or practitioner communities.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including proficiency in APA 7th edition style and scholarly writing conventions.
• A student-centered approach and the ability to communicate effectively with diverse students, faculty, and staff.
• Availability to commit to a multi-term mentoring relationship through defense, with demonstrated ability to work effectively in an online, largely asynchronous environment.
• Understanding the practitioner-faculty model and a dedication to fostering a supportive, inclusive learning environment., * Experience chairing doctoral dissertations to successful completion, particularly with applied or practitioner-oriented candidates.
• An established record of peer-reviewed publication, conference presentation, or manuscript and proposal review, supported by an active research agenda.
• Familiarity with alternative dissertation models and formats, such as the Three-Article Dissertation (TAD).
• Substantive executive, consulting, or senior practitioner experience in business or industry that supports applied research mentorship.
• Experience teaching or advising adult and working professional learners.
• Familiarity with Brightspace (D2L) or a comparable LMS.
• Experience with accreditation-aligned assessment or programmatic review.

The working conditions described here are representative of those an employee encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Work is generally performed remotely.
• Weekend hours may be required.
• A personal computer, reliable internet connection, video capabilities, and a working phone.