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Admissions & Policies

Academic Calendar

Columbia Southern University has an open admission policy. Applications for Admission and Enrollment are accepted throughout the calendar year. Apply today at no cost.

Admission Requirements

Columbia Southern University seeks doctoral students with strong intellectual and academic preparation, breadth and depth of managerial or professional experience, and the capacity for disciplined scholarly investigation.

Applicants are required to have an accredited conferred Bachelor degree and an accredited conferred Master's degree in business or a related field plus a resume showing two years of professional business experience. Doctoral candidates must be fluent in English, and are expected to write at a level meeting the standards of scholarly publications. The admission decision will be based on students total accomplishment and skills; expected capacity to understand contemporary practices in business and public management; and the economic, social and political context in which business is conducted. Students applying to the doctoral program will be required to document relevant academic experience and have a minimum of two years of professional experience. Academic and practical experience must be documented with transcripts and a resume. A Master's degree earned at an appropriately accredited institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 will be required for admission to the doctoral program.

Applicants who earned a Master’s degree at an institution where instruction was not in English will be required to post a minimum score of 550 (213 computer-based or 80 internet based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A score of at least Band 6 on the IELTS is also acceptable.

Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral students are required to complete a dissertation that will be approved by and defended before a dissertation committee. The defense may take part "at a distance" and no degree shall be awarded without majority of committee approval. CSU will assist students in the dissemination and publication of their research. Information regarding this capstone doctoral requirement is published in the Dissertation Handbook.

Testing and Evaluation

DBA Courses: CSU courses are divided into units. CSU Assessment Instruments for the non-dissertation DBA courses include Unit Quizzes, Section Exams, Online Discussion Board Assignments, Article Reviews, Case Studies, and Final Examinations. All non-dissertation DBA courses contain six unit exams, two essay based section exams, and a final exam. In addition, most DBA courses contain one or more of the other assessment instruments.

Dissertation courses: The student’s dissertation committee is responsible for assessing achievement of learning objectives and outcomes. This assessment is accomplished at five points in the student’s research and preparation of the dissertation. They are: Concept Paper (DBA 9306A); Research Methodology (DBA 9306B); Proposal (DBA 9306C); Manuscript (DBA 9306D); and Oral Defense (DBA 9410).

As you progress through your course, you will receive e-mail grade notifications for each assignment and you may view your grades through the online course grade book. In addition, the myCSU Student Portal provides you with online access to your academic record. Here you can view information about your course and upload papers or project files.

See all our institutional policies at https://mycsu.columbiasouthern.edu/policies/

Course Sequence

Students are required to complete their courses in the sequence they appear on the degree plan. CSU has ranked these courses in a sequence that best serves our student.

Candidacy Status

Students will have earned DBA Candidacy Status following the completion of the third DBA course.

Academic Progress

To maintain satisfactory academic progress a doctoral student must enroll in his/her next course within 6-weeks of completion of the previous course.

Good Standing

For a doctoral student to be in good standing, a minimum cumulative GPA 3.0 must be maintained.

Academic Probation

A doctoral student may be placed on academic probation due to violation of academic integrity or if his/her grade point average (GPA) falls below 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

A doctoral student has one 10-week period to show improvement in his/her GPA and a maximum of two 10-week periods to bring the GPA to 3.0 or higher.

Leave of Absence

Should issues arise in your professional or personal life that requires you to set your studies aside for a time, you may request a Leave of Absence (LOA), for up to six months. During your tenure as a doctoral student at CSU you are allowed a total of three LOA’s not to exceed one LOA per calendar year.

Withdrawal

Students who find it necessary to withdraw from the program may do so in any manner. For verification purposes students are asked to submit a written notice to the university. Your request will be processed by the Registrar's Office within 30 working days.

Termination

Columbia Southern University reserves the right to terminate enrollment if a student:

• Falsifies information, either on the original application or any other University document.
• Fails to make required tuition or fee payments.
• Cheats on any lesson, project or examination.

Transcripts

A transcript bearing the University seal and signature of the Registrar is the official copy of your permanent academic record. A transcript will be provided to you at time of graduation. Additional transcripts may be obtained by written request.

Student Records

Columbia Southern University recognizes and respects our student’s right of privacy. We will not release information regarding your association with the University without your written consent.

Non Discrimination Policy

CSU provides equal educational opportunities and does not discriminate with respect to race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, physical handicap, age, marital status, or status such as disabled veteran.

Policy Disclaimer

CSU is committed to ensuring our students are kept abreast of the latest principles, theories, and applications pertaining to their studies. As such, CSU reserves the right to make changes as deemed appropriate in our course offerings, curricula, academic policies, and other rules and regulations affecting students without prior notification.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is limited to 15% of the total doctoral credits required to complete the degree.  The courses must be relevant to the student’s program of study and equivalent in both content and degree level of graduate courses.  In all cases, an institution must conform to its state regulatory agency’s requirements on the amount of transfer credit allowed.”