(05-13-2026, 11:18 PM)PauFraTat Wrote:

(05-13-2026, 07:42 PM)Al3xBurns Wrote: Quick update on the Edgewood DBA process since a few people have messaged me privately about it.

The coursework portion of the program has honestly been pretty solid overall. Most professors were good, the material was relevant, and while there were occasional grading inconsistencies, nothing I considered major. I do not regret doing the program.

Where things have become frustrating is the dissertation transition/process side.

As I finished coursework and moved into BUS-930/dissertation status, I was told I should already have had an approved prospectus drafted before entering the dissertation phase and that someone should have informed me of that expectation earlier. That never happened, so I essentially entered the dissertation phase already “behind” according to expectations I had never been given. I luckily did have a rough prospectus drafted, but I was essentially told to completely rewrite it in the December/January interim in order to continue the program.

Since then, the biggest issue has been communication and process clarity rather than academic rigor itself. Requirements and sequencing have felt reactive instead of centralized. For example:

- unclear onboarding into dissertation status
- confusion about who handles what
- inconsistent guidance on SME requirements
- IRB/process expectations only becoming clear later
- being told to schedule preliminary defense while still sorting out other approvals

Recently a large email thread broke out among DBA students about confusion surrounding dissertation timelines, chairs, evaluations, and communication. Initially it looked like mostly upGrad/international student concerns, however, I am a direct Edgewood student and had experienced many of the same issues.

To be fair to Edgewood, administration does appear aware there are communication/process problems in the dissertation stage and they are talking about creating better centralized student resources and communication systems.

So current status from my perspective:

- Coursework: generally good experience
- Dissertation academics: rigorous but reasonable
- Dissertation administration/process communication: definitely needs improvement

Still moving forward, just wanted to give a realistic update. I guess I'm at the end of BUS 931, however, I am still waiting on how to accomplish the preliminary defense of my Prospectus and then to start the IRB process.

Thanks for this update! It's unfortunate that things have played out this way, but you definitely seem to be handling things in a positive way. Did you have a chair or supervisor assigned before BUS 930?

(05-14-2026, 04:41 PM)Sagan Wrote: The key to the value of a doctorate isn't what it says on the transcript, nor the diploma. It is the research you do, how the degree transforms your thinking, and how it advances your professional practice. You do that through your dissertation research.

Instead of talking about filing complaints or suing, why not have a discussion with the school regarding your research interests and how they might be accommodated in your dissertation? Technology and A.I. are rife throughout business; certainly there is a good research opportunity in there somewhere that is also valuable to you. You'll only find that out by having a conversation with whomever is responsible for doctoral research.