National Louis University

Quick Overview

Day 1 CPT Program

DBA, MS Business Analytics, MS Organizational Leadership

Enrollment Window

DBA: January 10 2025/May 12 2025 MS: January 13 2025/ April 07 2025/ June 30 2025/ September 22 2025

Tuition

Annual Tuition : $14,976 - $18,960

On-Site Requirement

1 / Semester

Accreditation

Higher Learning Commission

History and Accreditation

National Louis University (NLU), a private university located in Chicago, Illinois, provides more than 60 undergraduate and graduate programs through its four colleges. It has multiple campuses in the Chicago area and a regional campus in Tampa, Florida, serving students from 13 counties in central Florida.

National Louis University (NLU) is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, one of the six major regional accrediting bodies in the United States. Additionally, NLU is actively engaged in the HLC's Academic Quality Improvement Program. Currently, National Louis University (NLU) ranks around 300th in the US News national university rankings and holds the 9th position in the US News rankings for Economic Diversity among American universities.

Academic Policy

National Louis University (NLU)'s DBA program operates on a trimester system, which consists of three 16-week semesters each year.
The MS Business Analytics program at NLU operates on a quarter system, which consists of four quarters each year.
International students at NLU are required to enroll in at least two courses (totaling 6 credits) per semester.
Students are required to attend on-site sessions during the first weekend (Friday to Sunday) of the semester, followed by online classes.
NLU does not allow students to take a leave for one semester.

CPT Policy

National Louis University (NLU) offers Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization to full-time international students, in accordance with USCIS and SEVIS regulations.
- Students need to submit CPT application materials to the school's DSO, including an offer letter and employer-signed CPT agreements.
- Once CPT is approved, students will receive a new I-20 and can start to work according to the CPT start date on the I-20.
- CPT fees are included in the program cost; no additional fees are required for CPT.
- Alternatives like Employment Verification are acceptable. Contact us for more information.
CPT requires renewal every academic year. There is no gap between CPT authorizations.

On-Site Policy

The DBA program at NLU requires students to attend on-site sessions once each semester, from Friday to Sunday.
The MS programs require students to attend on-site sessions once each quarter, from Friday to Sunday.

Tuition and Scholarship

The DBA program has a fixed tuition fee of $4,992 per semester, which includes CPT costs. Students usually complete the program in 10 semesters; in this case, the total cost of the program is $49,920.
The tuition for the MS programs is $4,740 per quarter, and the programs usually consist of five quarters. Thus, the total cost of the program is $23,700.

Scholarships:

Currently, NLU does not offer scholarships for international students.

Day 1 CPT Program

MS Programs
- Requires completion of 30 credits;
- Typically finished in an average of 15 months;
- Can provide up to 1-2 additional opportunities for H1B lottery.
Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) :
- Requires completion of 60 credits;
- Typically finished in an average of 40 months, with the option to extend up to a maximum of 48 months for graduation;
- Can provide up to 4-5 additional opportunities for H1B lottery.

DBA （Tampa only）

This DBA program allows industry and academic professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge. It caters to business leaders aiming for executive roles and faculty seeking a top doctoral credential in business administration. The curriculum prepares students for advanced professional roles, entrepreneurship, consulting, or teaching at the college level. Designed for busy professionals, the program offers a blended format with online courses and a three-day on-campus experience per term in Tampa, FL, featuring workshops, orientations, assignments, and faculty consultations. To graduate, students need to complete 7 core courses (21 credits), 5 research courses (15 credits), concentration courses (12 credits), doctoral research courses (12 credits).

Core Courses (21 credits):

- DBA 620 Holistic Management in Organizations (3 credits)

- DBA 622 Managing Global Challenges (3 credits)

- DBA 624 Marketing Strategy and Management (3 credits)

- DBA 626 Corporate and Global Finance (3 credits)

- DBA 628 Advanced Operations Management (3 credits)

- DBA 630 Strategy Formulation, Implementation and Evaluation (3 credits)

- DBA 632 Innovation and Entrepreneurship (3 credits)

Research Courses (15 credits):

- RES 600 Introduction to Doctoral Studies and Research (3 credits)

- RES 610 Advanced Writing (3 credits)

- RES 650 Data-Driven Decision Making and Research (3 credits)

- RES 652 Quantitative Research Method (3 credits)

- RES 654 Qualitative Research Methods (3 credits)

Management Concentration (12 credits):

- DBA 650 Organizational Behavior (3 credits)

- DBA 652 Management Science (3 credits)

- DBA 654 Organizational Development and Change Management (3 credits)

- DBA 656 Strategic Team Management (3 credits)

Doctoral Research (12 credits):

- DBA 696 Doctoral Research I (3 credits)

- DBA 697 Doctoral Research II (3 credits)

- DBA 698 Doctoral Research III (3 credits)

- DBA 699 Doctoral Research IV (3 credits)

MS Business Data Analytics

The MS program in Business Data Analytics prepares students for data analytics roles, teaching them to use tools and techniques for informed business decisions and compelling data narratives. Targeting early to mid-career professionals, it covers business analytics, big data management, predictive analytics, and more. Graduates will have the skills to improve organizational performance across various sectors, including HR, healthcare, banking, finance, and marketing. To graduate, students need to complete 3 foundation courses (9 credits), 1 capstone courses (3 credits), 6 core courses (18 credits).

Foundation Courses (9 credits):

- BDA 500 Introduction to Business Data Analytics (3 credits)

- BDA 502 Statistics for Business Data Analytics (3 credits)

- RES 510 Critical Thinking and Research Skills (3 credits)

Capstone Course (3 credits):

- BDA 550 Business Analytics Capstone (3 credits)

Core Courses (18 credits):

- BDA 505 Security and Ethics for Business Data Analytics (3 credits)

- BDA 505 Big Data Management and Databases (3 credits)

- BDA 505 Data-Driven Decision and Strategy (3 credits)

- BDA 505 Predictive Analytics and Forecasting (3 credits)

- BDA 505 Data Visualization and Communication in Business Analytics (3 credits)

- BDA 505 Emerging Topics in Business Data Analytics (3 credits)

MS Organizational Leadership （Tampa only）

This program equips students with the skills and competencies to drive positive change and achieve strategic goals in both private and public sector organizations. The program blends leadership theory with practical application, preparing students to succeed in leadership roles at all levels. Coursework covers strategy development, business practices, organizational change, administration in healthcare, management-level thinking, and communication skills.To graduate, students need to complete 10 core courses (30 credits).

Core Courses (30 credits):

- BUS 576 Entrepreneurship, Creativity, and Innovation (3 credits)

- LAP 589 Capstone in Industrial and Organizational Psychology (3 credits)

- LAP 526 Psychology of Organizational Leadership (3 credits)

- BUS 503 Leadership & Organizational Behavior (3 credits)

- BUS 506 Ethical and Legal Issues (3 credits)

- RES 510 Research Methodology & Writing (3 credits)

- OBD 550 Culture of Learning Organizations (3 credits)

- OBD 551 Diversity and Inclusion in the Organizational Culture (3 credits)

- OBD 553 Organizational Effectiveness and Development (3 credits)

- PPA 503 Leadership of Public and Nonprofit Organizations (3 credits)

Enrollment Window

DBA Program：

	Semester Start Date	Application Deadline
Winter 2025	January 13/2025	December 30/2024
Summer 2025	May 12/2025	April 28/2025

MS Programs：

	Semester Start Date	Application Deadline
Winter 2025	January 13/2025	December 29/2024
Spring 2025	April 07/2025	March 24/2025
Summer 2025	June 30/2025	June 16/2025
Fall 2025	September 22/2025	September 08/2025

National Louis University (NLU) offers three terms each year, with enrollment windows available for each term. If you miss the deadlines, please contact us. We can assist in expediting your application process and help you get your offer and I-20 in 3-5 days.

* If you are an initial F-1 students, it is advisable to submit your application two weeks before the program start date. Otherwise, you need to submit your application at least eight weeks before the program start date.

Application Guide

How to apply and waive the application fee?

1. Start the Application: Fill out the form below to receive application instruction and visa advice.

As an official recruitment partner for NLU, we can provide you with premium processing for admission.

2. Submit Application Documents:

Academic Transcripts: official transcripts from all educational institutions you have attended, with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
Diploma: highest degree diplomas.
Resume: current personal resume. At least 3 years of full-time managerial or professional experience is required for the DBA program.
Foreign Transcript Evaluation: provide a foreign transcript evaluation (if applicable).
English Proficiency Test: can be waived if you hold a U.S. degree.
- TOEFL: 80 or above
- IELTS: 6.5 or above
- Duolingo: 105 or above
Financial Documentation: a bank statement within the past three months.
- Master's program: $32,000
- Doctoral program: $24,000
Two Letters of Recommendation: from your professors, supervisors, or colleagues.
Immigration Documentation:
- Copy of Passport
- Current I-94
- F-1 Visa (if applicable)
- Current I-20 (if applicable)
- I-797 Notice (if applicable)
- EAD Card (if applicable)
Goal statement: 2-page maximum.

*The admission process typically takes 2 weeks; contact us in urgent cases for premium processing, which can reduce the processing time to 1-3 days.

3. Interview: Attend an interview with a member of the program's Admission Committee.

4. SEVIS Transfer (for OPT students): After receiving your admission letter, reach out to DSO to coordinate the SEVIS transfer timing and complete the required forms to transfer SEVIS to National Louis University.