Doctor of Business Administration DBA

Program Overview

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program equips professionals with cutting-edge management and leadership skills. Through action-research, participants develop innovative solutions to real-world issues, enhancing their professional abilities and creating lasting organizational impact. The program fosters a community of peers, providing access to diverse research areas and opportunities for knowledge exchange. Graduates are prepared for senior management, consulting, research, and academia careers.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Participants will learn to operate in a reflective, reflexive, and constructive manner as world-level thought-leaders in their chosen domain of expertise.

Objectives:

• Develop original solutions to real-world issues.
• Further professional skills.
• Create novel, holistic, and research-led solutions for lasting organizational impact.

Program Description:

• Designed for senior professionals, researchers in commercial or public organizations, managers, entrepreneurs, consultants, and individuals seeking to refine their skills and knowledge.
• Focuses on action-research based on research emerging from a field of practice informed by academic knowledge.
• Provides opportunities to gain:
• The ability to combine practitioner and academic knowledge.
• Access to diverse areas of research.
• Membership in a community of peers for exchanging ideas and knowledge.
• The experience of implementing research projects and seeing their work recognized in their organization, profession, and academia.

Outline:

Year 1:

• Framing the study by building on the research proposal.
• Research Log: Maintaining a log of experiences throughout the program related to professional life.
• Modules:
• A structured review of research and leading professional practice literature.
• Challenging assumptions underpinning practice - Research Paradigms and Philosophies.
• Development of the Research Design – Preparation for Field Work/ Pilot Study.
• End Year 1 Residential.

Year 2:

• Operation of the Pilot Study and Development of Thesis.

Year 3 to Year 4 (Full-time) and Year 4 to Year 6 (Part-time):

• Complements and supplements learning.

Assessment:

• Individual assessments and presentations.
• Logs.
• Action learning sets.
• Thesis preparation and defense.

Teaching:

• Delivered through a mix of:
• Block sessions / formal lectures.
• Informal seminars.
• Tutorials.
• Workshops.
• Discussions.
• Supervisory sessions.
• E-learning platforms.
• Utilizes in-course situations for deeper learning and on-the-job skill development.
• Assessment methods include:
• Individual assessments/presentations.
• Logs.
• Action learning sets.
• Thesis preparation and defense.

Careers:

• Graduates are prepared for careers in various fields, including:
• Senior management positions.
• Consulting.
• Research and development.
• Academia.

Other:

• The program is shortlisted for the Postgraduate Award in the 2024 Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCAs), as voted for by students.
• The program combines academic knowledge with consultancy experience from diverse organizations.
• World expert leaders and practitioners share their experience and insights in the classroom.

2023/24 full-time and part-time tuition fees: £9,000 per year 2023/24 full-time and part-time tuition fees: £12,500 per year