DBA study

Transform your business: make an impact

The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) programme is cohort-based, with groups of up to 10 candidates mentored throughout their research degree by an expert academic team.

The DBA is designed for practising managers with the experience and roles to facilitate impactful change within their organisations as a result of their research.

Whilst the programme contains some taught elements designed to enhance your research skills and capabilities, the final award of the Doctorate is based on a portfolio of original research, presented in a thesis.

Is the DBA right for me?

If you are a practicing manager the DBA could well be the ideal programme for you, as it will allow you to combine your professional experience with your studies. Working at a pace that suits you, the DBA can support you in facilitating research-led impactful change inside your organisation. Your final award is based on a portfolio of work, presented in a doctoral thesis. We will support you through taught elements and from the outset you will have a supervision team. The DBA is located within the Centre for Business in Society, one of the University’s dedicated research centres and you will become a part of our community of doctoral/postgraduate researchers.

The DBA process

Your DBA journey will go through three important phases, each designed to add an additional layer to your final submission.

Phase one (12-24 months)

Creating the foundation for the DBA: establishing the research question, context, literature review and methodology.

Phase two (12-24 months)

Conducting the research: one or several practical focused projects.

Phase three (12-24 months)

Assembling the thesis: critical reflection on research findings, implementation and observation of 'change'.

Applications

To be considered for the DBA you must apply through the University’s research admissions process.

The application process includes an explanation of the subject area likely to form the focus of the studies leading to the final research thesis, showing how your own experiences, roles and career plan underpin this selection. At this stage you are also expected to submit a proposal so that we can best align our experts with your expectations. 

Candidates will need to produce evidence of their academic qualifications and professional experience. You will need to have two references, plus evidence that funding is secure for the fees and that a practitioner mentor has been selected.

Short-listed candidates will be interviewed before a place on the programme is recommended.

• Candidate requirements

  Candidates must have:

  1. a postgraduate Master’s degree with Merit or above, or with a minimum overall average mark of 60% or above, in a relevant discipline/subject area and a minimum mark of 60% in the project element or equivalent; OR
  2. a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a relevant discipline/subject area, or an approved equivalent award, with a minimum mark of 60% in the project element or equivalent; OR
  3. appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level, which has resulted in published work, written reports or other appropriate evidence of achievement.

  Additional requirements are that candidates:

  1. have a minimum of five years’ practitioner experience in a relevant field;
  2. are undertaking a role within an appropriate setting that will allow the implementation of innovation and change necessary to meet the requirements of the programme;
  3. have an identified mentor who is an experienced practitioner in a relevant field.