What Is The MBU Doctorate Of Business Administration?
DBA – 3 to 5 years
The program leading to the award of Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) has a primary purpose of developing expert specialty skills, knowledge and research acumen to practicing professionals as well as students who seek to make a contribution to the knowledge of management, business and commerce. The DBA program provides opportunities for well qualified applicants to study in-depth, the changing business and management frontiers in the 21st century. During this three to five year program, DBA students will explore new dimensions in this field and make their own unique contribution to new trends and knowledge in this domain. The emphasis is on interdisciplinary understanding, creative problem-solving and the identification and research of a unique business/management topic.
The MBU Doctoral Program is expected to be completed within 3 to 5 years of part-time study; the program must be completed within a five year period.
Program Structure
The core of the program begins with a Research Methods and Project Design course which provides the necessary skills and understanding to launch the process of developing a thesis idea, and carry out relevant research using solid qualitative and/or quantitative methods. Throughout the program, each DBA candidate is supported by a Thesis Advisor who serves as a mentor and expert in the selected content area. The research methods course includes a focus on academic writing through a series of practical exercises that will provide the essential skills for successful written communication during the writing of the DBA thesis.
Program Outline
The program consists in the following stages:
MBU Research Methodology and Project Design Course:
Following admission to the MBU Doctoral Program, within the first year, candidates will be asked to attend sessions of the MBU Research Methodology and Project Design course, mentioned above, to ensure that candidates are well-versed in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, the philosophical approaches in research as well as begin with the design of their research project. This course is in two parts, the first is to be undertaken during the first year of the DBA program (a one-week session). During the second year, an additional one-week session is required (these sessions represent 30 hours of instruction annually). Students should expect to do extensive reading on research methods in general and specifically on the topic of their research.
In addition to the Research Methodology and Project Design course, students may be required to take complementary courses from the master’s list depending on their previous academic background.
Thesis Proposal
Candidates are required to submit a Research Proposal of 2’000 words explaining the motivation behind the research, its context, the hypothesis, initial research plan and potential contribution to business and management research to the Academic Director and MBU President who will then appoint a Thesis Advisor.
Appointment Of Thesis Advisor
Each candidate will be assigned a highly qualified faculty member as Thesis Advisor who is available for direct contact and guidance for up to 50 hours throughout the DBA research study. This is an essential component of the DBA since the Thesis Advisor is the essential coach and support for the DBA candidate. Thesis Advisors are appointed on the basis of their expertise in the chosen field of the research and in addition, on their skill in coaching and guiding DBA candidates through the research process.
Knowledge Contribution
The following are the essential criteria for the completion of the DBA:
DBA candidates will have submitted work that contributes to the knowledge of business and management by engaging issues and questions that are original, or by making original arguments and claims relative to on-going debates or questions. Creativity and novelty are therefore paramount.
DBA candidates will have submitted work that contributes to the enhancement of the professional practice of management in general and in particular by adopting the role of or acting as consultant or problem solver relatively to their professional situation.
DBA candidates will have submitted work that enhances the imparting and sharing of management knowledge by devising original educational systems and training methods to this effect.