Masters Degrees (Dba)

Why take this course?

The DBA is our flagship programme in business and management at Portsmouth Business School. It has been designed for private and public sector management professionals who wish to advance their careers by studying and researching for a doctoral degree in business and management. It allows students to conduct applied, practice–oriented research on topics that are directly relevant to their employing organisations and provide benefits both for their own careers as well as for the employers.

DBAs are increasingly recognised as valuable alternatives to the traditional PhD doctoral research degree that is mostly much more theory-oriented and less applied to concrete organisational problems and needs. The DBA also includes an intensive taught phase that prepares students in considerable depth for the empirical research that they undertake – usually in the organisation where they are currently employed at a senior/executive level.

What will I experience?

The DBA offers students the opportunity to:

Experience a unique approach to intellectual inquiry emphasizing the integration of theory and practice
Conduct practice-oriented research
Contribute to applied management knowledge
Develop intellectually and personally as an individual, as an executive and as a contributor to the professional community
Gain a prestigious doctoral degree achieved through a rigorous, structured and comprehensive educational experience

What opportunities might ti lead to?

The DBA is aimed at Master’s or MBA-qualified postgraduates who wish to:

Take their management and professional development to new levels
Add to their professional body of knowledge
Further develop their own management careers

The research focus of the DBA addresses real business issues, with the results providing professional outcomes that are of direct relevance to your organisation. Research is both theoretical and practical. The DBA thesis is comparable to a PhD in terms of effort, rigor, contribution to knowledge, supervision and assessment.

Module Details

Our part-time programme involves between three and four years study and includes taught units, research methodology and action research. It is assessed by assignments primarily during year one (taught year), culminating in the final assessment of a doctoral level, research-based report.

The Portsmouth DBA comprises two key stages:

Year one: the taught component and assignment assessments.

Years two, three and four: the research component and final assessment.

A formal ‘Progression Board’, by which students should have successfully completed all first year assignments, denotes progression from stage one to stage two.

Part 1

This is the 'taught' component of the programme, which will equip students with the skills that they will need in preparation for Part 2. Part 1 consists of four units, namely:

Professional Review and Development: This unit will enable you to conduct a critical self-evaluation and identify your own learning requirements in relation to your doctoral programme of study and your own continuous professional development (CPD).

Advanced Research Techniques: This unit is key to your research practice and will allow you to successfully employ appropriate research theory and methodology in your own doctoral study and professional practice.

Publication and Dissemination: This unit focuses on output – analysing and critiquing publication and dissemination routes/methods within the field of business and management. It will cover both academic and professional dissemination in journals, books and conferences, as well as examine the need to communicate effectively with a range of professional groups.

Proposal for Professional Research and Development: This unit will enable you to reflect upon and consolidate prior learning and will underpin the preparation of a costed, coherent, realistic, achievable and well-argued proposal for a programme of professional research and development. This proposal must have been successfully completed in order to be approved by the formal Progression Board.

Part 2

You will study a research unit (Professional Research and Development) spanning years two, three and four. This will primarily involve supervision by your assigned DBA Supervisor and is overseen by the DBA Director, who will seek to ensure that timely progress is being made in the research, resulting in appropriate completion.

Programme Assessment

Our approach to learning is friendly, supportive and participative. The programme encourages active involvement and debate and fosters a lively exchange of ideas and knowledge. Our focus on application, rather than theory alone, is embedded throughout.

In year one, you will need to participate in the taught sessions, workshops and discussion forums and must be available to attend these. There is no attendance requirement in subsequent years, as your research is likely to comprise independent study in your own organisation, although regular meetings with your supervisor will be necessary.

Supervision and support is also a major component of the course. An allocated supervisor will guide and support you throughout your research programme and you will benefit from the ideas and learning experiences of your peers in what we call a ‘learning set’ (a small group of 3 or 4 peers who are at the same stage of DBA research as you).

Assessment is by coursework assignments at the end of the first year and students progress to the individual research phase after having passed the year one assessment. During the first taught year, students are allocated a mentor to help them develop their research topic in more depth and to prepare them for the research phase where they will be guided by a team of two academic supervisors over the following years.

Student Destinations

Your research will endeavour to make a significant original contribution to professional practice and theory relating to business and management. It will also challenge current assumptions and provide authoritative solutions, as well as influence and provide inspiration and leadership for others in the changing environment of professional practice.

Overall, the DBA is the highest level of professional and academic achievement inevitably leading to career growth in your current organisation and paving the way to further employment opportunities.

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The DBA is specifically designed for experienced practitioners in business, industry and the professions, who are seeking to engage in a part-time research-orientated programme of postgraduate study leading to the award of a professional doctorate. The DBA is regarded as being the same status as the more commonly known PhD and permits you to use the title of ‘Dr.’ upon satisfactory completion.

As a professional doctorate, the DBA consists of two Stages: Stage 1 a taught programme taken on a part-time basis over a two year period, followed by Stage 2, a research programme which you should aim to complete in a further two year period of part-time study although the maximum period of study is 7 years.

Stage 1 DBA Taught Programme consists of six taught modules, each being completed through a four day intensive workshop plus a period of private study both before and after the workshop. During Stage 1 you will develop critical and reflective skills at doctoral level, through the requirement to think conceptually, apply critical thinking, and reasoning skills and to challenge orthodoxy relating to the body of knowledge and research relating to Management and Organisation. Action learning is incorporated within the study sessions and is an important and distinctive feature of our DBA. You will work in sets or small development groups with fellow participants throughout the Programme and also develop your skills as a critical and reflective learner.

Stage 2 DBA Research Programme - as part of the development process of your DBA project, you will have worked with the DBA staff to agree a suitable supervisory team, including a Director of Studies. This team will work with you throughout Stage 2 helping you to design and implement your own particular DBA project. This will normally take two years working on a part-time basis although you may choose to work at a pace that requires more time and you may therefore take up to five years.

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The DBA is a professional doctorate programme specifically designed for senior managers and other professionals in private, public and non-profit organisations. You will develop a high level of independent and critical thinking, contributing cutting-edge knowledge through research in your field.

You will attend regular, intensive study workshops, that enable you to budget your time and focus your research effectively. You will be supported throughout the course by a network of like-minded students, as well as a high level of support from the teaching team and research supervisors.

See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/1115-doctor-of-business-administration-dba

What you will study

The delivery is described as ‘taught’ but at DBA level the delivery is much more about a process of engagement between the academic staff and the students. The programme is delivered over five taught workshops, attendance at which is compulsory.

On this course you will study five modules. These are:

- Module One: Developing the Doctoral Research Project (40 credits)
This module is designed to introduce you to doctoral-level research, having already submitted a detailed research proposal as part of the admissions procedure. This will be used as the basis of individual counselling and group work to refine the question and explore the theoretical and practical context of your proposed projects. In the assessment for this module, you will produce a comprehensive contextualisation of your research question. This will include a definition of the question, an introduction to the organisational context, and an introduction to the academic context, together with some consideration of a broad research approach.

- Module Two: The Theoretical and Practical Context for Doctoral Research (140 credits)
In this module, you will be introduced to the importance of setting an appropriate practical and theoretical framework in which to ground your research. In your assessment, you will be expected to set out the detailed practical context of your research, as well as produce a critical literature review. This will set out the background theories from which the academic context is drawn, together with the conceptual frames that will inform the thesis.

- Module Three: The Methodological Framework and Methods for Data Collection (40 credits)
Develop your understanding of the philosophy of research started in module one, and address these issues in more detail. In addition, you will be introduced to a variety of methods for data collection. You will be introduced to data analysis that will be addressed in more detail in module four. For the assessment, you will produce a paper of 10,000 words that clearly sets out and defends your chosen methodological position, as well as similarly setting out and defending your proposed methods for data collection. On successful completion of this module, and before the next module workshop, you will begin engagement with your main data collection.

- Module Four: Analysing, Interpreting and Reflecting on Findings (140 credits)
This workshop will focus on the analysis and presentation of findings in a critical and reflective manner. It is expected that you will have collected some of your data before this workshop, which at a minimum should take the form of a pilot study or may be more substantive data gathering. You will produce an assessment of 15,000-20,000 words that presents a clear analysis of your findings from the data. The exact structure will depend on factors such as the background methodology and the exact data collection and analysis techniques used.

- Module Five: The Nature of the Contribution to Knowledge and Professional Practice (180 credits)
The final module focuses on your contribution to professional and theoretical knowledge. In simple terms, this module is equivalent to the discussion and conclusion chapters of a traditional PhD.

Guidance will be given on what constitutes a contribution to knowledge, in terms of theory, method and practice. In addition, you will attend workshops on structuring your proposed contribution into a thesis. The notion of conceptual framing will be critically revisited to provide a theoretical context for the findings and to ensure you think about where your own work fits into the ongoing research agenda, rather than simply reflecting on what has gone before.

The assessment for module five is crucial to the success of the overall thesis. It forms the core of the DBA, clearly discussing the contribution to knowledge that your findings make to the academic and practical context in which the DBA has been situated.

Learning and teaching methods

The DBA will be delivered at our Treforest Campus over three day blocks, approximately every six months. The workshops will typically span a Thursday, Friday, Saturday to minimise disruption for students. These are supplemented by additional update days where students are recalled for meetings with supervisors and additional input where necessary. The taught workshops are spaced over approximately 30 months, with production of the final assessment document in the months following the final workshop.

Work Experience and Employment Prospects

Career enhancement to strategic levels in organisations is often sought by successful DBA candidates. DBA graduates have the ability to create and interpret new knowledge through original research. They produce first-class original research of publishable quality that sets them apart from other managers. This encompasses robust design, implementation, execution, and dissemination. This research also makes significant contributions to practice on many levels, within organisations, on an industry level, and on a policy level. Many of our graduates have progressed to senior positions in public sector, private sector, and academia.

Assessment methods

Each module results in the production of an assessed piece of work, the length of which varies depending on the module. For example, the assessment for module one will be in the region of 8,000 words, whereas that for module two may be as much as 20,000 words to reflect the depth of enquiry demanded by that module. In total, you will typically produce some 80,000 words throughout the programme. This is comparable with other methods of doctoral study. Your final examination will involve the submission of an 80,000 word thesis (combination of assignments) and a viva voce.

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The DBA is a broad and flexible research based programme incorporating six structured facilitated modules, a reflective-practice portfolio and a substantial research thesis. The DBA is a doctoral research degree that investigates real businesses and managerial issues via the critical review and systematic application of appropriate theories and research to professional practice. As well as having an applied research perspective, the DBA differs from a traditional PhD in that it includes a substantial knowledge element, as well as the development of a research thesis. The informed element of the DBA focuses on both philosophy and methods of advanced research. It places a particular emphasis on the participative and action-oriented processes relevant to applied doctoral study of this nature.

-A part-time professional doctorate with a broad and flexible research-based programme
-Explore management and organizational research interests in context with your professional role
-Investigate practice, policies and theories relating to management and organizational studies to an advanced depth
-Delivery and supervision by a highly supportive academic team
-Work to achieve the DBA over 4 years of part-time study (maximum 6)
-Attractive to professionals from private, public and third-stream organizations
-Has attracted participants globally
-Offers usually two entry opportunities each year
-Associated with the University’s Centre for Applied Business Research (CABR)

The world of business and commerce demands highly competent professionals – individuals who are equipped with the abilities to make key decisions and face strategic challenges head on. Such people need to be able to support their judgments with evidence-based data, resulting from being able to focus deeply and critically on the work they do, and bring measurable change to their organization. This is the role of the Doctorate in Business Administration.

The Doctorate in Business Administration (equivalent to the PhD) is the highest qualification achievable in Higher Education (Level 8). It is a natural choice for practising managers and senior professional practitioners who wish to pursue their academic, personal and career development beyond Masters Level (Level 7) through a rigorous and challenging programme of study and research. The DBA is aimed at those who want to make a difference to the way that management and professional practice in the fields of organisation and management will be developed in the future.

Course content

What is the programme about?
The programme is designed to give you the freedom to develop your own ideas and interests, whilst benefiting from the shared experiences of other participants through small study groups. The philosophy of the programme is based on the belief that this level of management education is based on three inter-related objectives:
-The provision of an academically challenging and stimulating curriculum.
-The application of the curriculum to an appropriate managerial and professional context.
-The development of an individual’s personal and professional effectiveness, and their continuing ability to be a successful reflective management practitioner.

The overarching aims are thus to:
-Enhance through the undertaking of a programme of research, the participant’s ability to question, analyse, critique and theorise and so develop their professional management practice.
-Provide sound training in the design, execution and analysis of research to enable the completion of a thesis and potentially other academic publications that represent original contributions to the practice of management and thereby business and management knowledge.
-Recognise the relationship between management research and the professional practice of management within business organisation.
-Facilitate and foster the ability to question and challenge received wisdom in business and management arena, and consider how learning is translated into management practice, and practice into business and management theory.
-Build a rich community of reflective business and management practitioners.

The dual strands of professional development and management research training offered by the DBA are designed to provide mutual enhancement of theory and praxis within the organizational learning experience.

How is the programme facilitated?
The course is organised as a 2 (years) plus 2 (years) award structure:

Years 1 & 2: Developing critical knowledge and contextualised understanding of; contemporary issues and challenges to management, and principles of research design. Advancing contemporary issues and challenges to management, and research methods and analyses. Research design, consisting of a ‘literature review’ that ‘reflects’ the participant’s developing line-of-inquiry, and the completion of the ‘research proposal’. There is also the development of the first stage ‘Reflective Practice-into-Theory’ Portfolio.

Years 3 & 4: The continued development of a ‘Reflective Practice-into-Theory’ Portfolio, and the research and development of an extended academic project (Thesis).

Other admission requirements

Practitioner experience
You must have senior management experience of at least 5 years pre- or post-Masters qualification. In exceptional circumstances, applicants without a Masters qualification will be considered where they have substantial compensating business and/or professional experience (a minimum of 10 years senior management experience), and, a high score first degree (Upper Second Class minimum) in an appropriate field (e.g. Business, Management, Organisation Studies), plus other relevant experience (e.g. research training) would be considered.

English language competency
The DBA is conducted in English, with the final thesis written and examined in English. Participants whose first language is not English or who have not already studied successfully in an English-speaking environment will be required to provide evidence of advanced proficiency in English. Recent minimum lELTS 7 will be required.

Initial research interest proposal
In conjunction with the initial inquiry form obtained from the award administrator a research proposal of approximately 1500-2000 words, indicating the academic and practitioner fields of proposed inquiry is to be submitted prior to any consideration of candidate’s suitability for the programme. This submission is important to determine the University’s adequacy to future supervise the prospective participant at the thesis research stage (years 3 & 4).

Candidates must be prepared to be called for discussion to explore their interest further.

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The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme at Northampton Business School is designed for motivated, high achievers who want to develop their research, analytical and critical thinking skills to the highest level. It is a part time programme that offers a new route to a doctoral qualification and is the highest qualification available in business and management. The DBA is a structured programme and will help you gain a strategic focus that will enable you to contribute to your own professional practice and the wider subject area. It will enhance your executive and professional practice through the application of management theories and rigorous research into real and complex issues in business and management.

Why complete the DBA?

The DBA offers the opportunity to study business issues in depth and to apply theoretical understanding to real situations through independent research. The development of advanced research skills provides the competences necessary to undertake the rigorous research required at this level. Candidates are enabled to make a contribution to both theory and practice in business and management. It enhances the capability to develop knowledge and theory, and their application.

Why complete the DBA at The University of Northampton?

You will already be well advanced in your career. However this DBA programme at Northampton Business School will enable you to differentiate yourself in the employment marketplace and to enhance your professional capabilities. You will build new networks and through development of your skills have opportunities to present at academic conferences and communicate your ideas to a wider audience. The DBA at Northampton Business School will develop your personal, consultancy and research skills in the context of rigorous and relevant research.

Course content

The five facilitated modules are:
-Principles of Research
-Advanced quantitative and qualitative data analysis
-Developing leadership in business research
-Reflecting on business practice
-Research thesis

Careers

You will already be well advanced in your career. Nevertheless, as the number of MBA holders continues to grow, the DBA enables you to differentiate yourself in the employment marketplace and to enhance your preparedness for higher level management and/or consultancy roles. The programme achieves this by developing your skills in thought leadership for organisational change and development, thereby building your capacity to address complex business problems of strategic significance through the creative and innovative application of scholarship.

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The Aston Executive DBA is a part-time distance learning doctoral programme designed so that senior professionals can advance their learning whilst still working in their existing roles. The Aston Executive DBA goes beyond theory. You will discover how to turn complex ideas into actions and become recognised as thought leaders in their field.

You will benefit from: 

• A unique research experience that can transform your career, organisation and development as an individual.
• A widely respected qualification that clearly demonstrates your credibility, insight and ability to innovate.
• Networking opportunities through a global cadre of highly experienced fellow Executive DBA participants to exchange ideas and experiences.

Programme Structure 

• Year 1 (up to two maximum): Research Methods Course and Qualifying Report
• Years 2-4 (up to six years maximum): Individual research project and submission of thesis/portfolio.

The Research Methods Course

All doctoral students undertake the taught Research Methods Course (RMC) as the foundation of their development as a professional researcher and this is undertaken in the first year of study (or the first two years in some circumstances).

The RMC is intended to provide you with all the skills that you require both to successfully complete your Executive Doctorate and to develop you as a "researching professional". The RMC is taught by expert staff in management research and is designed to lead to the development of your final research proposal and qualifying report, which is the conclusion of the RMC.

The programme begins with a week-long residential module taught together with full-time research students. On-campus attendance is compulsory. For Executive Doctorate participants the three subsequent research methods modules are delivered online via Aston University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Blackboard. DBA participants are welcome to attend workshops on campus should the days and times these are arranged be convenient to them.

Each of the Research Method Course modules is assessed through assignments that require students to link the concepts from that module to their own research project.

The RMC is designed to lead to the development of a Qualifying Report, a written document approximately 6,000 words in length which forms the basis for the final thesis. The Qualifying Report is has to be successfully completed before the student proceeds onto the next stage of the research project. 

Final Thesis 

The Aston Executive DBA is a part-time distance learning doctoral programme designed so that senior professionals can advance their learning whilst still working in their existing roles. The Aston Executive DBA goes beyond theory. You will discover how to turn complex ideas into actions and become recognised as thought leaders in their field.

You will benefit from: 

·        A unique research experience that can transform your career, organisation and development as an individual.

·        A widely respected qualification that clearly demonstrates your credibility, insight and ability to innovate.

·        Networking opportunities through a global cadre of highly experienced fellow Executive DBA participants to exchange ideas and experiences.

Programme Structure 

Year 1 (up to two maximum): Research Methods Course and Qualifying Report

Years 2-4 (up to six years maximum): Individual research project and submission of thesis/portfolio.

The Research Methods Course

All doctoral students undertake the taught Research Methods Course (RMC) as the foundation of their development as a professional researcher and this is undertaken in the first year of study (or the first two years in some circumstances).

The RMC is intended to provide you with all the skills that you require both to successfully complete your Executive Doctorate and to develop you as a "researching professional". The RMC is taught by expert staff in management research and is designed to lead to the development of your final research proposal and qualifying report, which is the conclusion of the RMC.

 

The programme begins with a week-long residential module taught together with full-time research students. On-campus attendance is compulsory. For Executive Doctorate participants the three subsequent research methods modules are delivered online via Aston University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Blackboard. DBA participants are welcome to attend workshops on campus should the days and times these are arranged be convenient to them.

Each of the Research Method Course modules is assessed through assignments that require students to link the concepts from that module to their own research project.

The RMC is designed to lead to the development of a Qualifying Report, a written document approximately 6,000 words in length which forms the basis for the final thesis. The Qualifying Report is examined by viva voce and has to be successfully completed before the student proceeds onto the next stage of the research project. 

Final Thesis 

The research project culminates in the submission of a final thesis of up to 80,000 words in length. The thesis must be successfully defended by viva voce before the degree can be awarded.  

The research project culminates in the submission of a final thesis of up to 80,000 words in length. The thesis must be successfully defended by viva voce before the degree can be awarded.  

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The University of Worcester’s Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a professional doctoral degree designed to enhance business leadership and professional practice. The programme is designed to provide an opportunity for business professionals to work creatively by analysing and synthesising research literature, and their own research evidence, to understand their own professional contexts more critically and to find solutions to key challenges in their working environment. In doing so it is envisaged that our students will become (and ultimately lead) communities of practice for their profession.

Differences from the PhD award

The Professional Doctorate award is distinct from the PhD award in the following respects:
• There is a considerable weighting given to a taught component which comprises an integral and key part of the programme, and the assessment of the taught component contributes directly towards the final award.
• The thesis produced by Professional Doctorate students will make an original contribution to knowledge within the relevant area or areas of professional practice.
The benefits of the DBA are both organisational and personal. Research-led insights are likely to impact greatly on practice; the professionals undertaking the DBA developing as a result.

Why Worcester?

Our DBA programme offers you:
• Academic rigor: gain a deeper understanding of your chosen subject area with a challenging combination of research training and supervised research.
• A wide variety of research interests: we have a strong mix of academics with a high degree of professional and personal experience enabling you to get the most out of both the taught and research element of your programme.
• Excellent supervision: benefit from a professional and challenging relationship with your supervisory team, drawn from experienced professionals working at the forefront of their disciplines.
• Resources: access to the University of Worcester’s virtual resources and to the state-of-the-art library facilities at the £60 million new library.
• Networking opportunities: because of the way that the taught element is structured and organised, the programme offers the enrichment opportunity of working alongside health and education professionals, forming a ‘community of practice’.

The benefits to your organisation

• Access to vital ‘cutting edge’ thinking.
• The ability to significantly enhance your organisation’s innovative capacity.
• The opportunity to offer senior business professionals the chance for further career development.

Course aims

The DBA Programme aims to develop business professionals’ ability to integrate rigorous academic/critical analysis with practical relevance and application to enable them to become more effective evidence-based practitioners and to contribute to the development of their profession through the furtherance of knowledge.

Course delivery

The Professional Doctorate is designed for busy working professionals so the taught programme begins with a one-week workshop followed by ten in depth teaching blocks delivered either by face-to-face meetings or by virtual tutorial, delivered over an 18 month period, to complement your workload.
The taught programme is shared across our three Professional Doctorate Programmes, therefore offering you the opportunity to work alongside professionals in the health and education disciplines.
Although the delivery is described as ‘taught’, at DBA level the delivery is about a process of professional critical engagement between academic staff and participants. The learning process includes lectures, facilitated discussions and participant presentations, as well as online interaction and workshops focusing on aspects of professional culture and the research process. These activities are informed not only by knowledge and skills relevant to the modules, but are importantly based around the research questions and issues brought to the programme by those involved.
The research stage of your programme usually takes 2-3 years to complete and will culminate in the production of a 50,000word thesis that will be examined by viva voce. It is expected that you will commence the thesis stage of the programme following notification that you have passed the taught element of the programme. Your research may be suitable for publication, as journal articles or a book.

Module summary

• The Researching Professional
The purpose of this module - stretching across the length of the taught component of the professional doctorate - is to consider, in a holistic sense, the nature of ‘knowledge’, its generation and management in various contexts, and the relationship of this to your professional culture, identity and role. The multiple factors - at a macro, meso and micro level - which shape knowledge and organisational cultures will be critically explored. How knowledge is constructed and used, as well as how evidence and research informs, shapes and reshapes practices and professional self-identity within this, will all be critically evaluated within this module.

• Project Development, Planning and Management
This module develops further the rationale for your doctoral research project, drawing appropriately on relevant literature, conceptual or theoretical frameworks and methodological approaches. A key aspect of the module is a focus on the practical aspects of conducting a piece of research. Specifically the module will equip you with the knowledge, skills and capabilities to plan, initiate, manage and write your doctoral research project.

• Research Methods and Design
This module will reflect on the variety of methods available to complete doctoral level research. You will discuss relevant and appropriate knowledge and skills required, including literature searching at doctorate level, critical reading, identifying and defining the research question, methodological and analytical processes involved in completing the research process, and research ethics associated with particular methods. You will be introduced to a variety of research methods dependent on the interests, circumstances and expertise of the participant cohort. Throughout this module, you will have the opportunity to compare and contrast research paradigms and approaches, consider the implications for your own research question and develop a design, including the formation of a research question.

How to apply

We are now recruiting for a January 2018 start. All applicants must complete the application form http://www.worc.ac.uk/professionaldoctorate and submit this to the University of Worcester’s Research School. The deadline for applications is 31 October 2017 with interviews being held at the end of November.

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Course Description

The DBA is designed to improve business and managerial practice by developing the personal, intellectual and academic abilities of participants through a research-based project. It has a strong and committed focus on managerial and professional practice, and seeks to link the rigorous study of work-based problems and issues to personal and professional development. It thereby ensures the transfer of learning into organisational and managerial practice. 

The Doctorate of Business Administration has the same academic standing as a PhD. It is similarly a research-based qualification; participants can therefore expect a challenging, stretching and demanding experience conducted in a stimulating atmosphere of intellectual and academic debate. 

The DBA encourages participants to challenge currently assumed knowledge and understanding of management. We support individuals’ commitment to finding new, innovative and personal responses to their organisational and managerial roles. 

Nottingham Business School’s DBA provides a supportive environment, encouraging networking between peers, academics and guest speakers. 

Nottingham Business School’s DBA demands commitment, energy and hard work. In return it offers a stimulating and enjoyable development experience with the award of an increasingly valued and valuable qualification. 

Visit the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) page on the Nottingham Trent University web site for more details!

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The Swansea Business School part-time DBA is an exciting opportunity for experienced managers to further their qualifications, combining research and practical reflective activities.

The DBA offers a relevant and manageable doctorate for managers who may feel the traditional PhD is not relevant to their career needs and ambitions.

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a professional doctorate which provides a structured programme of study through taught modules, closely integrated with an individual’s professional career development. It is widely recognised as the pinnacle of qualifications in the world of business and management. This DBA programme is designed to meet the needs of professionals working in Business Administration and Management related areas in the UK and international markets.

The programme is open to candidates who have at least three years recent and relevant management experience. It aims to provide students with both a thorough grounding in the philosophy, principles and practice of business administration and management research, and a critical understanding of key contemporary and global issues affecting all types and sectors of business. The term business is used in its widest sense as this degree may also be undertaken by those who work in social enterprises, voluntary and not-for-profit organisations.

The programme has two parts, and is composed of taught modules and a doctoral-level work-based research project. The element of reflection on professional practice distinguishes the professional doctorate from the award of a PhD.

Key Features

A collaboration between world leading practitioners and top academics

Powerful award-winning online social learning experiences

Live discovery events, held once a semester

A dedicated research centre to support your thesis

Limited places to maximise engagement

Every semester you will spend two to three days discovering things about yourself, complexity and the world around you at live events.

These events are designed to extend theory, concepts, frameworks and practice through the use of spaces that connect you and what you learn to the wider world.

Modules

The award of DBA is made on the successful achievement of 540 credits at Levels 7 and 8.

Part One*:

Candidates will study three compulsory modules of research methods:

Approaches to Research and Academic Communication
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research Methods
and three compulsory modules from:

Visions for the Future – Theoretical Perspectives on Management
Strategic Change and Organisations
Managing in Complex Environments: Strategies, Insights and Solutions
Entrepreneurial Perspectives
*advanced standing may apply for candidates with extensive research methods training or who have completed a relevant programme of study on the equivalent level.

Part Two:

This element comprises a taught module, Preparing for Doctoral Research and a work-based research project at doctoral level of 60,000 words.

Research is focused on workplace practice, enabling advanced practitioners to undertake a doctoral programme whilst also making a significant contribution to their own professional practice as well as their organisation’s development.

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Our Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) course is intended to assist career professionals who wish to enhance, contribute to and transform practice. It is a professional doctorate completed on a part-time (Executive) basis. An internationally established highest level qualification, the programme enables you to earn the title of Doctor without putting your career on hold.

The programme will enhance your professional capabilities, credibility and standing, and you will contribute to practice through action research.

What's covered in the course?

In the first half (the structured phase) of the programme you will attend on a ‘block delivery’ basis, which allows you to focus on one part of the course at a time.

The DBA is designed to help you apply action research-based thinking to ideas in practice and work, or practice based problems whilst deepening and broadening your understanding of application to professional practice.

You will also develop essential research skills which will enable you to play a leading role in strategic and operational development, policy formation and evaluation in practice.

Our DBA is aimed at enhancing the level of professional capabilities and credibility of practicing professionals, and the research undertaken on the programme is focused on contributing to, and transforming, practice.

The course combines workshops, research based activities and a substantial research enquiry thesis.

Why Choose Us?

• On our programme you will gain a professional focus and practice based experience of action research and its application to practice, ensuring you are equipped to make an impact in or accelerate your career or standing.
• You will have the opportunity to work in conjunction with our thought-provoking supervisors who will guide you to gain specialist insight into your chosen field(s).
• Your study will be based in our state-of-the-art City Centre Campus, ideally located in the UK’s second city, which is one of Europe’s largest cities.
• Candidate support is at the forefront of our approach, with everything designed to give you the skills you need to succeed.

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Are you a senior manager, consultant or entrepreneur who wants to draw together both the theoretical and practical aspects of leadership and managerial experience? Designed to enable you to develop professional practice, theoretical understanding and reflexive capability, the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) is a high level, innovative qualification and an alternative route if you wish to research your professional practice at doctorate level.

Key features

Enjoy being central to the progress of the course - the DBA assumes that your organisation and society are continually changing, and will relate these issues to wider theoretical questions.

Further your understanding of leadership and change and, through the study of specific situations, make general conclusions about practical problems.

Develop a creative mind in relation to individual perspectives and organisational contexts.

Benefit from direct involvement with the Plymouth Graduate School of Management research community.

Gain new perspectives and learn precise methodological approaches that add value in terms of effectiveness, capability and efficiency.​

Course details

You will undertake an individual research project drawing on your practical experience and theoretical frameworks. Initially there is an emphasis on close direction through workshops, presentations and written papers. On the basis of the written papers and a research proposal, the second phase involves the completion of a thesis. You will be expected to concentrate on an issue directly related to your workplace, such as solving a problem or identifying new operational procedures. Before you start your thesis, you’ll agree your area of research with the University, individual student and any other participating organisations. Individual tuition and supervision will be available to you for the duration of the programme.

Applying

The University aims to make the application procedure as simple and efficient as possible. Our Postgraduate Admissions and Enquiries team are on hand to offer help and can put you in touch with the appropriate faculty if you wish to discuss any programme in detail. If you have a disability and would like further information about the support provided by Plymouth University, please visit our Disability Assist Services website. Support is also available to overseas students applying to the University from our International Office via our how to apply webpage or email [email protected].

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Our DBA is designed to enable high performing professionals to stimulate organisational development and contribute to wider debates in their field. Participants become active members of our research community. Members of this community are true practitioner-researchers who aim to develop strategic practice and contribute to wider debates associated with the contemporary issues impacting in their field.

Why Study Doctor of Business Administration with us?

Our DBA participants become active members of our research community. Members of this community are true practitioner-researchers who aim to develop strategic practice and contribute to wider debates associated with the contemporary issues impacting in their field.

The Faculty has a strong track record of facilitating organisational development across sectors. You can fast track your doctoral journey by getting recognition for your previous Master’s-level achievements. You can target strategic workplace issues and challenges for organisational and even sectorial change and benefit. You can contribute to and engage with our growing doctoral and researcher community. You will be able to network with researchers recognised as creating world-leading research (Research Excellence Framework 2014).

It is expected that participants will apply for the Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning for the first stage of the doctoral course: An MBA or equivalent Master’s award in the area of business, leadership or management.

What will I learn?

Our researchers engage in research training to negotiate and build their expertise before undertaking a major study. Specifically, you will focus on a theme in the area of business, leadership or management.

How will I be taught?

In order to become an effective practitioner-researcher who is able to develop strategic practice and contribute to wider debates, you will undertake a combination of workshops, high-level critical reflection and sustained independent self-directed study.

How will I be assessed?

This will be negotiated with the tutor but generally involves a portfolio and written assignments, followed by a research project. There are no written examinations.

Postgraduate Visit Opportunities

If you are interested in this courses we have a number of opportunities to visit us and our campuses. To find out more about these options and to book a visit, please go to: https://www1.chester.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/postgraduate-visit-opportunities

Request a Prospectus

If you would like to know more about the University please request a prospectus at: http://prospectus.chester.ac.uk/form.php

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The Durham DBA is an executive doctoral programme for motivated, high achievers who want to develop their research, analytical and critical thinking skills to the highest level. The Doctorate in Business Administration is structured around a research project driven by the individual, with a focus on practical application in the business environment.

-Develop the highest level thinking and research
-Present your findings at conferences globally
-Contribute to your own professional practice

The programme is offered on a flexible part-time basis and takes from 4 to 6 years:

Years 1 and 2

YEARS 1 and 2 comprise five taught modules delivered at the School:
1. The Ecology of Organisations
2. Power, Control and Resistance in Organisations
3. Change in Organisations
4. Leadership in Organisations
5. Research Design Workshop: Part 1 / Theory into Practice: Part 2

-Assessment is by individual written assignment for Modules 1-4.

-Between Modules 4 and 5 you will develop your research proposal.

-The individual written assignment for Module 5 has a 10,000 maximum word count.

Years 3 to 6

YEARS 3 to 6 comprise individual supervised research and study.
-Qualitative and Quantitative Groups: You attend regular research visits to give you the opportunity to meet your supervisor/module leader for teaching, guidance and advice.
-Academic Progression Reviews: Formal progress reviews are scheduled to ensure you are making satisfactory academic progress. -There is no formally assessed work to be completed for a research visit; it is assumed you will be self-regulating by the time you reach this phase.
-The final thesis has a 60,000 maximum word count.

Throughout your studies you’ll develop your research, analytical, conceptual and critical thinking skills to the highest level. You’ll also gain a strategic focus that will enable you to contribute to your own professional practice and the wider subject area.

Research Seminar Programme

Throughout your studies you’ll have access to specialist training opportunities. These sessions provide the opportunity for you to meet with visiting researchers and work closely alongside Durham’s academic faculty. Additionally, you will be supported to present your research findings at other universities, research institutes and international conferences

Resources

In addition to Durham University’s libraries, the Business School library houses extensive specialist loan and reference collections of business, finance and management books; doctoral, MBA and Masters dissertations; a complete collection of Business School working papers and offers access to over 10,000 journals online.

You’ll be able to access up-to-date journal, financial and market research information, from sources such as FAME, Mintel, IMID, European Business asap and Pro-Quest. There’s also a wide range of information available via online databases, including: Emerald, FAME, Mintel, Lexis-Nexis, Reuter's Business Insight, and Datamonitor Business Information Centre.

Comprehensive IT facilities

Durham University’s IT service offers access to everything you’d expect to find in a leading business school including: Computer Centre open 24/7, fully IT-integrated classrooms, dedicated IT helpdesk and DUO – the University’s virtual learning environment.

Space to study

We’ve created an excellent setting for both individual and group study, including a dedicated doctoral research area.

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Overview

Our rigorous professional doctorate programme gives you the opportunity and resources to explore key issues you and your organisation face – and to take the lead on developing solutions, innovations and improvements. You can choose to study part-time, while continuing to work.

Here at Lord Ashcroft International Business School, industry professionals, academic specialists and students collaborate on research and teaching programmes.

The knowledge we generate furthers academic understanding, while providing real value to our industry partners. It’s very much in this spirit that we've created our Professional Doctorate in Business and Management.

During stage one of the programme, you’ll refine your research proposals and skills during a series of weekend workshops, while researching and writing academic papers as the basis for your portfolio. Moving on to stage two, you’ll research and develop your dissertation, with extensive support from our experienced academic staff and practitioners in the field.

Our strong links with industry provide excellent opportunities for research studies, and if you choose to study part-time while working, you can use your own workplace as the focus for your dissertation.

Supervision and support

We can accommodate most research proposals in business, management or interdisciplinary subjects, so please feel free to get in touch to discuss your ideas. Here’s an overview of our main specialisms.

- Economic paradigms, models and methodologies
- International trade and foreign direct investment
- Entrepreneurship and SME internationalisation
- Innovation, knowledge and information economies
- Global people management
- Organisational change management
- Public service change management
- Leadership
- Sustainable tourism

You’ll have use of our campus libraries with online databases containing all the main business and management journals, plus our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) through which you can access study resources and help.

Your faculty

The Lord Ashcroft International Business School is one of the largest business schools in the East of England, with nearly 100 full-time teaching staff and approximately 6,000 students from more than 100 countries.

Our striking and award-winning business school building in Chelmsford, as well as new buildings in Cambridge, offer the most advanced learning technologies. We’re well-recognised for our centres of excellence by students, employers and professional bodies alike.

What makes us stand out is that our courses don't just give you sound academic knowledge – they’re at the cutting edge of current business practice and highly relevant to employers. This is owing to the close links we have with the business community and the partnerships we've developed with a wide variety of businesses and public service organisations.

We're interested in people who are confident, ambitious and ready to take the challenge of making a difference in the world of business. If that's you, we'd love to hear from you.

http://www.anglia.ac.uk/lord-ashcroft-international-business-school

Where can I study?

Chelmsford - http://www.anglia.ac.uk/student-life/life-on-campus/chelmsford-campus
Our striking, modern campus sits by the riverside in Chelmsford's University and Innovation Quarter.

Cambridge - http://www.anglia.ac.uk/student-life/life-on-campus/cambridge-campus
Our campus is close to the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.

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About the course

In the current business climate, it is increasingly important for business managers and leaders to update and advance their business knowledge and skills. The Doctor of Business Administration offers the opportunity for those with an enthusiasm for learning to gain a professional doctorate, the highest level of professional qualification available in business and management. Drawing on the work of international experts in our Business School you will learn about the latest management techniques and research methods. Whatever your subsequent career, the skills and knowledge you gain will be an asset to you and help you to improve the effectiveness of your organisation and those who work in it.

The DBA is undertaken on a part-time basis and typically takes five years to complete. It is organised around four 2-day learning workshops a year, facilitated by internationally renowned practitioners and researchers who offer contrasting perspectives on management philosophy, organisation development and methodology in management research. These structured workshops both underpin the individual programme of research that participants undertake as a key part of their studies whilst also allowing for continuous peer review and engagement.

The study route is part-time. Attendance at four weekend (Friday and Saturday) workshops per year. There is no taught element to the DBA. The programme of study is organised around four 2-day (Friday and Saturday) facilitated learning workshops a year.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for the School’s professional doctorate, the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA), please contact the programme directors, Dr. Moira Calveley [email protected]

Please also include an outline of your research proposal with your application. Members of academic staff will advise on the length and scope of the proposal.

Download an application form - http://www.herts.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/31105/uh-application-form.pdf

Applications should be returned to the Doctoral College [email protected].

Why choose this course?

- Gain a professional doctorate, the highest professional qualification in business management

- Benefit from the knowledge of our international experts and renowned practitioners and researchers

- Develop an in-depth knowledge within your area of professional expertise

Careers

The DBA offers the opportunity to progress beyond Master's level to gain the highest level of professional qualification available in business and management. Participants will not only increase their effectiveness as managers, but bring added benefits to their organisations from their learning and research outputs.

Teaching methods

We offer a varied programme of learning that includes facilitated seminars, practical workshops, web-based learning, case study analysis and traditional lectures. We also provide sessions by visiting staff, practitioners and consultants to give a varied perspective of the topics covered.

You will be supported throughout your studies by a supervisory team who will advise you from the time you register until you complete your Doctorate.

You will undergo two progression assessments on the programme to monitor and advise on the development of your research and a final assessment for the Doctorate.

The final submission must contain a written document that presents and defends a thesis. A thesis is an intellectual position capable of being maintained by argument.

A submission may also contain other works on which the thesis and its defence are based.

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