Business Administration (DBA) Doctor of
- Level(s) of Study: Postgraduate research / Professional
- Start Date(s): October 2023
- Duration: Four years, part-time
- Study Mode(s): Part-time
- Campus: City Campus
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Entry Requirements:
More information
Introduction:
The Nottingham Business School (NBS) DBA is a part-time doctorate designed for senior professionals in industry and academia to advance their practice whilst working in their existing roles. Offering a diverse balance of industry and academic practice, it is designed to leverage careers and/or make the transition into the highest levels of academia.
Our DBA is designed to improve your business and managerial practice through the development of your personal, intellectual and academic abilities, via a major academic research project. Your research will make academically recognised contributions to your chosen fields, thus providing private and public sector organisations with doctoral-level research outputs that make an impact in terms of policy and practice.
The programme has an innovative course structure allowing you to have the option of submitting your work in the form of conventional documents (route A) or in the style of academic papers (route B). The course team and supervisory team will work with you to ensure that you understand the different routes and options available to you based on your career aspirations and interests.
The DBA is designed for you to:
- explore the relationship between theory and practice, between understanding the world and changing it.
- develop your judgement, foresight, and problem analysis by applying theoretical and forensic skills to the research material derived from their investigations.
- develop you as a reflective practitioner who has the intellectual and personal adaptability to be able to deal with organisational change and ambiguity.
- develop communication skills which will enable you to communicate effectively with both academic and managerial and business communities, and to act as interpreters between the two.
- help you design and implement a research project at the boundaries of knowledge in your professional and managerial fields and thus make a contribution to academic knowledge and professional practice.
Join our internationally-recognised research community
NBS is committed to excellent research which combines academic rigour with beneficial impact on social, economic and societal welfare, as well as informing the design and delivery of the School’s degree programmes. The School continues to underpin its strong and positive trajectory in research capacity and performance by further strengthening its infrastructure of support for researchers at all levels. NBS is a School where researchers can reach their full potential and where the alignment of individual and collective success is fostered and celebrated.
If you are determined to transform your organization, and to challenge the current “industry norm”, talk to the Centre for Business and Industry Transformation for a transformational-focused DBA.
Nottingham Business School have both EQUIS and AACSB accreditation.
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Our DBA is a prime example of how we enable individuals to achieve respected qualifications while undertaking research that's focused on, and beneficial to, their organisations and sectors. -
We have worked with participants from many prestigious private and publication organisations including CapGemini Iberia, the United Nations, Nova Business School, the Oman Embassy in the US and KPMG.
What you’ll study
Our DBA demands commitment, energy and hard work. In return you will be provided with a stimulating and life-enhancing development experience with the award of an increasingly valued qualification.
Document 1: Introduction to the DBA & Project Scoping (20 credits)
The purpose of this module is to prepare you for working towards your doctorate degree, either the traditional document based (route A) or the academic paper based (route B). This includes scoping the overall shape of your DBA research project. The word scoping has been deliberately chosen because it suggests an indicative design rather than detailed specification of research methods and literature review; tasks that will be done later in the DBA. You will learn the importance of conducting research in an ethical way and obtaining approval for your project. You are encouraged to consider how your research might impact upon your organisation and key stakeholders, profession, wider policy and your own personal development. You will be required to start completing a learning log to support this element of the DBA and revisit this throughout your studies.
This module is a 3 day workshop containing 21 hours of class contact. The workshop material will be delivered through a combination of lectures, syndicate discussions and individual tasks. Study will also be supported by tutorials with supervisors and feedback from supervisor(s) on draft written work.
Document 2: Introduction to the Literature Review & Conceptual Development (40 credits)
During this module you will build an understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of your chosen field of research, develop an understanding of the principles of doing a literature review and acquire the skills required for the production of critical literature review. At a later more advanced stage, you will build on this literature review and further refine both your research questions and your conceptual framework. It emphasises the shifts in the modes of thinking that are necessary to integrate academic and professional perspectives.
This module is a 4-day workshop containing 28 hours of class contact. The workshop material will be delivered through a combination of lectures, syndicate discussions and individual tasks. Study will also be supported by tutorials with supervisors and feedback from supervisor(s) on draft written work.
Students on the conventional document based route will be expected to produce a 6-8000 word critical literature review. Students on the academic papers route will also be expect to produce a 6-8000 word, critical literature review, but presented in the form of an academic paper that meets the requirement of a selection academic journal.
Document 3: Introduction to Research Methodology (including pilot study) (60 credits)
In this module you will set out your design for a piece of research that is original, ethical and significant i.e. likely to impact positively on identified practitioner and scholarly communities, and test it through a pilot study. In the document, you will propose a research design that flows from the earlier two pieces of assessed work. You are required to make an informed choice about the epistemological and methodological position that you intend to pursue in the empirical part of your studies. This will lead to detailed discussion in the document about:
- how you envisage carrying out data collection for the body of the study (what research design will you employ?)
- who you plan to engage with in order to maximise impact?
- when the data will be collected? i.e. over what timespan and what methodologies and analytical techniques are envisaged in order to achieve this?
You will be required to collect and analyse some data (similar to a pilot study) in order to assess the effectiveness of your proposed research strategy and to begin to address your overall research questions. The document will also include reflection on the initial data collection, and any adaptations that were made to the approach taken for the main body of the project. The module will cover methodological & philosophical understanding, impact planning and the technical aspects of quantitative / qualitative fieldwork, including methods, access, research ethics (ethical approval prior to collecting data will be required), research philosophy and data analysis. An impact plan, as part of the document, which draws upon the learning log will be included. This will reflect on the process of designing the fieldwork and the anticipated impact the fieldwork might have on personal development, academic and non-academic audiences.
This module is a 5 day workshop containing 35 hours of class contact. The workshop material will be delivered through a combination of lectures, syndicate discussions and individual tasks. Study will also be supported by tutorials with supervisors and feedback from supervisor(s) on draft written work.
The module will be assessed via a self-contained write up of the pilot study, covering a summary of literature, detailed information on research methodology and data collection and conclude with initial analysis of the pilot study in relation to answering the research questions. For the students on the conventional document route, this will be in the form of a 8-10000 word document. For students on the academic paper based route, assessment will be in the form of a conference paper.
Below is the structure for the new DBA:
Document 4: The Thesis (300 credits)
Phase 2 is supported by 3 further workshops that are designed to help you bring together and build upon the work you have undertaken in Documents 1-3.
This module is designed to help you bring together and build upon the work you have undertaken in Documents 1-3. You will learn how to further refine the scope of your research project and how to design and implement a rigorous research strategy that enables you to address your identified research questions. You will further develop and update your literature review and your conceptual framework and collect and analyse primary data in an appropriate and ethical manner. You will be guided in how to develop an original thesis that makes a contribution to academic knowledge and a fully developed discussion on the impact your doctoral journey has had on you both personally and professionally. This will include a detailed consideration of the impact on professional practice your study has enabled you to make. You will also be guided on how to write and present your thesis and how to participate in a viva voce examination.
You are required to attend all 3 workshops but can opt to attend the one most relevant to the stage you are at and join workshops run for later cohorts:
- The thesis stage and advanced literature review – 4 days
- Advanced methodology (qualitative or quantitative) – 3.5 days
- Reflection, impact, academic writing, submission & the viva – 5 days
The workshop material will be delivered through a combination of lectures, syndicate discussions, individual tasks. Study will also be supported by tutorials with supervisors and feedback from supervisor(s) on draft written work.
The award of the DBA will be on the basis of successful completion of the four pieces of assessed work:
| Document | Route A - Traditional | Route B - Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to the DBA and Project Scoping | 5,000 - 7,000 word research proposal & scoping document | 5,000 - 7,000 word research proposal & scoping document. |
| Introduction to the Literature Review & Conceptual Development | 6,000 - 8,000 word critical literature review | 6,000 – 8,000 word ‘review paper’ structured, critical literature review. |
| Introduction to Research Methodology (including pilot study) | 8,000 – 10,000 word research methodology including initial data collection and analysis | 8,000 - 10,000 word research methodology, development, conference paper, including initial data collection and analysis. |
| The thesis | 50,000 - 60,000 word standard thesis which is externally examined and accompanied by a viva voce examination | 50,000 - 60,000 word thesis consisting of two papers, introduction, methodology, conclusion, and data/evidence in Appendix, which is externally examined and accompanied by a viva voce examination. |
The assessment criteria for Routes A and B are the same and are explicitly linked to the module learning outcomes, which are mapped directly onto the programme learning outcomes. The difference between the assessments on Routes A and B relates to style in which the assessments are written to be appropriate for the chosen audience. Examination of your written thesis will involve a viva voce by an internal and external examiner with expertise relating to methodological aspects and/or the subject area of the thesis.
DBA students complete the programme over a four-year time-frame; the first 18 months are the introductory phase, while the following two and a half years represent the thesis itself. However, as part-time students, you have up to 8 years to complete your studies. As you are working on a professional doctorate, you are required to research issues relevant to your job or industry. It is expected that some of your academic work can be legitimately done as part of your employed work.
Don’t just take our word for it, hear from our students themselves
How you’re taught
Why study the DBA at Nottingham Business School?
The Doctorate of Business Administration is a research-based qualification and has the same academic standing as a PhD. As a student you can therefore expect a challenging, stretching, and demanding experience conducted in a stimulating atmosphere of intellectual and academic debate.
Our DBA aims to have a wider impact and real-world influence, enabling you to make an important contribution to society, culture and business. Project topics tend to focus on strategic issues that are present within the applicant’s organisation and are sufficiently complex to warrant a large-scale research study.
The NBS DBA is aligned to the level 8 of the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (FHEQ) and AACSB Standard 9. NBS is an active member of a number of international doctoral councils including the Arts & Humanities and the Health, Energy and Social Policy Research Council Doctoral Training Partnerships, Vitae, the ESRC Midlands Graduate School, the Executive DBA Council (EDBAC), the European Institute for Advanced Management Studies (EIASM) and the Association of Business Schools DBA Steering Group. Participation in these fora enable the programme leaders to network and influence initiatives pertaining to doctoral studies, such as the development of doctoral standards.
Type of study
Our DBA provides a distinctive approach to continuing personal and professional development. You will be expected to have regular contact with your supervisory team and produce work based on your own research in order to assess progress.
With a strong focus on managerial and professional practice; the DBA links rigorous study of work-based problems and issues to personal and professional development. This aids the transfer of learning into organisational and managerial practice.
You will take modules in research methodology, critical review and conceptual development. You will be expected to produce regular work based on your own research.
NBS Research Centres and Groups
As a DBA student at NBS you will benefit from a wealth of internationally-renowned research expertise in the form of academic supervisors and mentors. The School currently has three designated Research Centres and five Research Groups that our academics primarily operate within, and that you will have the opportunity to benefit from.
Research Centres
- Responsible and Sustainable Business Lab
- Centre for People, Work and Organisational Practice
- Centre for Economics, Policy and Public Management.
- Centre for Behavioural Sciences
- Centre for International Business Strategy and Decisions.
- Work, Informalisation and Place Research Centre
- Centre for Business and Industry Transformation
Research Groups
- Innovation, Digitization, Entrepreneurship and Operations
- Accounting and Finance
- Marketing and Consumer Studies
Supervision and Support
All students are encouraged to discuss any issues with their supervisor or DBA Programme Directors or their DBA Course Representative.
This usually consists of a Director of Studies (the person with the greatest expertise of the project) and a second supervisor. If you are collaborating with a company or institution you may also have a third supervisor.
Projects can be inter-disciplinary and draw on knowledge from two or more Schools. All students are encouraged to discuss any issues with their Professional Doctorate Course Leader and their Professional Doctorate Course Representative.
Our Doctoral School Administration Team will be your first point of contact for research degrees and will help you throughout the application process. If you are successful in your application, they will then be there to assist you throughout your period of study.
As a research student you will have access to a wealth of our services, including:
- Student Services
- International support
- Counselling
- Accommodation Service
- Health advice
- Disability support
- Faith support
- Careers Service.
Careers and employability
The DBA is designed to help you to leverage your careers and / or make a transition into the highest levels of academia. Through our programme, we offer senior managers, independent consultants and senior academics the chance to gain new, relevant insights that will inform and develop your own career profile and make a contribution towards the enhancement of business and/or professional practice.
We have worked with participants from many prestigious private and publication organisations including CapGemini Iberia, the United Nations, Nova Business School, the Oman Embassy in the US and KPMG, amongst others.
DBA tailored to corporate organisations
Our DBA is a prime example of how we enable individuals to achieve respected qualifications while undertaking research that's focused on, and beneficial to, their organisations and sectors. The course has been established since 1998, but in 2007 we launched the first cohort purely recruited from China. Students are taught in Nottingham while carrying out research in their organisations in China, which include major brands like Nike, Intel and Motorola.
Notable alumni
We like to keep in touch with all our past students to see what they have been up to over the years. Notable alumni for our DBA course include:
- Emmanuel Probst, Director, Media and Digital Instructor, Consumer Market Research at Kantar Millward Brown and UCLA
- Sue Shepherd, Director of East Midlands Major Trauma Network and East Midlands Spinal Network
Re:search Re:imagined
To us, research is about more than writing papers and proposing new ideas. By daring to think differently, we’re disrupting the research landscape and finding the answers to the questions that really matter. From ethics, innovation and entrepreneurship to behavioural science, we’re inspiring the brightest minds to rise up and find solutions to some of the most significant global challenges facing society.
Find out more: ntu.ac.uk/research
Campus and facilities
Entry requirements
- an MPhil, MBA or Masters-level degree in Business, Management or Organisation studies.
- a minimum of five years experience in a senior management post.
- the ability to conduct research and write a thesis at doctoral level.
Those without a Masters qualification but with significant work experience and evidence can undergo a process of Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning.
Applicants with non-standard entry requirements and / or relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis.
- an MPhil, MBA or Masters-level degree in Business, Management or Organisation studies.
- a minimum of five years experience in a senior management post.
- the ability to conduct research and write a thesis at doctoral level.
- International students must have an IELTS score of at least 6.5 with a minimum of 6.0 in all components.
- For a list of our language requirements please visit our English language page.
- If you’re not sure how your international qualification matches our course requirements please visit our international entry requirements page.
Those without a Masters qualification but with significant work experience and evidence can undergo a process of Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning.
Applicants with non-standard entry requirements and / or relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis.
Fees and funding
- Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 = £12,000 per year
- Years 5+ = £5,500 per year
- (there is no separate completion year fee)
The tuition fees and funding information below relates to courses starting between September 2022 and August 2023 entry. Fees for October 2023 are to be confirmed.
2022 entry
Funding
As part of the DBA course you will be have opportunity to apply for one a bursary. There are up to five bursaries available up to the value of £11,900 each year. The bursaries will cover your fees for the four years of the DBA programme, which should be completed by July 2025.
Please note that the application process is very competitive and your research will need to cover one of our research groups. This will be discussed with your academic mentor during your studies to ensure your research matches the group.
For further information on tuition fees, please contact the Doctoral School by telephone +44 (0)115 848 8123 or via email.
Postgraduate Doctoral Loans
The UK Government provides doctoral loans of up to £25,000 for students from England and Wales. The loans are not means-tested, this means that all eligible applicants may borrow up to the full amount.
Further information, including eligibility and repayment information, is available from GOV.UK or from Student Finance Wales.
- Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 = £12,000 per year
- Years 5+ = £5,500 per year
- (there is no separate completion year fee)
The tuition fees and funding information below relates to courses starting between September 2022 and August 2023 entry. Fees for October 2023 are to be confirmed.
2022 entry
Funding
As part of the DBA course you will be have opportunity to apply for a bursary. There are up to five bursaries available up to the value of £11,900 each year. The bursaries will cover your fees for the four years of the DBA programme, which should be completed by July 2025. The deadline of applying for DBA bursaries is 15 June 2021 and the deadline of applying DBA without bursaries is 15 July 2021.
Please note that the application process is very competitive and your research will need to cover one of our research centres. This will be discussed with the DBA academic directors during interview to ensure your research matches the research centre.
For further information on tuition fees, please contact the Doctoral School by telephone +44 (0)115 848 8123 or via email.
How to apply
All applicants are required to complete a application form, submit two copies of their qualifications and provide two confidential references.
For a step-by-step guide and to make an application, please visit our how to apply page.
Before completing the application form, please ensure that you read the Notes for Guidance carefully.
All applicants are required to complete a application form, submit two copies of their qualifications and provide two confidential references.
For a step-by-step guide and to make an application, please visit our how to apply page.
Before completing the application form, please ensure that you read the Notes for Guidance carefully.