Doctorate of Business Administration (Part Time) - DBA *

Our online 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 course enables you to earn the title of Doctor without putting your career on hold.

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

What's covered in the course?

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 practising professionals, and the research undertaken on the course is focused on contributing to, and transforming, practice.

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

What Our Students Say

“The DBA programme at Birmingham City University was a big step, but definitely one worth taking. As a way of consolidating the learning that anyone who is successful in business has to do, it is unrivalled. Learning to think and act like a researcher whilst maintaining a business perspective adds value in so many aspects of a business career. Achieving the designation of 'Dr' is the icing on the cake that visibly sets you apart from your peers. It is hard work and it takes time, but the return on that investment is life-changing.”

Dr Deb Bannigan
Portfolio Executive - CEO, Chair, NED

Why Choose Us?

• Our flexible online delivery means that you can study with us from anywhere in the world, at a time that suits you. See ‘course in depth’ to find out more.
• On our course 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).
• Candidate support is at the forefront of our approach, with everything designed to give you the skills you need to succeed.

The DBA provides a framework for practice or work based research, where your professional environment is also the core of your research environment and network. This requires commitment to independently driven professional environment research.

Current research interests

You choose an issue of action research related to an area of practice. This could be in relation to your company, sector, industry, professional practice, professional body etc.

Entry requirements

To join the DBA programme, you must have completed an MA, MSc or MBA degree in a particular area of business-related professional practice and have at least five years related professional practice experience, as well as being employed in the professional capacity that you propose to study.

You must have the formal agreement and active co-operation of the organisation where the DBA studies are to take place.

Please note, the course is only offered as a part-time programme.

A full research proposal is not required as you will build this during the first year. We do however need to know that you have a level of clarity on what your research is and how you would access the research opportunity. Therefore you need to initially develop your outline research concept.

Research concept guidance

Your research outline should address the following areas:

 Justification for Study 

Say how the DBA will help you pursue your career objectives

 Work Experience

Relevant work and career experience that is relevant to your subject (highlighting the skills and experience gained).

 Research Proposal

What you propose to research - the area and a key question representing the gap or opportunity that you propose to address

 Research approach

How you would access and conduct the necessary research (This typically means the agreement and active co-operation of the organisation where your research activities are to take place).

 Contribution

How could this contribute to practice and outline proposals for sponsorship from organisation(s).

The programme fees pay for the core of the programme, tutoring and supervision, assessment and the like. Your travel to and from the University and any necessary accommodation are not included. Ancillary costs associated with your activities are not covered. For example if you travel to undertake your research this is not normally covered.

If you have any specific queries please ask the programme team.

Course Structure

This course is delivered fully online, enabling you to study at a time that suits you. You don’t have to attend any face-to-face sessions, and delivery of course materials is done through our e-learning platform, Moodle.

As a guide, you should be allowing around 20 hours a week for part-time study, on average, as a combination of directed study (engaging with the online materials) and personal study.

Please see our Online Learning FAQs for more information on what to expect when studying with us.

Year 1 – Structured phase

Contemporary Research in Practice

This enables you to develop knowledge of relevant concepts and issues, as well as an emerging capability to deploy theoretical concepts. A key element of this is reflective practice which is intended to be continuous throughout the life of your research course.

Postgraduate Certificate in Research Practice Course

Current Elements:

o  Extended Research Proposal (inc. Literature Review)

This will help you develop an understanding and critically analyse the background research by selecting the source of information that is necessary to develop a context for your research.

o  Evaluating Your Development as a Researcher

This places your work in context and sets out how it will be developed over the course of the course.

Year 2 – Structured phase

Pilot Inquiry

You will frame the research methods learned earlier to equip and support your selected topic in practice settings and meet the requirements of validation within a wider research community.

Research Philosophy

You develop an overarching position relating to the progression of knowledge and the nature of that knowledge. This will provide you with the opportunity to think deeply whilst developing critical analysis and persuasive writing that is essential in your study and practice.

Years 3 and 4 - Research phase

Practice Based Thesis

You will make an original contribution to practice, and develop, design and implement original and ethical work that contributes to scholarly thinking as well as practice and is worthy of publication. Learning at Doctoral level may be achieved substantially by conducting independent research.

Assessment

You will conduct a piece of unique Doctoral level research, submit a thesis for examination and sit an oral exam (viva voce) in which you defend your thesis and contribution to practice before a panel of experts.

Enhance your managerial career

Unlike undergraduate degrees, which are designed to get students into industry, our DBA degree is aimed at existing professionals looking to enhance their career and standing.

Upon completion, you will be able to effect positive change, both in your own professional practice, and/or within your organisation. On a personal level, you’ll be able to utilise your enhanced skills for critical engagement, and to demonstrate your expertise.

Successful improvements in your personal professional practice will then benefit your organisation. The DBA degree alone can enhance your standing, and the possibilities opened to you by utilising your enhanced expertise can be even more impressive.

Already an expert practitioner, in your company or field of professional practice? The DBA degree can still benefit you internally and externally. The standing and expertise you will achieve over the course of your degree can allow you to become an industry or practice leader.

If you want to learn more about how a DBA degree from Birmingham City Business School could help enhance your standing, contact Martin Eley. 

OpportUNIty

OpportUNIty: Student Jobs on Campus ensures that our students are given a first opportunity to fill many part-time temporary positions within the University. This allows you to work while you study with us, fitting the job around your course commitments. By taking part in the scheme, you will gain valuable experiences and employability skills, enhancing your prospects in the job market.

It will also allow you to become more involved in University life by delivering, leading and supporting many aspects of the learning experience, from administration to research and mentoring roles.

Welcome to the Birmingham City Business School, home to students from over 70 countries all around the world!

Birmingham City Business School is one of the UK’s largest, most established and most respected business schools. Our programmes are practice based and many have an international focus, which means your course will be entirely relevant to today’s business world. Almost all of our courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, are open to international students.

We also have links with universities across the world, including Europe, the USA, China, India and Malaysia.

Our international pages contain a wealth of information for international students who are considering applying to study here, including:

• Explore some of the good reasons why you should study here
• Find out how to improve your language skills before starting your studies
• Find all the information relevant to applicants from your country
• Learn where to find financial support for your studies

The University is conveniently placed, with Birmingham International Airport nearby and first-rate transport connections to London and the rest of the UK.

Our Facilities

We are constantly investing in our estate and are currently in the process of spending £340 million on new learning facilities.

The Curzon Building

This course is based at our City Centre Campus – and specifically The Curzon Building, alongside other Social Sciences, Law, Business and English students.

The £63m building offers students a unique social learning space, including a dedicated student hub incorporating student support services, in the heart of Birmingham’s Eastside development.

The Business floors house an extensive number of IT facilities, breakout areas, and specialised rooms. The Marketing Link Agency is designed to replicate a modern marketing firm, allowing students to get real-life experience of working in the marketing sector. There is also the City Trading Room, which features state of the art stock market tracking equipment, keeping you up to date with all the financial comings and goings of the London Stock Exchange and Wall Street.

The Curzon building is also conveniently close to Birmingham’s business and financial centre, allowing for strong links between your studies and the real world.

The Curzon Building also features:

• An impressive new library with access to over 65 million full text items and stunning views of Eastside City Park
• Your Students’ Union which is located in a beautifully restored 19th century pub, The Eagle and Ball
• A modern 300-seat food court with space to study and socialise
• Brand new, accessible IT facilities with full Office365 for all students for free
• Shared facilities with the wider campus including the recently opened Parkside Building and Millennium Point