Business School DBA The Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

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1 Business School DBA The Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

2 Studied part-time, our DBA is the natural choice for experienced managers who wish to engage in the creation and interpretation of new business and management approaches, through: Innovative and rigorous business management research and advanced scholarship The systematic acquisition and understanding of business management and knowledge at the forefront of academic knowledge Developing the aptitude to conceive, design and implement a business or management project for the new generation of business or management knowledge Critically applying techniques for carrying out business and management-related research and advanced academic enquiry Making informed decisions regarding complex business and management issues Demonstrating the personal qualities and transferable skills necessary for high-level management action Displaying the management initiative necessary in complex and unpredictable organisational situations The DBA provides recognition that you have achieved some of the most high-level research in management and professional practice. Dr David Douglas, Director DBA Programme 2 Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

3 About the Professional Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) The world of business demands highly competent professionals individuals who are not only equipped with the skills to make key decisions and face challenges head on, but also are able to focus more deeply and critically on the work they do, in order to bring measurable change to their organisations. Aimed at the reflective business professional, who is career-minded and looking for a methodical research programme, the Staffordshire University DBA combines sound academic rigour with highly practical management application. Designed for experienced senior managers from public, private and third-sector organisations, the DBA is structured to develop management expertise based on sound theory and practice. Whether it is evaluating and entering new markets, introducing new management systems, considering and negotiating acquisitions, or addressing virtually any other high-level business or management issue, the Staffordshire University DBA will hone your ability to underpin decision-making through evidence-based practice and theory. A global reputation for excellence Located in the heart of England, Staffordshire University Business School has provided highcalibre business and management education for more than thirty years. The Business School enjoys outstanding links with industry and ensures that all awards offered relate to real-world business needs. Introduced in 2011, and bringing together both academic theory and business practice, the DBA builds on our highly successful MBA programme and joins our PhD and MPhil awards. A truly international award, the DBA attracts high-ranking business professionals from the UK and overseas. Professional Doctorate in Business Administration 3

4 Programme aims The objective of the Staffordshire University DBA is to enhance, through the completion of a programme of in-depth research, your ability to question, analyse, evaluate, theorise and develop your professional management practice. Through precisely structured modules and assessments, tailored to the theory and practice of management in your profession, you will develop a deeper understanding of the significance of the relationship between management research and your professional practice. Through sound training in the design, completion and analysis of business-focused research, you will complete a thesis and possibly other academic publications that demonstrate original contributions to management practice, business and management knowledge. At the same time, you will further expand your ability to question and encourage perceived wisdom across the fields of business and management and consider how learning translates into management practice, business and management theory. Continually building on your learning, and in association with your fellow students, you will play your part in creating a rich and diverse global community of reflective business and management practitioners. Throughout the DBA programme, your workplace tasks and judgements will be thoroughly integrated with existing theory, current literature and your own discoveries to ensure you become a reflective business practitioner. It s more the real world of business engagement The DBA program at The Staffordshire University Business School is available for part-time students like me, with having to manage commitment to deadlines already set while pursuing work and other obligations. It s more the real world of business engagement. The DBA has more practical applications in managerial settings, it makes me use my experiences as well to provide me with advanced research skills and tools, such as critical thinking and reflective practice as new competencies are needed to pursue my career. I keep searching and working on developing existing theories and knowledge, with the belief that these four years will make a significant contribution to professional practice in my area of business. Randa Zeinedine, Bank Deputy Chief Operational Officer & CSR Representative, Lebanon. 4 Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

5 I wanted to take my banking experience to another level Studying in Britain was a long time goal, made possible through MUBS s Doctorate program with Staffordshire University. I wanted to take my banking experience to another level and gain more theoretical knowledge. Doing the DBA is helping me in my daily work and improving my critical thinking. My visit to Britain was very enriching: getting to know my fellow students, being exposed to a new culture and a new country, and definitely exploring a new way of learning. The courses were very interesting especially the research insight course where best practices in research were shared. I found this course very refreshing to be exposed to these insightful people, that helped broader my perspective. I choose to take this challenge and I will never give up on something that I want. Johnny Lichaa Khoury, Banking consultant, Société Générale de Banque au Liban (Lebanon) teaches you skills such as critical thinking and reflective practice The Staffordshire University Business School Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) has given me the opportunity to undertake a doctorate while still carrying out my busy work commitments. It allows me to utilise my professional experiences and translate them into theoretical knowledge. I had been thinking of undertaking a doctoral programme for some time to enhance the skills I had gained from work and previous academic studies. The DBA teaches you skills such as critical thinking and reflective practice and two years into the course, I find myself applying these skills in every aspect of my daily life. Tracy Redpath, Local Government; Policy, Improvement and Partnerships Manager, UK Professional Doctorate in Business Administration 5

6 The approach to study Completed over four years, part-time, the DBA consists of eight modules, the last of which involves the production of a substantial thesis. At the start of your studies, you will be allocated a Mentor a trusted advisor who will be there to support and encourage you and share practical experiences and challenges. Many of your oncampus studies will involve working in small groups where you will share knowledge and experience with your peers. Years one and two focus on taught and negotiated modules, with years three and four concentrating on your individual management research activities. During the first two years, you will usually be expected to attend three 4-day programme events per year (24 days in total) on campus in the UK. These will comprise of tutor-directed seminars, workshop-based tuition sessions, participant and guest speaker-led activities, and research in our extensive software laboratories. Attendance in the final two years of study will involve face-to-face meetings with a thesis supervisor as well as normally two 1-day sessions each year, to present your research and discuss progress. During the early stages of the programme, you will critically re-examine the aspects of management that will have a bearing on your professional interests and role. This will involve identifying key components, reconfiguring them in relation to your goals and applying new knowledge to professional management functions. As your learning progresses, your exploration of areas such as management professionalism, organisation and workplace, communities of practice and the structures and relationships surrounding power and control, will provide the materials, tools and motivation necessary for your ongoing development. The Staffordshire University DBA has been developed to fit around the careers of busy professionals. It will enable you to become an independent and effective researcher in your individual professional setting. 6 Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

7 a game changer I joined the Staffordshire University Business School DBA in 2011, immediately after completing my MBA at Staffordshire University. I had been considering a part-time PhD, but the accelerated doctoral programme on offer through the DBA swayed my choice; a doctorate set in practice, designed for part-time students and available to complete in four years! My experience to-date of the course is that it is intense, you have to be committed to finding the time to study alone as well as with your cohort. The fact you have a cohort is a blessing in disguise; when you are struggling, the cohort gets you through it and when other members of the cohort are struggling, you help them through it too. For me, the programme has been a game changer; I m heavily engrossed in my research topic and the University staff have been behind me all the way. If you are serious about research in practice then take a look at the DBA; it s designed for part-time students and with some serious time investment, you can have a doctoral degree in four years. Alexander Finlayson, International Consultant in the Railway Engineering Sector, UK I chose Staffordshire University due to its welcoming, helpful and supportive academic staff, and its worldwide recognised degree. In addition to being able to study part-time, I chose the DBA since it is a professional doctorate with the same challenge and significance as a PhD, with a value added point and it requires me to apply theories into professional practice to make real contributions to my area of business. Layal Iskandarani, University Instructor, Lebanon Professional Doctorate in Business Administration 7

8 Year one modules Contemporary Issues and Challenges in Management Practice & Theory (Part 1, 30 L7 credits) This module provides both a critical review and analysis of management and organisational theories and practices, where analytical, critical and reasoning skills are developed through rigour and relevance. It establishes an ethos of evaluation, where statements are critiqued and examined for evidence, where claims are systematically checked and where the givens in organisational life are challenged. Research Design in Management and Organisational Settings (30 L7 credits) In this module you will explore the relationship between philosophical assumptions in researching management and the methodological issues involved in research design. Developing a critical awareness to the understanding of how taken-for-granted assumptions and values influence reality, you will review methods in social science and principles of the major intellectual traditions in qualitative and quantitative research, and consider the legal and ethical basis of research practice. Developing an Effective Literature Review (60 L8 credits) Begun in year one and continuing in year two, this module involves a systematic and critical literature review, the identification of research questions and the exploration of a structured approach to research. You will consider such questions as: What are the origins and competing definitions of this topic? What are the main issues and debates? And, What are the main questions and approaches within these debates that have already been researched? Reflective Practice-into-Theory Portfolio (Part 1, 30 L8 credits) In this module, which spans years one and two, you will embark on a systematic reflection of yourself in your work organisation. Providing analyticalreflective change processes that connect the award modules, you will consider a range of issues, including: the role of reflection, reflexivity and reflective practice; the identification of personal research skills; conflict management; self-awareness and critical reflection of the research projects. 8 Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

9 Year two modules Contemporary Issues and Challenges in Management Practice & Theory (Part 2, 30 L7 credits) This module seeks to further extend in terms of experience, understanding and practical application, the original indicative areas that build on and develop a culture of advanced evaluation of the challenges associated with management practice and theory. The givens of both practice and theory, and their underpinning statements, are critiqued and examined for evidence. Your ability for critical analysis and founded communication will be advanced through rigour and relevance. Research Methods and Analysis (30 L7 credits) Further building on the content of the Research Design in Management and Organisational Settings module, this module uses practical workshops in the design, use and analysis of data collection methods. It covers such topics as: questionnaires, focus groups, interviews, observation, and documentary analysis. Developing an Effective Literature Review (Continued from year one) During year two you will continue your systematic and critical literature review. Items considered include: How does a particular study relate to my research?, What are its key theoretical and conceptual ideas?, How has the review increased my knowledge and understanding of the topic?, What are the main sources that question that line of Argument?, and: Are there any areas that have not previously been explored in the literature? Reflective Practice-into-Theory Portfolio (Part 1 continued) Continuing with the reinforcement of learning theories, experiential learning, types of knowing and the development of your thinking that began in year one, this module will further encourage self-awareness and critical reflection of your values, ethics and impact on and within a group. Developing your research proposal By the end of year two, all participants who have successfully completed the modules are required to produce a thesis proposal document. This short document will set out your proposed line of research enquiry for the remainder of the programme, which will enable you to develop and subsequently produce your original DBA thesis. Modules in years three and four Reflective Practice-into-Theory Portfolio (Part 2, 30 L8 credits) For the second part of this module, you will continue to develop a systematic, critical reflection of yourself in your work organisation. You will further extend, in terms of breadth of experience, depth of reflection and practicality in terms of action: the role of reflection, reflexivity and reflective practice; underpinning learning theories; experiential learning; types of knowing; the development of your thinking; professional development, self-awareness, and other areas of reflective interest commenced in years one and two. Thesis (300 L8 credits) Comprising of a substantial piece of written research of doctoral quality, of approximately 50,000 words, your thesis will demonstrate that you can make an original contribution to a relevant field of business, management, organisational and/or professional knowledge and practice. Your thesis will be internally and externally examined. Professional Doctorate in Business Administration 9

10 Entry requirements To be considered for the Staffordshire University Professional Doctorate in Business Administration, you will normally have a first degree in any subject, as well as a Masters degree in Management (MBA, MA or MSc) from a UK University, or equivalent qualifications from a recognised overseas institution. You must also have at least five years of senior management experience, pre- or post-masters. In exceptional circumstances, applicants without a Masters qualification, but with substantial professional experience, a high first degree and other relevant experience will be considered. Regardless of qualifications or experience, you will also be expected to submit a research proposal of approximately 1,500 words, outlining the academic and practitioner fields that will form the basis of your thesis. As the DBA is conducted in English, students whose first language is not English must demonstrate a recent achievement of IELTS 7 or above. Full programme details and entry requirements can be viewed at: For further information about the Professional Doctorate in Business Administration, please contact: DBA Administrator Jennifer Shemilt Business School Faculty of Business Education & Law Staffordshire University B227 Brindley Building Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire ST4 2DF e: j.shemilt@staffs.ac.uk t: +44 (0) f: +44 (0) Or: The Programme Director Dr David Douglas E: d.j.douglas@staffs.ac.uk 10 Professional Doctorate in Business Administration

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12 cabr CENTRE FOR APPLIED BUSINESS RESEARCH M5029 JC/AC 10 13