Doctor of Business Administration

Program Identifier: DBAPRGM

Alternative Program
Students considering the Doctor of Business Administration program should also consider the Doctor of Professional Studies and the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Research thesis-only programs.

Overview
The Doctor of Business Administration degree, DBA, is the recognized standard for professional qualification within the domain of management for the practicing manager. The purpose of the DBA is to provide the student with a solid grasp of all aspects of management at the doctoral level as they are applied to the practice of the day-to-day operations of the firm. Students pursuing this degree are interested in examining management problems from an applied standpoint and wish to carrying out some research at a doctoral level. Students entering this program are active within industry or intend to enter professional business in the capacity general or executive management or professional consulting upon graduation.

The award of the DBA degree is based on the completion of seven (7) management courses, a research methods course and a manuscript of between 40,000 to 60,000 words in length. The manuscript should constitute a well-rounded piece of applied/practical management research. The duration of the program is typically between three to four years of study. The maximum time allowed for completion of the degree is five years.

Dual Degree Award (DBA/Ph.D.)
This degree is also available as a dual degree with our University partner, Unversidad Azteca. Fee structure varies and can be seen in the Fee section indicated below.

Distance Learning Structure
Program specific coursework, research methodology course and manuscript, over 36 month period. The Doctor of Business Administration program is designed as a distance learning option. Students complete the course-work using the state of the art Moodle Learning Platform. Manuscript work is completed under the supervision of their research supervisor. Students are not required to be on-campus except for the final manuscript presentation to committee.

Design
The DBA is comprised of seven (7) management courses taken before the research phase of the program. Upon completion of the course-work component the student enters the research phase of the program. The research phase of the program consist of two parts: 1. research methodology course, and 2. research completion. The research methodology course covers both qualitative and quantitative research methodology and design and is intended on providing the student with a solid understand of all aspects of research. The outcome of the research methodology course is the research proposal which describes the research contemplated by the student and provides a roadmap for completion.

Once the research methodology course is completed the student enters the thesis/manuscript writing phase of the program and works with his/her supervisor to complete the manuscript. When the final draft of the manuscript has been approved by the student’s supervisor the student then submits the manuscript for evaluation. After the manuscript has been approved the student then presents the work in the form of a committee presentation required for the DBA degree. The evaluation of this degree is based on both the grade average of the course-work and the quality of the final manuscript presented to the committee. Students have a limit of 60 months from program start within which they must present their manuscript in front of the committee.

Course-Work
To prepare students for the rigors of professional practice the DBA program is designed with a course-work component. The course-work component consist of seven (7) management related courses taken in sequence and the research methods course. These are:

  • Course #1: DBA-651-Principles of Management, Ethics, Sustainability (Course Outline)
  • Course #2: DBA-655-Principles of Accounting (Course Outline)
  • Course #3: DBA-660-Principles of Corporate Finance
  • Course #4: DBA-665-International Marketing Management
  • Course #5: DBA-670-International Managerial Economics & International Business
  • Course #6: DBA-675-Production Management
  • Course #7: DBA-680-Leadership-Organizational Behaviour
  • Course #8: DBA-600-Research Methods for Graduate Students

Students must maintain a grade average of B-, 70% in order to be eligible to move into the research phase of the program. Student not able to maintain this average will be asked to resit courses or complete supplementary assignments.

Manuscript
Each candidate is required to complete a manuscript that focuses on a topic of interest within the domain of management that contributes to new practical knowledge in the field. Manuscripts are typically between 60,000 and 80,000 words. The research methodology used within the manuscript will be determined by the student as an outcome of the research methodology course. In keeping with the Harvard University standard students may also submit three published journal articles that combined constitute a coherent piece of research as being equivalent to the manuscript requirement.

ECTS & Hours of Study
The Doctor of Business Administration program accounts for 180 credits under the ECTS scheme, European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System. Thus, the course-work components account for 105 ECTS or 2,625 hours. The Research Methodology course and the manuscript stage are completed only once the student completes the course-work component to a satisfactory level. Doctoral students must maintain a minimum average of a B-, 70% average in order to move in to the dissertation phases of the program. Students not attaining this threshold may be asked to resit certain courses.

Each ECTS represents 25 hours of study. Therefore, the program accounts for 4,500 hours of study. Though the allocated allotment of study hours may vary per student, the program design is based on the following:

  • Management based course-work, 7 courses (105 ECTS, 2,625 hours)
  • Res600: Research Methodology for Doctoral Students (15 ECTS; 375 hours)
  • Phase 1: Literature Research and Design – Intro & Literature Review Sections (20 ECTS; 500 hours)
  • Phase 2: Research & Data Collection – Methodology & Data  Sections (20 ECTS; 500 hours)
  • Phase 3: Final Preparation of Thesis – Conclusion Section (15 ECTS; 375 hours)
  • Defense Preparation (5 ECTS; 125 hours)
  • Candidate Defends Dissertation in Committee (1 Day Event, Max 2 Hours, Obligatory)

Program Available To

  • Graduates from accredited undergraduate business programs with an average grade of B+ or above. Undergraduate students must demonstrate superior academic and personal qualifications in order to be accepted directly into Doctoral studies.
  • Graduates from accredited master programs in management or related fields with an average grade of B- or above.
  • Graduates from Master level programs seeking a transfer into business related program.

ABD Transfers
DBA, Ph.D. or D.Phil. Candidates from other Universities that have concluded their course work but have yet to complete their thesis work may be eligible to complete their manuscript work at Monarch given that they meet the eligibility requirements. Eligibility is determined on an individual basis and candidates should contact the administration to inquire.

Program Tuition
The program may be followed through the following two option:

  • Doctor of Business Administration = 20,000 €
  • Ph.D. in Administration Option (Dual Degree Option) = 5,000 € Additional Fee
  • For Possible Scholarship Information See Below

Supplemental Library Access Fees
The University charges a digital library access fee for each student to cover the duration of their program of study. Master students are charged a fee of 250.00 €. Doctoral students are charged a fee of 500.00 €.

Tuition Payment
Fees are payable on a semi-annual basis in advance. Quarterly and Monthly payment schemes may also be made available upon request. Monthly schemes may be based on 36 or 48 months.

Tuition Payment Method
Tuition Fees are to be paid by international wire transfer.

Scholarship For Students Originating From Developing Countries

In order to help make available the opportunity to complete higher degrees for students originating from developing countries, as defined by the OECD, the Office of the Dean of the Faculty provides partial scholarships equivalent to 25% of the total standard program tuition. Eligible students must indicate their intention to request such tuition relief upon application to the program. Please note that as a private university UGSM-Monarch Business School is not in a position to provide full scholarships as it does not receive support from government agencies.