Doctorate of Business Administration

Yes, you don’t need to finalize your research topic to start the course. You may need to finalize the broad subject area of interest and the program team will advise you about your chosen theme and assist you in finding a sustainable research topic. The final research topic should be approved prior to starting the final research.

All topics are accepted as long as your research is connected to management. You can choose from a variety of fields such as HR, finance, marketing, organizational behavior, international business, strategy and others.

Yes, the program is structured to accommodate the busy schedules of full-time professionals with a strong support system which is highly flexible. Though the course duration is 36 months, the learner can complete it within 24 months or can extend to 48 months. It depends on the time the learners has to invest for the research.

Studying for Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) is driven by a desire to ignite real change in companies through data-driven decision- making. The programme will be of particular benefit to experienced C- level executives, senior managers, department heads, consultants, management educators and entrepreneurs. The DBA experience challenges the learner to sharpen critical and analytical skills in research to become an expert in his/her domain with a proven ability to think outside the box.

After enrolling in a particular program or receiving the admission letter, we are unable to offer refunds as per our policy. However, prior to enrollment, all learners have the option to utilize the free trial period, which lasts between 3 to 7 days.

Exit request prior registering to for the second year: USD 3000.00
Exit after registering for the second year: 2nd year full fee (USD 4500) + USD 1500
MPhil Certification as Dual Certification (w/o exiting): USD 1500.00 (learners must complete 2nd-year fee payment to claim the MPhil as dual certification)
Extension Charges

Extending Research Period beyond 2 years : USD 2000.00 per year (Max 4 Yrs)
Module Assessment Submission Extension charge: USD 100.00 (Max 14 days from original date)
Module Retake Charges (Year-1) : USD 500.00
Change of Research Schedule and completion: USD 500.00 (If within 2 years period)
Module Defferal Fee : USD 250.00
Extension Charges

Temporary withdrawal from the program: USD 500.00 (Current year fee to be settled incomplete)
Resumption Charges: USD 500.00 + Research Year fee applicable at the time of resumption
(Max within 2 years of withdrawal)

The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) is a blended part-time professional doctoral degree of international scope and reputation, designed to enhance executive and professional practice through the application of sound theory and rigorous research into real and complex issues in business and management. It enhances the capability of the learners to develop their knowledge and understanding of business and apply that in practice. The DBA is a university private degree-Titulo propio

The primary objective of the program is to develop personal, consultancy, and theoretical skills in the context of rigorous and relevant research in the field of business management.

It is possible to extend the duration for an extra year with an additional fee.

If the learner wants to leave the course midway of research or at the start of the research, he will have an option to choose for an Exit Award, that is, MPhil in Management. Exit award fee is applicable.

Following is the course structure for the DBA Program:

Year 1 
The purpose of Year One is to provide a theoretical and practical foundation in research
methodology for advanced empirical research within the management field. The later
part of the Year One is to apply knowledge and understanding of research methodology
to an actual pilot study and overall thesis proposal, and to reflect on own performance
as a researcher.
M1. Research Methodology and Methods - 10 ECTS
M2. Research Issues within Contemporary Management - 10 ECTS
M3. Interim Research Project (Pilot Study) - 10 ECTS
M4. Designing a Research Project (Thesis Proposal) - 20 ECTS
M5. Developing as a Researcher (Individual Reflection) - 10 ECTS

Year 2 & 3 
The purpose of Year Two and Three is to conduct, under supervision, a detailed and
research project, meeting the expectations of the research act doctoral level, and to write it
up in the form of a thesis.
M6. Practice-Based Thesis - 120 ECTS

A learner who successfully completes one year with 60 ECTS credits will be eligible for an exit award, that is, Master of Philosophy in Management (M.Phil.)from Universidad Católica De Murcia, Spain, if he decides to exit the course without completing the final research. The exit award comes with an additional certification fee of USD 3000.00 apart from the one- year fee. The learner will be allowed to resume his research at a later stage if he wishes to continue his DBA not exceeding 5 years from the date of exit. A total of five modules have to be successfully completed to be awarded an M.Phil degree.

Our DBA programme has been meticulously designed to accommodate the busy schedules of working professionals. We acknowledge that unforeseen events may impede learners' ability to complete the DBA programme within the stipulated 3-year timeline. We offer the flexibility for learners to extend their research for up to 2 additional years. However, it's important to note that for every subsequent year a nominal fee of $2000 will be applicable.

The DBA is an executive-level program designed for working professionals possessing extensive managerial experience as well as a master’s degree, who are looking to advance further in their career. DBA has both rigor and relevance as it contributes to theory, practice and research in business and management. The DBA program is a full-fledged Doctoral degree, but unlike the Ph.D., it is geared towards honing capabilities in the professional sphere. PhD programs are usually meant for those interested in pursuing research based careers in academia.

You are assigned a Personal Tutor who will assist you with your academics. For non-academic assistance, you can always reach out to your Students Engagement Executive at see@uniathena.com.