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Doctor of Business Administration DBA modules

Year 1

Module 1 - (Sept - Dec) –  A structured review of research and leading professional practice literature

Identification of topic, and conduct of, preliminary literature review. Learning how to conduct a literature review/ systemic literature review based on a WIP title and research questions.

This will be supported by programmed 2 x 2 day taught sessions.

Production and submission of literature review and the trial conceptual framework for the study – 4000 words (this will inform but not be directly part of the ongoing 55,000 word thesis).

This work will be submitted on Blackboard, marked and successful completion of this assignment is a requirement for progression to the completion of the thesis phase/overall programme. Non-successful completion will mean the student will be unable to progress to the final thesis stage. Progression of the student through the assignment will be transposed, updated and recorded on My Research.

Module 2 - (Dec - March) – Challenging assumptions underpinning practice - Research Paradigms and Philosophies

Development of an understanding of research paradigms, epistemology, ontology, axiology and the development of a conceptual framework.

This will be supported by programmed 2 x 2 day taught sessions.

Production and submission of a trial conceptual framework for the study 4000 words in length (this will inform but not be directly part of the ongoing 55,000 word thesis).

This work will be submitted to Blackboard, marked and successful completion of this assignment is a requirement for completion of the overall programme. Non-successful completion will mean the student will be unable to progress to the final thesis stage. Progression of the student through the assignment will be transposed, updated and recorded on My Research.

Module 3 - (March - June) - Development of the Research Design – Preparation for Field Work/ Pilot Study

The student will combine the learning from the Assignment 1 and 2 and begin to develop and consolidate, in assignment 3, an overall research design. In this phase there will be 2 x two-day workshops to outline research design. 

During this module the student will also continue to deepen and develop the chosen literature area(s)/methodologies related to his/her identified working research question(s). 

In this phase, ethical approvals and field work will also be prepared and be undertaken.

Assignment 3 - The research design for the pilot study/thesis (4000 words).

Preparation and presentation of a pilot study. The research design will be presented by first year/ completing students at the flagship residential event in June (please see below).

This work will be submitted to Blackboard, marked and successful completion of this assignment is a requirement for completion of the overall programme. Non-successful completion will mean the student will be unable to progress to the final thesis stage. Progression of the student through the assignment will be transposed, updated and recorded on My Research.

Successful completion of this assignment is a requirement for completion of the overall programme. Non-successful completion will mean the student will be unable to progress to the final thesis stage.

Allocation of Supervisors - Supervisory teams will begin to be assigned during the March-June phase but it should be anticipated that this may be a time-intensive activity involving negotiation. The allocation of supervisory teams - 2 members of staff per student: 1 main supervisor/director of studies and a secondary supervisor – will usually be allocated at the end of year 1 when the topics have been successfully developed by the student, are clearer and allocation is therefore more readily facilitated. 

End Year 1 Residential (June)

In June there will be a 2-3 day residential for students on the DBA programme. This is likely to be held on the DMU campus. It will comprise, for example:

  • Guest speaker/lecturer presentations
  • An opportunity for students to present, discuss and receive feedback on their developing work - poster presentation as part of the 3rd module assessment.
  • Business/organizational visits linked to conducting research methodology

At the end of year one – both full-time students and part-time students will participate in two inter-linked events: the DBA residential and also the BAL Faculty Milestone Day. The DBA Residential will most likely be on-site at DMU (mindful of cost efficiency/facility usage) and will comprise poster/presentations of the research, guest talks, visits, activities etc. The overall aim of the Residential is to develop skills, knowledge, community and confidence. The Residential will be scheduled at the same time as the BAL Faculty Milestone Day programming. This is the major event constituting an opportunity to undertake Formal Review and progress to full admittance on to the doctoral thesis development stage of the programme. 

The Milestone Day constitutes the Formal Review and the transfer to the doctoral thesis phase of the work. For those part-time students who have not successfully completed the three assignments in year one and are not, therefore, ready to undertake the Milestone Day, there will be an opportunity to complete this at the Milestone event in the following year. Full-time students must successfully undertake the Milestone Day at the end of year 1.

Year 2

Year 2 (Sept - Dec): Operation of the Pilot Study and Development of Thesis

During Year 2 students aim to complete advanced drafts of the Literature Review chapter and the Research Methodology Chapter for their thesis. These two documents will form the basis of the students submission for the Probation Review. This is a specially convened panel with an internal examiner and a chair to conduct and oral examination in relation to the student’s progress. The Probation Review must be passed for the student to be able to progress to completion of the final thesis and the viva voce examination in line with normative doctoral processes.

In addition, if a student has not yet successfully completed the three assignments related to the three modules in year one then these must be completed here in year 2.

Pilot Study

Conduct the Pilot study and monitor and analyse and initial write up results. The pilot study will provide the student with an opportunity to draw together the learning from assignment 1, 2 and 3 in conjunction with the Research Log, Action-Learning Groups, Presentation and Residential. 

DMU Global Trip – also during this period in particular, students, as in keeping with all DMU students, will be encouraged wherever possible to undertake a trip in order to broaden experiences in relation to their pilot study work.

Year 3 to 4

Year 3 to Year 4 (Full-time) and Year 3 to Year 6 (Part-time):  Ongoing Field Work, Analysis of Findings and Writing up of Thesis Document

During this phase the student will conduct analysis on the findings and continue to develop the thesis document, building on the literature review and the research methodology sections, to generate the findings, discussion and conclusions sections of the work together with a list of references and sources. In this phase there will be no formal taught sessions and tutoring will take place through mutually arranged one-to-one sessions with the supervisory team or members thereof as appropriate. 

The programme will normally take:

Part-time (study mode available to home and international students): a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 6 years (if required by the student due to unforeseen circumstances/external pressures and commitments).

Full-time (study mode available to home students only): a minimum of 3 year and a maximum of 5 years (if required by the student due to unforeseen circumstances/external pressures and commitments). It is usual for students to need 4 years to complete the programme full-time.

The overall final thesis produced will constitute a 55,000 word document. The first year of the programme is composed of a series of assignments. This is followed in year two by the pilot and commencing the main thesis study. The assignments will inform the writing of 55,000 thesis but cannot be incorporated integrally into, or copied over to, the thesis document. The years following year 1-2 will be dedicated to developing and writing the thesis document. The usual required processes of annual review and supervision will take place during this period and be recorded on My Research.