Doctoral degrees are for professionals to build advanced knowledge in their fields, but they’re not all the same, and often confused. For example, a PhD. degree is tailored toward producing academics, as a DBA is customised for future executives.
Read more about the difference between a PhD. and a DBA
Aston’s executive DBA is structured for business leaders to build the skills to design and deliver research that makes an impact, strengthen the ability to solve complex business problems, and form an in-depth analysis into a relevant topic and develop a comprehensive research project.
Hear what our graduates have to say
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Global DBA Listing
Aston is a premier DBA provider showcased with other prestigious universities such as Harvard and Pepperdine. -
CEO Magazine 2022
Ranked as one of the world’s top DBA programmes. -
Elite Business Schools
Among the elite 1%. -
Small Business Charter Gold Award
Exceptional support to the small business community.
Programme Structure
The executive DBA is a part-time distance learning course that can be completed in 4-6 years.
The Research Methods Course (RMC) modules are taught by expert staff in management research, completed in year 1 (maximum of 2 years), and are the foundation for all doctoral students:
- Develop as a professional researcher
- Build the skills required to successfully complete the programme
- Lead to the development of your final research proposal and qualifying report
Online
Four subsequent research methods modules via Aston University’s Blackboard™ Virtual Learning Environment taught consecutively during year 1:
- Introduction to Business and Management Research – understand the process of business and management research and develop the necessary research skills to conduct a literature review.
- Applied Research Methods – enable you to think about the links between philosophy, theory, and research methodology, and apply these to business and management research.
- Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods – provide a thorough grounding in the theoretical principles of, and approaches to, quantitative and qualitative research.
- Professional Development and Research Impact – develop an appreciation for impact related research to inform the operations and decision making within business and consider your future professional development.
The final Research Proposal and Qualifying Report, which is the conclusion of the RMC, is completed in years 2-4 (up to 6 years maximum).
Distance Learning
Our executive DBA offers a wide range of facilities in order to ease your transition into the world of research.
A specifically tailored Distance Learning Course, coupled with exemplary customer care and world-class supervision, ensures you have all the necessary knowledge to succeed.
The latest version of the Blackboard™ Virtual Learning Environment is designed to meet the needs of the DBA student specifically:
- Podcasts
- Vodcasts
- Directed reading
- Online tasks and quizzes
- Video conferencing for live discussions and research supervision
Virtual discussion boards are also used to conduct asynchronous online sessions between students and course tutors.
We understand your time is precious and that undertaking our executive DBA is a huge commitment.
Therefore, we pair you with an academic supervisor who is a leading specialist in the topic you choose. Your supervisor will support you through the entire process as you develop your research idea into your final thesis. If your topic is multidisciplinary, we’ll ensure you have a team that can guide you in every area.
A Student Support Advisor will also help you stay on track through every course, and assist with any questions or concerns you have regarding the online learning environment.
Research Excellence and Supervision
Every executive DBA student is guaranteed to have a supervisor who has an excellent research track record directly related to the DBA topic. This is a rare facility that can only be undertaken by an institution with the research breadth of Aston Business School.
Our academics sit within the following departments:
- Accounting
- Aston Law
- Economics, Finance and Entrepreneurship
- Marketing and Strategy
- Operations and Information Management
- Work and Organisational Psychology
Entry Requirements
For direct enrolment into the executive DBA you must have
- an MBA, MSc or MA degree in business or management (or an equivalent professional qualification)
- a minimum of five years experience in a senior role
- if English isn’t your first language, either evidence that the master’s degree was taught mainly or entirely in English, a minimum TOEFL score of 87 or a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 overall, or an equivalent English language qualification recognised by Aston University is needed
Additionally, you should demonstrate appropriate links to the practice your proposed research refers to.
Get your programme guide for more information
