Doctorate in Business Administration

About this course

The Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) programme is one of the most established Professional Doctorates in the University. Delivered through blended learning, the DBA is cohort-driven and consists of four one-week residential workshops, monthly virtual action learning sets, and supervision via distance learning.

• Equivalent to a PhD, the DBA is ideal for those who would like a doctoral level qualification whilst remaining in their chosen professional career  
• Focus on situational issues from your own workplace, whilst continuing your employment
• Enhance not only your ability to develop new knowledge, but also the ability to apply that knowledge to a professional context
• Gain the necessary skills to carry out rigorous research
• Carry out individual projects that impact on your organisation and industry
• Undertake your research amongst a carefully-selected, highly diverse group of professionals, drawn from a wide range of nationalities, industries, cultures and backgrounds
• Develop your skills and meet your supervisors at a number of residential workshops in Liverpool 

Our strong cohort-focused ethos

You will develop a strong and engaging cohort identity by joining a group of like-minded senior professionals and apply your research directly to the needs of your business, driving forward organisational progress without putting your learning or your business on hold. You will contribute to commercial and academic knowledge and, on graduation, will possess a specialist range of problem solving and decision making strategies that will take you to the next level of success.

The DBA at Liverpool Business School is unique in its design and structure and the level of support it provides to the candidates. It has been running successfully for 14 years.

The programme will be of particular benefit to experienced business professionals. A DBA will enhance professional capability and credibility, enable you to develop networks, and provide a firm foundation for further career development or a major career move. Employers benefit from supporting candidates for the DBA by attracting, developing and retaining key talent and building knowledge for competitive advantage.

Liverpool Business School is a member of the Executive DBA Council (EDBAC) and, as such, we believe in fostering excellence and innovation in executive doctoral degree programmes.

Becoming a scholar-practitioner

Being a scholar-practitioner comes with the responsibility of being able to use scholarly research methods in order to make an impactful contribution to professional practice.

You will learn to simultaneously navigate both practitioner and academic worlds to develop strategies to understand a complex work-based problem.  You will use your experience and expertise as a starting point, to enable you to engage with the academic body of knowledge to make sense of the intricacies of becoming a scholar-practitioner.

The DBA will enable you to develop a sound understanding of the relevant conceptual and theoretical underpinnings of your chosen are of research into business and management.  By learning research techniques for advanced academic and management enquiry you will be able to carry out your own original research. In becoming a scholar-practitioner you will enhance your professional practice, as well as contribute to theory and practice in business and management. 

In contrast to a PhD, a DBA requires a contribution to both theory and practice. Candidates on the DBA are therefore required to demonstrate that they make an impact on the development of a profession and/or an organisation. 

This impact can be demonstrated within the organisation the candidate is employed in or in another organisation, including professional bodies or policy. This close link to industry and practice can be highly beneficial for the employer too, with many previous DBA research projects resulting in large financial savings for organisations that candidates implemented them in. 

As part of the course, you will benefit from the following:

Workshops (year 1 – 3 only)

• 4 residential workshops each 5 days long at Liverpool Business School
• Catering throughout the day
• Accommodation for 4 nights for each workshop
• Networking event during each workshop 

Supervision

• Supervision throughout the duration of your doctoral studies by a qualified DBA supervisory team.

Other opportunities and events

• Global engagement and participation with our collaborative partner programme at SRH Berlin University of Applied Sciences, Germany
• Participation in the DBA Writing Retreats, both virtually and face-to-face
• Participation in the Faculty Doctoral Conference
• Participation in research methods training offered by NARTI (Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative)
• Access to thousands of academic journals and books including e-books

You also have access to the doctoral facilities at LBS whenever you decide to come to Liverpool. 

Liverpool Business School at Liverpool John Moores University is a member of AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. 

AACSB International is a global association of leaders in education and business dedicated to supporting and advancing quality business education worldwide. Through membership, accreditation, research, thought leadership, professional development, and advocacy, AACSB partners with over 1,500 organizations, from more than 90 countries globally. Membership or participation in the Global Education Alliance does not imply accreditation.

Fees and funding

If you need advice about how to pay your tuition fees, please email LJMU’s Student Funding Team.

Tuition fees

All students enrolled on postgraduate taught programmes at LJMU are liable to pay an annual tuition fee. You can opt to pay your tuition fees in full at the start of each academic year or in instalments.

LJMU Alumni Award

If you're a former Liverpool John Moores University student, you could be eligible for a 20% discount on your postgraduate tuition fees. The fee reduction will apply automatically to eligible students. You’ll find all of the information you need on our specialist postgraduate funding pages.

Employability

Further your career prospects

LJMU has an excellent employability record with 96% (HESA 2018) of our postgraduates in work or further study six months after graduation. Our applied learning techniques and strong industry connections ensure our students are fully prepared for the workplace on graduation and understand how to apply their knowledge in a real world context.

If you are employed during the course of your DBA, you will probably undertake research which directly links to your employer's area of business. This will be of great benefit to you and your employer, particularly if you are focused on a large-scale project. 

Previous students have found that the research undertaken during their DBA has helped them gain valuable and objective feedback which has essentially provided their employers with high levels of focused, internal consultancy.

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Research Planning
60 credits

Reflective Research Strategy
20 credits

Literature Review
60 credits

Research Methodology
60 credits

Research Enquiry and Analysis
60 credits

Final Thesis
60 credits

Reflective Research Portfolio
40 credits