Doctorate of Business Administration

Available to study in London (full time) and Glasgow by distance learning.

The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) is an innovative alternative to the traditional PhD. The DBA course is designed to enable professionals to use applied research and become influential leaders in business, gaining a recognised qualification.

Business leaders recognise the operational and strategic challenges they face, for example, new technologies, increased business outsourcing, greater political uncertainty and business volatility.

Such complexities require that organisations identify and respond more quickly to changing risk profiles, providing innovative solutions to complex problems.

The Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) course provides an opportunity for you to do so. You will study taught modules and, via applied research, you will make an impact upon your organisation by delivering unique solutions based upon accurate analysis of global challenges.

This is the ideal qualification to enhance your career projection, which allows you to learn in work and at work, combining full-time employment with studying for a flagship Doctorate of Business Administration.

Business and management studies research

Two-thirds of GCU research impact for business and management studies courses was rated as outstanding or very considerable (Research Excellence Framework 2021). Find out more.

All entry requirements listed here should be used as a guide and represent the minimum required to be considered for entry. Applicants who are made a conditional offer of a place may be asked to achieve more than is stated.

Academic requirements

UK Honours degree 2:1 (or equivalent) in a relevant subject, plus three to five years work experience in a relevant field.

This course is now closed to international/EU (without pre-settled status) applicants for September 2022. It remains open to new applications from the UK and Republic of Ireland for the September 2022 intake.

English language requirements

Academic IELTS score of 6.5 (or equivalent) with no element less than 6.0.

Please note: if you are from a majority English speaking country, you may not be required to provide further proof of your English Language proficiency. Full details of the English language tests we accept are available on this page.

Relevant experience (RPL)

GCU's flexible entry policies exist to allow relevant work experience and prior learning to be considered towards standard entry or advanced entry into a course. If you have three to five years of relevant work experience, you can apply for the degree that interests you and get in touch with our admissions team about your application and your eligibility for Recognition of Prior Learning.

Flexible Entry - Credit Transfer and RPL

An applicant can seek entry to the programme if they do not have the normal entry requirements but can demonstrate that they have achieved the prerequisite skills and knowledge through their experience, or informal learning (Recognition of Prior Learning).

Applicants may be granted entry with advanced standing if they can demonstrate equivalence to the learning outcomes of a module. A student can gain credit towards an award through a combination of prior informal and prior certificated learning.

Exemptions may be granted for stage 1 modules as follows:

* Research Methods, if the applicant possesses a Masters in Research or Philosophy or equivalent
* Other stage 1 modules if the applicant possesses a Master of Business Administration or equivalent