The primary focus will be on developing a piece of practice-based research of strategic importance, generally carried out within your own organisation. The research will be comparable to that of a PhD but students should produce a contribution to knowledge rooted in practice.

You will commence your studies with the four accredited units which lead to the interim award of Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methods. These units are designed specifically for practitioner managers, and on the development of senior practitioner researcher skills. Therefore, in addition to training in doctoral level research methods there will be a strong emphasis on managing change, collaborative learning, reflexivity and the specific ethical implications of researching your own workplace. The units are:

1. Researching contemporary issues in business and management
2. Collecting data
3. Analysing data
4. The practitioner researcher: Carrying out research in your own

These directed studies activities are an integral component of the programme, and therefore all students must successfully complete each unit before progressing on to the DBA assessment. The four units are scheduled to run over the first 15 months of your registration, beginning with the three semesters of your first year and finishing with the first semester of the second year. The first and fourth units will be delivered on campus, in Luton, in the first semester (October- January) of years one and two. Students will need to make arrangements to be in the UK (if from overseas) and to be available for the whole week. Teaching for units one and four will take place over one, intensive week in October of year one and two, with additional tutorials offered to support students with preparing their assessment.

Teaching for units two and three will be delivered on-line, in semesters two and three, via a weekly, 2-hour session. These sessions will be recorded, but virtual attendance is important, as students will be encouraged to learn from each other’s experiences and also to participate in interactive activities. Each unit involves 22 hours delivered in class or on-line, an additional 28 hours of guided, independent, and autonomous study (some of which may be integrated with carrying out your work role).

The entry requirements for the DBA are:

1. Sufficient proficiency in English Language to successfully support study for the DBA. This will be assessed through the interview and, for applicants whose first language is not English, possession of an approved English Language Qualification at the level(s) described on the University web site (currently the IELTS requirement is 6.5 overall, with at least 6 in all components).
2. Demonstrable motivation to undertake research at the appropriate level within the proposed field of study, and the potential to fulfil all of the learning outcomes. This will be assessed by the research proposal submitted with the application and by an interview panel that will include two academic members of staff.
3. A postgraduate qualification, ideally a master’s degree, preferably in an area related to business or management, and awarded by a university or other institution with degree-awarding powers in the United Kingdom, or equivalent.
4. A minimum of three years’ experience in a leadership or senior management position. By ‘senior management position’ we are referring to a role that requires you to be working across complex organisations or organisational levels, maintaining relationships with a variety of stakeholders and to have significant responsibility for the strategic direction of your work.

Applications are made using the downloadable Research Graduate School Application Form and should be accompanied by a CV and a proposal outlining the intended research project.

The detail of the proposal may be less developed than would be expected for a traditional PhD since the initial stage of the programme enables students to refine their research question and methodology.

• Next intake: October 2024
• Location: Postgraduate &CPD Centre, Luton campus, University Square, Luton, LU1 3JU for the PG Cert Research Methods units one and four, and online See map and directions
• Duration: part-time students: 36 months minimum, 60 months maximum
• Fees: YR1 - £8,000; YR2 - £8,000, Years after that - £4,500
• Open to: UK and International students
• To discuss: please email Dr Christina Schwabenland or Dr Mohamed Saeudy to arrange a chat by email, phone or in person: christina.schwabenland@beds.ac.uk; Mohamed.saeudy@beds.ac.uk
• To apply: all applications must be submitted to the Research Graduate School using the downloadable application form. The application process should be only online.
• Programme Leader: Christina Schwabenland, Reader in Organisational Behaviour: Director of the Centre for Leadership Innovation. Programme Director: Mohamed Saeudy: Director of the research centre into Contemporary Accounting, Finance and Economics

Business and Management Research Institute, which hosts the DBA, is committed to producing and promoting high quality research that is applied and applicable, and relevant to the needs of the business community. The institute has a strong record in collaborative research with both UK and international partners, and currently has around 80 research students.

The BMRI is divided into five research centres with focusses on business and information systems, international business and marketing, leadership innovation, law, and accounting, finance and economics. Outside of the research centres, there is considerable activity carried out by our staff and smaller research clusters in the areas of finance and banking, branding and marketing, entrepreneurship and SMEs, and international business.

Given the wide-ranging expertise of the research and teaching staff within it, BDA students have access to researchers who are at the forefront of developing professional knowledge and are able to play an active role in contributing to the impact that the Institute can have on policy and practice.

The DBA is led by Dr Christina Schwabenland and directed by Dr Mohamed Saeudy with assistance from a core programme team. Members of the BMRI and the University of Bedfordshire Business School staff and speakers from outside of the University supplement the core team by presenting guest lectures on the programme and offering supervision to students.