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Doctor of Business Administration (Full-time) (DBA)

Swansea
3 Years Full-time

The DBA is widely recognised as the pinnacle of qualifications in the world of business and management. The DBA is a professional doctorate which provides a structured programme of study through taught modules at Part I and a research thesis at Part II, closely integrated with an individual’s professional career development.

The essential characteristic of our DBA is that it is practitioner-driven and grounded in complex workplace problems, and doctoral students provide a theoretical understanding and interpretation - often from different and opposing perspectives - of why the problems have arisen and how they might best be addressed.

Course details

Start date:
Study modes:
  • On-campus
  • Blended (On-campus)
  • Full-time
Language:
  • English
Course length:
3 Years Full-time

This programme is subject to revalidation.

Why choose this course?

01
The DBA will reflect your highest level of commitment to your professional development and empowers you to create meaningful and valuable doctoral-level research which is beneficial to your organisation, sector and yourself.
02
Our university is an exciting place of study and has the oldest royal charter in England and Wales after Oxford and Cambridge and we will celebrate our bicentennial in 2022.
03
Our university has both a long history and continuous innovation.

What you will learn

The DBA programme will encourage the development of a wide variety of lifelong learning competencies for students across both Part I and Part II of the programme.

Students will be encouraged to adopt critical thinking of the highest order during their studies, they will be expected to be able to critique and analyse exceptionally high quality academic work in the context of their own research and ultimately synthesise new knowledge and modes of practice.

Reflexivity is a necessary and continual part of the programme, particularly given its highly independent nature and the continual finessing of their research over the course of a number of years.

Students will also need to learn to be adaptable and resilient to be able to manage with what is a complex and challenging programme. The DBA requires a great deal of self-management of an exceptionally large piece of work, this will require excellent time management skills.

Research Dissertation

(360 credits)

Quantitative Research Methods

(30 credits)

Visions for the Future - Theoretical Perspectives on Management

(30 credits)

Research Principles and Philosophy

(30 credits)

Critical Literature Review for Doctoral Research

(30 credits)

Converting Research into Practice

(30 credits)

Advancing to Doctoral Research Stage

(30 credits)

Disclaimer

  • We listen to student feedback and insights from industry and from professionals to ensure that course content is high-quality and up-to-date, and that it offers the best possible preparation for your future career or study goals. 

    For this reason, there might be modifications to the content of your course over time, to keep up to date with changes in the subject area or in the sector. If a module is no longer running, we’ll make sure to keep you informed, and work with you to choose a different suitable module.

Ratings and Rankings

Staff

Our People

You will be taught and supported by a wide range of professional staff and teams here to help you get the university experience you are looking for. Our teaching staff were ranked 2nd in Wales for assessments and feedback (NSS 2023) meaning the comments you get back from your work will help you learn. Our commitment to your learning has seen our students us as Top 10 in the UK for Lecturers and Teaching Quality. Find out more about our academic staff who teach across our courses. 

Accommodation

example of student bedroom

Swansea Accommodation

Swansea has a huge student population, and the variety of accommodation available will leave you feeling spoilt for choice. Various purpose-built student accommodation providers provide accommodation in Swansea, and the accommodation team can guide you through your options. It will offer ongoing support throughout your time as a UWTSD student.

Further information

  • The programme requires applicants to have a good Master’s degree that achieved an average grade of 60% or above as an entry requirement. Every consideration is given to all applicants. Three years recent and relevant management experience is desirable.

    For international students there is a requirement for an average IELTS score (or equivalent in any other approved test) of 6.0 with a score not lower than 5.5 in any single component. 

  • All modules are individually assessed and have been specifically crafted to prepare students for part 2 of the DBA.

  • Additional learning resources, including subscriptions to journals, specific to their research may be required.

    Attendance at conferences, optional day trips or fieldwork which would depend on the research topic, travel to and from any events, accommodation at any events may also be required.

  • You may be eligible for funding to help support your study. To find out about scholarships, bursaries and other funding opportunities that are available, please visit our Bursaries and Scholarships section.

  • The DBA programme will prepare students for any field or discipline within management and business giving them the critical thinking skills, analytical capabilities, and enhanced cognitive abilities to be able to succeed in these areas. Also, it will prepare students to be robust and proficient researchers should they choose to enter a career directly in academia.

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