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.

DBA candidates study part-time, and are likely to hold senior management positions allowing them to achieve the highest academic degree while remaining in full-time employment.

• 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.

Career paths

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.