Doctor of Business Administration

The goal of the DBA is to increase the competencies of practising managers and business professionals and to better equip them with the capability to make a leadership contribution to their own organisations, wider industries and communities.

The University of Newcastle DBA is coursework-focused, with two-thirds of the award related to high level coursework in business studies and one third of the award focused on research training. The latter includes 20 units of research methods, 20 units of dissertation preparation (ie. literature review and research proposal) and 60 units of applied research in the form of a project dissertation, typically undertaken in the candidate's host firm.

The program will develop in graduates rigorous, in-depth, analytical and critically self-reflective skills well beyond the Masters level. The DBA will also provide business executives with the tools to undertake significant applied research in order to perform in an increasingly competitive global business environment.

The curriculum offers successful candidates a highly customised program including further advanced postgraduate study beyond that achieved in an MBA. Courses extend the candidate's knowledge in new areas not previously undertaken and/or deepen their knowledge in a chosen field.

Senior executive positions in a wide range of commercial and non commercial enterprises

A recognised Master of Business, Master of Business Administration or equivalent Masters degree and a minimum of two years work experience. As places in the program will be limited, candidates will be ranked on the basis of academic merit (determined by GPA in the MBA or last Masters degree awarded).

International applicants must also satisfy the University's English Language Requirements.

Credit will be granted by the Pro Vice-Chancellor on a case by case basis according to the Rules Governing Coursework Professional Doctorates.

Australian Institute of Management (AIM)

Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA)

It is expected that this program will be of particular interest to international students, most of whom will, however, choose to study offshore. They will be supported by face to face teaching and blackboard.

Domestic Students with a disability or chronic illness will have their needs met by the NGSB in liaison with the Student Support Unit.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students will draw on the assistance and support provided by the Indigenous Higher Education Centre, Umulliko.

Students from rural and isolated areas, and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds will be supported through existing University and NGSB support structures.

Three years full-time or part-time equivalent. The majority of courses within this program run on a trimester system, ie. three terms per year. Students may commence studies in January, May or September depending on location and availability. Some electives in this program are held in the semester system, ie. two terms per year. Please check term dates on the University website at: www.newcastle.edu.au/dates/.

The DBA program is offered over three years of full-time study. It is also available in part-time mode over six years. One year's advanced standing (80 units) may be given for completion of a recognised MBA completed within the last 10 years, as the first year of study requires completion of the core of the MBA to provide a foundation for business studies. The second year requires completion of six (60 units) DBA courses and two (20 units) research training courses.

The third year consists of one literature review course (10 units) and a research proposal (10 units), and an applied projected dissertation of approximately 30,000 to 40,000 words. In the final year each student will be allocated a supervisor appropriate to his or her research area who is an experience and research-trained academic staff member.