Doctorate of Business Administration
Doctorate of Business Administration
Online Programs
INTAKE:Open year-round
CAMPUS:Fully Remote
DURATION:3 - 6 years (max duration)
LANGUAGE:100% in English
Become a Change Maker by shaping and leading the Business Transformation your Industry needs
The acceleration of change is the signature of the 21st century. Business is the place where opportunities have the potential to become reality. Hence, Business transformation is at the heart of the World Transformation.
Business School Lausanne (BSL) has shaped the Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) to look beyond the success or innovation of a specific company.
The DBA program combines the wide spectrum and in-depth understanding of doctoral studies, with the realism and focus of field action.
A research starting in the field with outputs aimed for the field
The BSL DBA program is intended for those with previous managerial and leadership experience who wish to make a significant contribution to the enhancement of professional practice in the field of management. The process which will lead to this transformation will be undertaken via the critical review and the systematic application of appropriate theories and research to professional practice.
DBA graduates are expected to produce a significant Doctoral-level transdisciplinary study output that advances research in business and management fields and is relevant to be put in to practice.
The DBA thesis, based on the research that is carried out throughout the program, is the primary piece of work that will be assessed for the award of the actual Doctorate.
A program designed for professionals across the globe
The duration of the program is from three to six years, depending on if it is undertaken as a full-time or a part-time academic undertaking for the student. The BSL DBA program is essentially a distance-learning program. All seminars of BSL’s Doctoral School held in Lausanne are optional, even though highly recommended. The students who will attend will both acquire invaluable insights via face-to-face interaction with instructors while also gaining mutually beneficial contact with fellow Doctoral students from across the globe.
Elements such as the research question, the subject, the candidates’ network, their chosen research methodology along with factors such as the candidates’ proficiency in English and writing capacity can all have an influence on the duration of the program. Furthermore, we understand that due to the vocational nature of their chosen studies, the evolving professional obligations of the candidate can also affect the length of time that is required to achieve the DBA, hence the availability of less restrictive timescales.
Solving a problem: what a DBA is ultimately about!
If you are wondering whether a DBA journey is the right thing for you, you need to read what follows! A DBA research and dissertation is an incredible experience that enables you to establish a bridge between two worlds: the world of business and the world of research. How is that so? At Business School Lausanne, we consider that every DBA research and dissertation aims to enable you to transform business while advancing academic research at the same time.
In other words, the objective of every DBA research lies within a transformative contribution to your industry on a two-fold level: the level of business and the level of academic production through research done in the area of business administration related to your research topic. What is special about the problem you want to solve?
Every DBA journey should start with a problem that you have identified in your professional environment and practice and that you want to solve. This problem can be of any nature related to business administration. What makes solving this problem different from a consulting practice, is that within a DBA research you will have to make an advancement of the theory that will lead to or is caused by a transformation of business on an operational or a strategic level.
Your research will attempt to offer a solution at the academic level of your business problem. For example, it may be a new problem or a problem that no one has ever seen before, or the solution which exists does not lead to the expected results and could be improved, or the solution is not able to solve the problem anymore. The DBA research is also different in terms of problem-solving from the consulting practice because we do not want you just to imagine new solutions to apply from which you think that they might work to solve the problem you have identified. We want you to validate the solutions and collect data in the field with a scientific methodology, regarding the proposed solution to the problem, so that your solution becomes backed with academic rigor. Sometimes the problem is evident and easy to identify.
Sometimes it is blurry, complex and intricate. Sometimes the problem is restricted to one research field. Sometimes the problem has multi-disciplinary aspects. Sometimes the problem comes from a change of paradigm. Sometimes the problem has been addressed many times already but with a non-satisfactory solution, and sometimes the problem you think you have identified is not the problem you will end up solving in your DBA journey.
The two key ideas to remember are that: the starting point of every DBA journey lies within the identification of a problem, and the problem you may have identified is not necessarily the problem you will end up solving in your research. So why is the problem you have identified, not necessarily the problem you will end up solving?
BSL Signature Features
Bridging the World of Business and the World of Academia
Studying at BSL comes with a number of advantages that you will not find with other business schools. Some of the outstanding features of studying at BSL include:
A Personalized approach
Throughout the different phases of your Doctoral journey, you will not only receive personalized support from your appointed supervisor, but also from the BSL Doctoral School community in helping you, at various stages of your research, identifying the right focus to keep.
Real business transformation
Our faculty consists of academics who are usually also seasoned and active business practitioners. As such, they are aware of the latest trends and business knowledge related to business transformation.
A research community and global network
Over 60 nationalities are represented by BSL’s student body and faculty, allowing you to develop an important global business network.
Listen to our DBA Podcast
Disclaimer: This podcast is AI generated using NotebookLM by Google and is based on a genuine PPT by Dr. Dominique Bourqui
DBA Phasing
At BSL, our admissions team provide comprehensive support in the submission of your application. The primary purpose of which is to provide you with guidance and advice on your personal capacity to embark on your DBA journey.
Aside from the administrative tasks required for acceptance on to the program, the admission process incorporates a letter of intent and a preliminary research topic proposal. This first step will help you define and explain your area of interest and focus for your research.
Once you have submitted your completed application and Research Topic, a preliminary review will be rendered and an acceptance decision will be provided to you. A preliminary admission means that your research topic has been accepted and the Doctoral School has initiated the selection of an appropriate faculty supervisor.
(estimated duration under optimal conditions: 18 months)
Once fully accepted to the program, a DBA consultancy session will be held with the Director of the Doctoral School, to onboard you into the DBA program.
This will allow you to contextualize the ways in which BSL will assist you in reaching your desired research aims and program objectives. Following this consultancy session, a faculty supervisor will be appointed to you.
During Phase 2, in collaboration with your supervisor, you will work on defining your business problem and your research questions, conducting a thorough critical literature review to define your research gaps and research questions.
During Phase 3, you will submit a formal research proposal to the Doctoral School.
Your research proposal will be reviewed and discussed with you and your supervisor in an online session.
After a validation of your research question and planned research design, you will be able to start Phase 4, which includes the data collection and the continuation of the writing of your DBA thesis dissertation.
(estimated duration under optimal conditions: 18 months)
Your DBA thesis dissertation, centered on the research carried out throughout the program, is the primary piece of research that will be assessed for the eventual awarding of the Doctoral degree.
In accordance with your supervisor, a progression plan will be defined to ensure the completion of your thesis dissertation.
During phase 4 of your Doctoral program regular feedback, support and progression monitoring will be provided in order to make sure that you have the appropriate guidance during the writing process, whilst simultaneously ensuring the timely completion of the thesis. Your dissertation will also include a revised literature review.
The Viva Voce should take place in person on campus; live video examination may as well take place.
The DBA thesis is assessed by a minimum of two appropriately qualified examiners, who hold a doctoral-level research degree.
Your DBA dissertation will be is published by you and stored in the BSL physical repository.
During the course of your Doctoral program, you will also have the possibility to publish scientific articles with the support of your supervisor.
Start Your Journey
