Doctor of Business Administration Singapore University of Social Sciences

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme offered by School of Business of the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) focuses on training students to acquire in-depth knowledge and skills in selected management areas. With the training provided in this programme, entrepreneurs, senior management executives, and mid-career industrial practitioners are expected to develop rigorous and structural thinking process, acquire deeper knowledge and advanced research methodologies, and cultivate analytical skills that enable them to investigate and solve complex management problems and support evidence based strategy formulation.

The DBA curriculum offers exposure to knowledge relevant to the digital economy and provides students with a choice of management courses or a mix of multi-disciplinary courses to suit their applied research objectives. The programme is supported by a flexible learning environment that draws its benefits from SUSS's close linkage with industries.

The global economy is experiencing considerable uncertainty and challenges brought about by technological advancement and innovations, and changes in political landscapes and national demography. Managers and leaders need to develop a strategic mindset and global insights to address problems created by increasing economic volatility. The DBA programme is designed to produce graduates that are able to drive thought leadership in organisational change and organisational development, and effectively meet the challenges that disruptive technologies will bring to the economy.

Unique Features of the Programme

• The programme provides graduates with in-depth training to develop rigorous and structural thinking process, cultivate analytical skills, and develop a strategic mindset and global insights.
• The programme enables graduates to investigate and solve complex management problems, support evidence based strategisation, and drive thought leadership and innovation.
• The curriculum design emphases sustainability, social responsibility and ethical practices of business operations.
• It is an English Chinese bilingual programme. Students can benefit from SUSS's flexible teaching & learning environment, close industry linkages and opportunities to participate in overseas immersion courses.
• SUSS DBA faculty and supervisors have an outstanding and diverse background across various industries. The faculty hold extensive teaching and research experiences.

The DBA programme curriculum will offer aspiring entrepreneurs, senior management executives, and mid-career industrial practitioners specialised knowledge and applied research skills. The programme targets to equip students with sophisticated problem solving skills required to tackle complex business problems and drive innovations, while ensuring that they understand good sustainability, social responsibility and ethical practices.

DBA students are required to complete 40 cu coursework (30 cu disciplinary knowledge courses and 10 cu research methodology courses) and submit a doctoral dissertation. Courses will mostly be held on 3 to 7 consecutive days including weekends from 9am to 6pm. Students are required to participate in overseas immersion courses that will be held over a period of a few days.

Upon the completion of 30 cu coursework, students are awarded with the Graduate Diploma in Business. After the completion of an additional 10 cu coursework, students are required to successfully complete a qualifying examination (QE) in order to be granted DBA candidacy. DBA candidates are required to undertake an applied research project that culminates in a dissertation at the doctorate level. The dissertation should produce output via original applied research that is relevant to industry/professional practice and advances knowledge in these areas. Upon successfully defending their dissertations in the dissertation examination, candidates will be awarded DBA degree.

The minimum candidature period for DBA is 3 years and the maximum candidature period is 7 years.

With in-depth training from DBA, graduates can look forward to advancing their careers in the following positions:

• Positions in consulting firms, think tanks, government agencies, etc., that require applied research skills;
• Management positions that require critical and reflective thinking, application of theoretical knowledge to complex problems, and skills to drive thought leadership and innovation;
• Teaching positions in the tertiary education industry.