Doctor of Business Administration

What is this course about?

CSU's Doctor of Business Administration is a research higher degree that provides an opportunity for experienced business and public sector personnel to refine and extend their business knowledge and skill at an advanced level.

This research focused course is designed to extend professional business, management or administrative knowledge. In this way the course is designed for candidates who have a strong practical business or management background and are interested in developing deeper analytical, research and problem solving skills.

As a research-based professional doctorate, the CSU Doctor of Business Administration provides strongly industry focused and practically relevant education. It produces better informed, skilled and reflective professional practitioners and, in doing so, equips professionals for diverse and changing work contexts by offering the development of skills and knowledge that will have enduring benefits.

The Doctor of Business Administration is designed to develop an advanced level of research capability which equips candidates with a knowledge base to make a significant contribution to business professional practice through the conduct of original research.

Why study this degree?

The course offers a useful balance of structure and practical focus and is designed to develop your research skills in a structured and logical way. It provides the relevant building blocks for developing a research capability thorough a series of structured coursework subjects. 

This foundation then develops a path way for the conduct of exciting and innovative research relevant to your work environment.

More reasons to study this degree

Find out where this course can take you

Course structure

The course consists of the following programs:

1) Doctor of Business Administration coursework:

Each student must successfully complete four doctoral level subjects (for a total of 64 points)
and

2) Doctor of Business Administration thesis

The student, under the direction of the appointed supervisors, will identify, analyse and propose solutions to current problems confronting professional practice in business through the application of knowledge, thereby improving professional practice or understanding.

More information about the course structure

Graduation requirements

To graduate students must satisfactorily complete 192 points (coursework component 64 points and thesis 128 points).

Why study this degree?

Workplace learning

The nature of the course requires candidates to be currently working in a business or public sector organisation or have access to one, so that appropriate data can be employed to facilitate the production of a thesis which makes a significant and original contribution to professional practice.

Flexible offering

This course is available by distance education only and is offered across a two-session academic year, with sessions commencing in February and July each year. In exceptional circumstances the course may be offered to full-time students.

International Higher Degree by Research students can commence study on campus no sooner than six weeks before the session start date and no later than the census date.

Career opportunities

Graduates of the Doctor of Business Administration work in a variety of private and public sector organisations in various managerial and research positions. The advanced discipline and professional knowledge developed provides a basis for promotion to senior managerial roles in organisations.

The accumulated research skills equip graduates for roles such as

• business analysts
• research analysts
• manager of research operations
• research consultant

Credit / pathways

No special credit arrangements apply.

Candidates may receive transfer credit for up to 50% of the course for prior study if they can demonstrate that such study was completed at a recognised higher education institution within the last 10 years at the postgraduate level. To apply for credit, candidates are required to submit with their application for admission a certified transcript of results and subject outline / curriculum of those subjects.

Further information in regard to credit may be found here.

Admission requirements

Students must have completed the CSU Master of Business Administration program or other CSU Master degree in business, or hold an equivalent qualification from a recognised tertiary institution, or a qualification deemed to be equivalent (as determined by NOOSR or by the Faculty of Business Board through its Admissions and Credit Policy Committee). Applicants through the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA) will normally have completed the APESMA / Deakin University Master of Business Administration (Technology Management).

To gain entry to the program students will normally have achieved a Credit average (or equivalent) in their MBA (or equivalent) studies as a demonstration of their capacity to undertake postgraduate work at an advanced level.

In addition to acceptable academic qualifications, an applicant for admission shall:

• have a minimum of five years' of relevant business experience, and
• be working in business or have access to business where practical requirements of the program and the research can be undertaken.

Intending applicants should contact the Sub-Dean, Graduate Studies to discuss the proposal before submitting the prescribed application form. In addition, applicants must complete a form describing their area of interest, which should accompany their application. Please phone info.csu on 1800 334 733 or make an online enquiry for the contact details of the appropriate person.

Internet access

CSU places great emphasis on services to its students. It is a leader in the provision of online services and, in particular, the use of the internet in the support of teaching, administration and communications with students.

The online environment is so integrated into all aspects of student life and the learning experience at CSU that the University now assumes that all on campus and distance education students at CSU will have ongoing access to an internet connected computer capable of communicating with CSU online systems.

Students enrolled in Information Technology subjects (i.e. with an ITC subject code) may be required to have additional hardware and/or software that is deemed essential for the completion of the learning activities in that subject.

English proficiency

Applicants will be deemed to have sufficient English proficiency if they

1. have undertaken an academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with an average score of 6.5, and with scores of 6 or higher in each of the individual skill areas within the last 12 months;  or
2. undertaken a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a score of 577 (or computerised TOEFL score of 233), with a Test for Written English Score (where reported) of at least 5.0 or an Internet-based score of 90 with a written score of 24 within the last 12 months; or
3. undertaken other equivalent examinations, as determined by the Board of Graduate Studies;  or
4. completed a university degree where the language of assessment is in English;

The Presiding Officer of the Board of Graduate Studies may, in special circumstances, on behalf of the Board waive the above proficiency requirements after consulting the relevant Dean, Sub-Dean and nominated Supervisor.

NOTE: A Faculty may require a higher standard of proficiency than that specified above for programs deemed to be linguistically demanding.

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