Doctor of Business Administration Program

B.E. 2010

Degree Name:

                        Full Name:      Doctor of Business Administration

                        Initials:            D.B.A

Objectives and rationale for the degree:

The DBA is a professional degree that integrates the theory and practice of business within the context of today’s emerging and pressing global issues. The DBA program will be available to a small, select group of experienced executives in middle to senior leadership positions who hold a master’s degree in a business or related field and who are committed to pursuing a formal, rigorous program as practitioner-scholars. The program is designed to meet the special requirements of working professionals. Students meet the program’s requirements by completing core and elective courses and by writing and successfully defending their thesis.

The DBA degree is significantly different from a PhD degree. Whereas the PhD is a research-oriented degree with a specific focus, designed to train people to assume roles as faculty or researchers in particular academic areas, the DBA degree has a much more interdisciplinary orientation and stresses the application of existing knowledge to real-world business situations. The DBA degree focuses less on the development of theory and instead places greater emphasis on the testing of existing theory  and the application of it to particular cases. Unlike PhD research, which tends to start from an identified gap in the literature, the starting point of DBA research is typically a problem or issue that arises from the professional practice of management. Accordingly, the DBA final project is expected to demonstrate the usefulness of its results to one or more organisations, and it is likely to be more interdisciplinary.

Internationally, there is an expectation that there will be a shortage of doctoral faculty in business and management because of the reduction in the output of business/management doctorates and the simultaneous increase in the demand for individuals with doctorates in both business and management. The DBA program will help candidates to develop proficiency in applied research as well as the methodological and analytical skills necessary to apply research-based practices to real-world business and management. These skills will enable candidates to advance in their career paths as senior managers and consultants.

Furthermore the St Theresa International College aims to be a key player in education in Asia. Provision of a DBA program is an important step in this direction, bridging the gap between the growing demand for doctoral level courses and the shortage of such programs in the region. It is expected that the DBA will make a significant contribution towards the St Theresa's becoming a major centre for regional development, attracting a high calibre of both local and international students.

The Purpose of the DBA

1. To enhance the leadership and strategic skills of DBA candidates
2. To analyse and refine management practices and create added value to the candidates' own organisation
3. To acquire advanced management research skills and holistic knowledge of the technical, functional, and strategic issues in order to lead and manage organisations more effectively and in a socially responsible way.
4. To carry out research within an organisational context based on the practical experiences of the DBA candidates, and utilising that research to enhance management theory and practice.

Entry Requirements

                to study the properties.

                Chosen to study those.

Selection Process

In addition to meeting the prerequisite selection criteria the candidates will be expected to attend a selection interview with the academic staff of the St Theresa's. The selected candidates will be informed at least one month prior to the commencement of the program.

                        1^st Semester:                June – October

                        2^nd Semester:               November – February

                        3^rd Semester:                March – May

Admission Schedule

There will be 3 intakes annually, every June, November and March.

Duration of Study

The duration of study will be not less that three and not more than six academic years. Students must register for at least 9 credits but not more than 15 credits in each semester.

Tuition Fees

                        Application Fee           B 5,000

                        Program Fee               B 900,000

                        Registration Fee          B 10,000 per semester

                        Extension Fee             B50,000 per 6 month extension payable after the third year.

                        Payment may be made in Thai Baht or US Dollars at the current rate of exchange

Grading and Evaluation System

Grading and evaluation will be carried out in compliance with the existing rules and regulations in accordance with the Graduate School Guidelines published by St Theresa International College

Dissertation

The dissertation will comprise an original and valuable piece of business / management research work, undertaken by the candidate that meets the requirements of the University as determined by the Academic Committee. The students will be expected to complete and defend a dissertation proposal within one semester of completing the Research Project Development Proposal course.

Whilst it is considered inappropriate to set a precise word count for a dissertation it is expected that the candidates produce a substantial piece of work. As such the the word count should be in the vicinity of 30,000 word or approximately 100-150 pages (excluding references and appendices).

Upon completion the dissertation will be sent for evaluation by external 2 examiners. The candidates will be required to defend their work to the external examiners and a committee of academics and external experts.

Program Curriculum Structure – Option One

There are 66 credit hours in the program, which is expected to take a minimum of 3 years to complete. Of the 66 required credit hours, 12 will be foundation courses, 9 will be major courses, an additional 9 will be functional management courses, and the thesis component will account for 36 credits. For detailed course descriptions see Appendix A.

Non-Credit Courses

1. Introductory Seminar, all students, introduction to DBA and its requirements (one 3-hour session)

2. DBA 650 Introduction to Computing for Business Research, 3 hours per week for one semester (as required)

3. DBA 680 English Communication Skills for Graduate Studies, 6 hours per week for one semester (as required).

Credit Courses

COURSE WORK CREDITS (Not including non-credit remedial courses) - 30 credits to be taken over an 18-month period