Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA)
The degree of Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is intended to provide further preparation and skills for working professionals to reenter industry upon graduation. Both educational qualifications and substantial work experience are taken into consideration for admission to the DBA program.
Student testimonials on the flexible Doctoral programs option
DBA at a Glance
-
Two intakes: Students can enter the program either in January or August term.
-
Flexible program. Students can complete their studies within 3 to 5 years, depending on their study plan.
-
Program structure: Coursework in the first year (preferably), and research work in the second and third years. However, students should finish coursework before the end of the 10th term.
-
Course work delivery: On weekends, either online or on-campus (Asok Center), or mix of both (it is the student’s decision)
-
Courses offered in 5 Terms: Jan/Feb; Mar/Apr; Jun/July; Aug/Sept; and Oct/Nov
DBA Degree Requirements
-
Complete 18 credits of coursework, which include 3 credits of special study (SS), with a minimum cGPA of 3.25. For DBA students who previously completed the MBA or equivalent master’s degree may apply for “Transfer of Credits” for up to 6 credits of relevant coursework. However, these credits should meet AIT criteria for credits transfer (e.g., equivalent to graduate courses at AIT, completed within the last five years). Transfer of credits for the DBA program is done through ‘Credit by Examination.”
-
Complete a doctoral dissertation (66 credits) and defend it at an oral examination, and
-
Obtain a satisfactory evaluation of the dissertation from the External Examiner
Program Structure
Total of 84 credits consist of the following:
I- Courses = 15 credits (made up of 9 credits of methodology courses & 6 credits of knowledge building)
II- Special Study = 3 credits
III- Dissertation = 66 credits
Total = 84 credits
I. Courses (15 credits)
DBA students complete the required coursework before beginning the dissertation. The DBA curriculum requires 9 credits of research methodology courses (1.5 credits each) and 6 credits of knowledge building (management-related) courses of your choice from our MBA/MSc offered courses.
i- Doctoral-Level Methodology Courses (1.5-credits each):
Foundations of management research
Management research methods and writing
Data strategies & hypotheses testing
Building models that link to theory
Approaches of qualitative research
Methods of qualitative research
ii- Knowledge Building Courses: Students select a total of 6 credits (2 courses, 3-credit each) from SOM management master’s degree programs (MBA & MSc courses)
II. Special Study (3 credits)
Toward the end of their coursework, DBA students take a research specialization study of 3 credits (SS). The student works with his/her supervisor on a topic of interest. It will be tailor-made to the student’s research focus and require understanding and a critical review of the theories and research in the field of specialization. The student will be required to prepare a review paper (a report) based on published research.
III. Dissertation (66 credits)
The dissertation is self-study and does not involve any formal coursework. Students are expected to meet with their supervisor and the committee members regularly during the dissertation development.
Admissions
Entry Requirements
-
Completion of online DBA application.
-
one recommendation letter is needed.
-
Bachelor Degree: Completion of a four-year Bachelor's degree at an accredited institution with strong academic records and submission of academic transcript and certificate of degree. It is recognized there is variation among grading systems in regions of the world. There is, however, a minimum of 2.75/4.0 GPA from the undergraduate degree
-
Master's Degree: A master’s degree from a recognized institution prior to entry to the DBA is preferred. However, if one does not have a master’s degree prior to entry to the DBA, eligibility will be based on their professional experience and equivalent qualifications. For those DBA students admitted without a master’s degree, additional coursework may normally be required.
-
Work Experience: On average, our DBA students have more than 10 years of work experience.
-
All candidates must have evidence of English proficiency (please see below for more details)
English Requirements
-
The minimum requirement for doctoral applicants is 5.5 (minimum entry requirement).
-
As a requirement for graduation, students must attain a score of 6.0 on the AIT English Writing or must successfully complete EL19.
Exemption: Applicants who are citizens of and have been educated in an English-speaking country (e.g., Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA) are exempted from score submission. Proof of citizenship and studies must be submitted.
For more information regarding English requirements:
https://www.ait.ac.th/admissions/eligibility/
Also, you may want to visit AIT English Language: AIT’s Language Center
Program Fees
