Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

  • Total # of Credit hours
    60

Welcome Message

Thank you for taking the time to visit our webpage and learn more about our Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program at the College of Business Administration (CBA) at Ajman University (AU). We are pleased to announce that our program has recently received the AACSB accreditation, making it one of only five doctorate programs in the UAE to earn this prestigious recognition.

Our DBA program, which was launched in the Fall of 2019-2020, addresses a significant need in the market for active professionals who seek to combine in-depth knowledge with practical skills in order to enhance their managerial and leadership abilities. We strive to equip our graduates with the necessary expertise and confidence to become future leaders in the ever-changing and challenging business landscape, both locally and globally.

The program is structured around 60 credit hours, divided into two phases. The first phase, called Taught phase, consists of 36 credit hours spread across four semesters, with each semester comprising three courses worth three credit hours each. The second phase, known as the Dissertation phase, accounts for 24 credit hours.

During the Taught Courses phase, our program offers candidates the option to choose between two tracks based on their current and potential career goals. The Management track is designed to support professionals who aim to advance their careers and acquire advanced skills and knowledge, while the Education track caters to those who may be interested in transitioning into an academic career.

Our program is guided by three core principles: practicality, innovation, and impact. We ensure that our courses are practical in nature, reflecting the real challenges faced by our DBA candidates in their professional lives. We also incorporate the latest innovative methodologies and utilize comprehensive digital resources, including academic and business databases such as EBSCO, ScienceDirect, Sage, Emerald, Refinitiv Eikon/Datastream, BoardEx, and specialized software like SPSS, EViews, Nvivo, and Expert Choice/AHP. These resources can be accessed remotely, making our program one of the best in the UAE in terms of utilizing international resources.

Furthermore, we have established multiple partnerships with renowned universities in the UK, USA, and Germany. For example, we have an active Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Cardiff Business School in the UK, which is ranked among the top 200 universities worldwide according to QSWUR and is part of the prestigious Russell Group.

At AU, we are committed to creating an outstanding educational experience for leading professionals, as well as making a positive impact across markets. Our program aligns with the university's vision of being one of the leading institutions in the Arab world, known for its cutting-edge learning environment, impactful research, responsible outreach, and community engagement.

I highly encourage you to explore the valuable materials available in our DBA program, which provide further insights into our curriculum, faculty, and the unique opportunities we offer.

Should you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to reach out to us. We look forward to welcoming you to our esteemed DBA program at Ajman University.

Prof. Tamer Elshandidy
Director of Graduate Programs

Program Overview

The DBA represents an exciting new opportunity for those with the talent and determination to succeed, wish to advance their management or consulting careers, or transition to teaching in an academic setting. The DBA program will prepare students to advance in a variety of careers, including those in private and non-profit sectors, education, and government. Students will be prepared to think critically, solve problems, and compete in complex business environments.

         
      DBA Brochure           DBA News     
         
         
Students Publications       Testimonials    

 

Program Mission

The DBA program trains students to become thought-leaders of management practice and creators of knowledge by engaging in applied research. With the aid of AU faculty, the DBA students will learn how to integrate management theory with practice and advance the field of evidence-based management.

Program Goals

PG 1: To support students to develop and conduct a high-quality theoretical and applied research.

PG 2: To equip practitioners with the potential to lead management practice.

PG 3: To develop students’ body of business knowledge by communicating research findings as a scholar or a practitioner.

PG 4: To support students to solve practical business problems through research.

PG 5: To develop effective decision makers and qualified business educators.

Graduation Requirements

To qualify for the DBA degree, a candidate must

  • Complete a minimum of 60 credit hours toward the degree, including the credits of the Dissertation.
  • Successfully complete the course of study as specified in the degree plan, including the dissertation.
  • Successfully defend the dissertation as directed and approved by the Dissertation Committee.
  • A course may count toward the degree if the course grade is at least a “B.”
Admission Requirements

1-      Candidates should have a master’s degree in business or related field from a recognized university with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale or its established equivalent.

2-      Candidates should have work experience of at least two years in the middle or senior management levels.

3-      English Language Eligibility: Candidates should achieve a minimum score of 79 Internet-based test (IBT) for the TOEFL, TOEFL (ITP) 550 or 6 of the IELTS (Academic) test, with the exception of candidates who have studied for Master's degree programs taught in English that required for admission an EmSAT score of 1400 or equivalent (e.g., TOEFL score of 79 (IBT) or TOEFL score of 550 (ITP) or 6 of IELTS (Academic) test).

For non-international students:

  • A completed and valid online application.
  • A Bachelor’s and Master’s degree, Attested from (MOE)
  • A Bachelor’s and Master’s transcripts, Attested from (MOE)
  • UAE Ministry of Education equivalency certificate for master’s degree issued by the foreign higher education institution.
  • A Certificate of a proficiency test in English such as Academic IELTS with band 6 as a minimum (or its equivalent)
  • Recent CV.
  • Two professional recommendation letters.
  • Evidence of relevant work experience
  • A photocopy of a valid passport with a residence visa
  • A photocopy of a valid UAE National ID 
  • 6 Passport-size photos  
  • A valid certificate of good conduct issued by an official authority 
  • Male applicants must provide status of UAE National Service
  • Medical Check-up.

For international students:

  • A completed and valid online application.
  • A Certified copy of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
  • A Certified copy of the Bachelor’s and Master’s transcripts.
  • Master's and Bachelor's Degree Equivalency Certificates from UAE (MOE) (Upon Acceptance).
  • A Certificate of a proficiency test in English such as Academic IELTS with band 6 as a minimum (or its equivalent)
  • Evidence on how the candidate will fund the degree (self-funded scholarship).
  • Recent CV.
  • Two professional recommendation letters.
  • Evidence of relevant work experience
  • A photocopy of a valid passport (valid at least for 6 months).
  • A photocopy of a valid UAE National ID (After Arrival).
  • 6 Passport-size photos  
  • A valid certificate of good conduct issued by an official authority 
  • Medical check-up (After Arrival).

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview (in person or virtually) to determine final acceptance into the program. Details about the interview requirements will be provided to the shortlisted candidates.

 

Program Learning Outcomes

PLO 1: Apply different research methods to analyze organizations and create new ideas through research questions that build on existing theory and are relevant to practice.

PLO 2: Summarize and synthesize relevant theory and research on a given business issue.

PLO 3: Develop effective and innovative global management decisions that are ethical and relevant to the local context.

PLO 4: Communicate and defend original research findings orally through a formal research presentation.

Management Option:

PLO 5: Critically analyze and assess research findings and their implications on solving management and leadership problems.

PLO 6: Apply creative thinking in different aspects of business strategies, leadership, finance, and organizational development. 

Education Option:

PLO 5: Demonstrate a mastery of skills and knowledge required for university teaching and assessment of student learning.

PLO 6: Apply advanced research methods that result in quality publication and knowledge development.

Program Structure and Credit Hours

The Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) degree requires the completion of 60 credit hours distributed according to the following plan:

Type of Courses
Credit/hour

1. DBA core courses

27

2. Elective courses (Management / Education)

9

3. Dissertation

24
Total Credit Hours
60

Study Plan

Doctor of Business Administration Study Plan

 

Frequently Asked Questions

The DBA is a doctoral degree whose structure and program are adapted to the obligations of professional managers. Like the PhD it is a doctoral qualification, however, it is directly linked to the world of work. The primary goal of the DBA is to advance professional practice, preparing candidates to carry out research and to make a direct contribution to professional practice and/or policy in a workplace or wider industry context.

The tuition fee for the entire DBA program is AED 270,000.

The application and registration fee for DBA program is AED 2,000 (5% VAT will be added to the fees). The fee should be paid upon registration and this fee is not part of the tuition. The application and registration fee is non-refundable, except when the application is rejected in which case an amount of AED 1,700 will be refunded to the student.

Scholarships may be awarded based on merit; criteria will be set by the selection committee on case to case bases. However, there are two definite scholarships:

Ajman University Employees scholarship: 30%

Ajman University Alumni scholarship: 20%

The DBA classes will be held every Saturday and Sunday of the week.

The DBA is generally acquired over a period of three to four years.

There is a thorough process of selecting the right candidates at Ajman University. Evaluation and assessment of applications may take from two to three weeks, after which shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for an interview.

You may apply without having all documents, but you need to know that the suitability of your application will be decided based on your documents. In some cases, if the candidate appears to be fulfilling all criteria but has not given a required document then he/she may be contacted by the office of registration to provide the missing document/s.

 

Apply Now!
For Enquiries on the DBA Program, Please Contact

Prof. Tamer Elshandidy, Director of Graduate Programs, College of Business Administration

Telephone: +97167056274

Email: t.elshandidy@ajman.ac.ae

Manar Hamad, Post-Graduate Studies Administrator

Telephone: +97167056359

Email: m.hamad@ajman.ac.ae