Doctor of Business Administration
DBA
Part-time
4 years
HK$1,800,000
For students who cannot complete the program in the normal 4 year period, an additional yearly tuition of $50,000 will be charged starting the 5th year.
Academic Director:
Prof Shaohui ZHENG, Chair Professor of Information Systems, Business Statistics and Operations Management
The HKUST Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Program is well-designed for senior executives who are motivated to equip themselves with rigorous doctoral training to enhance their research capabilities, gain exposure to latest business research trends across disciplines, and to carry out insightful applied research for influential informed business decision making in the interconnected world.
On successful completion of the program, graduates will be able to:
- Conduct applied research independently with their in-depth knowledge of different research methodologies;
- Articulate business and organization issues within their area of specialization; and
- Apply their advanced business knowledge and research skills in their business settings.
The DBA Program is a 4-year part-time program. Students will complete a 55-credit curriculum which comprises of coursework and thesis preparation in Year 1 and 2, and a residential program and thesis research in Year 3 and 4.
Classes will be conducted on a live-in modular basis and students will attend classes for 4 consecutive days (including weekend) for each module in the first two years. There will be 8 modules in the first year and 8 modules in the second year.
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Minimum Credit Requirement
55 Credits
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Core Courses
15 Credits
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Elective Courses
8 Credits
Advisors will be identified for students by the end of Year 1. Students and advisors will work out a study plan to take 8 credits of elective courses from the following list based on the academic background of the students and their intended research topic.
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DBA Thesis Preparation
2 Credits
Students are required to take DBAP 6200 to complete an independent study advised by their advisors in Year 2.
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DBA Residential Program
Students are required to register in DBAP 6300 (2-day residential programs for research activities on campus) during regular terms starting from Year 3. Students are required to attend four times of DBAP 6300 before they graduate. Students are also expected to set up real-time meetings online or offline with their advisors for a minimum of 10 contact hours per regular term.The credits earned from DBAP 6300 cannot be counted toward the credit requirements.
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Thesis Research
30 Credits
Students are required to submit a research proposal and conduct an oral presentation to pass a qualifying examination by end of Year 2. They will then proceed to their DBA research and thesis write-up in Year 3 and Year 4. Students are required to present the DBA thesis and defend orally in front of the Thesis Examination Committee, normally by end of Year 4.
Last update: 13 November 2023
To qualify for admission, applicants must meet all of the following requirements. Admission is selective and meeting these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
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Applicants seeking admission to a doctoral degree program should have obtained a bachelor’s degree with a proven record of outstanding performance from a recognized institution; or presented evidence of satisfactory work at the postgraduate level on a full-time basis for at least one year, or on a part-time basis for at least two years.
Applicants have to fulfill English Language requirements with one of the following proficiency attainments:
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TOEFL-iBT: 80*
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TOEFL-pBT: 550
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TOEFL-Revised paper-delivered test: 60 (total scores for Reading, Listening and Writing sections)
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IELTS (Academic Module): Overall score: 6.5 and All sub-score: 5.5
* refers to the total score in one single attempt
Applicants are not required to present TOEFL or IELTS score if
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their first language is English, or
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they obtained the bachelor's degree (or equivalent) from an institution where the medium of instruction was English.
- A Master’s degree from a recognized university is preferred.
- Preference will be given to candidates with at least twelve years of managerial experience.
- Applicants will be asked to submit a proposal on a research idea that they would like to pursue.
