Business Administration

Today's dynamic and complex business environment - spawned by the forces of technology and globalisation - requires business leadership that is global, innovative, decisive and responsive to the needs of various stakeholders, as well as committed to organisational learning.

A major aim of the PolyU DBA is to educate senior executives to be "scholar-leaders", who are able to apply research findings in solving real-world management problems. The PolyU DBA has been designed to integrate academic study and management practice in a way that will form a significant part of an individual's business career.

The educational objectives that frame the programme are:

• Broadening, updating, and deepening students’ knowledge of business administration in general;
• Acquiring an in-depth knowledge of specialised areas of students; and
• Sharpening students' ability to conduct original applied research in business administration.

Compulsory Subjects

• Business Research Analysis & Design
• DBA Residential 1
• DBA Residential 2
• DBA Thesis I
• DBA Thesis II

Core Subjects^ (any two)

• Econometrics Methods
• Qualitative Research & Experimental Design
• Statistical Analysis for Management Research

Elective Subjects^ (any five)

• Advanced Business Strategy
• Advanced Financial Management
• Advanced Topics in Economics for Managers
• Contemporary Issues in Financial Reporting & Corporate Disclosures
• Current Issues in Organisational Behaviour
• Frontier of Leadership Research
• Incentives & Monitoring in Accounting
• Independent Studies in Business
• Independent Studies in Business - International Collaborations Experience
• Methodologies for Business Decisions
• Services Marketing Management
• Strategic Management of Information & Organisation in Digital Economy
• Strategic Marketing
• Strategic Quality Management
• Strategic Supply Chain & Logistics Management

DBA Residentials

Attendance at the 2 DBA Residentials is compulsory.

DBA Residential 1 is a 2 to 3 day mandatory orientation workshop scheduled for the beginning of the programme in August/September.

DBA Residential 2 is a research workshop which is held normally in May / June after students have completed all their taught subjects. The main purpose of the workshop is to give students an opportunity to present their thesis proposals and to prepare them for writing the theses.

DBA Thesis

The DBA Thesis is an independent research project that requires students to critically and rigorously examine a topic of interest in the field of business or management. It is one of the most important learning activities of the DBA programme and it gives students an opportunity to integrate and apply what they have learned in the taught portion of the programme. With the thesis, students are challenged to make an important contribution and/or provide innovative insights to the practice of management. Students must pass the Compulsory Subject, 2 Core Subjects and at least 3 Elective Subjects before beginning their theses.

Requirements

• A Master's degree, preferably in a business-related area; 
  AND
• Substantial managerial experience (at least 8 years) at a senior level; or
• Candidates in senior management positions possessing a recognised first degree and membership of a recognised professional body may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.
• If you are not a native speaker of English, and your Master's degree or equivalent qualification is awarded by institutions where the medium of instruction is not English, you are expected to fulfil the University’s minimum English language requirement for admission purpose.
• Personal Statement
• Curriculum Vitae
• Transcript 

Scholarships

• Research studentship with a stipend of HK$15,000 per month (subject to revision) for full-time research students based on academic merit (subject to the decision of the Department) 
• One extra year of studentship for students with outstanding academic performance 
• Tuition scholarships for students with outstanding academic records