Doctor of Business Leadership

The DBL is a professional doctorate in business leadership equivalent in standing to a PhD but with a clear focus on developing and improving professional business leadership practice. With its accent on developing research and enquiry skills to the highest level and a focus on application and reflection, coupled with flexibility in its block delivery, the DBL is the logical choice for experienced senior leaders, managers, management educators and consultants.

Aims

The Programme aims to enable students to:

• Build on their current knowledge, skills and abilities
• Challenge them at the highest level of thought
• Extend their capabilities as leader, manager, management educator and consultant
• Open up new and higher level career opportunities
• Equip them with the premier academic qualification

The DBL has been designed to provide a means of progression from an established academic knowledge base of a Masters qualification in a business leadership area that includes substantial study of the field, professional development, research training and a research based dissertation. The Masters qualification provides subject knowledge, personal development and research training to enable a student to progress to the DBL.

The DBL comprises study of the Advanced Business Research module (30 credits) and the development of a doctoral research thesis or portfolio leading to an individual contribution to enhance understanding of theory and/or practice in business leadership. The module is assessed via a critically-argued proposal (4000 words). The programme includes learning tasks in which the student will enhance his/her practice development and career progression at a doctoral level, with opportunities for networking with other doctoral students, researchers and professionals.

The programme commences with the Advanced Business Research module delivered in two one-week blocks encompassing research philosophies, research techniques and doctoral study skills. Personal study during the inter-block periods is seen as vital in allowing participants to reflect upon the content of the taught modules, to relate theory to their current (or past) professional practice, to undertake their research and to prepare for their doctoral thesis/portfolio. This study time is self-managed, but supported by fellow participants, academic tutors and a supervisor.

As a full-time student you will be in attendance at the university between blocks with successful completion of the module leading to the research phase. The part-time programme allows practising leaders the freedom to continue working in their profession. The ability of doctoral students to study in blocks and continue in employment allows them direct access to the professional context within which their doctoral programme rests. 

Requirements

• A Masters qualification in a Business Leadership related area (or exceptionally an equivalent qualification with a substantial work experience in a business leadership role) which includes a substantive study of the field, personal and professional development and research training resulting in a research dissertation. The research training and research element must equate to a minimum of 60 credits.
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience of business leadership practice in line with the University Professional Doctorate Framework and/or evidence of appropriate continuous professional development.
• Submission of a research proposal at an appropriate level for doctoral study and which can be supervised by Newcastle Business School staff.
• Where English is not the applicant’s first language, a minimum IELTS score of 7.0. (No individual element in your IELTS score should be 0.5 or more points below the required overall score).

Scholarships

• Research Studentships 
• Employment Sponsorship 
• Financial Advice