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Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) (2025 Entry)

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Find out more about our Doctor of Business Administration degree at Warwick

Do you have a desire to change the way your business functions, and impact the world of business with new ideas and big picture thinking? Make your mark on the world of business research and practice with a Doctorate in Business Administration.

Course overview

The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is designed to provide business leaders, executives and professionals an opportunity to pursue the next step beyond their MBA or equivalent qualification.

It is equivalent in stature to a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, but distinct in that you will pursue applied research rather than theoretical knowledge. The goal of the DBA is to design organisational interventions which help address real-world challenges in your business, and then to rigorously evaluate, assess and test the effectiveness of those interventions, and to communicate the findings so that both the world of practice and the world of research can benefit from your work. In this way, DBA candidates generate new knowledge – the ultimate criterion for the award of a Doctoral degree.

Benefits

Our DBA is designed to produce scholar-practitioners who can enhance their organisation’s performance through evidence-based practice. The programme addresses three core areas:

  • Developing a clear understanding of the nature of the problem(s) or challenges to be addressed
  • Understanding the relevant bodies of knowledge across management, innovation and strategy that may inform an intervention
  • Designing a research and data strategy to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention.

In pursuing these goals, the DBA brings together our inspirational faculty, a unique degree programme designed to impart critical skills at the highest level, and organisational leaders and entrepreneurs with the desire and ability to make change in their organisations. Does that sound like you?

Teaching and learning

Your research training will include a series of in-person workshops delivered by leading WBS faculty at The Shard and at our University of Warwick campus. Workshops integrate content, theory, design and research methods, through a review of relevant literature. Workshops will be supplemented by readings, and online tools and resources such as short video lectures.

Year 1: four 3-day workshops and supervision, including a programme induction

Year 2: three 3-day workshops and supervision

Year 3: one 3-day workshop and supervision

Year 4: one 3-day workshop and supervision

In addition to workshops, there will be a 2-day DBA Conference each year. This conference usually takes place in January/February each year, immediately following a planned workshop, so 3 days of teaching, plus a 2-day conference). This event will allow you the opportunity to network across DBA cohorts and will provide executive-level perspectives on how to address complex business problems by becoming a scholar-practitioner.

Reading lists

If you would like to view reading lists for current or previous cohorts of students, most departments have reading lists available through Warwick Library on the Talis Aspire platform.

You can search for reading lists by module title, code or convenor. Please see the modules tab of this page or the module catalogue.

Please note that some reading lists may have restricted access or be unavailable at certain times of year due to not yet being published. If you cannot access the reading list for a particular module, please check again later or contact the module’s host department.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements

2:1 undergraduate degree (or equivalent) plus a good MBA or other Master’s degree. A minimum of 7 years’ senior management experience.

Please note these are minimum entry requirements and, as there are a limited number of places available on the programme, we will select the candidates with the best academic and professional credentials and whose research interests are aligned with the available expertise in WBS.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:

  • Band B
  • IELTS overall score of 7.0 with maximum of two components at 6.0+.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.

Additional requirements

Find out more about how to apply for the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA).

Our research

Research for the Doctor of Business Administration is based on specific challenges facing individuals within their organisations, for which they will design and create an intervention, with the guidance of an experienced supervisor from the WBS faculty.

You will be assigned a supervisor with the relevant expertise to support you in shaping your research. Typically, they will be a research active academicLink opens in a new window who will provide expert advice and guidance on content and research methods.

In addition you will have access to a board of practitioners, individually known as WBS Professors of PracticeLink opens in a new window (experienced executives who are also scholar practitioners) who can provide support and guidance on process and development of the portfolio.

Browse our specialisms.Link opens in a new window

Research proposals

Initial applications to the Business School PhD programmes do not require submission of a research proposal.

Tuition fees

Visit our Warwick Business School web pages to learn more about funding your studies.

Course Fees  

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our Module Catalogue (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

  • Core text books
  • Printer credits
  • Dissertation binding
  • Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

Department content block about careers

Warwick Business School

If you’re interested in the bigger picture, comfortable challenging assumptions and want a degree that will open doors, then WBS is the place for you. We will give you the foundation for change and prepare you for your future career. Are you ready to make your mark in the world of business?

Find out more about us on our website.

The vision of WBS is to be Europe’s leading University-based Business School, developing transformational ideas and people that shape how we do business. We recognise that rankings are one way to profile our progress towards fulfilling this vision, and are proud to participate in the major global business education rankings.

MSc Finance

  • 6th in the UK and 21th in the world - Financial Times Masters in Finance Pre-experience Ranking 2024
  • 4th in the UK and 19th in the world - QS Business Masters Rankings 2025

MSc Management

  • 3rd in the UK and 28th in the world - Financial Times Masters in Management Ranking 2024
  • 4th in the UK and 18th in the world - QS Business Masters Rankings 2025

MSc Marketing & Strategy

  • 2nd in the UK and 7th in the world - QS Business Masters Rankings 2025

MSc Business Analytics

  • 3rd in the UK and 17th in the world - QS Business Masters Rankings 2025

MBA

  • 2nd in the UK and 3rd in the world - Financial Times Online MBA Ranking 2024
  • 4th in the UK and 30th in the world - Financial Times Executive MBA Ranking 2024

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How to apply

The application process for courses that start in September and October 2025 will open on 2 October 2024.     

For research courses that start in September and October 2024 the application deadline for students who require a visa to study in the UK is 2 August 2025. This should allow sufficient time to complete the admissions process and to obtain a visa to study in the UK. 

DBA Doctor of Business Administration

Read about how to apply to our Doctor of Business Administration.

Research course applications

Here is our checklist on how to apply for research postgraduate degrees at the University of Warwick.

After you’ve applied

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See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

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Explore ways to connect with us

We understand how important it is to visit and explore your future university before you apply. That's why we have put together a range of online and in-person options to help you discover more about your course, visit campus, and get a sense of postgraduate life at Warwick. Our events offer includes:

  • Warwick hosted events
  • Postgraduate Fairs
  • Live chats
  • Talk and Tours
  • Department events




8th in the UK

in the Guardian University Guide 2025

6th Most Targeted University

by the UK's top 100 graduate employers (The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd)

69th in the World

out of 1,500 institutions across 104 locations (QS World University Rankings 2025)

5th best student city in the UK

Coventry is ranked as the 5th Best Student City in the UK, and 40th in the world (Best Student Cities, QS World University Guide 2023)

Gold standard teaching

Gold, the highest possible rating across all three categories (student experience, student outcomes, and overall) (Teaching Excellence Framework 2023)

92% of our research

was assessed as 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent' (Research Excellence Framework 2021)

Page updates

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history.

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2025 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.