This comprehensive programme is designed to cultivate adept and self-reliant researchers in the realm of strategic business management, honing their expertise in specialised fields like finance, marketing, project management, supply chain management, or other relevant disciplines. By contributing original and practical knowledge to their respective areas of research, students play a pivotal role in advancing the frontiers of business knowledge.This program places a deliberate focus on cultivating vital competencies in business administration, encompassing the capacity to conduct rigorous research, apply analytical problem-solving skills, effectively communicate with diverse audiences, lead and manage projects, and maintain the highest professional ethics standards. The Doctorate in Business Administration places substantial emphasis on fostering critical thinking, analytical prowess, research acumen, project management acuity, and refined writing skills. As a result, students attain a sophisticated and cutting-edge understanding of their research specialty, positioning them at the forefront of the ever-evolving business landscape.This esteemed programme equips graduates with the competencies and insights essential to lead and innovate in today's dynamic business world.
Target Audience
Ages 19-30, 31-65
Target Group
This degree is aimed at mid- to senior-level business executives and managers who want to gain the highest level of expertise and qualification in business and management. It offers advanced knowledge and skills in business management, administration, and leadership
Mode of attendance
Full-Time and Part-Time
Structure of the programme
The degree is primarily composed of independent research conducted by a student under the supervision of a faculty member, benefiting from diversity in perspective and expertise from a secondary supervisor
Entire programme is divided into three modules, each building upon the previous. It has a large research component consisting of both structured research preparation and the creation of an extensive final thesis in which students undertake cutting-edge, original, independent research.
Tier One
Advanced Research Planning and Methodology for Business (MQF 7, 2000 Hours)
Tier Two
Research Development and Progress Review (MQF 8, 1000 Hours)
Tier Three
Thesis Completion and Viva Voce Examination (MQF 8, 1500 Hours)
Grading System
Within any individual module assessment is of two kinds: assessment of regular assignments (typically weighted 20% as a whole) and assessment of a final assignment or project (typically weighted 80%). These grades, however, are regarded only as indicators of progress while the student is progressing through the program.
The degree is awarded on a pass/fail basis as a consequence of the viva voce examination.
Dates of Next Intake
Rolling admission
Pass rates
2023 pass rates will be publicised in the next cycle, contingent upon ensuring sufficient student data for anonymization.
Identity Malta’s VISA requirement for third country nationals: https://www.identitymalta.com/unit/central-visa-unit/
This module is designed to empower students to contribute new
knowledge to the field of business administration, with a focus on
specialized areas such as finance, marketing, human resource
management, organizational strategies, product and production
management, and business analytics. By completing this module, students
will be prepared to conduct original and publishable research in their
chosen field, a vital component of subsequent modules aimed at
advancing the state of knowledge. The aim of this module is the achievement of a well-crafted Research Plan,
which will guide students on their journey to undertake substantial and
sustained research at the MQF 8 level.
It begins with a series of short units that establish community within a
cohort of researchers and allow students time to finalise a choice of thesis
supervisor. The units would encompass a variety of topics that may range
from effective ways of literature review, understanding of research
methods, ethics in research, data analysis tools and techniques etc. The
supervisor must possess a DBA or PhD in the field and subfield of the
proposed dissertation, or, failing that, have published recent peer-
reviewed scholarship in that area. Approval of the match between a
doctoral student and supervisor will rest with the dean of the college, and
must be reported to Woolf’s QAETAC committee.
The module begins with a selection of topics suitable for students
embarking on a research thesis in business administration. These might
include:
● Doctoral Writing and Research Methods
● Quantitative Research Methods in Business
● Qualitative Research Methods in Business Innovation and
Sustainability Research Perspectives
● Applied Research in Organisational Behaviour and Leadership
● Contemporary Research in Business Analytics
● Action Research Approaches in Operational Management
● Corporate Governance and Social Responsibility
The goal is not a generalised introduction to business research, but rather
a practical preparation for students preparing to embark upon the thesis.
Although these skills are highly transferable to other research domains, it
remains the case that the purpose of the module is scoped to the specific
research interests of the cohort of students and available faculty.
The module results in a highly structured ‘Research Plan’ for embarking
upon independent research at the MQF 8 level in the subsequent modules.
In order to provide context for the submission of the ‘Research Plan,’ the
student will gain a proficient knowledge of relevant research methods and
planning. Thus, in connection with the core learning outcomes resulting
from the research plan, the student will additionally gain a proficient
understanding of the wider context of research methods and evaluate the
fittingness of the chosen method for their topic.
In this phase a student must, under the guidance of their supervisor:
Propose his or her thesis topic
Identify a provisional title
Evaluate research methods and select a strategy
Write an abstract of the proposed research project
Compose a provisional table of contents for the thesis
Compose an annotated bibliography
Write a literature survey covering relevant primary and secondary
sources
Schedule a timeline to completion, including a work agreement
between the student and supervisor
The thesis supervisor finally prepares the student for external
examination of the ‘Research Plan.’
By the end of the first year, if not earlier, the Research Plan is submitted as
a digital portfolio containing six elements:
Provisional thesis title
Abstract
Expanded table of contents
Literature survey
Annotated bibliography
Timeline to completion.
The Research Plan provides students with a clear framework to guide
their research question, a structure into which they can fit their scholarly
research, and a pathway to the completion of the thesis. The Research
Plan also formally specifies the discipline the student is studying; this
discipline must also be the supervisor’s scholarly field. During the module,
students meet with their supervisor twice per month.
The student’s attention is directed to literature on the topic of the
proposed thesis, and thus methodological research guidance, beyond the
oral instruction of the student’s supervisor, will be provided within the
domain of study specific to the student’s thesis. This will vary
considerably, depending upon the topic of the thesis, and it forms a
natural component of the literature survey. (Thus, it is neither
appropriate nor possible to list here the bibliographic references that will
be needed by the student. We have, however, provided valuable works of
general research guidance and reference, and works to aid the student in
evaluating the best research method for the thesis.) Although the nature
of the training will vary by discipline and by the amount of focus on
human subjects, the supervisor will include scholarly ethics as a topic
during this period.
The ‘Research Plan’ is submitted to be examined by an academic in the
same field, selected by the thesis supervisor with the approval of the
college dean (for the role of college deans, see Woolf’s MFHEA-approved
Policy of Quality Assurance). The examining academic must possess a
research doctorate.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
In this module, the aims of the methodology module are fulfilled and the research of the past two years is brought into one overarching argument. The thesis will constitute a substantial, original, independent piece of research, which is clearly articulated in relation to the primary evidence and secondary literature, and which is organised in relation to the plan first envisaged in the methodology module.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.
This module on Research Development and Progress Review helps a student who has just completed the ‘Research Plan’ to undertake a cadence of supervised, original research leading to a substantial portion of their research thesis being completed. The focus of this module is on the actual work of research, whether that be in the library, working with datasets, developing data management plans, ethical approval, conducting interviews or surveys, or deep reading in the scholarship on a chosen topic, producing extensive notes and questions, and rough drafts of chapters or thesis sections. In addition to direct intervention on the student’s work, faculty contributions might include exploring innovative new research methods, research integrity, or, where relevant, implications for policy and other applications.