A four-year professional doctorate equivalent in status and challenge to a PhD — designed for practitioners pursuing professional rather than academic careers, applying theory to the advancement of business practice.
The newest program of the Faculty of Business Studies trains government and business executives through Action Learning and Action Research — reflecting on workplace practice, decisions and biases — to build research skills for leadership, consulting and advanced practice.
4 yrs
8 semesters
72
total credits
10 yrs
work experience
3.0
min. coursework CGPA
Program
What the DBA is for
The program has two broad purposes: (1) contributing to both theory and practice in business and management, and (2) developing professional practice and professional knowledge — through highly relevant, workplace-based research producing actionable knowledge inside the student’s own organization, with eight FBS departments open for single-subject or multi-disciplinary specialization.
DBA vs PhD: both demand original research and a defended thesis. The PhD creates new theory; the DBA applies theory to business problems — coursework comparable to a business PhD, with independent research geared to direct contribution to practice.
Graduates are able to identify and solve business problems with the highest value-adding solutions; perform system-based, managerially justified analysis of operations and technology-enabled opportunities locally and globally; stand recognized as subject experts; independently carry out original research; produce work contributing uniquely to theory and practice; formulate and re-design industry rules and standards; and bridge theory and practice for government, business and economics.
Entry
Who can apply
Educational
A master’s, preferably in business (MBA/MBS/M.Com), from an institution of national or international repute — minimum equivalent CGPA 3.0 of 4.0 in both undergraduate and master’s. Other disciplines considered with exceptional work experience.
Professional
Minimum 10 years’ work experience in a reputable government, business or non-government organization, including at least 3 years in senior management, administration or consulting — relaxable for extraordinary academics or fast-track careers.
Other considerations
Requirements may be relaxed for applicants with a GMAT of at least 600 (within five years) or a GRE of at least 307.
Application: a statement of purpose (why a DBA, justifying attributes, research interests, post-DBA career plans) plus three recommendation letters — preferably one from the current organization’s head and one from the last degree institution.
Selection weighs academics, experience, current role and responsibility, achievements and recommendations, with a written and/or oral assessment by the DBA Administration Committee.
Plan
Coursework, dissertation & timeframe — 72 credits
Mandatory 30 credits of coursework (expected in four semesters; up to four years in exceptional cases; extra courses possible on advisor advice without affecting CGPA), then 42 credits of dissertation on a flexible timeframe. A CGPA of 3.0 in coursework is required to begin the dissertation. Graduation is expected within four years (eight semesters), extendable to a maximum of seven years (fourteen semesters) short of special Academic Council permission.
| Part | Courses | Number | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coursework (30 cr, ~4 semesters) | Foundation | 1 | 3 (mandatory) |
| Research methods | 3 | 9 (mandatory) | |
| Relevant stream | 2 | 6 (with progress committee) | |
| Subject major | 4 | 12 (with progress committee) | |
| Dissertation (42 cr, ~4 semesters) | Phase 1: question & literature review | — | 6 (with advisor) |
| Phase 2: proposal writing | — | 6 (progress committee approval) | |
| Phase 3: data collection & analysis | — | 6 (progress committee approval) | |
| Phase 4: thesis & seminars | — | 24 (thesis + presentations to monitoring committee) | |
| DBA total | — | 72 | |
Governance
Committees guiding each scholar
DBA Administration Committee
The Dean (ex officio) plus eight departmental representatives — master committee for all DBA matters, admissions and grievances.
Progress Monitoring Committee
Department chair, principal and joint advisors plus an external subject expert — unique per student, meeting at least yearly, reporting to the Administration Committee.
Dissertation Committee
Advisor, joint-advisor if any, and at least two external subject specialists from outside the university, local or overseas.
Degree requirements:
- Advisor approval to defend before the Dissertation Committee;
- Thesis acceptance by the external members;
- Two publications (or acceptances) from the thesis in recognized business journals approved by the DBA Administration Committee.
Curriculum
Course pools
Credit totals follow the official DBA course plan above (30 coursework + 42 dissertation); course loads are finalized with the progress committee.
Research methods all compulsory
| Code | Course title |
|---|---|
| BIDR-801 | Introduction to Business Research (Faculty) |
| BIDR-802 | Statistical / Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods (Department) |
| BIDR-803 | Mathematics for Decision Making (Department) |
Foundation banking or insurance track
| Code | Course title |
|---|---|
| BIDR-804 | Fundamentals of Banking (for DBA in Banking) |
| BIDR-805 | Fundamentals of Insurance (for DBA in Insurance) |
Relevant stream
| Code | Course title |
|---|---|
| BIDS-806 | Micro Economic Theory |
| BIDS-807 | Macro Economic Theory |
| BIDS-808 | Econometrics |
| BIDS-809 | Corporate Governance and Ethics |
| BIDS-810 | Entrepreneurship Development and Small Business |
| BIDS-811 | Treasury Management |
| BIDS-812 | Foreign Exchange Management |
Subject major — Banking
| Code | Course title |
|---|---|
| BIDMB-901 | Bank Management |
| BIDMB-902 | Risk Management and Investment in Banking |
| BIDMB-903 | Regulations and Supervisions of Banks |
| BIDMB-904 | Financial Markets & Institutions |
| BIDMB-905 | International Banking |
| BIDMB-906 | Financial Analysis & Control |
| BIDMB-907 | Directed Studies in Banking |
Subject major — Insurance
| Code | Course title |
|---|---|
| BIDMB-908 | Insurance and Risk Management |
| BIDMB-909 | Operations of Life and Nonlife Insurance |
| BIDMB-910 | Actuarial Science |
| BIDMB-911 | Regulations and Supervisions of Insurance |
| BIDMB-912 | Investment Analysis for Banks & Insurance |
| BIDMB-913 | Takaful & Islamic Insurance |
| BIDMB-914 | Directed Studies in Insurance |
Outcomes
Where graduates go
Senior leadershipGovernment & public administrationAdvanced consultingResearch careersAcademia
Contact
Ask the department
Department of Banking and Insurance, Dhaka University Campus, Dhaka-1000
Email: banking@du.ac.bd
Phone: +88 09666 911 463 (Ext. 8081/8082)