A professional doctorate for senior practitioners producing original, publishable research at the intersection of management and health care regulation.
About the program
The DBA is a research degree for people who already lead. Its purpose is not to teach management again but to develop the methodological rigour required to produce original knowledge about management problems and to defend that knowledge before an examining panel.
The first three semesters are taught research training: methodology, quantitative and qualitative analysis, academic writing and publication ethics, plus a specialised seminar on law and regulation in health care. The remaining semesters are dedicated to the dissertation, supported by a continuous research colloquium.
Candidates are expected to submit at least one paper to a peer-reviewed venue before the final defence. The colloquium exists to make that expectation achievable.
Fully online, supervised research with structured research colloquia
Master's degree, research proposal, professional experience
Learning outcomes
Full syllabus
Philosophy, design and the literature
12 credits
300 hours total workload
Philosophy of science for applied fields, research paradigms, design typologies, validity and reliability, and the logic of contribution.
Assessment: Design paper (100%)
10 credits
250 hours total workload
Protocol-driven searching, inclusion criteria, quality appraisal, synthesis techniques and the identification of genuine gaps.
Assessment: Systematic review manuscript (100%)
8 credits
200 hours total workload
Structure of the research article, authorship rules, conflicts of interest, data availability, peer review and responses to reviewers.
Assessment: Manuscript and reviewer response exercise (100%)
Quantitative and qualitative technique
12 credits
300 hours total workload
Regression, panel and longitudinal methods, causal inference designs, measurement models and reproducible analysis workflows.
Assessment: Analysis report with reproducible code (100%)
10 credits
250 hours total workload
Interviewing, case study method, coding strategies, thematic and framework analysis, trustworthiness criteria and reflexivity.
Assessment: Coded dataset and analytical memo (100%)
8 credits
200 hours total workload
Regulation as an object of management research: enforcement data, compliance behaviour, liability regimes and their measurable effects.
Assessment: Seminar paper (100%)
Locking the research design
18 credits
450 hours total workload
Full proposal: problem, literature, theoretical framing, method, ethics, feasibility and timeline, defended before the doctoral committee.
Assessment: Written proposal (70%) and committee defence (30%)
12 credits
300 hours total workload
Structured peer review of work in progress, with rotating discussant duties and faculty commentary.
Assessment: Presentations and discussant reports (100%)
Executing the study
48 credits
1,200 hours total workload
Data collection, analysis and drafting of the substantive chapters under continuous supervision.
Assessment: Chapter submissions with supervisor sign-off (100%)
12 credits
300 hours total workload
Continued peer review with an explicit focus on preparing a manuscript for journal submission.
Assessment: Submitted manuscript and review record (100%)
Completion and examination
30 credits
750 hours total workload
Completion of a 60,000–80,000 word dissertation, similarity screening, examiner review and public oral defence.
Assessment: Dissertation (80%) and public defence (20%)
PDF downloads
Videos & podcasts
A short preview of the recording style used across the DBA. The full library holds 12 video lectures — one masterclass per course plus thesis, assessment and career sessions — released to enrolled students in the study portal.
10 audio episodes in English, downloadable for offline listening on the commute — course conversations, thesis guidance and student and alumni panels.
Resource Library
MCP resources
The DBA study material is also published as a machine-readable catalogue, so an AI assistant can read the curriculum, materials, lectures and podcasts directly. Add the endpoint below to any assistant that supports the Model Context Protocol.
https://middlewestuniversity.com/mcpOverview, target audience, learning outcomes, thesis rules, faculty and FAQ.
get_program { "slug": "dba" }Every semester and course with credits, workload, outcomes and assessment.
get_curriculum { "slug": "dba" }Downloadable handbooks and syllabi, readings and slide dossiers.
list_resources { "slug": "dba", "kind": "pdf" }Recorded lectures and podcast episodes with durations, hosts and chapters.
list_media { "slug": "dba", "kind": "podcast" }Keyword search across the courses of all seven programs.
search_courses { "query": "financial reporting" }Published tuition, instalment plan and what the fee covers.
get_tuition {}How students are graded
Design papers, reproducible analysis reports and coded datasets.
Progression to fieldwork requires a passed committee defence.
Presentations, discussant duties and manuscript preparation.
Examiner review followed by a public oral defence.
Final independent work
An original contribution to knowledge in management, with a regulatory or health care dimension. Publication-based dissertations comprising three linked papers are permitted with committee approval.
Fees
Total tuition
USD USD 8,999
Total tuition for the complete Doctor of Business Administration, including supervision, research support, publication guidance and the dissertation defence.
Tuition is quoted in United States dollars. Payment schedules are agreed in writing with the Student Affairs Office before enrolment.
Questions
Yes. A research proposal is part of the admission file, though it is expected to evolve substantially during the first three semesters.
Yes, and most candidates do. Plan for 20–25 hours per week; the fieldwork semesters are the most demanding.
At least one submission to a peer-reviewed venue is expected before the final defence. Acceptance is not required for graduation.
Yes, with committee approval: three linked papers plus a framing introduction and conclusion.
The Student Affairs Office answers curriculum, admission and enrolment questions in English.
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