Subject knowledge - the Course stage
You have two ways to demonstrate your knowledge in the subject area of your proposed thesis. Either:
- Complete one of the EBS MSc degree programmes. EBS currently offers MSc programmes in Financial Management, Human Resource Management, Marketing and Strategic Planning. The EBS MSc programmes will ensure you have sufficient subject knowledge for a thesis in any of these broad subject areas, and each includes the course Introduction to Business Research 1, which provides a basic understanding of what research is and how it is done.
Or:
- Apply to the EBS DBA Research Committee with details of an existing degree at Masters level (or higher) and the proposed subject for your thesis.The DBA Research Committee will determine additional subject-based courses that you will be required to complete with EBS before you can start the Mentored stage. This 'tailored' route is at the discretion of the Committee and additional academic references may be required.If you do not have a clear concept for your thesis proposal, it is recommended that you focus on a specialist MSc programme in the Course stage.
Research skills and research proposal - the Mentored stage
To embark on this stage of your DBA, you will be allocated a mentor and be required to complete the EBS courses Introduction to Business Research 2 and 3. In this stage you will also develop your thesis proposal.
Introduction to Business Research 2 considers research methodology and literature review. It explains how to carry out a business-related literature review and then use it to develop a hypothesis or theory about a business issue.
Introduction to Business Research 3 concentrates on statistical techniques for data collection, analysis and drawing conclusions.As with other EBS courses, the two Introduction to Business Research courses are each assessed by written 3-hour examinations.
Your EBS mentor will work with you to help in the preparation of the research proposal. Your mentor will be a senior academic with experience of mentoring DBA students but not necessarily an expert in the subject of your final thesis.
Your research proposal must be submitted to the EBS DBA Research Committee for approval. If the research proposal is not acceptable, it is returned to you with suitable explanations and you will continue to develop the research proposal until a standard acceptable to the EBS Research Committee is achieved.
Once the research proposal is accepted, you will be allocated a supervisor whose expertise lies within your proposed area of research.
The Mentored stage is normally of 1 year's duration. |  | Literature review and thesis - the Supervised stage
During this stage of the DBA programme, you work under the direction of your allocated supervisor to conduct a literature review to support your research and underpinning methodology, carry out your research and write your thesis.
Your supervisor will be a senior academic with specific knowledge of your chosen area of research. He or she may or may not be a member of EBS's faculty, and will allocate to you approximately 6 hours of contact time per month.
Communication with your supervisor will be primarily via email.
As with the research proposal, each stage of your research must be developed to a level acceptable to the EBS DBA Research Committee.
After acceptance of the literature review and synthesis, you will work on your thesis (approximate length 45,000 words) under the direction of your supervisor; the thesis is then submitted formally to the university and assessment takes the form of a review followed by a viva voce 'defence' of your thesis.
The examination will be conducted in person or by live video link at the university's discretion.
The supervised stage is normally of 2-3 years' duration, but this can of course vary greatly by individual student.
In addition, you should normally have a minimum of 5 years' relevant business experience.
The Edinburgh Business School Research Committee may approve other candidates where there is evidence of exceptional and relevant experience or ability and where evidence is provided of the candidate's ability to undertake the programme.
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