Everything you need to know...
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What is the fee?
Home: £2,695 - £8,240 per year
International/EU: £2,695 - £8,240 per year -
How long will I study?
7 Years
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Where will I study?
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When do I start?
October 2025
Course summary
- Consider management and professional problems from many perspectives.
- Undertake an advanced research project in a topic of your choice.
- Become a recognised contributor to management thinking and advanced professional practice.
- Collaborate with an international DBA community.
The DBA enables managers and senior professionals to fulfil their potential by pursuing their academic, personal and career development goals. You’ll gain international perspectives and experience – studying and sharing ideas alongside other DBA researchers from our partners, Munich Business School and the Zagreb School of Economics and Management.
Please note: Application deadline for September start is 15th July. For further information contact: social-economic-pgr@shu.ac.uk.
Sheffield Business School accreditation
Sheffield Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and has been awarded the Business School Impact System label by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD).
How you learn
You'll benefit from different teaching approaches during the course, with the help of an individual supervisor appointed upon enrolment who will support you throughout your studies.
You learn through
- lectures
- seminars
- supervision meetings
- a comprehensive induction programme
- one-to-one support from experienced personal tutors and administrators
- study workshops
- conferences and training events with other doctoral researchers
- informal collaboration within the network of DBA researchers
- independent study, based on online access to our e-learning environment
Providing the foundation of the DBA are three introductory modules. These develop your personal research skills and deepen your understanding of your chosen business or management research topic. These modules are taught and assessed in the first phase of your studies.
You’ll then explore the topic you’ve chosen in an advanced and rigorous research project. To achieve your DBA award, you’ll need to make an independent and original contribution to knowledge and practice.
Course leaders and tutors
Samah Issa
Senior Lecturer in Banking and Finance & Postgraduate Research Tutor (SERI)Dr Samah Issa joined Sheffield Business School in September 2014 as a Lecturer in Banking, Investment and Financial Management
Applied learning
The emphasis on your contribution to management practice at doctoral level means you’ll have a distinctive role in Sheffield Hallam University’s vision – to be ‘the world's leading applied university, achieving outstanding outcomes for our students and society, showing the world what a university genuinely focused on transforming lives can achieve’.
You’ll apply your learning by networking with other DBA researchers who are senior managers from diverse backgrounds – as well as academic staff, who are often involved in applied research themselves. You’ll be sharing ideas and experiences within a stimulating and supportive environment.
After the confirmation of doctorate stage at the end of the second year of study, you’ll be supported by a supervisory team of two or three staff who are experienced in research and doctoral degree procedures – giving you the opportunity to undertake your primary research and draft your thesis.
Networking opportunities
The course is delivered in collaboration with our partners, Munich Business School and Zagreb School of Economics and Management – you’ll have opportunities for joint learning with DBA researchers at these institutions.
There will be scope to collaborate with other doctoral students and staff at Sheffield Hallam University through internal research events and also attend national/international conferences related to your research interests.
Future careers
The DBA provides many opportunities for you to develop your career in new directions and enrich your professional and managerial role.
There are over 70 alumni of our DBA courses – many have made a major contribution to management practice based on their DBA research. This is often in taking a more informed, reflective approach to work-based issues, with greater confidence to make organisational changes. Sometimes this is in the existing organisation of the DBA graduate, while in other cases the DBA leads to career advancement or a new career direction.
Graduate View
‘The DBA degree changed my approach in my own practice on what I call the general transformation work and activities.’
Gerard has nearly 40 years of experience in the international manufacturing industry and he decided to study a DBA based on his interest in the relationship between management theory and practice. Read more on his DBA journey and experience here
Where will I study?
You study at City Campus through a structured mix of lectures, seminars and practical sessions as well as access to digital and online resources to support your learning.
City Campus
City Campus is located in the heart of Sheffield, within minutes of the train and bus stations.
City Campus map | City Campus tour
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEquipment and facilities
We’ve invested over £100m in new facilities to help you study how and when you want. This means 24-hour libraries and study spaces designed by our students.
Entry requirements
All students
Normally you should:
• have an MBA, or masters qualification in a relevant area
• be pursuing, or have pursued, a significant career in professional or business areas that fall within the research interests of Sheffield Business School
• display evidence of your potential to develop work of doctoral standard
Exceptionally, we may consider applicants without a masters degree who:
• have a good first degree in an appropriate discipline
• have at least three years- management or professional experience that reflects the research interests of Sheffield Business School
• can demonstrate continued development/education since graduation
You also need to talk to the course or programme leader to ensure that:
• you meet the admissions criteria
• you have the potential ability to complete the course successfully within the stipulated timeframe
• you can demonstrate intellectual curiosity, a capacity for critical analysis of issues, and the ability to abstract and formulate underlying principles in a systematic way
• your proposed area of research is appropriate to the programme
If you do not have such academic qualifications we may consider your application individually, based on your personal, professional and work experience, and other formal qualifications.
Where English is not your first language, you must show evidence of English language ability to the following minimum level of proficiency: an overall IELTS score of 7.0 or above, with 7.0 in all components (or equivalent). Please note that your test score must be current, i.e. within the last two years.
Attendance is mandatory for study blocks in Years 1 and 2 which may require travel to Sheffield or to one of our partner universities. International students may need to obtain short study visas for these trips, depending upon their country of residence.
Additional information for EU/International students
If you are an International or non-UK European student, you can find out more about the country specific qualifications we accept on our international qualifications page.
For details of English language entry requirements (IELTS), please see the information for 'All students'.
Fees and funding
Home students
Our tuition fee for UK students starting part-time study in 2025/26 are Year 1 and Year 2 £8,240 per year, Year 3 and Year 4 are £5,355 per year and Year 5 and Year 6 are £2,695 per year. There will be a final writing up fee of £250 per year for a maximum of two years. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
If you are studying an undergraduate course, postgraduate pre-registration course or postgraduate research course over more than one academic year then your tuition fees may increase in subsequent years in line with Government regulations or UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) published fees. More information can be found in our terms and conditions under student fees regulations.
International students
Our tuition fee for International/EU students starting part-time study in 2025/26 are Year 1 and Year 2 £8,240 per year, Year 3 and Year 4 are £5,355 per year and Year 5 and Year 6 are £2,695 per year. There will be a final writing up fee of £250 per year for a maximum of two years. The tuition fee displayed above is for the full course. If the full course is more than one year in duration, the fee will be divided into annual payments which will then be rounded. This may mean the total fee you pay is slightly higher than the fee stated above. If you take a break in study or have to re-take part of the course, you may also be charged an additional fee and will be notified of this at the time.
Additional course costs
The links below allow you to view estimated general course additional costs, as well as costs associated with key activities on specific courses. These are estimates and are intended only as an indication of potential additional expenses. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
General course additional costs
Additional costs for Sheffield Business School (PDF, 255.6KB)
Doctoral student loans
Up to £25,700 available to help you while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.
Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
