Durham DBA at Fudan University

A part-time doctorate, delivered in English at Fudan University, Shanghai, by academics from a triple-accredited world-class university.

Commencing on 20 September 2012, the Durham DBA programme at Fudan University consists of 3 stages:

Stage 1: Taught Modules

You will study six taught modules, requiring attendance at the School of Economics, Fudan University, in a series of four-day blocks,  assessed by means of a series of research papers and project reports. A range of teaching methods is used: principally lectures, seminars and workshops.

The taught elements cover:

1. Practising Business Research
2. Macro Perspectives on Business
3. Applied Behaviour Analysis
4. Business Research: Functions and Disciplines
5. Business Research Methods
6. Rigour and Relevance in Business Research

Module details>>

Stage 2: Transfer Document

Following successful completion of  the six taught modules, students present a Transfer Document of 15,000 words for assessment at a formal research seminar, successful completion of which allows progression to the DBA research stage. 

Stage 3: Research

Individual supervised research and study during which you will receive personal supervision as you work on your thesis.

The DBA thesis is more structured than a traditional PhD thesis.  It takes the form of three inter-linked pieces of empirical work, with an introductory chapter and a final summary and reflective overview chapter, making the thesis is one coherent piece of work of no more than 60,000 words.

The precise nature of the research programme varies, but potential ways of organising the three-project structure might include:

• An exploratory piece of research investigating an issue (e.g. causes of accidents within an organisation); an intervention to address the issue (e.g. an accident-reduction intervention); and an evaluative piece of research (e.g. revising the organisation to determine the success/failure of the intervention).
• A macro-level analysis of a business situation (e.g. an organisational ecology study of the counterfeiting industry); a micro-level analysis of that situation (e.g. a psychological study of consumer behaviour toward counterfeit goods); and an integrative piece of research (e.g. development of a strategy for addressing counterfeiting based on both preceding analyses).
• A systematic literature review (NOT a normal review) to analyse what research has been done in an area (e.g. a review of the literature on behavioural interventions to improve sexual health); a macro or micro investigation of a specific gap identified (e.g. interviewing policy makers on strategies to combat HIV infections, or a behavioural intervention to change sexual health attitudes); and a final evaluative piece of research (e.g. development and piloting of a new policy initiative, or revisiting the previous intervention to see if changes in sexual health attitudes have been lasting).

In addition to the traditional Durham content above, students undertaking the DBA at Fudan University also benefit from a structured programme of additional academic input and personal development activities, including research seminars within the School of Economics, site visits to leading blue-chip companies within the Shanghai Province, and advanced English language training opportunities, together with a major international series of cutting-edge business and finance lectures sponsored by HSBC.