Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
DBA studies are amongst the most challenging and rewarding levels of higher education. The Swiss School of Management has developed an outstanding doctoral program. This program has unique features which add significant value to graduates beyond the rewarding Doctor Degree.
Multiple academic collaborations contribute to the exceptional quality of our program, starting with the involvement of highly renowned and recognized academics as directors of studies. Our doctoral candidates are supported on an individual basis by both SSM professors and visiting professors from a wide variety of international universities.
Eligibility
English Requirements:
Applicants for the Master’s program MBA, are exempted from an English Exam provided they completed their schooling years and/or bachelor’s program at a recognized school where the medium of teaching is English.
In case this condition is unmet, then, the applicant needs to sit for one of the listed English Exams
– Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT) – minimum score: 60– Internet Based Test (iBT)
– minimum score: 71– International English Language Test (IELTS)
– minimum score: 6.5– Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report
– minimum score: 50– Duolingo English Test – minimum score: 100
– 4-skill Michigan English Test (MET) – minimum score: 55
– Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE)– minimum score: 650/LP
– Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) – minimum score: 650/LP
Student Verification Policy
Upon applying to join the Swiss School of Management for any program level students, need to submit the following documents:
– Copy of personal identification (ID or passport)– Scanned Educational Transcripts
– 1 recent photo: passport size
– Prior to any exam or oral presentation, students show the passport page including their personal information and photo close to the cameras for verification.
– Students are supposed to enable and open their cameras during class live lectures, project presentations and exams until the activity ends.
Official Academic Transcripts
After the student has been enrolled, it is required that the student have their official academic transcripts sent from their previous school directly to the Swiss School
of Management In Residence Program center of their convenience.
MBA Transfer Policy
Applicants aiming to join the MBA program and who have already started a master’s level program in an authorized institution other than SSM are subject to the below transfer policy:
– An official transcript of record showing courses and grades earned must be scanned.
– The admissions department validates the authenticity/legality of the transcript and its issuing institution. Documents presented in any language except English, Italian, German, Spanish, and French require translation from a legal sworn translator.Â
– Once authenticity is proven, a copy the transcript is sent to the transfer committee comprised of the Academic Dean and Head of Admissions.
– The Academic Dean matches and maps the transcript courses with a passing grade against SSM’s list of courses for transfer equivalence decisions. Certain courses, even though passed, might not be transferred in case they substantially differ from SSM’s master’s courses. Â
– The committee then approves transfer of credits of courses that are only passed and strictly denies transferring credits of failed courses based on the Academic Dean’s transfer equivalence decision.
– The number of credits to be transferred are modified so that they fit a common practice or  norm used for conversion into the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
– SSM grants up to 50% credits to transferring students of the MBA program requirements at SSM; thus, students need to accomplish at least 50% of their course requirements at SSM so that they earn SSM’s Master’s degree.
Fees
Cost of the program
| Fee Structure | Amount | Payment Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $60 | Due immediately (non-refundable) |
| First Installment | $10,000 | Before starting the program |
| Second Installment | $10,000 | At the beginning of the second academic year |
| Third Installment | $9,940 | On the second half of the second academic year |
| Total Tuition Fees | $30,000 | — |
ISLOS
At the Swiss School of Management, the overall student-based broad goals of the business programs including the DBA are as follows:
ISLO 1: Students must contribute to the body of knowledge in a specific discipline.
ISLO 2: Students must show their capacity to analyze existing theories and draw data-supported conclusions.
ISLO 3: Students must be able to integrate divergent or contradictory perspectives or ideas fully.
ISLO 4: Students must be able to present and defend a thesis in applied research to be evaluated by a jury.
ISLO 5: Students must demonstrate advanced knowledge and competence in a field of study of practical relevance.
Program Structure
Graduate Level Requirements:
Master’s degree or equivalent (60 ECTS Postgraduate Studies)
English Requirements:
Applicants for the DBA program are exempted from an English Exam provided they completed their schooling years and/or bachelor’s or master’s degree at a recognized school where the medium of teaching is English.
In case this condition is unmet, then, the applicant needs to sit for one of the listed English Exams:
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL PBT) – minimum score: 60
Internet Based Test (iBT) – minimum score: 71
International English Language Test (IELTS) – minimum score: 6.5
Pearson Test of English Academic Score Report – minimum score: 50
Duolingo English Test – minimum score: 100
4-skill Michigan English Test (MET) – minimum score: 55
Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) – minimum score: 650/LP
Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) – minimum score: 650/LP
Seminars (Explicitly labeled)
Doctoral Module Offerings
- REM 710 – INTRODUCTION TO ACADEMIC RESEARCH
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours) - RQT 725 – QUANTITATIVE METHODS & TECHNIQUES
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours) - RQL 725 – QUALITATIVE METHODS & TECHNIQUES
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours) - RTL 730 – GUIDE TO DOCTORAL DISSERTATION WRITING
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours) - RPR 750 – ADVANCED EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours)Â
Research / Dissertation Components
- RTH 800 – RESEARCH PROPOSAL: PART I: SUBMISSION 1-3
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours) - RTH 810 – DISSERTATION WRITING PART II: SUBMISSION CHAPTER 4-6
 Core/Required – 20 ECTS (10 Semester Credit Hours) - RTH 820 – VIVA VOCE DEFENSE
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours)Â
Conferences / Academic Events (Webinar-type / participation)
- RIC 820 – INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
 Core/Required – 4 ECTS (2 Semester Credit Hours) - RIC 830 – INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE PARTICIPATION
 Core/Required – 4 ECTS (2 Semester Credit Hours) - RIC 860 – INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE: ACADEMIC COLLOQUIUM
 Core/Required – 10 ECTS (5 Semester Credit Hours)Â
Seminars
RSM 770 – Seminar: The Fundamentals of APA Citation
RSM 780 – Seminar: How to Publish Scholarly Work
RSM 790 – Seminar: Collaboration: The Future of Research
RSM 740 – Doctorate Degree Holders: A Closer Look at Their Academic Journey
Research / Dissertation Components
RTH 800 – Research Proposal: Part I
RTH 810 – Dissertation Writing Part II
RTH 820 – Viva Voce Defense
When the research director (DBA dissertation supervisor) approves candidate’s final study, the research director needs to send to Research Center Dean’s Office the dissertation for review, quality, and academic integrity check to confirm that all the minimum quality standards of the DBA are met, with the use if specific rubrics and checklists. After the Research Center’s initial approval, Research Center’s Dean Office will schedule the Viva Voce (oral defense). The Viva Voce panel, three (3) faculty in total; the Head and two (2) Members, will be appointed by the Research Center. If the panelists recommend revisions, modifications or other changes to be done in the DBA document, the students will have a reasonable amount of time to complete these (approximately one month after the Viva Voce); the revised document will be sent to the research director to check that the revisions were made, and then the revised dissertation will be sent to the Research Center for final approval. After this, the Research Center will send all the needed documents (panelists’ evaluations included) to the Registrar for degree conferral.
REM 710 – Introduction to Academic Research
Professional and academic research are vital necessities for modern leaders to forge ahead. Research is the process of asking the right and relevant questions and of gathering and analyzing the necessary data in a systematic and methodologically sound manner. An important aspect of sound professional and academic research is to embed the research within the body of existing knowledge (applied research) and to add to it (generating new knowledge).
This module will guide you to the research process. From the formulation of the topic to critically directing and reviewing relevant literature, designing the research project and choosing appropriate methodologies, collecting and analyzing the data and writing the actual research.
RQT 725 – Quantitative Methods & Techniques
Numbers play an important role in research. Statistical skills are critical to understanding a lot of what goes on in society. The students will be exposed to the different statistical programs used in academic research. The students will be introduced to statistics to be used in more intuitive ways. Students will be familiar with statistical concepts which they can easily recognize leading to the exploration of more advanced statistical use. In the end, the lectures will cover important topics in survey design, sampling techniques, validity and reliability and statistical data treatment.
RQT 725 – Quantitative Methods & Techniques
The core part of this module is on different qualitative research methods such as action research, ethnographic research, case study, grounded theory, interviews (Focus), participant observation, document analysis, focus group discussion etc. All these techniques will be examined to discuss various approaches to come up with the best technique to gather data and choose the tool to best evaluate research results. All techniques will discuss the various approaches of that technique, along with strengths and weaknesses, and examples.
RTL 730 – Guide to Doctoral Dissertation Writing
The challenge of transforming professional experience into academic writing has always been a concern for doctoral students. The academic community is faced with how to make academic writing more appealing to the public. This module will be delivered as a seminar/workshop, where students will be trained to write academically utilizing story telling techniques. While still strictly adhering to the universally accepted dissertation writing and following the standards of the Swiss School of Management, students will upgrade their writing skills.
RPR 750 – Advanced Experimental Research Design
One of the major advances in academic research are the emergence of different research techniques and tools. To academically determine the cause-and-effect relationship and investigate the interaction between dependent and independent variables, students need to fully understand how to choose their research area, determine their respondents/population, prepare research questions, and most importantly decide on what tools to use to ensure the validity of their research results. The objective of this module is to expose the students to experimental research, quasi experimental, correlation and other experimental advance research approaches. On top of this, students will be introduced to STATA, R, SPSS and other tools to measure research results in the social sciences.
Conferences / Academic Events
RIC 820 / RIC 830 / RIC 860 – International Conference Participation / Academic Colloquium
Fees: Remain the same