Doctorate
Doctorate in Business Administration
From experience to thought leadership: a doctorate for senior executives who want to turn a real organisational challenge into rigorous, actionable knowledge.
Format
Part-time · residential weeks, live online sessions and supervision
Duration
3 years
Intake
Places are very limited — contact us for intake dates
Tuition
US$55,000 · application fee US$500 (non-refundable)
Language
English
Why a DBA
Go beyond experience
Take strategic distance
Step back from operational urgency to rethink priorities and long-term direction — while staying fully engaged in your role.
Formalise your experience
Your experience gives you insight. The DBA gives you the academic structure to question it and turn it into a contribution.
Stand out
As senior management qualifications become more common, the DBA offers doctoral-level expertise and intellectual legitimacy.
Create new knowledge
Connect field experience with academic methods to generate insight for organisations, sectors and managers.
Who it is for
Senior profiles ready for deeper inquiry
The NEOMA DBA is designed for executives, experienced managers, entrepreneurs, consultants, subject-matter experts and lecturers who hold a master’s degree or MBA and have at least 7 years of professional experience.
Unlike a PhD, which is oriented mainly towards academic research, and an Executive MBA, which focuses on leadership development, the DBA is a doctoral journey for professionals who want to investigate a real organisational issue with academic discipline and practical relevance.
Programme structure
A three-year doctoral pathway
Year 1
Research foundations
Acquire the research skills to build an applied doctoral project: 120 contact hours (60 ECTS), including 5 online Saturday sessions.
Research Positioning Paper · Executive MSc in Management Research awarded
Year 2
Specialisation
Deepen your expertise in one field and structure your doctoral project.
Case Study
Year 3
Thesis writing & defence
Complete your doctoral research under individual academic supervision.
Doctoral Thesis Defence
Earn an intermediate degree in Year 1: on successful completion, you are awarded the Executive MSc in Management Research (60 ECTS).
How it works
A format built for working executives
Residential weeks
Intensive in-person weeks on NEOMA’s Paris or Reims campus, twice a year in Years 1 and 2.
Live online sessions
Including 5 online Saturday sessions in Year 1, interactive workshops keep your progress going between residential weeks.
Individual supervision
In Year 3, a dedicated academic supervisor, matched to your research topic, formally guides your individual thesis.
Peer cohort
Exchange with experienced professionals from different sectors, functions and areas of expertise.
Research concentrations
Four interdisciplinary concentrations
You shape your doctoral topic with faculty, connecting your professional experience with one or more concentrations.
01
AI, Innovation & Entrepreneurship
02
Sustainability, Society & Impact
03
Leadership & Organizational Transformation
04
Management & Performance
Faculty
Faculty dedicated to your research
Helena González-Gómez
People & Organisations
Supports research on leadership, organisational behaviour, collaboration and the human side of management.
Othman Boujena
Marketing
Relevant for research on customer behaviour, digital marketing, commercial strategy and market-oriented transformation.
Rachel Beaujolin
People & Organisations
Supports research on work, employment relations, organisational change and evolving managerial practice.
Mehdi Bagherzadeh Niri
Strategy & Entrepreneurship
Supports research on innovation, entrepreneurship, strategic transformation and business models.
Ana Colovic
Strategy & Entrepreneurship
Supports research on international strategy, innovation ecosystems and entrepreneurial growth.
Faculty aligned with regional research priorities
Ales Popovic
Distinguished Professor · Information Systems
AI, digitalisation, the business value of IT and the future of work.
Fouad Ben Abdelaziz
Distinguished Professor · Decision Systems
Artificial intelligence for business, operations research and data-driven decision-making.
Charbel J. C. Jabbour
Distinguished Professor · Supply Chain
Green, circular and responsible supply chains; sustainable operations.
Birgit Schyns
Distinguished Professor · People & Organisations
Leadership, organisational behaviour and rigorous research methods.
Jian Wu
Full Professor · Finance
Investment, financial risk management and sustainable finance.
Pierre Six
Full Professor · Finance
Commodity risk, market risk and asset allocation — relevant to energy-intensive economies.
Prof. Sami Attaoui
EMBAs & DBA Programmes Director
Admission
Entry requirements
Places are very limited
Each doctoral candidate works with a dedicated academic supervisor, so every cohort is kept small. Contact us for the next intake dates.
- A master’s degree or MBA
- At least 7 years of professional experience
- English at B2 level: TOEFL (72–94) or TOEIC (785+), taken within the last two years
- A real business, managerial or organisational issue that could become a structured doctoral research project
Application documents
- Application form
- Detailed CV
- Two professional references
- Proof of English proficiency (B2)
- Statement of purpose (about 1,500 words)
- Copy of a valid ID or passport
- Recent photograph
- Copies of diplomas and transcripts
Your statement of purpose
Explain why the DBA is the right next step, covering four points: your professional trajectory, your motives and objectives, your research interests, and the unique value you bring.
How to apply
Apply through AreteUp, from review to enrolment
- 1
Apply through AreteUp
Prepare your file, including a statement of purpose of about 1,500 words, with AreteUp Education, which operates NEOMA’s Middle East Admission Office. AreteUp submits it to NEOMA.
- 2
Committee review
NEOMA’s Selection Committee assesses your academic eligibility, professional trajectory and research potential.
- 3
Professor interview
You are interviewed by a NEOMA professor. AreteUp schedules and coordinates the interview.
- 4
Committee evaluation
NEOMA reviews your application file and the interview outcome.
- 5
Shortlist notification
AreteUp tells you the outcome and guides you through the next steps.
- 6
Enrolment
AreteUp supports local onboarding, payment administration and your studies throughout the programme.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How is a DBA different from a PhD or an Executive MBA?
A PhD is oriented mainly towards academic research, and an Executive MBA towards leadership development. The DBA is a doctorate for experienced leaders: you investigate a real organisational issue with academic discipline and practical relevance.
When is the next intake?
Places are very limited because each candidate is matched with a dedicated supervisor. Please contact our admissions team for intake dates.
How much does it cost?
Tuition is US$55,000, including tuition and academic resources. The application fee is US$500 and is non-refundable.
Do I need a visa?
The DBA does not qualify for a French student visa. Travel and accommodation for residential weeks are at the participant’s own expense.
What do I receive after Year 1?
On successful completion of Year 1, you are awarded the Executive MSc in Management Research.
Turn your experience into research
Talk to an admissions advisor about the NEOMA DBA.