Everything you need to know...
International/EU: £2,615 - £8,000 per year
Course summary
- Learn to consider management and professional problems from many perspectives.
- Undertake an independent rigorous business and management research project.
- Become a recognised contributor to management thinking and advanced professional practice.
- Collaborate and learn with other DBA researchers across Europe.
- Study a course delivered in collaboration with our partners, the Munich Business School and Zagreb School of Economics and Management.
This course enables managers and senior professionals to pursue their academic, personal and career development goals. You'll have a chance to influence how management and professional practice is developed, with opportunities to study alongside other DBA researchers in Munich and Zagreb.
Sheffield Business School accreditation
Sheffield Business School is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), placing us in the top 5% of business schools globally.
How you learn
Your lecturer's view
Providing the foundation of the DBA are three modules that address both your personal research skills and the wider business landscape. These modules are taught and assessed in the first phase of your study.
You'll also benefit from a number of useful teaching approaches throughout the rest of the course — including lectures, seminars and tutorials. You will also be allocated an individual supervisor upon enrolment who will support you throughout your study.
You learn through
- lectures
- seminars
- independent study
- tutorials
- a comprehensive induction programme
- one to one support from experienced personal tutors, supervisors and administrators
- a complementary studies programme comprising three modules
- study workshops
- online access to our e-learning environment
Course leaders and tutors
Richard Breese
Senior LecturerRichard became a full-time academic in 2009, after a career in town planning and regeneration programme management. He was awarded a DBA in 2007, with his thesis tit … Read more
Applied learning
Our approach to teaching gives you the freedom to develop your own ideas and interests, and to tailor the programme to your own requirements. Small study groups facilitate intensive study, networking with senior managers from diverse backgrounds, and sharing ideas and experience within a stimulating and supportive environment.
Networking opportunities
The course is delivered in collaboration with our partners, Munich Business School and Zagreb School of Economics and Management, and there are opportunities for joint learning with DBA researchers at these institutions.
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 of whom 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.
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 | Campus facilities | Keeping safe on Campus
Adsetts library
Adsetts Library is located on our City Campus. It's open 24 hours a day, every day.
Learn moreEntry 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 four years
• 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. You may also be able to claim credit points which can reduce the amount of time it takes to complete your qualification at Sheffield Hallam. Find out more
Applicants whose first language is not English must show evidence of
• IELTS 7.0 overall with no element under 6.5
• TOEFL iBT test with an overall score of 100 with a minimum of 23 in listening, 23 in reading, 26 in writing and 22 in speaking
Attendance at the university is required for week-long study blocks during the taught modules and for meetings/short events thereafter. 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. You can also watch a video guide on how to apply.
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 2022/23 are Year 1 and Year 2 £8,000 per year, Year 3 and Year 4 are £5,200 per year and Year 5 and Year 6 are £2,615 per year. There will be a final writing up fee of £250 per year for a maximum of two years.
† 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 2022/23 are Year 1 and Year 2 £8,000 per year, Year 3 and Year 4 are £5,200 per year and Year 5 and Year 6 are £2,615 per year. There will be a final writing up fee of £250 per year for a maximum of two years.
Doctoral student loans
Up to £25,700 available to help you while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.
Additional course costs
This link allows you to view estimated costs associated with the main activities on specific courses. These are estimates and, as such, are only an indication of additional course costs. Actual costs can vary greatly depending on the choices you make during your course.
Additional costs for Business, management and enterprise courses (PDF, 273.5KB)Legal information
Any offer of a place to study is subject to your acceptance of the University’s Terms and Conditions and Student Regulations.
