The Aalto Executive DBA is a structured program in Business Administration for talented individuals with considerable managerial experience who wish to make a significant contribution to the enhancement of professional practice in their key areas of interest. It has both real world relevance and academic rigor and focuses on the relevance to the employer and the professional development of the candidate.

In addition to executive positions, DBA graduates typically work in various expert positions in corporations and the public sector, as business school senior lecturers and professors, and as entrepreneurs in the professional services sector. Consulting companies, for instance, increasingly appreciate the value-adding competences of doctoral degree holders. The DBA research project – finalized in a publicly defended DBA thesis – typically has strong linkages to business and managerial practice.  DBA candidates can, for instance, conduct a sizable research project for their employer.

Compared to some more scientifically oriented doctoral programs, the DBA studies and research place emphasis on the application of theories – the creation and testing of an entirely novel theory is not a necessity. The majors of Aalto DBA are strategy and marketing, but any managerially relevant interdisciplinary topics are strongly encouraged.

Why DBA?

From Aalto Executive DBA graduates the employers can expect novel, innovative, and creative solutions to business problems and opportunities as well as thought leadership for organizational change.

Aalto Executive DBA graduates will centrally develop doctoral level in-depth knowledge of latest theories and methodologies in business research. The requirements for coursework are essentially the same as for any DSc or PhD program at Aalto School of Business - 60 credits in 10 doctoral level courses. However, the main difference to the DSc and PhD programs is the flexible part-time study structure of the Aalto DBA and the strongly applied nature of the doctoral thesis.

Aalto Executive DBA candidates will have strong support from the Aalto University. Every Aalto Executive DBA candidate is taken into an existing research team led by a professor at Aalto University School of Business.  One supporting professor is also appointed as co-supervisor for each individual Aalto Executive DBA student.