Build Bright University through its Institute of Post Graduate Studies offers Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program to encourage future leaders to enhance and further their professional careers. The program is designed to advance the professional development of experienced managers by extending their management knowledge and enabling them to make a key leadership contribution to their chosen fields. Thus in today’s highly competitive business world, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree of Build Bright University (BBU) is geared for those who seek to contribute to the improvement of an organization’s overall performance.

Would you like to know more?

    In order to be considered for admission as a DBA candidate, an applicant shall have the following:
     i.  MBA degree of Build Bright University or from any University/ Institution recognized by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, Cambodia.
     OR
     ii. A recognized Masters degree in any related discipline, such as International Business, Economics, etc.Preference for admission will be given to those applicants who have at least two completed years of executive or managerial experience in the public or private sector acceptable to the Build Bright University.

An application for admission shall be made on the prescribed form in accordance with the required procedures and lodged as directed by the specified date. Candidates interested to pursue DBA program should contact the Post Graduate office, Building C, Ground Floor, BBU to know the date of entry.

The DBA offered by BBU is a challenging program demanding a combination of intellectual ability and experience. To allow the students to study and research in multiple key areas of business and management for developing a unique foundation of practical knowledge and business theory, the DBA program of the university comprises of three academic years for full-time candidates and each year consisting of three terms. The whole program is of 54 credits. The maximum period of candidature for a full-time candidate shall be five years.

Every new term starts with candidates’ orientation. In this orientation, the management team of postgraduate program and professors/lecturers are introduced to the candidates.

The objectives of this orientation are:

(i) To welcome the new candidates to Build Bright University.
(ii) To orient the candidates on the program structure and policies.
(iii) To introduce the new candidates to the management team and the professors/lecturers.

The candidates are encouraged to ask questions relating to the orientation to make themselves more clear. The policies are focused on:

• Attendance
• Course requirements
• Areas of research
• Evaluation system
• Program duration
• Other matters

   The DBA is the most structured program of advanced management study, which has been divided into two phases –

   i. Course Work Phase
   ii. Research Work Phase

   Course Work Phase:

The course work phase involves study of business administration units in a number of advanced areas. These areas (courses) are aimed at arming the students with the advanced management orientation necessary for undertaking the doctoral work. In each term, two courses are offered to the candidates. The courses presently planned are mentioned as below which may be changed as per the recommendations of the Post Graduate Academic Committee keeping the interest of students in mind.

      DB 001: Strategic Management in a Global Environment
      DB 002: Asian Business Environment
      DB 003: Globalization and Corporate Governance
      DB 004: Financial Markets and Corporate Strategy
      DB 005: Research Methodology in Management
      DB 006: Applied Business Statistics
      DB 007: Technology, Innovation and e-Business
      DB 008: Entrepreneurship in ASEAN Context
      DB 009: Strategic Human Resource Management
      DB 010: International Business Law
      DB 011: International Marketing
      DB 012: Corporate Finance and Risk Management

Note: Each course work involves 45 hours of classroom teaching and academic activities.

Research Work Phase:

After completion of the course work phase, each candidate has to undertake research work in their areas of specialization, such as Human Resource Management, International Business, General Management, Finance, Strategic Management, Marketing Management, etc. In this regard the candidate has to prepare a research synopsis on his/her area of interest under the active supervision of the guide/supervisor to be allotted by the Director, Post Graduate Studies. The candidate has to submit the research synopsis to the office of Post Graduate Studies and the Post Graduate Research Committee will examine the same. After successful approval of the synopsis, the candidate will be allowed to prepare their Doctoral research thesis at least of hundred pages for final evaluation. To carry out the research work successfully, candidates are required to use the time span of two terms after completion of all courses.

The candidate should use the suggested format below for organizing the research proposal.
       1. Statement of the Problem including research questions
       2. Objectives of the Study
       3. Hypotheses of the Study (if necessary)
       4. Significance of the Study
       5. Research Methodology
              5.1 Type of Analysis
              5.2 Type and Sources of Data
              5.3 Sample/Universe Size
              5.4 Sampling/Census Method
              5.5 Data Gathering Procedure
              5.6 Statistical Tools
              5.7 Coverage of the Study
              5.8 Procedure of Analyzing Data
       6. Scope and Limitations of the Study
       7. Layout/Plan of the Study
       8. References

The DBA program requires successful completion of course work by the candidates to earn 36 credits through assignments and class participation. Further, it is mandatory for the candidates to complete the research work followed by submission of theses to earn 18 more credits.

Students are required to attain class regularly and to actively participate in the class-room activities. Two assignments of equal weight age are recommended for each course package to be completed by the students, preferably one during the class-room discussion and another as home carry assignment.

Candidates admitted in DBA program are required to attend classes in all terms regularly. The minimum requirement is 75% attendance. Attendance ranging 65% to less than 75% will be considered with the submission of valid documents, such as medical certificate, foreign mission certificate from competent authority, etc. Attendance below 65% in normal case will require the students to pursue again the subject(s) with payment to the university.

The entire program is conducted as on-campus full time study. The course pack comprising of specially designed textbooks, reading materials, assignments, etc. which will be provided to each candidate. An interactive classroom session will be conducted during the course work phase. The candidates are required to write the assignments for each course for evaluation and to be declared as successful.

The candidate needs to carry out their research work on the approved research proposals after successful completion of the course work under the guidance of a supervisor/guide.

The progress of the candidate will be monitored on an ongoing basis and during the preparation of the dissertation by the Director, Post Graduate Studies. Further, each of Doctor of Business Admission graduate is encouraged to publish his/her research papers either online in the public domain or through professional journals and periodicals worldwide.

• First cover page – The cover page may be of any colour but the font must be of golden colour.
• Second coverpage – The second cover page must be yellow colour with black font.
• Declaration – By the candidate
• Certificate – By the guide/supervisor
• Acknowledgements – By the candidate
• Contents
• List of Tables
• List of Figures/Charts
• List of Abbreviations
• Abstract

          Main Text

       Chapter I: Introduction

       1.1 Background of the Study
       1.2 Statement of the Problem
       1.3 Research Questions
       1.4 Objectives of the Study
       1.5 Hypotheses of the Study (if necessary)
       1.6 Significance of the Study
       1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study
       1.8 Layout of the Study

       Chapter 2: Review of Literature

        • Chapter Introduction
        • Conceptual Review
        • Empirical Review

       Chapter 3: Research Design
        • Chapter Introduction
        3.1 Type of Analysis – Descriptive, quantitative or both
        3.2 Type and Source of Data
        3.3 Sample/Universe Size
        3.4 Sampling/Census Method
        3.5 Data Gathering Procedure
        3.6 Statistical Tools
        3.7 Coverage of the Study
        3.8 Procedure of Analyzing Data


        Chapter 4: About the Study Area/Organization (Exact title to be given by the candidate)
        • Chapter Introduction
        • The candidate has to discuss about the study area/organization by looking to
           the topic and objectives of the study.

        Chapter 5: Data Analysis and Discussion of Results/Findings
        • Chapter Introduction
        • The candidate has to analyze the data and discuss the findings of the study under different
           headings/sub-headings as per the objectives and should test the hypotheses, if formulated.

        Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendations
        • Chapter Introduction
        • Main Findings of the Study
        • Conclusion
        • Recommendations
        • Bibliography

       End Matters
       • Appendices
             - Questionnaire
             - General Tables
             - Detailed Sample Information, if necessary.

Note: The candidate may change the number of chapters as per the need and minimum variations may be allowed without affecting the original format as given above.

The candidates have to maintain the following format guidelines while typing their manuscripts of theses/dissertations in computer.
                   1. Margin                     Left                      1.5”(inch)
                                                      Right                    1”
                                                      Top                      1”
                                                      Bottom                 1”
                    2. Font Style               Tahoma
                    3. Font Size                12 for the text
                    4. Chapter Title            All capital letters and bold, 14 font size
                    5. Subheading             Font size 14 and capital only the first letter
                    6. Line spacing            All in double spaces
 

a.  The thesis submitted by a candidate shall be referred to one examiner appointed by the Rector of the university as per the list of the examiners prepared by the Post Graduate Research Committee.
b.  After considering the examiners’ report, the Post Graduate Research Committee may recommend to the
     Academic Council that the DBA be awarded only after a defense by the candidate or may require a candidate to
     submit for written, oral or practical examination as it considers desirable; may require the candidate to submit
     supplementary essays or papers; may require the candidate to correct the thesis; may give the candidate the
     opportunity to evise and resubmit the thesis for examination; may reject the thesis or may make such other
     decisions or recommendations as it considers proper.
c.  Candidates who have fulfilled the foregoing requirements and whose works are of standard equivalent to a credit
     level of achievement in course work and research papers, and whose theses have met the requirements of
     examiners, may be admitted to the degree of Doctor of Business Administration by the Academic Council on the
     recommendation of the Post Graduate Academic Committee.
d.  If the Academic Council, on the recommendation of the Post Graduate Academic Committee, shall be of the
     opinion that compliance with any of these rules should be waived in a particular instance, it may permit such
     departure from the Rule in question as in its opinion is necessary or desirable.

The university follows the following score to grade the candidates at the DBA level.

Score	Latter Grade	Point Grade	Description
85 - 100	A	4.0	Excellent
80 - 84	B+	3.5	Very Good
70 - 79	B	3.0	Good
65 - 69	C+	2.5	Fairly Good
Note: less than 65 declared to be fail

Normally a candidate has to pursue his/her research work under the guidance of a fulltime professor of the university having the following academic qualifications and experience.
      (i)   Must be a holder of Ph.D. degree (Doctor of Philosophy)/DBA from a recognized university (institution) in the
            relevant field.
     (ii)   Must have at least five years of experience in teaching at Master level or equal years of experience in the field
            of research.
     (iii)  Must have publications in both national and international journals/research bulletins, etc.
     (iv)  Must have adequate experience in supervising candidates in the research work leading to Ph.D./DBA degree.
The above qualifications and experience are also applicable for part-time professors for guiding candidates as guides/supervisors.

The Post Graduate Research Committee is empowered to scrutinize the application of fulltime/part time professors and select for guides/supervisors.

The examiner of the DBA thesis/dissertation (both local and international) must be of international repute and should posses the following qualification and experience:
    (i)    Must be a holder of Ph.D./DBA degree from a recognized university (institution) in the relevant field.
    (ii)   Must have at least ten years of experience in teaching at Master level or equal years of experience in the field
           of research.
    (iii)  Must have publications in both national and international journals/research bulletins, etc.
    (iv)  Must have adequate experience in supervising candidates in the research work leading to Ph.D./DBA degree.

On successful completion of the program, DBA provisional certificate will be issued to the candidate in his/her area of specialization within a week on the basis of his/her application received by the Post Graduate office. However, the original certificate will be given to the successful candidates during the time of graduation ceremony of the university.

Two options are available for the candidates of the DBA program to pay the fees per annum to the university. These are as follows:
     (i) One time payment at the time of admission – US $ 1500
     Or
     (ii) a. At the first installment (at the beginning of first term of each year) – US $ 800
          b. At the second installment (at the beginning of second term of each year) – US $ 700

      For foreign candidates the tuition fees per annum is as follows:
      (i)  One time payment at the time of admission – US $ 2500
      Or
      (ii) a. At the first installment (at the beginning of first term of each year) – US $ 1500
           b. At the second installment (at the beginning of second term of each year) – US $ 1000

The University reserves the right to modify any regulation governing the DBA program, keeping in mind the best interest of candidates, University and the concerned Ministry.