Lead with Insight. Research with Purpose. Transform with Expertise.
The Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) at the American University in the Emirates (AUE) is an advanced doctoral program for accomplished executives, senior professionals, and aspiring scholars ready to turn their leadership experience into impactful research and strategic innovation. Designed for leaders across business, government, and academia, AUE’S DBA provides a dynamic platform to convert deep industry knowledge into scholarly contributions that advance business practice and shape the future of organizations. This is more than just a degree it’s a launchpad for driving meaningful change. The DBA empowers professionals to influence systems, redefine frameworks, and solve complex business challenges through rigorous, applied research. Focus areas include strategic leadership, financial decision-making, sustainable enterprise, digital transformation, and public-sector innovation, ensuring your research remains relevant and makes a real-world impact. The curriculum guides you from advanced academic foundations to original dissertation research. Candidates engage in doctoral coursework, collaborative research seminars, and dissertation development in high-demand fields such as FinTech, behavioral marketing, entrepreneurship, global strategy, and policy design. This multidisciplinary approach allows you to align your research path with your expertise, passion, and long-term goals. Delivered entirely on campus, the DBA creates an immersive learning environment where students benefit from direct interaction with distinguished faculty from AUE’s College of Business Administration. Our faculty combines academic excellence with real-world insight, mentoring you to develop advanced research skills, sharp analytical thinking, and the confidence to tackle today’s pressing business and policy issues. Graduates of the DBA program emerge as research-driven leaders-equipped to shape institutional strategy, contribute to academic knowledge, and deliver transformative solutions within their fields of influence.
| Course Category | Total Number of Courses | Total Number of Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | 8 | 27 |
| Elective Courses | 2 | 6 |
| Comprehensive Exam | 0 | |
| Research Seminar | 3 | |
| Dissertation | 27 | |
| Total | 63 Credit Hours |
| Course Name | Credit Hours | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Advanced Research Methods in Business | 6 | Develops expertise in designing and conducting business research using advanced qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods approaches. Quantitative Analysis for Business Research – Focuses on statistical techniques, econometrics, and data-driven decision-making in business research. Qualitative Analysis and Mixed Methods Research – Explores case study research, ethnography, and integrating qualitative insights with quantitative analysis. |
| Contemporary Theoretical Frameworks in Business and Management | 3 | Examines foundational and emerging theories in business administration, providing a conceptual framework for research and practice. |
| Leadership and Strategic Decision Making | 3 | Analyzes leadership theories and strategic decision-making models to drive organizational success in complex business environments. |
| Advanced Topics in Business Strategy | 3 | Explores contemporary strategic management frameworks, competitive analysis, and innovation strategies for business growth. |
| Global Perspectives in Business and Innovation | 3 | Investigates international business trends, market dynamics, and innovation strategies in a globalized economy. |
| Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility | 3 | Examines sustainable business practices, ethical decision-making, and corporate social responsibility in business leadership. |
| Strategic Planning, Budgeting, Cost Control and Public Finance Leadership | 3 | Focuses on financial strategy, budgeting techniques, and cost control methods essential for public and private sector leadership. |
| Financial Decision-making and Resource Allocation in Fiscal Stress | 3 | Develops financial resilience strategies, resource optimization techniques, and risk assessment models in times of fiscal uncertainty. |
| Course Name | Credit Hours | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Emerging Trends in FinTech | 3 | Explores cutting-edge financial technologies, including blockchain, digital payments, Al-driven finance, and their impact on global markets. |
| Behavioral Insights in Marketing | 3 | Examines psychological and behavioral principles that influence consumer decision-making and marketing strategies. |
| Entrepreneurial Leadership | 3 | Develops Leadership skills for fostering innovation, managing uncertainty and scaling entrepreneurial ventures |
| Advanced Operations Research | 3 | Applies mathematical modeling, optimization techniques, and data analytics to improve business decision-making and operational efficiency. |
| Sustainable Supply Chain Strategies | 3 | Analyzes eco-friendly supply chain models, circular economy principles, and sustainability-driven logistics innovations. |
| Course Name | Credit Hours | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Exam | 0 | Students will complete written and oral examinations to demonstrate their mastery pf core and elective coursework, as well as their readiness for dissertation research. |
| Course Name | Credit Hours | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Al Governance & Ethical Leadership | Explore how the UAE can harness artificial intelligence responsibly in government and business, balancing innovation with accountability and transparency. | |
| Sustainable Business & Net Zero 2050 | Investigate how SMEs and large organizations can redesign business models for sustainability, circular economy practices, and green innovation. | |
| Strategic Workforce Localization (Emiratization) | Examine strategies and frameworks that make Emiratization impactful in the private sector, enhancing both workforce development and organizational performance. | |
| Logistics & Supply Chain Resilience | Analyze how the UAE can sustain its role as a global logistics hub in the face of geopolitical shifts, global disruptions, and post-COVID realities. | |
| Green Finance & ESG Investments | Shape the future of finance through research on sustainable banking, ESG integration, and innovative green financing instruments. | |
| Digital Transformation & Regulatory Alignment | Assess challenges and success factors in digital adoption and regulatory compliance across UAE’s free zones and industries. | |
| Water-Energy-Food Nexus & Sustainability | Research corporate strategies to ensure resilience in food security, water sustainability, and renewable energy — critical pillars of the UAE agenda. | |
| Cultural Identity & Corporate Branding | Investigate how UAE organizations navigate globalization while preserving national identity and cultural values. | |
| Innovation Ecosystems & Advanced Industries | Study the role of innovation clusters and ecosystems in accelerating growth in strategic industries such as health, AI, and clean energy. | |
| Digital Health Transformation | Explore the impact of unified digital licensing and digital healthcare adoption on service delivery and efficiency in the UAE. | |
| Foreign Direct Investment & Regulatory Reforms | Analyze how UAE’s evolving regulatory frameworks are shaping FDI inflows and competitiveness across Emirates. | |
| Business Strategies in Real Estate | Examine how UAE real estate firms are responding to rising costs, sustainability pressures, and global competition. |
| Semester | Course | Cr. Hrs |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Advanced Research Methods in Business | 6 |
| Semester 2 | Contemporary Theoretical Frameworks in Business and Management | 3 |
| Semester 2 | Leadership and Strategic Decision-Making | 3 |
| Semester | Course | Cr. Hrs |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 3 | Advanced Topics in Business Strategy | 3 |
| Semester 3 | Global Perspectives in Business and Innovation | 3 |
| Semester 4 | Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility | 3 |
| Semester 4 | Strategic Planning, Budgeting, Cost Control and Public Finance Leadership | 3 |
| Semester | Course | Cr. Hrs |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 5 | Financial Decision-Making and Resource Allocation in Fiscal Stress | 3 |
| Semester 5 | Elective | 3 |
| Semester 5 | Elective | 3 |
| Semester 6 | Research Seminar | 3 |
| Semester 6 | Dissertation | 3 |
| Semester | Course | Cr. Hrs |
|---|---|---|
| Semester 7 | Dissertation | 27 |
| Semester 8 | Dissertation | 27 |
