1. Introduction 

Thank you for your interest in the European-American University Doctor of Business Administration programme. This practitioner doctorate programme is designed to be completed within twenty-two months by a student devoting ten to twelve hours a week, working by distance learning.

The program is outlined below, but individual details may be varied on the initiative of the Mentor and/or student, always subject to ratification by the University. In principle, the aim is to provide a fully bespoke, individualized learning experience that takes into account the particular strengths, interests and previous learning of the student, and thus offers a flexible but rigorous route to the degree.

2. Entry requirements 

Candidates must have completed either:

• an M.B.A. degree, or an equivalent qualification
  or
• have ten years of full-time (or part-time equivalent) experience in managerial positions in a business context

In addition, they must hold a full-time or part-time position in management  for at least the duration of the practicum component of the programme, and should have at least five years (or part-time equivalent) of experience in a similar setting to draw upon. This programme is not suitable for those who do not have such experience or who are not currently employed in such a position. The student will need to designate a senior colleague to act as on-site mentor for the practicum component, which may incur additional fees payable from the student to the person concerned for this supervision. For the purposes of the programme, “senior colleague” is defined as a person who is the student’s line manager or another senior manager within the organization, in each case with at least ten years of management experience.

Candidates will normally have attained the age of twenty-eight years. All candidates will be expected to show a proficiency in the English language.

It is a key principle of the University that each application should be considered on its own merits, and admission to the course and all interpretations as to the eligibility for such admission remain at the discretion of the University.

3. How the program works 

The student will be assigned a Mentor by the University.

Part 1 – Portfolio of existing professional practice 
The student will be required to prepare a portfolio of existing professional practice comprising a detailed survey of experience in management and issues arising from it. The portfolio should be fully annotated to focus on skills developed and learning experiences encountered, with an emphasis on professional development as a manager within the organization. It will be expected that clients and fellow employees will also contribute to the portfolio through supporting affidavits. The portfolio should function as a reflective element of the program in which the student’s history as a manager is encapsulated. The portfolio is assessed by the University.

Part 2 – Supervised practicum 
Working under the supervision of a designated mentor (see above), the student will complete a practicum of not less than six months, in which their professional practice will be assessed in a reflective setting. Essentially, this aspect of the programme concerns the assimilation of a second portfolio, but with the difference that this portfolio is concerned with a specific period of assessment. The student should set out the aims of the practicum at the outset, focusing particularly on practical projects and likely challenges, and explain in detail the nature and aims of the work they are to undertake. These aims should in turn form the basis of discussion with the mentor and the agreement of what amounts to a learning contract in a managerial setting. Outcomes should where possible consider the overall contexts of management within a holistic plan for the organization. Where an outcome is not achieved, it may still provide a valuable learning experience. The focus of the practicum is on a holistic assessment of the manager as a functioning professional, and it may quite properly include any relevant projects undertaken outside the formal workplace itself.

The practicum is assessed by the student-designated Mentor and ratified by the University.

Part 3 – A Dissertation
If Parts I and 2 have been passed successfully, the student may proceed to the preparation of a dissertation of not more than 30,000 words on a subject relevant to management agreed with the University. They will work with their University Mentor and possibly other external experts to produce a cogent examination of a specific topic or issue, which may be related to their practical experience or to an aspect of management theory.

4. Aims and objectives 
The programme is aimed at the serving manager from a variety of professional backgrounds who desires to undertake a programme of direct relevance to their working life and that reflects on their vocation and its practical fulfilment. The programme fulfils a need for the recognition of achievement that is often ignored by the mainstream or not recorded as formal learning. The successful graduate will be equipped with an awareness of their own management practice that should enable clear thought and planning as to how they can go on to best serve their organization in the future.