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METH3A Quantitative Methods for Research I – Design 3 METH1 The Doctoral Dissertation Requirement
METH3B Quantitative Methods for Research II – Analysis 3 METH3A Doctoral graduates are judged by the quality of their dissertation research. An Abu Dhabi University doctoral student is
expected to produce a dissertation that:
MGMT1 Management of Change and Innovation 3 COMM1
• Is based on original research that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the discipline;
MGMT2 Seminar in Strategic Management 3 COMM1
• Reflects the integration of practice and scholarly work;
MGMT3 Leadership 3 COMM1
• Addresses a problem of interest to current practitioners;
MGMT4 Seminar in Organization Theory and Behavior 3 COMM1
• Is of publishable quality; and
MGMT5 Managerial Decision Making 3 COMM1
• Demonstrates expertise in a specialization area within the degree program, as well as competence in evaluating the
MGMT6 Global Issues in Business 3 COMM1 literature and practice of that area of specialization.
RSCH1 Research Proposal 3 METH2B + METH3B The research strategy, scope of the research and academic rigor should be consistent with the highest level dissertation
research that is expected in the discipline. Faculty members should direct students to research areas that will satisfy these
Phase II: Dissertation 27 Total Credit Hours requirements and assure that research proposals and conceptual designs provide the foundations for high-quality work.
A dissertation is expected to consist of objective research; it is not an essay or a statement to support a position. The
Course following guidelines will assist in developing a dissertation:
Code Course Title Credit Hours Prerequisite(s) • The purpose of the dissertation should be clear, achievable and consistent throughout.

COMM2 Dissertation Writing 3 Completion of Phase I** or • The concepts, ideas, and questions should be specific, clearly defined, relevant to the problem identified in the
Department Consent dissertation, and of significant depth.
RSCH2 Dissertation 24 Admission to Phase II*** • The point of view from which the research is conducted should be of significant breadth, fair and objective, and clearly
stated.
*Only required if course work not taken at the undergraduate level.
** Successful completion of all courses in Phase 1 with a minimum CGPA of 3.00 • If empirical data are used, it should be defined, measured, collected, analyzed and interpreted with the highest level
of rigor.
*** Completion of Phase 1 and COMM2
• All assumptions made by the author of the dissertation should be clear, justifiable and consistent.
Eligibility for Admission:
• Implications and consequences of the research should be completely and clearly articulated, realistic, and significant.
Admission to Phase I: Coursework including Research Proposal • Inferences and conclusions made by the author of the dissertation should be clear, supported by the research,
1. Candidates must hold either a master’s degree in business or business related area with a CGPA of 3.00 or above reasonable, consistent and of significant depth.
2. Fluency in English at a TOEFL level of 550, iBT min 79 / ITP min 550 (taken at ADUKG or Amideast only) / Academic Selection of a dissertation research topic is a collaborative effort between the student and the prospective chairperson. A
IELTs 6.0 or equivalent student works independently to complete the dissertation, but must be in contact with the chairperson and the appropriate
committee member on a regular basis to assure that the work will satisfy the quality expectations of the University. Failure
3. Professional Recommendations to obtain the chairperson’s approval at appropriate stages of the research may result in a completed dissertation that is
4. Evidence of at least 2 years of work experience at the middle to upper management level not approved and requires substantial revision or selection of another topic.
5. Panel Interview One Publication Dissertation Requirement
The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) requires that a minimum of one
Admission to Phase II: Dissertation journal article must be accepted for publication in a scientific, refereed journal prior to the doctoral dissertation submission
1. A CGPA of 3.00 or above in the coursework requirements in Phase I to external reviewers for assessment. The publication must be based on data that are analyzed by the student and it must
2. A “Pass” grade in the Research Proposal Defense. be connected to the theme or themes of the dissertation. Publication in journals which are solely based on a submission/
acceptance pays model is not accepted as part of dissertation requirements. The article(s) are to be coauthored with one
or two members of the dissertation committee.

Details of Publication Requirements:
(a) The publication must be in a SCOPUS indexed journal ranked as Quartile 1 or Quartile 2 only. Journals indexed by SCOPUS
can be found at this link. https://www.scopus.com/sources?zone=TopNavBar&origin=NO%20ORIGIN%20DEFINED
(b) The impact factor of the journal must be at or above 1.20 (SNIP) based on SCOPUS Journal Rank (SJR).
(c) The article must be published in a reputable business journal from a known publisher (i.e., Elsevier Science Ltd, Sage

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