The DBA programme at GSB aims to achieve the following inter-related goals:

• Produce business leaders who possess advanced knowledge from the core business disciplines and have the ability to integrate them to enhance their decision-making skills,
• Produce business leaders with advanced and relevant skills in conducting scientific research, consultation and training for both public and private organisations,
• Provide knowledge of the modern techniques and tools that can be utilised to enhance and develop innovative practices in their respective organizations,
• Produce business leaders with the ability to view problems systematically, holistically and unravel complex business issues and subsequently provide practical and innovative solutions, and
• Stimulate creativity, critical and ethical thinking and to equip business leaders with skills in managing change and transforming organisations within the dynamic global business environment.

The DBA Programme is delivered in 3 parts through a series of lecture seminars, consultancy, training and independent study.

Part I: Theoretical Updating (18 units)

Seminar in:
i. Management Control and Decision Making
ii. Human Capital Transformation
iii. Financial Decision Making
iv. Managing Technology and Decision Making
v. Marketing and Global Business
vi. Trend and Foresights in Business Strategy

Part II: Knowledge Dissemination and Generation (21 units)

This part is divided into 2 components:
i. Dissemination of knowledge: The Consultation and Training Course (15 units) requires the candidate to conduct consultancy and training in a chosen field. This course is completed in 2 semesters.
ii. Generation of knowledge The Research Methodology course (6 units) requires the candidate to update knowledge in research methodology, statistical techniques and statistical software packages. The candidate needs to prepare a research proposal, which will serve as the basis for the dissertation in Part III. This course is completed in two semesters.

Part III: Dissertation (42 units)

This is the part where candidates are supervised through the process of a dissertation and upon completion, are examined viva voce. This course is completed in 3 semesters.

Applicants should possess the following:

A) Bachelor’s degree in related field or equivalent

1. CGPA of at least 2.75/4.00; or 

2. CGPA between 2.50 - 2.74/4.00 with the following additional conditions: or
   • Research experience for at least one (1) year; or
   • Professional experience in related field for at least one (1) year; or
   • One (1) academic publication in the relevant field; or
   • Grade B for major/elective courses; or
   • Grade B+ for final year project 

3. CGPA between 2.00 - 2.49/4.00 (honours degree) with the following additional conditions:
   • Research experience for at least five (5) years; or
   • Professional experience in related field for at least five (5) years; AND
   • One (1) academic publication in the relevant field; or
   • Grade B for major/elective courses; or
   • Grade B+ for final year project

Any Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science/Computing/Information Technology awarded by local private institutions of higher learning, including those awarded under any collaborative/franchising schemes with local or foreign partners must be accredited by the Malaysian Qualifications Agency (MQA).

(Applicable for International Applicants Only)

The minimum score for each programme can be vary from the below list, candidates are required to check for each programme requirements.

• A minimum of Band 6 for IELTS; or
• A minimum score of 60 for TOEFL (Internet-based); or
• A minimum of Band 8.5 for TOEFL Essentials (Online); or
• A minimum score of 169 for Cambridge English: Advance (CAE)/Proficiency (CPE) /Preliminary (PET) /First (FCE)/ Linguaskill Online min. score 169/ Occupational English Test (OET) min. score 250; or
• A minimum score of 59 for Pearson Test of English (PTE); or
• A minimum of Band 109 for CIEP Level (ELS); or
• A minimum of Band 4 for Malaysian University English Test (MUET)

Exemption is given to candidate if:

• English is the candidate’s mother tongue or National Language; or
• Candidate graduated from an Institution of Higher Learning in which the medium of instruction at Bachelor and/or Master degree level is English (statement of proof required)

IMPORTANT: Candidates are required to provide any of the above English result upon application. Incomplete application will be rejected.

Full time: 7 semesters to 10 semesters

Part time: 10 semesters to 14 semesters

April & October

*NOT inclusive 6% Sales and Service Tax (SST) imposed by Government of Malaysia

** Fees are subject to change