DBA at USQ interesting situation

How does supervisory selection work and any suggestion for an E-Business topic. I have many but need to narrow it down quickly. I thought about an adoption model of IT in smallbusiness, or perhaps the question of customization of web pages and the impact..... but my mind is racing and I am not sure.

 

You will be assigned a supervisor based on your research proposal. If your research proposal is out of the scope of the USQ's faculty, then you will be asked to change it. I wouldn't be worry about who will be your research supervisor, the tough part is to get it approved. You need to score at least 60% in your final proposal, I was asked to repeat it since I scored 55%. So don't worry to much about who is going to supervise and work on your proposal. The proposal will be graded by two faculty members.

 

Thanks RFVAlve - USQ

I was just informed that my original topic was tossed as they no longer have anyone to supervise in the areas and I am panicky. They stated I would be competing for a supervisor and they only have a few. I raised the possibility of finding an external supervisor but they didn't reply to it as of yet. I am sure things will work out but I wasn't thrilled with how I was informed - it was more of any ideas for a dissertation? Rather then we don't have any for you anymore. Overall the experince has been quite good so I am sure it will work out. I am still pro USQ but now would like to get a topic and be done with it. Thanks for your reply.

 

Re: Thanks RFVAlve - USQ

I'm also satisfied. This is a major milestone, many people can't pass this phase so it is important to concentrate on it. I must confess that I'm repeating the unit as I had a very hard time with the research proposal, my supervisors wouldn't think that it was worth the DBA. I'm changing it to a different topic, it is very important to make sure that the proposal is worth the DBA so look for a challenging topic. If the proposal is too trivial and the work is considered at the master's level, it won't be accepted, it has to be original.

 

My 0.02cents: May be you can look at the publication of the staff. To see whether their expert areas can match your interests. I think doctoral degree requies students to have strong publishing capability. In order to provide a strong ground of your dba or phd proposal, a publication list on the proposed topic will help. Hence you may try to publish something (journal or refered conference) on your proposed topic before submitting the formal proposal.

Good luck!

 

Received an e-mail today from Study Business at USQ regarding the DBA. States that due to the restructing of the program and lack of current available supervisors they will not be accepting any new applicants until at least Jan 2004

 

Try Charles sturt or Deakin or Edith Cowen......

http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/pg/com/dba/

http://www.apesma.asn.au/education/dba/

 

The e-mail I received from CS stated:
"The DBA will take a minimum of four years part time study"

Beginning to look like UNISA or nothing!

 

Are you looking for less than four years? I don't understand, just to come with a good solid research proposal it might take you up to a year, plus literature review, data collection, etc. Four years part time is already too little to complete a doctorate. UNISA's doctorate is a minimum of two years but this is the "minimum" requirement that is perhaps only possible if the candidate already has the necessary research and needs only to put it together.

I believe that people have the wrong impression that the PhD or DBA is something that can be accomplished during two years with few hours per week effort.

 

Oh but it can just look at CCU or KWU and other "steller" programs

 

RFValue - I have to agree. Traditional full-time PhD or DBA programs in business normally take 4-5 years, at least. To expect a part-time program to be completed in less time is unreasonable.

My own experience at Nova Southeastern took 4.5 years. The average time to completion, according to the school, is about 60 months.

What takes so long? For one thing, in most U.S. programs you have coursework to complete. Although some of the courses in NSU's program sounded like MBA work - they weren't. Second, you have to learn how to conduct research. Third, you have to actually conduct research.

There may be a few exceptional folks that can complete a program in a shorter amount of time. One fellow I knew completed his work in just under 3 years. However, he was a full-time faculty member that was given release time from his school to complete the program.

Regards - Andy

 

Thanks for your input. However, I feel like the starving market for students will do to the DBA and PhD the same thing it did to the MBA. Soon we will see DBA programs that will run for 2 year part time, fully online offered by AIU or other similar.

 

I think USQ is trying to do a better quality control on the DBA program as I heard that many students failed in the research modules. What is the criteria to pass the research modules to become a DBA candidate in USQ?

 

You have to come up with an good research proposal. It has to be substantiated with good research and supported with good arguments, you need at least 60% to pass it, it might sound low but it is not for australian standards. The program is under revision in order to add more research modules. I think this is a good indication of a responsible university.

 

Percentile grading systems in Canada and evidently AU are different from the US. An average is still the same as a 'C' means average grade but numerically different. In Canada a passing grade is a 50% (ie you just made it). If I recall 70% equated to a B, 60's to a C and 50's to a D. So a US grade in the 80's was equal to a Canadian grade in the 70's.

Ahhh folks with a common language separated by language and culture.

 

I realize that a legitimate doctorate may require many years of hard work. The reply I received from UNISA stated "A dedicated person can complete in two years minimum." I have the flexibility to devote periods of fulltime study along the way. I have a research project in mind and am assembling material for it already. Still I expect to need more than two years. Just do not wish to be mandated to a minimum of four years.

Touro is flexible along these lines. According to their site one could finish the coursework in 18 months taking a fulltime load. They also claim the dissertation can be completed in one year. So unless I am missing something Touro is saying a minimum of 2 1/2 years for their business doctorate.

 

We have many Touro students in these forum. So far, we haven't heard of any finishing their doctorate and this forum has been there for more than two years. UNISA might say that the minimum requirement is two years, but this is an exeptional student devoting himself fulltime to doctoral studies with no full time work obliglations, even schools like "Harvard" have this minimum 2 years but so far I haven't seen anyone with a Harvard's Phd that finished it in less than 4.

http://www.gsas.harvard.edu/programs/degree/math.html

I don't doubt of your abilities, but one has to be more realistic about a doctorate. People come to this forum with the "cheapest" and "fastest" doctorate mentality, the fact is that "no one" is going to care about your doctorate if you don't have publishing and research abilities and these skills take "years" to develop. You might find a school that grants you a doctorate with little effort but it won't do you any good if you are not capable of conducting research properly.