The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a 70-credit doctoral pathway designed for experienced professionals seeking advanced capability in institutional governance, strategic leadership, applied management judgment, research, and organizational decision-making. The pathway combines advanced business study with independent applied research to prepare learners to investigate complex business challenges and develop research-informed responses to strategic, managerial, and organizational priorities.

The DBA pathway begins with the OTHM Level 8 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership Practice delivered by The American University of Science (AUS), forming the coursework and research preparation stage of the doctoral route.

The curriculum combines institutional governance and strategic leadership, organizational theory and corporate dynamics, and strategic systems design and implementation with research methodology in advanced strategic management and doctoral studies. Learners select one specialization: International Strategy and Institutional Architecture; International Finance and Institutional Stewardship; International Marketing Communications and Intelligence; or International Workforce Engineering and Organizational Capability. This structure develops focused expertise alongside the strategic, organizational, and research foundations required for doctoral study.

The mapped coursework and research preparation stage accounts for 40 AUS credits. Eligible learners who complete this stage and satisfy applicable academic requirements must pass the AUS comprehensive examination, a required noncredit milestone, before progressing to a 30-credit doctoral dissertation encompassing research foundation, empirical investigation, and the final thesis and defense.

Candidates who successfully complete the full 70-credit program and satisfy all applicable examination, dissertation, defense, and graduation requirements are eligible for the award of the Doctor of Business Administration by AUS.