Successful applicants to the DBA program are senior management practitioners with at least 10 years of management experience, who have received an MBA degree from another business school, a Master's degree other than an MBA, or in exceptional cases are otherwise deemed qualified by the Admissions Committee. They will be enterprising and resourceful self-starters who can instigate a program of research and have the perseverance and commitment to complete it within three years on their own individual initiative. The DBA program is a part-time program, and candidates are expected to continue in their full-time jobs while they are pursuing their DBA. We do not accept full-time students. DBA students are expected to maintain residency in Japan while in the program. Note that we do not accept applications from candidates residing outside of Japan, unless they show evidence that they will be working full-time in Japan while in the program.
In certain cases, we also accept individuals who are graduates of the MBA program at Hitotsubashi ICS. These students are required to spend three years of the program under the supervision of their faculty adviser as full-time students, devoting the second year mostly to doing research and developing their thesis proposals, and the third year to writing their theses.
This program is only for candidates who already have a plan for a research project, and are committed to execute it. This program is not for people who simply want to learn more about management and strategy, who want to do a more advanced MBA, or who want to be able to put an advanced degree on their CV. This program is also not for people who are looking to transition into a career in the academia: a full-time PhD is nearly always the requirement for this career.
The DBA program only accepts international students who are already residing, and working full-time, in Japan.
Professor Satoshi Akutsu is the Director of the DBA Program. Students may select any full-time member of the ICS faculty as their thesis adviser, contingent on approval by the DBA Program Director and the corresponding faculty member.
