Paris Metropolitan University · ACBSP-recognised
The online Executive DBA from Europe — for the seat at the table.
A professional doctorate for senior executives moving toward board seats, advisory practice or post-corporate research. 100% online, taught in English from Paris, with a thesis committee drawn from the PMU Global Expert Board. ACBSP- recognised. €14,500 full programme — roughly one-third the European triple-crown price.
- European institution
- Paris, France
- Accreditation
- ACBSP-recognised
- Language
- English (100%)
- Format
- 100% online, asynchronous-first
- Duration
- 24–36 months
- Enrolment from
- €4,990
- Full tuition
- €14,500
- Doctoral track
- Applied research + thesis defence
In one paragraph
The Paris Metropolitan University Executive DBA is a 24–36 month, 100% online, English-language professional doctorate, accredited by ACBSP and authorised by the Académie de Paris. Full programme fee is €14,500 (€4,990 enrolment, €499/month over 12 months, balance across thesis phase). Two specialisations: Digital Transformation & Innovation Leadership; International Business & Global Markets. Four intakes per year.
Compare
PMU vs Grenoble · IE · Liberty · Capella · Purdue.
The 2026 online-DBA matrix. PMU sits at roughly one-third the triple-crown European tier while delivering ACBSP-recognised standards and a Global Expert Board thesis committee.
| School | Region | Accreditation | Language | Months | Fee (EUR) | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Metropolitan University (PMU) | Paris, FR | ACBSP | English | 24–36 | €14,500 | Online | Two specialisations · Global Expert Board thesis committee |
| Grenoble Ecole de Management — DBA | Grenoble, FR | AACSB · AMBA · EQUIS | English | 36 | ≈ €48,000 | Online + seminars | Triple-crown; on-campus seminars across capitals |
| IE Business School — DBA | Madrid, ES | AACSB · AMBA · EQUIS | English | 36 | ≈ €58,000 | Online + Madrid weeks | Triple-crown · ranked among Europe's top DBAs |
| Liberty University Online — DBA | USA | ACBSP · SACSCOC | English | 36 | ≈ €27,000 | Online | Largest US online DBA · 1,568 referring domains |
| Capella University — DBA | USA | ACBSP · HLC | English | 36–48 | ≈ €38,000 | Online | Competency-based pacing · 23 referring domains |
| Purdue Global — Doctor of Business Administration | USA | HLC | English | 30–36 | ≈ €30,000 | Online | US-recognised public-system DBA |
Doctoral tracks
Two specialisations, one doctoral committee.
Executive DBA
Executive DBA — Digital Transformation & Innovation Leadership
A doctoral programme for senior leaders who must turn their hard-won judgment into research the field can use.
From €4990 · €499/mo · €14500 full
Executive DBA
Executive DBA — International Business & Global Markets
Doctoral research for executives whose work has always crossed borders — and who now want to write the playbook.
From €4990 · €499/mo · €14500 full
Frequently asked
Questions worth answering.
- An Executive Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a professional doctorate, equivalent in level to a PhD but oriented to executive practice rather than to an academic career. It produces an applied thesis that contributes to professional practice rather than to pure theory. The PMU Executive DBA completes in 24 to 36 months, entirely online, taught in English.
- Both are doctoral degrees. A PhD prepares the holder for a research career in a university and produces a thesis advancing theory. A DBA prepares the holder for senior executive practice or a board seat, and produces a thesis that contributes to professional practice — typically built on the candidate's own organisational context. In European boardrooms the two carry equivalent weight.
- Enrolment opens at €4,990. The full programme fee is €14,500. A monthly instalment plan is available at €499 over 12 months without interest, with the balance settled across the thesis phase. Compared with Grenoble (≈ €48,000) or IE (≈ €58,000), PMU sits at roughly one-third the cost while maintaining ACBSP recognition.
- The PMU Executive DBA thesis committee is chaired by members of the Global Expert Board, which includes Dr. Kurt J. Lauk (member of the Supervisory Board of Magna International; former Member of the European Parliament), Dr. Tillmann Lauk (former Global Executive Board, Deutsche Bank), Dr. Patrick Eugster (CEO, Simpego), Dr. Tobias Merz (Head of Digital, Data & AI, Bachem Group), and Prof. Dr. Gabriel Martín Rodríguez (General Director).
- Two specialisations. Executive DBA in Digital Transformation & Innovation Leadership — for executives leading digital-transformation programmes, with research on agentic AI, platform strategy, and transformation governance. Executive DBA in International Business & Global Markets — for executives whose work crosses borders, with research on cross-border M&A, regulatory arbitrage, and emerging-market strategy.
- A Master's-level credential (or equivalent professional experience evaluated by the doctoral committee). At least five years of senior professional experience. A preliminary thesis proposal (two to three pages). An interview with the doctoral committee. Decisions are returned within four weeks of a complete application.
- The Executive DBA thesis is typically 40,000 to 60,000 words, developed across the second half of the programme. It addresses a specific applied research question, usually grounded in the candidate's own organisation (with appropriate confidentiality agreements). Defence is oral, before a panel that includes external examiners.
- PMU is an ACBSP-recognised institution. The Executive DBA is issued in Paris and apostille-eligible under the Hague Convention. Recognition for use in executive roles is widespread in the EU, UK, US, Canada, GCC, India and ASEAN. National recognition for academic-faculty appointment varies by country; some jurisdictions require an additional homologation step that PMU does not guarantee.
- Yes — the programme is explicitly designed for senior executives and entrepreneurs in role. The asynchronous-first format combined with the option to ground the thesis in the candidate's own organisation means the doctoral work compounds with, rather than competes against, the day job. Expected commitment: ten to twelve hours per week during coursework, twelve to fifteen during thesis.
- Four intakes per academic year: January, April, July and September. Doctoral candidates are interviewed individually before admission. Applications stay open until four weeks before each intake date.