Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management
A Dual Degree Program Integrating Applied Neuroscience, Managerial Practice, and Research Excellence
- PROGRAM DETAILS
- What You Will Achieve
- Program Structure
- Program Features
- Master-In-Passing
- Admissions
- Tuition
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- POST-DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
- Post-Doc: DLitt. By Manuscript
- Post-Doc: By Published Articles
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- ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
- PhD in Business Research
- PhD in Economics
- PhD in International Relations
- Doctor of Social Science
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- APPLIED PROGRAMS
- Doctor of Business Administration
- Doctor of Leadership
- Doctor of Applied Neuroscince
- Doctor of Management
- Doctor of Professional Studies
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- MASTER PROGRAMS
- MPhil in Business Research
- MA in Business Research
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- APPLICATION & ADMISSIONS
- Online Application
- Admissions Contact
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) at Monarch Business School Switzerland is an advanced applied-doctoral program designed for professionals seeking to understand how neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and behavioural science inform managerial practice and organisational performance. As global interest in organizational neuroscience, neuroeconomics, and evidence-based management accelerates, the DANM provides a rigorous pathway for executives, consultants, behavioural strategists, and organisational psychologists who wish to explore the brain-based mechanisms influencing decision-making, leadership behaviour, collaboration, motivation, and workplace dynamics.
Positioned firmly within the field of management, the program examines how cognitive processes, emotional regulation, attentional systems, and neurobiological responses shape individual and collective behaviour in complex organisational environments. Candidates develop the ability to interpret managerial challenges through applied neuroscience and behavioural science frameworks, enabling them to analyse decision cycles, organisational bias, stress responses, team dynamics, and the behavioural drivers of strategy execution and innovation.
Integrating contemporary insights from applied neuroscience, behavioural economics, and organisational science, the DANM equips participants to design responsible, evidence-based interventions that enhance decision quality, organisational learning, resilience, and ethical behaviour. Candidates are trained to evaluate neuroscientific research critically, ensuring that all applications of brain-based insight in management contexts remain scientifically grounded, ethically responsible, and aligned with standards such as the United Nations Principles of Responsible Management and the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct.
Graduates emerge as reflective scholar-practitioners capable of translating neuroscientific and behavioural insights into improved managerial systems, leadership development strategies, and organisational transformation initiatives. Through rigorous research and applied inquiry, Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Managment candidates contribute to advancing the cognitive and behavioural foundations of management, enriching both scholarship and professional practice across diverse industries and global contexts.
What You Will Achieve
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management develops the cognitive, behavioural, and analytical capabilities required to interpret and apply neuroscientific and behavioural insights within organisational contexts. The outcomes below represent the core developmental achievements candidates gain through the program’s structured, mentor-supported progression.
| Applied Neuroscientific Insight | Develop a grounded understanding of how cognitive, emotional, and neurobiological mechanisms influence managerial behaviour, strategic decision-making, team dynamics, motivation, and organisational performance. |
| Behavioural Analysis & Interpretation | Acquire the ability to analyse organisational behaviour through applied neuroscience and behavioural science frameworks, enabling deeper interpretation of bias, stress responses, collaboration patterns, and adaptive performance. |
| Evidence-Based Managerial Practice | Learn to design research-informed interventions that enhance decision quality, resilience, ethical behaviour, leadership development, and organisational learning using insights derived from cognitive and behavioural science. |
| Cognitive & Emotional Regulation Expertise | Understand the neural and psychological foundations of emotional regulation, attentional control, and executive functioning, and apply these insights to strengthen managerial effectiveness and organisational well-being. |
| Advanced Research Competency | Develop the methodological capability to conduct applied doctoral research at the intersection of neuroscience and management, including interpretive inquiry into cognitive-behavioural phenomena within organisational settings. |
| Ethical & Responsible Application | Critically evaluate neuroscientific findings for organisational use, applying them responsibly, ethically, and in alignment with global frameworks such as the UN Principles of Responsible Management and the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct. |
| Scholarly & Professional Identity Formation | Develop an identity as a rigorous scholar-practitioner capable of integrating applied neuroscience with managerial expertise, contributing to organisational improvement and evidence-based professional practice. |
Together, these developmental achievements equip candidates to apply cognitive and behavioural insight to complex managerial challenges, strengthening organisational performance while advancing the scholarly foundations of applied neuroscience in management.
Program Structure
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) at Monarch Business School Switzerland follows a structured, milestone-based design that combines academic rigor with professional application. Each phase builds on the previous one, guiding the candidate from foundational work in research methods and applied neuroscience through to the completion and presentation of an integrated doctoral manuscript. The sequence encourages both reflective scholarship and practical integration, ensuring that research outcomes hold direct value for organisations, teams, and management practitioners. The DANM follows a structured progression consistent with European qualification standards, and aligns with the learning outcome expectations described within the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
The DANM’s progressive framework strengthens the candidate’s analytical, methodological, and self-reflective capabilities while reinforcing Monarch’s philosophy of management as a process of ethical action, human understanding, and behavioural insight. Throughout the program, faculty mentors provide individualised guidance to help candidates integrate neuroscientific and behavioural perspectives with managerial practice and maintain the highest standards of applied doctoral scholarship.
Importantly, the DANM is a non-clinical, management-focused doctoral degree. It does not provide training for medical, therapeutic, or diagnostic practice, nor does it authorize graduates to conduct clinical interventions. Instead, the program emphasizes the translational use of validated research findings to enhance decision-making, organizational behaviour, resilience, ethics, and applied leadership practice within professional managerial environments.
The following phases outline the academic pathway of the Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management, leading from initial preparation through to the culmination of the doctoral journey and demonstration of professional impact.
Preparatory Phase
Candidates begin with the Research Skills I and II modules, developing competencies in qualitative, mixed-methods, and interpretive research design alongside advanced academic writing. Concurrently, they engage with conceptual foundations in applied neuroscience, cognitive psychology, behavioural economics, and organisational science. The emphasis is on connecting lived managerial experience and organisational challenges with brain-based and behavioural frameworks that can be examined through rigorous doctoral inquiry. By the conclusion of this phase, candidates have identified a preliminary research focus that will anchor their applied investigation in the subsequent stages of the program.
Proposal Phase
During this phase, candidates design and refine their doctoral research proposal, articulating a clear management problem or question situated at the intersection of neuroscience, behaviour, and organisational practice. The proposal must demonstrate conceptual depth, methodological coherence, and relevance to real-world managerial or organisational contexts. Candidates justify their choice of research paradigm and methods—often interpretive, phenomenological, case-based, or mixed-methods—showing how these will illuminate the cognitive and behavioural dimensions of decision-making, leadership, collaboration, or organisational change. Formal approval by the Academic Administration marks entry into the doctoral research stage.
Fieldwork Phase
Candidates conduct applied research within their organisational, consulting, or professional contexts, frequently employing case-based designs, phenomenological inquiry, action research, or mixed-methods approaches. The objective is to explore how cognitive, emotional, and behavioural processes manifest in real organisational environments—for example in strategic decision-making, innovation, risk assessment, team dynamics, or culture change. Through observation, dialogue, interviews, and reflective analysis, candidates gather empirical data that illuminate the lived experience of managerial cognition and behaviour in practice. The resulting insights provide the evidential foundation for theory development, framework refinement, and the advancement of responsible, brain-informed management practice.
Manuscript Phase
In this phase, candidates synthesise their findings into an integrated doctoral manuscript that presents applied neuroscientific and behavioural insights in a form meaningful to management scholars and practitioners. The manuscript must demonstrate how the candidate’s research contributes to understanding the cognitive and behavioural foundations of management, as well as to improving organisational effectiveness, decision quality, and human well-being at work. It typically includes the articulation of conceptual models, diagnostic frameworks, or intervention designs that bridge neuroscientific and behavioural evidence with managerial practice.
Presentation Stage
The program concludes with the formal presentation of the doctoral manuscript before the Review Committee. Candidates synthesise their research process, findings, and professional implications, demonstrating mastery of applied inquiry at the nexus of neuroscience and management. The presentation focuses on how the candidate’s work advances practical understanding of managerial cognition, organisational behaviour, and evidence-based decision-making. This culminating stage affirms the candidate’s status as a reflective scholar-practitioner and recognises the manuscript as a substantive contribution to applied neuroscience in management within the Monarch community and the broader professional domain.
The structured progression of the Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management ensures that candidates develop the full range of applied research, reflective, and interpersonal competencies expected of doctoral-level professionals. By the conclusion of the program, graduates demonstrate mastery in the design and execution of evidence-based managerial inquiry, the capacity to translate complex human and organisational dynamics into actionable frameworks, and the ability to deliver practical outcomes that strengthen management practice, organisational learning, and ethical decision-making.
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Key Program Features
| • | Applied doctoral pathway integrating neuroscience-informed insights with managerial practice. |
| • | Focus on decision-making, cognition, emotional regulation, motivation, and organizational behavior. |
| • | Milestone-based structure supporting consistent academic progress for working professionals. |
| • | Emphasis on ethical use of behavioral and neuro-cognitive insights within management contexts. |
| • | Flexible online delivery with individualized faculty mentorship throughout the doctoral journey. |
| • | Applied research orientation bridging neuroscience-informed frameworks to real organizational challenges. |
| • | Designed for executives, consultants, HR specialists, and professionals working in transformation, development, and coaching. |
| • | Mentorship by senior faculty and opportunities for publication through the Monarch Research Paper Series (MRPS). |
Study Mode For Working Professionals
| • | Designed specifically for working professionals balancing full-time responsibilities. |
| • | Primary modality: fully remote study from your home country with no mandatory residency. |
| • | Asynchronous learning structure allowing you to study on your schedule. |
| • | Periodic on-campus doctoral workshops offered in Switzerland for research support and community engagement. |
| • | No requirement to relocate or take leave from professional duties. |
| • | Ideal for executives, senior managers, consultants, and practitioners pursuing doctoral-level scholarship. |
Program Features
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) at Monarch Business School Switzerland is designed for experienced professionals who seek to integrate scientifically informed perspectives on human cognition, behavior, and decision-making into advanced management practice. The program unites the intellectual integrity of applied neuroscience with Monarch’s practitioner-oriented doctoral philosophy, enabling candidates to explore how brain-based mechanisms shape leadership effectiveness, organizational behavior, culture formation, change readiness, innovation capacity, and strategic decision processes.
Delivered through a flexible, milestone-based framework, the DANM program supports candidates in applying neuroscientific insights directly within their managerial, consulting, coaching, or organizational environments. This approach ensures that scientific knowledge is translated into actionable practices that enhance individual, team, and organizational functioning—while remaining firmly positioned within the management domain rather than the biological sciences. The program prepares reflective practitioner-scholars capable of bridging neuroscience with real-world managerial challenges.
| Milestone-Based Structure | Candidates progress through structured research milestones rather than fixed semesters, enabling flexible pacing within a guided and mentored framework that supports increasing levels of conceptual integration and applied neuroscience competence. |
| Applied Neuroscience Inquiry | Each doctoral manuscript investigates a leadership, organizational, or managerial challenge through the lens of applied neuroscience—such as decision-making under uncertainty, emotional regulation, motivation, cognitive bias, trust formation, resilience, or team dynamics—producing evidence-informed models and actionable recommendations. |
| Professional Relevance | Designed for executives, managers, consultants, HR specialists, organizational psychologists, executive coaches, and leadership development professionals, the DANM prepares practitioner-scholars capable of translating neuroscience insights into practical tools that enhance performance, communication, culture, and organizational adaptability. |
| Flexible Delivery | Conducted in a fully online, asynchronous format with individualized faculty mentorship, enabling participation from anywhere in the world while maintaining full professional commitments and uninterrupted organizational responsibilities. |
| Ethical and Human-Centered Focus | The program emphasizes the responsible application of neuroscience in management settings, addressing cognitive privacy, psychological safety, informed influence, fairness, and the ethical use of behavioral insights to support human well-being and organizational integrity. |
| Integrated Recognition | Successful completion of the program also confers the Master-in-Passing (MA in Business Research), acknowledging mastery of applied research design, reflective methodology, and conceptual analysis developed during the doctoral journey. |
Together, these features reflect Monarch’s philosophy of applied doctoral education, one that unites scientific insight, ethical stewardship, professional relevance, and reflective practice. The DANM program prepares graduates to understand complex human and organizational dynamics, and to transform them through informed, evidence-based, and ethically grounded managerial action.
Master-in-Passing
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) at Monarch Business School Switzerland incorporates a flexible and academically rigorous framework that recognizes both professional progression and scholarly achievement through the Master of Arts (MA) in Business Research. The MA serves as an integral milestone within the doctoral journey, affirming Monarch’s commitment to accessibility, academic progression, and excellence in applied management and leadership research.
Master-in-Passing (Default Award)
Candidates who successfully complete all doctoral requirements are automatically granted the MA in Business Research in passing upon conferral of the DANM. This recognizes mastery of applied research design, analytical synthesis, and managerial interpretation achieved throughout the doctoral program, and underscores the integrated nature of Monarch’s dual-degree structure.
Master-in-Exit (Terminal Award)
Candidates who choose to conclude their studies prior to completing the DANM may qualify for the MA in Business Research or, alternatively, the MA in Leadership as a terminal award.
The MA in Business Research recognizes scholarly proficiency in applied research methods, analytical reasoning, and evidence-based inquiry within a management context.
The MA in Leadership emphasizes the applied practice of leadership, reflective development, and ethical decision-making within organizational settings.
The choice of terminal award allows candidates to align the degree with their professional trajectory and prior academic background. The MA in this form does not require an original theoretical contribution but demonstrates the candidate’s capacity to conduct and synthesis applied research, interpret complex leadership challenges, and produce actionable outcomes of professional value.
Through both the Master-in-Passing and Master-in-Exit pathways, Monarch Business School Switzerland ensures that every candidate’s scholarly engagement results in a meaningful and recognized qualification. This flexible framework affirms Monarch’s commitment to applied and reflective doctoral education, enabling candidates to demonstrate mastery not only in research competence but also in the synthesis of theory, practice, and personal leadership insight. Whether awarded as the MA in Business Research or the MA in Leadership, the milestone reflects Monarch’s enduring philosophy—advancing evidence-based reflection, ethical leadership, and the responsible practice of management and organizational transformation.
Philosophy of the Applied Neuroscience Doctorate
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) develops reflective scholar-practitioners who apply validated insights from cognitive, behavioral, and social neuroscience to complex managerial and organizational
challenges. The program emphasizes ethical interpretation, critical thinking, and responsible integration of
neuro-informed frameworks within real-world management practice.
| • | Decision-making, uncertainty, and cognitive bias within managerial environments. |
| • | Emotion regulation, resilience, and performance sustainability for individuals and teams. |
| • | Social cognition, trust, motivation, and dynamics of organizational culture. |
| • | Translational use of peer-reviewed neuroscience findings in management, consulting, and change practice. |
| • | Measurement literacy and the ethical limits of inference—distinguishing scientific evidence from popular “neuromyths.” |
The DANM trains candidates to synthesize neuroscience-informed perspectives into practical management interventions, analytical models, decision frameworks, cultural diagnostics, and performance systems, aligned with
Monarch’s emphasis on human-centered, responsible organizational practice.
Admission & Entry Requirements
Admission to the Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) at Monarch Business School Switzerland is based on demonstrated professional experience, reflective capacity, and the potential to engage with applied behavioral and cognitive insights in organizational contexts. The program is designed for executives, managers, consultants, HR specialists, organizational development professionals, and coaches who wish to integrate evidence-informed neuroscience principles into leadership, performance, and managerial practice.
Applicants typically hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution. However, experienced professionals with a bachelor’s degree and substantial leadership responsibility may also be considered. At the discretion of the Dean, candidates without formal academic qualifications may be admitted on the basis of significant professional achievement or recognized professional certifications that demonstrate equivalent academic capital.
Applications are reviewed by the Academic Board to assess alignment between the candidate’s professional background, their intended area of applied neuroscience inquiry, and available supervisory expertise. Candidates are expected to demonstrate intellectual curiosity, ethical awareness, and the ability to engage critically with concepts related to human behavior, cognition, emotion, decision-making, and organizational dynamics. A clear motivation to translate doctoral learning into improved managerial, developmental, or organizational outcomes is essential.
Tuition
All applied doctoral programs at Monarch Switzerland follow a milestone-based structure designed to support the practitioner-focused research, applied analysis, and organizational inquiry central to advanced professional studies. Tuition is assessed on a quarterly basis for the duration of the candidate’s active registration in the program, ensuring uninterrupted access to supervisory guidance, academic resources, and institutional support throughout the research process.
Dual Pathway Structure
The DANM may be pursued through either the Standard Duration Pathway or the Extended Duration Pathway, both of which carry the same total tuition. This dual-pathway model enables candidates to select the pacing that best aligns with their professional responsibilities while maintaining full academic standing.
Under the Standard Duration Pathway (24 months), tuition is payable at €3,250 per quarter, with an optional monthly payment arrangement of €1,083 to support financial planning and continuity of study. Candidates who prefer a more gradual progression may elect the Extended Duration Pathway (48 months), which carries a proportionally lower quarterly fee of €1,625 or a monthly equivalent of €542, while preserving full access to supervisory and institutional services.
Candidates who require additional time beyond the 24-month Standard Duration Pathway or the 48-month Extended Duration Pathway may continue their registration under Monarch’s continuation policy, which is assessed on an annual basis at 50% of the regular tuition rate. This continuation framework maintains academic standing and ensures uninterrupted access to supervisors, research platforms, and administrative services while allowing candidates the necessary time to complete their applied research manuscript at a responsible and achievable pace.
Detailed information regarding billing cycles, payment procedures, and administrative policies is provided in the official Application and Information Package, available upon request. The global tuition table for all programs may be viewed here.
Who Should Apply
The Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management (DANM) is designed for experienced professionals who wish to apply neuroscience-informed perspectives to managerial practice, organizational behavior, and decision-making. Candidates typically hold responsibility for people, performance, or strategic outcomes and seek to strengthen their analytical, diagnostic, and evidence-informed management capabilities.
| • | Executives, managers, and team leaders seeking deeper insight into cognition, emotion, resilience, and behavior in organizational settings. |
| • | Organizational development professionals working in culture, performance, change, and capability building. |
| • | HR and talent specialists seeking to integrate behavioral and cognitive frameworks into selection, development, and leadership strategy. |
| • | Management consultants, executive coaches, and applied practitioners aiming to strengthen the scientific foundation of their advisory work. |
| • | Professionals interested in decision science, behavioral strategy, motivation, cognitive bias, and ethical influence in organizations. |
| • | Individuals seeking a doctoral pathway that unites applied research, reflective practice, and neuroscientific insight within a management context—without requiring laboratory or clinical methods. |
Doctoral Graduate Profile
Dr. Marlene González (United States / Venezuela)
PhD in Business Research / Doctor of Business Administration (Organizational Neuroscience)
Dr. Marlene González completed a dual doctorate at Monarch Business School Switzerland, earning both the PhD in Business Research and the DBA in Organizational Neuroscience. Her research examined the leadership transition experiences of Latino middle managers in corporate America, using a mixed-methods design to explore how identity, cultural dissonance, emotional regulation, and systemic equity shape adaptive leadership. Her dissertation introduced the Neuro-Integral Adaptive Leadership Transition (NIALT) Framework, a multidisciplinary model integrating AQAL developmental theory, SCARF neuroleadership principles, and cultural neuroscience to map how leaders navigate transition across cognitive, behavioural, relational, and systemic dimensions.
To support real-world application, Dr. González developed the NIALT Implementation Process, a six-phase developmental pathway designed to promote inclusive, psychologically safe, and culturally responsive leadership transitions. Her work holds particular relevance for executive onboarding, succession planning, middle-management development, and leadership strategy within Fortune 500 corporations, government institutions, and nonprofit sectors where leaders must manage complexity, cultural nuance, and organisational change.
Dr. González brings over three decades of international leadership experience across corporate, government, and nonprofit environments. She previously served as the Senior Director of Global Training, Learning, and Development at McDonald’s Corporation, overseeing global leadership standards and instructional design across multiple regions. Today, she leads two companies—LCG Group Chicago and LCG Latin America—specialising in executive coaching, leadership transformation, and applied neuroscience. Through her advisory work she designs and delivers brain-based, inclusive development strategies that support C-suite leaders, emerging executives, and culture-shifting initiatives across diverse industries.
Her doctoral work at Monarch reflects the School’s emphasis on rigorous scholarship informed by lived experience. Dr. González’s integrative contributions continue to influence how executive leaders navigate transition, cultural complexity, and organisational resilience within today’s global leadership landscape.
