Dual Doctoral Degree Pathways

An integrated doctoral pathway bridging professional practice and PhD research.

The Dual Doctoral Degree Pathway is intended for candidates whose academic and professional ambitions extend beyond a single doctoral outcome. It is designed for those who wish to contribute original theoretical knowledge at PhD level and then translate that knowledge into applied models, frameworks, or professional practice through a second doctoral award. This pathway reflects the progression expected at the highest level of doctoral education and aligns with the intellectual demands typically associated with Level 8 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), where advanced knowledge creation and its meaningful application are both central.

By separating theory creation from applied implementation, the dual pathway offers a structured and coherent academic progression, allowing candidates to develop depth of scholarly contribution before moving deliberately into professional translation. This sequencing supports conceptual clarity, academic rigor, and defensible doctoral outcomes across both awards.

Because the dual pathway requires sustained doctoral engagement, advanced writing competence, and conceptual discipline across two related manuscripts, it is best suited to candidates with a high degree of academic readiness. Candidates uncertain about their readiness for this level of academic intensity are encouraged to pursue a single doctoral pathway and may apply for a dual pathway at a later stage, subject to academic review.

Who Should Be Interested in the Dual Doctoral Pathway

The dual doctoral degree pathway is designed for a specific type of candidate: one whose professional trajectory and intellectual goals extend beyond a single doctoral outcome. It is most appropriate for individuals who seek to develop original theory and to translate that theory into applied, professional practice. This pathway may be suitable if you:

- - Hold a strong interest in scholarly research and wish to make a theoretical contribution at PhD level
  - Also seek a practice-oriented doctoral outcome focused on leadership, management, or applied professional contexts
  - Are comfortable engaging in sustained doctoral writing across two distinct but related manuscripts
  - Wish to move from theory development to applied models, frameworks, or managerial interventions
  - Envision an academic, consulting, executive, or thought-leadership role where both research credibility and applied relevance are important.

What Is Meant by a Dual Doctoral Pathway

This page addresses doctoral-to-doctoral pathways only. It does not cover Master–Doctoral progression routes, exit awards, or preparatory research qualifications. Each dual pathway described here leads to two distinct doctoral-level awards, each governed by its own academic standards, review gates, and completion requirements.

Available Dual Doctoral Degree Combinations

The following dual doctoral degree combinations reflect Monarch’s commitment to aligning applied professional doctoral development with rigorous PhD-level research formation. Each pathway is structured to support candidates whose professional practice can meaningfully inform scholarly inquiry, while maintaining the distinct academic standards and outcomes of each doctoral award. These combinations are offered only where there is clear thematic coherence between applied practice and research contribution.

Available Dual Doctoral Degree Pathways

Dual Doctoral Pathway	Best Fit For	Core Theme Alignment
PhD – DBA	Senior executives and experienced managers seeking applied impact alongside rigorous doctoral research.	Business practice → PhD-level research contribution.
PhD – DOL	Leadership professionals pursuing executive leadership development with scholarly depth.	Leadership practice → leadership theory and research.
PhD – DANM	Coaches, neuroscientists, and senior leaders working at the neuroscience–performance interface.	Applied neuroscience in leadership → doctoral research inquiry.

Eligibility Section

Admission to a dual doctoral degree pathway is granted only to candidates who demonstrate readiness for sustained doctoral-level inquiry across both applied and research domains. Approval reflects academic readiness, professional maturity, writing competence, and the feasibility of developing doctoral-quality work across two aligned—but distinct—doctoral frameworks.

Dual Manuscript Structure and Academic Logic

How the Dual Doctoral Pathway Works

A dual doctoral pathway is structured as a single academic journey with two doctoral endpoints, governed by coordinated supervision and clearly defined progression gates. At no point is previously completed doctoral work “resubmitted” or recycled; all work leading to Monarch awards must be newly developed, critically extended, and formally reviewed under Monarch’s academic governance.

Dual doctoral degree pathways at Monarch require the development of two distinct but sequentially related doctoral manuscripts—one for the PhD in Business Research and one for the applied doctorate (DBA: Doctor of Business Administration, DOL: Doctor of Leadership, or DANM: Doctor of Applied Neuroscience in Management). This structure is intentional and reflects Monarch’s commitment to academic clarity, methodological rigor, and candidate success. Rather than asking candidates to produce a single, integrated manuscript that attempts to satisfy two different doctoral standards simultaneously, Monarch adopts a progressive hand-off model: the PhD manuscript concludes where the applied doctorate manuscript begins.

Manuscript 1: PhD (Research Doctorate)

The PhD manuscript is dedicated to the production of new theoretical knowledge. Its primary purpose is to advance understanding within a defined scholarly domain through rigorous inquiry and conceptual development. Typical outcomes of the PhD manuscript include:

- - The development of a new conceptual or theoretical model
  - The articulation of novel relationships, constructs, or explanatory frameworks
  - A defensible scholarly contribution grounded in doctoral-level research logic

This manuscript is evaluated strictly against PhD standards, with emphasis on originality, theoretical coherence, methodological appropriateness, and contribution to knowledge.

Manuscript 2: Applied Doctorate (DBA / DOL / DANM)

The applied doctorate manuscript builds directly upon the theoretical foundation established in the PhD. Its purpose is not to re-establish theory, but to translate theory into practice. Using the PhD’s conceptual outcomes as its point of departure, the applied doctorate manuscript focuses on:

- - The development of an applied or operational model
  - The articulation of managerial, leadership, or professional interventions
  - Clearly defined steps, frameworks, tools, or recommendations suitable for professional implementation

This manuscript is evaluated against applied doctoral standards, with emphasis on relevance, feasibility, professional insight, and practical contribution.

How the Two Manuscripts Relate

The dual doctoral pathway is structured as an intellectual progression rather than a parallel exercise. Candidates do not attempt to satisfy two doctoral objectives at the same time; instead, they move through a deliberate scholarly journey in which each manuscript serves a distinct purpose within a single, coherent research trajectory.

The process begins with the PhD manuscript, where the candidate’s primary task is to engage deeply with theory, literature, and inquiry in order to produce new scholarly understanding. During this phase, candidates are encouraged to think expansively, question existing assumptions, and develop conceptual clarity without the immediate pressure of practical implementation. The focus is on what can be known, what can be explained, and what theoretical contribution can be made.

PhD Research Formation → Theoretical Contribution → Applied Doctoral Translation → Professional Impact

Once the PhD manuscript reaches completion and its theoretical contribution is clearly articulated, the candidate transitions to the applied doctorate phase. At this point, the research lens shifts. The candidate no longer asks how theory can be constructed, but rather how the newly developed theoretical insight can be translated into meaningful professional practice. This transition marks a purposeful change in mindset—from scholar as theorist to scholar as practitioner-designer.

The applied doctorate manuscript therefore builds upon, rather than revisits, the PhD contribution. It takes the conceptual model, framework, or explanatory insight generated in the PhD and uses it as a foundation for developing applied models, interventions, decision frameworks, or managerial recommendations. The emphasis is on relevance, feasibility, and professional impact, while maintaining academic discipline and coherence.

Throughout this journey, the two manuscripts remain sequential and complementary, not duplicative. The PhD does not attempt to resolve applied or managerial questions, and the applied doctorate does not seek to re-establish theoretical originality. Each manuscript has a clear boundary, purpose, and evaluative logic, allowing candidates to focus fully on the demands of each doctoral award at the appropriate stage.

In this way, the dual manuscript process supports candidates in developing both scholarly depth and applied mastery, while providing a structured pathway that mirrors the natural evolution from theory creation to professional application.

Why Monarch Uses a Two-Manuscript Model

Monarch has adopted this structure because experience has shown that candidates benefit from clear cognitive separation between theory development and applied translation. Attempting to merge both objectives into a single manuscript often creates conceptual ambiguity, assessment difficulties, and unnecessary revision cycles. By maintaining two related but distinct manuscripts, candidates are better supported in:

- - Understanding what is being claimed as theory versus what is being proposed as application
  - Meeting the full academic standards of each doctoral award
  - Producing work that is both scholarly credible and professionally impactful.

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Two Doctoral Degrees – One Coherent Journey

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The dual doctoral pathway leads to two distinct doctoral awards, each governed by its own academic standards.

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The PhD manuscript focuses on original theoretical contribution and scholarly inquiry.

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The applied doctorate manuscript builds upon the PhD to develop practical models, frameworks, and professional recommendations.

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This sequential structure ensures clarity, academic rigor, and meaningful translation from theory to practice.

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Candidates complete the PhD where the applied doctorate begins—maintaining coherence without duplication.

Application Process

Applicants interested in a dual doctoral degree pathway should apply through the standard doctoral application route and clearly indicate their intended dual doctoral combination in the “Notes” section of the application form.

Tuition

Because dual doctoral pathways involve parallel doctoral supervision, review cycles, and quality assurance, tuition reflects the academic workload incurred at Monarch. While the structure of a dual pathway allows for coordinated academic planning, it does not reduce the supervisory or evaluative demands associated with awarding two distinct doctoral degrees. Accordingly, tuition fees for dual doctoral degree pathways are aligned with the standard PhD tuition structure. The difference lies in duration, which is extended to accommodate the additional applied doctoral manuscript and review process. Please refer to the Tuition page at: https://umonarch.ch/tuition-fees/

Duration Adjustment

Standard PhD pathway:
The dual doctoral pathway includes an additional 12 months beyond the standard PhD duration.
Extended PhD pathway:
The dual doctoral pathway includes an additional 24 months beyond the extended PhD duration.

These additional periods are designed to ensure adequate time for the development, supervision, review, and refinement of the applied doctoral manuscript following completion of the PhD research phase.

Important Clarification

Time spent or fees paid at external institutions have no bearing on Monarch tuition. Prior doctoral study may be reviewed solely for academic placement guidance and does not alter tuition, duration, or academic expectations within a Monarch dual doctoral pathway.

Why the Dual Doctoral Pathway Takes Longer

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The dual doctoral pathway leads to two distinct doctoral awards, each with its own academic standards and review requirements.

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Candidates first complete a PhD-level theoretical manuscript before progressing to the applied doctoral manuscript.

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The additional time ensures proper academic sequencing, allowing theory development to fully mature before applied translation begins.

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This structure avoids conceptual overlap, reduces revision cycles, and supports clearer examination at doctoral level.

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The extended duration reflects academic rigor and quality assurance, not redundancy or duplication of work.