Doctor of Social Science (DSS)
A Dual-Degree Doctorate in Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Applied Social Thought
- 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
- PhD in CSR & Sustainability
- Doctor of Social Science
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- APPLIED PROGRAMS
- Doctor of Business Administration
- Doctor of Leadership
- Doctor of Applied Neuroscience
- 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 Social Science (DSS) at Monarch Business School Switzerland is a research doctorate devoted to the interdisciplinary examination of complex social, organizational, and policy phenomena. It reflects Monarch’s recognition that contemporary challenges rarely fall within the confines of a single academic field, and that meaningful understanding emerges from connecting perspectives across the social sciences, humanities, and management disciplines.
The program emphasizes the integration of theory, method, and ethical reflection in the pursuit of knowledge that advances both scholarship and practice. Candidates investigate the interrelations of cause and effect that shape human systems—examining how economic, cultural, political, and institutional forces intersect to influence societies and organizations. The DSS fosters inquiry that is critically engaged, methodologically diverse, and directed toward addressing the systemic dimensions of inequality, governance, and social transformation.
Aligned with Monarch’s values of social justice, equity, and governance, the DSS encourages research that contributes to the betterment of communities, organizations, and public institutions. Through interdisciplinary synthesis, candidates develop a doctoral manuscript that expands conceptual understanding while proposing pathways toward more ethical and resilient social systems.
The Doctor of Social Science thus stands as a central expression of Monarch’s mission to cultivate scholars whose work bridges disciplines, illuminates complexity, and seeks to advance human welfare through rigorous and reflective inquiry.
What You Will Achieve
The Doctor of Social Science is designed to cultivate the analytical sophistication, interpretive depth, and reflective capability expected of senior practitioner-scholars working at the intersection of organisational life, applied social inquiry, and public or institutional leadership. The outcomes below represent the core developmental achievements candidates typically gain through the program’s structured and mentor-supported progression.
| Applied Social Research Competence | Develop advanced qualitative and interpretive research capacities suited to complex social, organisational, and human-systems inquiry, with emphasis on lived-experience analysis, meaning-making, and practitioner-centred investigation. |
| Insight Into Contemporary Social Issues | Achieve the ability to examine contemporary societal and organisational challenges through multiple theoretical and interpretive lenses, enhancing your capacity to diagnose patterns, tensions, and emergent dynamics within social systems. |
| Professional–Scholarly Integration | Learn to synthesise lived professional experience with scholarly reflection, enabling meaningful contributions to organisational practice, leadership development, social policy, or institutional reform. |
| Interpretive Analysis & Reflexive Thinking | Cultivate the capacity to analyse human experience, social action, and organisational behaviour through interpretive inquiry, reflexive reasoning, and context-sensitive analysis grounded in applied social thought. |
| Advanced Academic & Applied Writing | Develop the writing discipline necessary to produce rigorous, coherent, and practice-relevant scholarly work, including the ability to communicate insights effectively to academic, professional, and policy audiences. |
| Contribution to Social Thought | Generate an original applied contribution that advances understanding within your selected domain of social science, organisational life, leadership practice, or societal development. |
| Practitioner-Scholar Identity | Strengthen your professional and scholarly identity through engagement in the Monarch research community and opportunities for participation in the Monarch Research Paper Series (MRPS), reinforcing your long-term capacity for reflective, socially informed leadership. |
Together, these developmental achievements support the formation of a reflective, analytically rigorous practitioner-scholar capable of generating meaningful insight into contemporary social issues and contributing to the advancement of applied social science.
Program Structure
The Doctor of Social Science (DSS) at Monarch Business School Switzerland follows a structured sequence of interdisciplinary research milestones designed to guide candidates from initial thematic exploration to the presentation of a completed doctoral manuscript. Each stage combines scholarly rigor with conceptual integration, ensuring that inquiry remains anchored in ethical reflection and social relevance while meeting the highest standards of doctoral scholarship.
This structured progression fosters both intellectual depth and interdisciplinary breadth. Candidates advance through a developmental framework that strengthens their methodological capacity, theoretical synthesis, and ability to engage with complex societal systems. Faculty mentorship and institutional review support each phase, ensuring academic integrity while preserving the flexibility appropriate for senior professionals and scholars pursuing cross-domain research.
The following phases outline the academic framework of the Doctor of Social Science, charting the pathway from the identification of a thematic area to the completion and formal presentation of the doctoral manuscript before the Review Committee.
The Preparatory Phase
The Preparatory Phase establishes the conceptual foundation for doctoral study within the interdisciplinary tradition of the social sciences. Candidates engage in research skills and theoretical integration modules that introduce diverse epistemological frameworks across sociology, political economy, ethics, psychology, and cultural studies. The phase emphasizes critical synthesis, reflective reasoning, and the philosophy of interdisciplinary research, equipping candidates with the intellectual grounding to approach complex social issues from multiple perspectives. By the conclusion of this phase, candidates are prepared to frame research questions that transcend disciplinary boundaries and connect theory with societal application.
Thematic Framing Phase
Candidates begin by identifying a broad area of social concern or inquiry that intersects multiple disciplinary domains. Working with faculty mentors, candidates define the overarching research theme, establish its interdisciplinary boundaries, and articulate the ethical and societal implications of the issue. This stage promotes conceptual clarity and positions the research within Monarch’s human-centered academic ethos.
Proposal Phase
Building upon the thematic foundation, candidates design their doctoral research proposal, refining the central research question and selecting appropriate methodological approaches. The proposal emphasizes integration across theoretical traditions—drawing upon sociology, economics, psychology, history, and related disciplines—to frame a holistic understanding of the chosen phenomenon. Formal approval of the research proposal marks the transition to the principal stage of inquiry.
Interdisciplinary Inquiry Phase
This phase represents the primary research phase. Candidates implement their approved design using interdisciplinary methodologies such as comparative analysis, case study, ethnography, or mixed methods. The focus is on generating original empirical or conceptual insight that bridges multiple levels of analysis—individual, institutional, and systemic. Regular supervisory engagement ensures coherence between research aims, ethical conduct, and interpretive integration.
Manuscript & Synthesis Phase
The synthesis stage involves the integration of findings into a coherent doctoral manuscript that demonstrates theoretical convergence and ethical reflection. Candidates articulate how their research contributes to cross-domain understanding, offering models, frameworks, or recommendations that inform both academic discourse and public or organizational practice. The completed manuscript embodies intellectual synthesis, methodological pluralism, and scholarly independence.
Presentation Stage
The final phase of the doctoral program culminates in the Viva Voce, the formal oral defense of the doctoral manuscript before the Review Committee. This examination synthesizes the research narrative, key findings, and interdisciplinary implications, demonstrating both academic originality and theoretical contribution. Through this presentation, candidates affirm the significance of their work to broader societal challenges and its alignment with Monarch’s values of responsible scholarship, equity, and governance.
The structured progression of the Doctor of Social Science ensures that each candidate develops the capacity to integrate diverse perspectives, conduct ethically grounded research, and produce scholarship that advances understanding across the social sciences. By the conclusion of the program, graduates demonstrate mastery in synthesizing disciplinary insights into unified frameworks that inform sustainable, just, and reflective global development.
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Key Program Features
| • | Milestone-based doctoral structure promoting steady progress and professional reflection. |
| • | Applied social inquiry connecting theory with meaningful practice in public and private contexts. |
| • | Interdisciplinary and mixed-methods options fostering holistic and creative research design. |
| • | Practitioner–scholar orientation emphasizing knowledge creation for leadership and change. |
| • | Focus on ethics, public value, and responsible governance within applied social systems. |
| • | Structured for working professionals through flexible asynchronous study milestones. |
| • | Close faculty mentorship and access to an engaged global research community. |
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 Social Science (DSS) at Monarch Business School Switzerland is designed to integrate intellectual rigor, ethical reflection, and interdisciplinary synthesis in the study of complex social, organizational, and policy systems. The program reflects Monarch’s belief that genuine scholarly understanding arises from the intersection of disciplines and the exploration of cause–effect relationships that shape human societies.
Delivered through a flexible, mentor-driven structure, the DSS enables candidates to engage in deep theoretical inquiry while addressing real-world challenges that transcend conventional academic boundaries. Each element of the program strengthens the candidate’s ability to connect theory, ethics, and practice in the pursuit of transformative social insight.
| Interdisciplinary Focus | The Doctor of Social Science (DSS) emphasizes the integration of perspectives across sociology, economics, political science, management, and ethics to produce scholarship that bridges disciplinary divides and advances systemic understanding of social and organizational phenomena. |
| Faculty Mentorship | Candidates work under the guidance of experienced interdisciplinary scholars who support the development of theoretical coherence, methodological pluralism, and critical engagement throughout the doctoral process. |
| Flexible Research Design | The milestone-based framework allows candidates to design studies that draw upon multiple epistemological traditions, accommodating both qualitative and quantitative approaches within a coherent interdisciplinary structure. |
| Social Justice and Ethical Engagement | Research within the DSS is grounded in Monarch’s commitment to social justice, equity, and governance. Candidates are encouraged to interrogate the ethical implications of their work and to contribute to the development of more inclusive, humane, and sustainable social systems. |
| Dual-Degree Framework | The DSS incorporates Monarch’s integrated degree structure, recognizing progression and completion through the Master-in-Passing (M.Phil) or the Master in Social Research (M.Soc.Sci.) pathways, reflecting the interdisciplinary and societal focus of the program. |
| Global Scholarly Access | Candidates join Monarch’s international academic community, gaining access to global research networks, interdisciplinary colloquia, and digital archives supporting comparative, cross-cultural, and transnational inquiry. |
Master-in-Passing
The Doctor of Social Science (DSS) at Monarch Business School Switzerland incorporates a flexible and academically rigorous dual-award framework that recognizes both progression and completion through the Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) in Research or the Master of Social Science (M.Soc.Sci.). These awards serve as integral milestones within the doctoral journey, affirming Monarch’s commitment to accessibility, academic integrity, and the recognition of scholarly achievement across the social sciences.
Master-in-Passing (Default Award)
Candidates who successfully complete all doctoral requirements are automatically granted the M.Phil. in Research in passing upon conferral of the DSS. This recognizes mastery of interdisciplinary research design, theoretical synthesis, and analytical reasoning achieved throughout the doctoral program, and affirms 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 DSS may qualify for the M.Phil. in Research or the M.Soc.Sci. in Social Research as a terminal award. The M.Phil. recognizes scholarly proficiency in theoretical integration and methodological inquiry, while the M.Soc.Sci. emphasizes applied social analysis, policy relevance, and professional engagement. Neither award requires an original contribution to theory but both affirm the candidate’s ability to conduct independent, critically informed research and to produce outcomes of intellectual and social value.
Through both the Master-in-Passing and Master-in-Exit pathways, Monarch Business School Switzerland ensures that every candidate’s academic effort culminates in a meaningful and recognized qualification. This dual framework embodies Monarch’s interdisciplinary philosophy of doctoral education—valuing reflection, ethical inquiry, and social contribution as hallmarks of advanced scholarship within the human and social sciences.
Applied Social Inquiry
The Doctor of Social Science (DSS) integrates academic rigor with professional relevance, positioning research as a means of improving practice and advancing public value. Inquiry within the DSS framework emphasizes lived experience, ethical leadership, and the social implications of organizational decision-making.
Candidates are guided to explore complex social phenomena through critical reflection, interdisciplinary integration, and applied analysis. Monarch’s DSS philosophy values inquiry that bridges theory and action—developing scholar-practitioners who contribute meaningfully to responsible governance and sustainable societal outcomes.
Research Domains in Social Science
| • | The Doctor of Social Science supports inquiry across organisational, societal, cultural, behavioural, ethical, and community-based domains, including interdisciplinary and emerging areas of social research. |
| • | Candidates are encouraged to explore real-world social challenges using qualitative, interpretive, phenomenological, or mixed-method approaches that emphasise lived experience, meaning, and human-centred insight. |
| • | Research questions are refined during the Research Proposal phase together with faculty, ensuring methodological cohesion, ethical integrity, and clear contribution to applied social science and practice. |
Admission & Entry Requirements
Admission to the Doctor of Social Science (DSS) at Monarch Business School Switzerland is based on demonstrated academic ability, intellectual maturity, and research potential. The program welcomes candidates from diverse professional and academic backgrounds who seek to engage in advanced interdisciplinary inquiry across the social sciences, humanities, and management fields.
Applicants must normally hold a recognized master’s degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline and demonstrate the capacity for critical, reflective, and independent research. Prior experience in research, teaching, policy analysis, or social engagement is advantageous but not required.
In certain cases, applicants with a bachelor’s degree and significant professional or research experience may be considered for admission upon the recommendation of the Dean, where such experience provides sufficient evidence of readiness for interdisciplinary doctoral-level study.
Applications are reviewed by the Academic Board to ensure alignment between each candidate’s proposed research area and Monarch’s supervisory expertise. Successful applicants are expected to demonstrate intellectual curiosity, ethical awareness, and a clear commitment to interdisciplinary inquiry directed toward social understanding and public good.
Tuition
All doctoral programs at Monarch Switzerland follow a milestone-based structure designed to support the research, writing, and analytical demands of advanced scholarly inquiry. 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 DSS 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 (36 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 pacing may elect the Extended Duration Pathway (60 months), which carries a proportionally lower quarterly fee of €1,950 or a monthly equivalent of €650, while preserving full access to supervisory and institutional services.
Candidates who require additional time beyond the 36-month Standard Duration Pathway or the 60-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 dissertation 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 Social Science (DSS) program is designed for reflective professionals, policy leaders, and social innovators who wish to advance responsible practice and create positive impact through applied research. Candidates seek to link organizational leadership with social purpose and ethical governance.
| • | Public- or private-sector leaders addressing complex social and organizational challenges. |
| • | Professionals working in NGOs, IGOs, or civic organizations committed to ethical leadership. |
| • | Consultants, strategists, and change agents seeking to integrate theory with practice. |
| • | Policy professionals and educators advancing evidence-based governance and sustainability. |
| • | Executives pursuing thought leadership and meaningful societal contribution through research. |
Doctoral Graduate Profile
Dr. Jérémie Zoungrana – Burkina Faso / Rwanda
PhD in Business Research -DSS (Public Health Systems & Social Development)
Dr. Jérémie Zoungrana completed the Doctor of Philosophy in Business Research / DSS with an applied inquiry into one of the most urgent public health challenges in Africa: persistently high maternal mortality rates in low-resource settings. With more than 18 years of senior-level experience in maternal, neonatal, and child health across West and East Africa, his doctoral work integrated leadership studies, health-systems analysis, and socio-cultural determinants to explain the complex drivers shaping maternal health outcomes.
His dissertation—titled “Maternal Mortality Reduction in Low-Resource Settings in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Case Study of the Rwandan Healthcare System”—employed a mixed-methods design combining statistical analysis with qualitative interviews of national and international stakeholders. The research demonstrated that success in maternal-health improvement is influenced not only by clinical interventions but also by non-medical factors such as governance quality, leadership coherence, cultural norms, and system responsiveness. His work produced a new conceptual model for maternal-mortality reduction applicable across low-resource African contexts.
Professionally, Dr. Zoungrana has held leadership roles with Jhpiego, the Maternal and Child Health Integrated Program (MCHIP), the White Ribbon Alliance, and several ministries of health. He has served as Chief of Party, Country Director, and Regional Technical Advisor, collaborating with USAID, PATH, JSI, Save the Children, and other major global health partners. His extensive field experience spans Burkina Faso, Rwanda, Cameroon, Ghana, Togo, Mauritania, Niger, Mali, and the United States.
In 2021, Dr. Zoungrana was appointed the Nigeria Country Office Director for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s leading organizations in global health and development. This appointment reflects both his long-standing professional leadership and the academic recognition associated with doctoral work completed at Monarch. In this role, he contributes directly to programs aimed at strengthening national health systems, improving maternal and child health outcomes, and advancing evidence-based policy across West Africa.
His doctoral research enriched his practitioner work and strengthened his contributions in program design, community-mobilization strategies, and policy formulation. Dr. Zoungrana’s scholarly and professional trajectory exemplifies Monarch’s mission to develop reflective scholar-practitioners capable of delivering meaningful social impact — work that directly informed the later development of the Doctor of Social Science (DSS) program.
