Some updates:

Since October last year, I've been exploring my options while sending my daughter off to start her own journey in uni.

I spoke with my supervisor in USM as we started the work to get my thesis published, I told her since now I'm in senior management involved at the strategic level in the company I work for I feel the need to go back and do my MBA after completing my Master's Degree in Communication. She pointed out that since I already have a graduate degree, why not skip MBA and grow a pair of testicles to push straight to Doctorate which, in this case, is the DBA.

That really piqued my interest.

After doing my own digging and talking to several representatives of various DBA programmes including the head of USM's Graduate School of Business, I learned that while a PhD would focus more on the theoretical a DBA focuses instead on the practical applications of knowledge in business. Both are terminal degrees, both are doctorate level but the focus is different. A DBA programme still involves coursework and seminars (which is what I want from an MBA) in addition to a doctorate dissertation. Because of the focus on practical business applications, most DBA students are working professionals of my age and level which means the majority of them are part timers. As such DBA programmes tend to be structured to cater to part time candidacy, which addresses the biggest concern I discussed in this thread. Bloody hell, I thought... that's perfect!

Cost is the next concern because I know the going rate for DBA programmes is around RM45k, and I will need to cough it up out of my own pocket. I chanced upon UNITAR's new DBA programme that racks up to only RM29k because it is currently partially accredited until the first cohort of DBA students complete the programme in the next 1-2 years. While full campus facilities are available, the coursework is conducted online 100% and they have an impressive online back-end system to support this. The coursework covers areas I'm excited to learn about and their faculty is bolstered by a raft of adjunct professors from multiple industries and institutions whom I can pick as my supervisor.

So I signed up. And so now I'm back to school as a part-time doctoral student.