WHAT IS A DOCTORATE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION ?

WHAT IS A DBA?

The Doctorate of Business Administration (commonly abbreviated as DBA) is a research doctorate awarded on the basis of advanced study, examinations, project work and research in business administration.

The DBA is a terminal degree in business administration. It was created to answer a new need: after an MBA, many professionals wanted to start research work to deepen their knowledge of their field, but pursuing a doctorate while keeping a full-time job is a very hard endeavor. Thus, the DBAs were created to offer an alternative to those who want to keep their professional activity. 

But a doctorate is not compatible with a full-time activity. This is how these research programs, which are compatible with a professional activity, were created.

ADVANTAGES OF THE DBA

The DBA is a doctoral degree that is adapted to the professional life of managers. While a PhD implies full-time work for over 3 years, the DBA was designed so that managers can pursue such a high-level degree while maintaining their job.

The DBA is designed to adapt to the professional schedule of its learners, but it is also created so that managers can pursue a program that meet a doctorate’s requirements and level and that is dedicated to managerial practice.

The DBA reaches a perfect balance between theory and practice. Earning a DBA will equip you with working knowledge based on the latest business research, theories, and trends.

This education not only identifies you as an expert in your field, but results in a tangible set of management and decision-making skills that may qualify you for senior-level leadership positions and new career opportunities. It also prepares you with advanced skills that are necessary to conduct real-world quantitative and qualitative research and to publish in research publications.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DBA AND AN MBA?

The Master of Business Administration or MBA is a degree in management. It is a high-level international higher education diploma that covers fields such as: marketing, finance, human resources, management…

This renowned diploma allows executives with at least 4 years of experience to acquire practical and theoretical knowledge in management, project and administration management. While this program is often general, it is also possible to pursue an MBA specialized in a sector in particular. Many MBAs are also designed for students who wish to have an strong advantage when they are looking for a job.

The difference is that a DBA is a higher-level degree. Moreover, a DBA will be centered around research work, while pursuing an MBA teaches new practical skills.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DBA AND A PHD?

PhDs and DBAs are designed for different goals and different people. First of all, PhDs are usually taken up after a master’s degree, by students who are looking to become researchers or teachers in an university. There are PhDs in management, but they are different from DBAs for this reason. People who start such programs are usually students in their twenties. A PhD can only be obtained in a doctoral school. In the case of the Doctorate of Business Administration, it is designed for those who wish to pursue their career outside the academic world.

The PhD requires the student to work to make a significant contribution to knowledge, while a DBA is a mix of courses and applied research work. In that regard, a DBA is more about learning to apply theories and knowledge to improve professional practices. The first year of the DBA is generally intended to take courses and review the literature on the research topic. The following years are dedicated to thesis writing and applications.

A PhD or doctorate from a university is a degree of an academic nature that allows you to consider a university career. It is generally prepared on a full-time basis for a period of 3 to 5 years.

A DBA is a program delivered by universities that do not offer a PhD and is, in principle, intended for managers. In practice, some DBAs have a strong tendency to approach PhDs in terms of duration, theoretical and academic requirements. The duration is 3 years or more.