Earning A Doctorate Of Business Administration: What To Know Before You Enroll

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Successful business executives are defined by their ability to solve pressing, real-world issues through accurate data and precise strategy. If you’re a business professional looking to enhance your career, a doctor of business administration (DBA) can offer a robust intellectual framework for navigating industry trends and organizational management.

Geared toward business leaders of the future, a DBA is a terminal degree that offers immersive training in business analytics and applied research methods. The following outlines the details of doctoral programs in business administration and potential career pathways for graduates.

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What Does a Doctorate of Business Administration Entail?

A DBA is a vocational degree catered to business professionals with management experience and a master’s degree. DBA programs are research-oriented and train students to use critical, analytical methods to explore questions and develop solutions in their respective organizations and the field at large.

Some DBA programs are offered exclusively online. Others require in-person attendance through recurring weekend residencies. Most programs begin in the fall, but you should check in with your prospective school to see if it offers rolling admissions and enrollment. DBA degrees tend to be flexible and accommodate the schedules of students with full-time jobs.

Is a DBA the same as a Ph.D. in Business Administration?

A DBA is different from a Ph.D. in business administration, and many institutions offer both degrees.

Both of these degrees require students to produce original research. The DBA is usually part time and designed to bolster working professionals’ methodological skills and problem-solving capacities. A Ph.D. in business administration is a full-time, research-intensive degree geared toward students seeking academic careers — often in teaching or scholarship — or non-academic roles that require expertise in research techniques.

Doctorate of Business Administration Admission Requirements

The admissions process for a DBA program is relatively standard, though precise requirements may vary among programs. To qualify for a DBA or Ph.D. program, prospective students should hold a master’s degree and prepare to submit the following:

Application fee
Resume
Transcripts
Letters of recommendation
Statement of purpose
Additional essay prompt(s)

Applicants may have to complete an interview with the department as well. Note that standardized tests like the GMAT or GRE are more commonly required for Ph.D. programs than DBA programs.

Courses in a Doctorate of Business Administration Program

Most DBA programs entail about 60 credits, covering core class requirements, research methods credits and development classes for a research project. Depending on the program’s instruction format, classes can be offered in person or online via asynchronous or synchronous modalities.

A Ph.D. also requires about 60 credit hours beyond the master’s level. Ph.D. students must typically declare a concentration in an area such as accounting, finance, organizational behavior or international business. This focus area determines a Ph.D. student’s course trajectory. Given the interactive and collaborative nature of this research degree, institutions usually require residency for at least part of the program.

Note that in addition to credit requirements, DBA and Ph.D. programs typically require dissertations and comprehensive exam(s) in students’ selected topics. Most students complete DBA requirements in three years. The Ph.D. option takes about five years to complete. That said, completion times vary considerably among doctoral programs.

Core courses in a business administration doctoral program might include the following.

Financial Reporting

A course in financial reporting may cover the basics of financial accounting and forecasting. Students learn to use accounting analytics tools and discuss the value and perceived impact of reporting for a business.

Accounting and Multinational Enterprises

This course explores international accounting through a multinational, cultural lens. Studying content related to foreign transactions, taxation and financial statements, students review an array of accounting standards in an increasingly globalized world.

Sociology of Corporate Culture

This course explores sociological research on family dynamics, societal customs and contemporary consumerism patterns in the marketplace. Coursework covers ethnography and other social scientific methods to inspect an organization’s hierarchies, networks and cultural norms.

Managing, Organizing and Negotiating for Value

Negotiation is a central topic in this course. Relying on both theory and practical tactics, students come to understand the value of negotiation in individual, multiparty and even international scenarios.

Careers for a Doctorate of Business Administration

Your career options depend in part on which type of doctorate you pursue. DBA graduates are generally equipped for leadership and executive-level positions. For Ph.D. graduates, roles in academia are common, as are non-academic jobs that require specialized research training.

The following roles may suit candidates with a doctorate in business administration.

Management Analyst

Median Annual Salary: $93,000
Projected Growth Rate (2020-2030): +14%
Job Description: Management analysts are responsible for reviewing organizational workflows and making recommendations to streamline business operations. These professionals advise managers by discussing business solutions that drive greater profits and various ways to cut costs.

Market Research Analyst

Median Annual Salary: $63,920
Projected Growth Rate (2020-2030): +22%
Job Description: Market research analysts assess and review current market trends to predict the potential profits of various products. These professionals collect and analyze data, including quantitative measures of demographics and qualitative consumer feedback, via interviews and focus groups.

Professor

Median Annual Salary: $79,640
Projected Growth Rate (2020-2030): +12%
Job Description: Professors design coursework for college and university students. They typically focus on a particular subject matter, industry or discipline, such as economics or marketing. Professors may also have industry experience outside academia that informs their teaching.

Economist

Median Annual Salary: $105,630
Projected Growth Rate (2020-2030): +13%
Job Description: Relying on data and macro-level market trends, economists analyze issues related to supplies, goods and services. Economists specialize in quantitative analysis and may collect their own data. They may also rely on secondary data to study large-scale market patterns. Research partnerships with external organizations, government agencies and think tanks are common in this role.

Executive-Level Positions

Median Annual Salary: $179,520
Projected Growth Rate: +8%
Job description: Executive-level positions entail developing big-picture policies that help businesses remain profitable. C-level leaders in larger organizations are often involved in strategy and goal-setting. At smaller organizations, executives may also contribute to the hiring process and day-to-day logistics.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Business Administration

Is a doctor of business administration the same as a Ph.D.?

No. A doctor of business administration (DBA) is a degree tailored to the needs of full-time business executives. A Ph.D. program is designed for individuals seeking careers as researchers and professors in academia.

Is a DBA better than an MBA?

Not necessarily. A DBA is a top-level business degree that builds on MBA coursework and applied experiences in the workplace. DBA programs are usually intended to be the next step for MBA students.

Can I earn a DBA without an MBA?

Yes. Most doctorate programs require a master’s degree, but not necessarily an MBA. Students with an MBA, however, are prepared for the training and expertise that comes at the doctorate level.