What is a DBA?
A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a terminal degree in the field of business designed for working professionals with several years of experience.
While that is the average candidate, a DBA can also be done by people with much less experience or education, depending on the university.
How is a DBA different from a PhD?
A DBA and a PhD are both doctorate degrees awarded in any field after three to seven years of study. Part of this study consists of research.
A PhD candidate undertakes research into a new field, whereas a DBA student does research into an existing business problem.
A DBA will also contain some components of taught modules before moving on to the research portion of the course.
Learning more about the differences between DBA and PhD is a good starting point before deciding what is right for you.
What to consider when choosing a DBA?
If you’ve decided to go down the route of a DBA, then there are several options available to you.
You’ve probably done your initial research, but here are some of the things you’ll need to consider before making a decision.
Type of DBA
A DBA is a degree designed with the needs of working professionals in mind. In fact, a DBA is best done after a few years of work experience.
Online education has come a long way in the last decade. A DBA no longer needs to be undertaken in a face-to-face environment, though some students prefer a certain component of in-person learning. Whether you choose a fully online degree or a fully on-campus degree, it has to suit your needs.
The other consideration is full time vs part-time DBAs for the professionals who want to keep working and balance their personal and professional lives with education.
A full time DBA takes between 3 and 4 years to complete. A part time DBA can be completed in as long as 7 years.
Research/Specialisation
A DBA can be undertaken in any business field.
Choose an area that interests you. After all, if you’re going to spend up to 7 years invested in it, it should be something that you enjoy, or will add value to your employer or industry.
If you’re having trouble thinking of an area, think about the last problem or challenge you noticed in your field. Something you thought about and wanted someone to fix.
Or perhaps a problem you’ve noticed before and wondered if there was a way to solve it, or improve processes.
You could be the one to do that.
Or, just a field that fascinates you. Just bear in mind that to gain a DBA, your research needs to make a contribution to your field, so do your research with finding out what’s already been done.
Then, find the academics that might be compatible with your interests – people who share them. After all, one can spend hours discussing the things that they are passionate about, and a research supervisor is certainly one that you will spend hours with.
Accreditation
Accreditation is a question that comes up frequently when it comes to studying abroad.
Will my degree be recognised in my home country? Will it be recognised in my field? Is the institution that I study from a good, well-renowned institution?
Accreditation is a complex process, since a university is often affiliated with several accrediting bodies, which may or may not be recognised in a country.
Most universities will link accreditations right on their website. From there, you can check with your own government’s education department how that translates to your home country.
Timing
While it is true that a DBA is best done after a little bit of work experience, it surprisingly, depending on the institution, can be done straight after a Bachelor’s with some work experience. You could potentially skip the time and cost of an MBA or a Master’s degree entirely!
Our Top Doctor of Business Administration Programs & Articles
Our best advice to you is to do your research.
Once you’ve shortlisted courses, schedule calls with admissions counselors. Ask them relevant questions. Address your fears and pain points.
Our DBA offered in partnership with Golden Gates University in California, USA is a competitive degree that’s recognised globally.
On successful completion of your dissertation, you become a part of a 120+ year education heritage as you receive a Doctor of Business Administration from the #1 University for Working Professionals in the US.
