D.B.A. vs. Ph.D. in Business Administration:

The PhD in Business Administration and DBA program target different learners. Generally spoken, people engaging in a PhD program aim to eventually become a fulltime faculty member at a university or college. Usually, their goal is to become an academic member of staff and to perform research. To this end, PhD students usually start their program directly after graduating either their Master’s degree or even after graduating their Bachelor’s degree. Consequently, most Ph.D. students are in their mid and late 20s  and have limited working experience.  

 

In contrast, the participants pursuing an DBA degree, are usually professionals who already have been successful in business for many years and who look for an additional intellectual challenge. Often the holders of an MBA or EMBA degree, DBA students usually have a desire to distinguish themselves from their Master’s degree peers by focusing their attention on business research, and possibly to apply the dissertation phase for answering a practical research question, which may have originated from their personal working environment. Consequently, DBA students are best described as being in their mid 30s/40s, having extensive professional experience, and being highly motivated and ambitious.

 

Program Objectives:

The Doctoral Program (DBA) continues the specialization and concentration of study which started with the Master's degree. The basic objective is to allow the learners to gain additional specialization and competence in their field of study and demonstrate their ability to do professional level research. The basic philosophy of the program is that the student is professionally oriented and possesses the intellectual ability to understand and integrate information for purposes of research, planning and managing in the business world. The pro­gram is designed to develop these abilities to the fullest potential.

 

Students who select the PhD option must complete a dissertation as a part of the doctorate program requirements. At the time of admission, each student will be assigned a Graduate Committee that will consist of no less than three or more than five members. The Graduate committee will approve the student’s program of studies, provide guidance during the course of the program, approve the dissertation topic, review all examinations and conduct a defense and/or final oral at a site to be determined by the committee.

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Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able:

1. to assess the relevance of current and emerging business theory and practice, from an interdisciplinary perspective.

2. to formulate and execute effective solutions to complex real-world problems common to the practice of business and management.

3. to apply the current research literature from business and management to practical problems found in business and management.

4. to design and conduct rigorous research that contributes to the professional body of knowledge in business.

5. to clearly communicate to stakeholders about problem statements, research approaches and results, solutions, and assessment.

6. to apply ethical principles as a member of the business community and citizens in society.

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Admission Prerequisites:

Applicants to the DBA (or optional the PhD) program must have one of the following formal academic credentials for admission:​

1. Master's Degree in Business or related field from an acceptable institution.

2. Completion of graduate work evaluated to be comparable to a Master’s Degree by US Educational Norms by an organization qualified to make such an evaluation.

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Program Requirements:

The Doctoral program requires a minimum of one-hundred and five (105) units of graduate study. The first part (55 units) of the Doctoral Program is the Masters Degree Program.