Difference Between PhD vs Doctorate in Business Admin (DBA)

What’s the difference between traditional PhD education and Executive or Doctorate (DBA)?

Given that I have only done of the programs (traditional PhD), I can speak from experience about that, and then refer to other information to present a contrast.

Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) programs are typically for professionals who have already earned a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and are looking to continue with an advanced degree in business management. It entails course work and research, and students are taught how to use scientific research methods and existing theory to solve business problems and answer specific research questions with business relevance.

Below is a table where I attempt to distinguish between the three types of programs.

Factor

Traditional PhD

DBA

Executive PhD

Degree

PhD

DBA

PhD

Enrollment, Residency

Full-time

​Part-time: one weekend a month

​Part-time: one weekend a month

Career goals

In academia, doing research and teaching

​In industry, working as professional and using scientific methods to solve business problems.

​In industry, working as an executive, and using scientific methods to solve business problems

Teaching goals

Yes, in a tenure-track position in a research university

​Yes, as a clinical faculty in a research university, or as a tenure-track faculty in a teaching university

As a clinical faculty

Age and professional profile

Between 0 – 8 years of experience and 30 years of age

​About 20 years of professional experience and 45 years of age

About 20 years of professional experience and 45 years of age

Research focus

Research is based on theory. Focus is on creating new knowledge and adding to the body of knowledge.

Yes, mostly practice based

Yes, creating new knowledge and adding to the body of knowledge

Duration

4- 6 years

3 years

3 years

Weekly commitment

About 90 or more hours per week

About 40 hours per week

About 40 hours per week

Instruction format

Usually in-person

Combined in-person and online

Combined in-person and online

Program accreditations

Usually, yes (e.g., AACSB)

Some are, so consider, searching for the schools that are.

Some are, so consider, searching for the schools that are.

Difference Between PhD vs Doctorate in Business Admin (DBA)

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