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. |
