The Difference Between : DBA and PhD
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE?
One of the frequently asked questions of prospective research candidates is whether they should pursue the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). Both are similar in challenge and status, so it can be difficult to decide which is the most appropriate for you. While they both have a research focus, there are some key differences between the two programmes that should be understood. If you’re curious about what makes the DBA and PhD so unique, see below.
| DBA | PHD |
|---|---|
| DBA students will have to bring their contribution by combining research with clear business problems; it can be a problem they are usually confronting in their workplace. Students will choose to tackle a business situation that is very familiar to them and provide a case-study view in their work. | PhD degree, students are required to develop a new theory or have an original approach to an existing theory; The goal is often for their thesis to be published. |
| DBA focuses more on practical oriented research that aims to fulfil the needs of industry and economy. | Their research has to focus on pointing out certain gaps or important issues in existing theories |
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DBAs are rather more suitable for working professionals who plan to advance to higher management positions or land consulting jobs in various business fields. DBA graduates are qualified to do research as well and they can also teach as guest professors and publish in academic journals. |
PhD courses are research degrees usually dedicated to candidates who aim to pursue a career in the academia, as researchers and professors and conduct research that contributes to knowledge or theory in a certain field |
| People who opt for a DBA are usually older than PhD students, in their 30s or 40s or even older. DBA candidates have many years of work experience, most of them have jobs in upper management positions and often, they have already pursued an MBA as well. | If you are in the early stages of your career, then the obvious choice for you is to pursue a PhD. In addition, if you are truly interested in conducting research in a certain topic or would like to pass on your knowledge to university students, a PhD is certainly more suitable for you. |
WHICH PROGRAMME IS FOR YOU?
Here at The Warwick Buiness School we offer Undergraduate, Postgraduate, MBA, Doctoral, Diploma and Custom Programmes. These range from full-time, to part-time and even online courses; we know that there is a programme here for everyone.
To find out more about the programme that interests you the most, please click here.