Doctor of Business Administration
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The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is either a
professional doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism '' l ...
or a
research doctorate A doctorate (from Latin ''docere'', "to teach"), doctor's degree (from Latin ''doctor'', "teacher"), or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions, derived from the ancient formalism ''li ...
, depending on the granting university, awarded on the basis of advanced study, examinations, project work, and
research Research is "creativity, creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge". It involves the collection, organization and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular att ...
in
business administration Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...
. The DBA is a
terminal degree A terminal degree is a college degree that is the highest level college degree that can be achieved and awarded in a specific academic or professional field. In other cases, it is a degree that is awarded when a candidate completes a certain amou ...
in business administration. Some universities also combine the business administration field with technology-related disciplines. Along with the PhD or DPhil, it represents the highest academic qualification in business administration, and is typically required to gain employment as a full-time, tenure-track university
professor Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an Academy, academic rank at university, universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who pr ...
or
postdoctoral researcher A postdoctoral fellow, postdoctoral researcher, or simply postdoc, is a person professionally conducting research after the completion of their doctoral studies (typically a PhD). The ultimate goal of a postdoctoral research position is to p ...
in the field. As with other earned doctorates, individuals with the degree are awarded the academic title
doctor Doctor or The Doctor may refer to: Personal titles * Doctor (title), the holder of an accredited academic degree * A medical practitioner, including: ** Physician ** Surgeon ** Dentist ** Veterinary physician ** Optometrist *Other roles ** ...
, which is often represented via the
English honorific In the English language, an honorific is a form of address conveying esteem, courtesy or respect. These can be titles prefixing a person's name, ''e.g.'': ''Mr'', ''Mrs'', ''Miss'', ''Ms'', ''Mx,'' ''Sir'', ''Dame'', ''Dr'', ''Cllr'', ''Lady'' or ...
"Dr." or the
post-nominal letters Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...
"DBA." DBA candidates submit a significant project, typically referred to as a
thesis A thesis ( : theses), or dissertation (abbreviated diss.), is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings.International Standard ISO 7144: ...
, capstone project, or dissertation, consisting of a body of original academic research that is in principle worthy of publication in a
peer-reviewed Peer review is the evaluation of work by one or more people with similar competencies as the producers of the work (peers). It functions as a form of self-regulation by qualified members of a profession within the relevant field. Peer review ...
journal. Candidates must defend this work before a panel of expert examiners called a thesis, dissertation, or doctoral committee.FAQs AACSB In the United States, the Doctor of Business Administration is recognized by the
National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National I ...
(NSF) as a research degree. The DBA is also considered by both the
United States Department of Education The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...
and the National Science Foundation to be equivalent to the more commonly awarded PhD. In
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, the Doctor of Business Administration is recognized as a terminal degree in business administration / management. The DBA qualifies as a full academic doctorates in Canada though they normally incorporate aspects of professional practice in addition to a full dissertation. Much like the UK, in Canada, the DBA is a full academic doctorate that can only be granted by
Universities Canada Universities Canada (french: Universités Canada) is an organization that represents Canada's universities. It is a non-profit national organization that coordinates university policies, guidance and direction. Formed in 1911, as the Association ...
-accredited institutions and shares equal parity with a PhD (Management). The dissertation to be completed as part of a DBA program differs only in focus but not in breadth of study, nor academic rigour required. DBA programs in Canadian institutions must include an original contribution to knowledge which must be chaired (supervised) by an accomplished researcher and orally defended (viva) to internal and external examiners.


Structure and format

Doctor of Business Administration programs have a dual purpose: contribute to business theory and further develop the professional practice (e.g. contribute to professional knowledge in business). Universities generally require candidates to have significant experience in business, particularly in roles with leadership or other strategic responsibilities. DBA candidates specialize in areas such as management science, information technology management, organizational behavior, economics, finance, and the like. As with other doctorate programs, curricula may be offered on a full-time or part-time basis. According to the European higher education standards set by the Bologna Process, the normal duration of research doctorate programs like the DBA and PhD is usually 3–4 years of full-time study. The responsibility for the structure of doctoral programs resides within the graduate research committees or their equivalent within the university. As such, DBA programs have a specific set of university regulations and are subject to quality approval processes. Regulations include references to protocols for treating ethical issues in research. These regulations are widely used in Australian Universities. For instance, a DBA student cannot embark on the research phase before passing all his or her coursework. Furthermore, upon passing the proposal stage, he or she must clear ethics-related issues with an Ethics Committee. These candidates must go through numerous internal moderations of the dissertation before submitting to external examinations (usually at least two). Successful candidates usually revise their dissertations numerous times before final approval is granted from the doctoral committee.


Relationship between DBA and PhD

In the United States, Doctor of Business Administration and Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration are equivalent degrees. Also, both doctorates are viewed as research doctorates representing the highest academic qualification in business. As such, both DBA and PhD programs require students to develop original research leading to a dissertation defense. Furthermore, both doctorates enable holders to become faculty members at academic institutions. The DBA and PhD in Business Administration are terminal degrees, allowing the recipient to obtain a tenure-track position in the United States; other countries' requirements may differ. In some cases, the distinction is solely administrative (Harvard Business School was not authorized to issue a PhD until 2018) In other cases, the distinction is one of orientation and intended outcomes. The PhD is highly focused on developing original academic knowledge, while the DBA emphasizes applied research. Upon completion, graduates of PhD programs generally migrate to full-time faculty positions in academia, while those of DBA programs re-emerge in industry as applied researchers or executives. If working full-time in industry, graduates of DBA and PhD programs often become adjunct professors in top undergraduate and graduate degree programs.


Notable persons with a DBA degree

* Hugh T. Broomall – Major General, USAF, Special Assistant to the Director,
Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...
* Robert F. Bruner – Dean Charles C. Abbott Professor of Business Administration and Distinguished Professor of Business Administration at the
Darden Graduate School of Business Administration The Darden School of Business is the graduate business school of the University of Virginia, a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Darden School offers MBA, PhD, and Executive Education programs. The school was founded ...
,
University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United S ...
*
Clayton M. Christensen Clayton Magleby Christensen (April 6, 1952January 23, 2020) was an American academic and business consultant who developed the theory of " disruptive innovation", which has been called the most influential business idea of the early 21st century ...
– Robert and Jane Cizik Professor of Business Administration at
Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA p ...
*
Scott Cowen Scott S. Cowen (born 27 July 1946) is the President Emeritus and Distinguished University Chair of Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he was also Seymour S. Goodman Memorial Professor in the A.B. Freeman School of Business and pr ...
– president of Tulane University of Louisiana *
Nigel Healey Nigel Healey is a British-New Zealanacademicin management and higher education, who is Professor of International Higher Education and Vice-President (Global and Community Engagement) at the University of Limerick. He served as Interim Provost and ...
vice chancellor A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system. In most Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, the chancellor is ...
of
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* Yoko Ishikura - Chief Digital Officer, Japanese Cabinet *
Shrikant Jichkar Shrikant Jichkar ( Marathi : श्रीकांत जिचकार) (14 September 1954 – 2 June 2004) was an Indian central civil servant and politician. He obtained 20 university degrees, and was elected the youngest MLA in the coun ...
(Marathi : श्रीकांत जिचकार) (14 September 1954 – 2 June 2004) was known as the most qualified person in India. He obtained 20 degrees after appearing for 42 University examinations. He was also a central civil servant and later became a politician, known to be elected as the youngest MLA in the country (India) at age 26. *
Omobola Johnson Omobola Olubusola Johnson (born 28 June 1963) is a Nigerian technocrat and the Honorary Chairperson of the global Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI). She is also a former and first Minister of Communication Technology in the cabinet of P ...
- Nigerian technocrat * Manfred F.R. Kets de Vries – Raoul de Vitry d'Avaucourt Professor of Leadership Development at
INSEAD INSEAD, a contraction of "Institut Européen d'Administration des Affaires" () is a non-profit business school that maintains campuses in Europe ( Fontainebleau, France), Asia (Singapore), the Middle East (Abu Dhabi, UAE), and North America (San ...
and director of the INSEAD Global Leadership Centre * Tony Newton - President and Board Chair, British Dental Health Foundation and International Dental Health Foundation
Durham University Business School Durham University Business School is the business school of Durham University and is located in Durham, England. Established in 1965, it holds triple accreditation (AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS). It is currently ranked between 7th and 67th in the wor ...
*
CK Prahalad Coimbatore Krishnarao Prahalad (8 August 1941 – 16 April 2010) was an Indian-American entrepreneur and author. He was the Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor of Corporate Strategy at the University of Michigan Step ...
– Paul and Ruth McCracken Distinguished University Professor of Corporate Strategy at
University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...
,
Ross School of Business The Stephen M. Ross School of Business, also known as Michigan Ross, is the business school of the University of Michigan, a public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Founded in 1924, the school is ranked among the best business schools i ...
* John Quelch – Dean, Vice President and Distinguished Professor of International Management at
CEIBS China Europe International Business School (CEIBS; ) is a business school located in Shanghai, China. Established under an agreement between the Chinese government and the European Commission in Shanghai in November 1994, CEIBS was the first bu ...
, previously Senior Associate Dean and the Lincoln Filene Professor of Business Administration at
Harvard Business School Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate business school of Harvard University, a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. It is consistently ranked among the top business schools in the world and offers a large full-time MBA p ...
* Michael E. Raynor – Canadian management expert and consultant with Deloitte Consulting LLP, the Distinguished Fellow with Deloitte Research * Lenos Trigeorgis
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pioneer; Professor of finance,
University of Cyprus The University of Cyprus (Greek: Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου) is a public research university established in Cyprus in 1989. It admitted its first students in 1992 and has approximately 7000 students. History The University of Cyprus wa ...
* David Arnold Wagner - Cognitive Dissonance Researcher and Leadership Instructor
Trident University International Trident University International is a private for-profit online university based in Cypress, California. It is a member of the American InterContinental University System, and regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Trident ...
*
Birger Wernerfelt Birger Wernerfelt (born 1951) is a Danish economist and management theorist, and JC Penney Professor of Management at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is best known for “A Resource-based View of the Firm” (1984), which is one of the most c ...
– J. C. Penney Professor of Management and Chair of PhD Committee,
MIT Sloan School of Management The MIT Sloan School of Management (MIT Sloan or Sloan) is the business school of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT Sloan offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree programs, ...
* Robert B. Wilson – Adams Distinguished Professor of Management, Emeritus, Graduate School of Business, and Professor of Economics (by courtesy), School of Humanities and Sciences,
Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
* Dave Yeske – Co-Founder,l Managing Director, Yeske Buie; National President (2003), Financial Planning Association (FPA); Distinguished Adjunct Professor, Ageno School of Business,
Golden Gate University Golden Gate University (GGU or Golden Gate) is a private university in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1901, GGU specializes in educating professionals through its schools of law, business, taxation, and accounting. The university offers s ...


See also

*
Business Education Business education is a branch of education that involves teaching the skills and operations of the business industry. This field of education occurs at multiple levels, including secondary and higher education Secondary education At secondary l ...
*
Doctor of Management The Doctor of Management (DM or DMgt) is an applied research doctorate (or professional practice doctorate) with a degree focus in management, leadership, and organizational topics."
* Executive DBA Council * * * PhD in Management *
Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...
(MBA)


References

{{Academic degrees
Business Administration Business administration, also known as business management, is the administration of a commercial enterprise. It includes all aspects of overseeing and supervising the business operations of an organization. From the point of view of management ...
Business qualifications Management education