What is the difference between a DBA and a PhD?

A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Business and Management, as well as Economics and Econometrics, represent the highest academic degrees awarded in business administration in the UK. Both programmes require the same level of determination and vigour. Students must understand and analyse advanced concepts and conduct rigorous, original research that makes a clear contribution within the chosen field of study. At Huddersfield Business School, both programmes are led by academic experts, who deliver and support pioneering research that makes a positive impact on business and societies. While there are some similarities between the two qualifications, there are some key differences also that prospective students need to think about when considering whether to undertake doctoral study and which route to take. Abhijit Sharma, the Director of Graduate Education and Professor in Economics and Finance at Huddersfield Business School, explores some differences between a DBA and a PhD in this blog.

1) Academic Orientation

There are subtle differences between the two programmes in terms of core areas of emphasis. The DBA also referred to as a professional doctorate, emphasises impact and relevance to organisations such as firms or within an industry. Both a PhD and a DBA employ rigorous methods relevant to the chosen research area and employ a clear theoretical framework. However, a PhD can sometimes be entirely theoretical or largely involving theory, while DBAs often include an empirical and detailed examination of data and context related to a firm or industry organisation.

Those who study for a PhD often expect to enter the academic profession once they graduate, usually aspiring to become researchers, university-based academics, central bankers or applied scientists within industry. A typical DBA candidate would be a senior, high-achieving business practitioner, including a managing director or chief executive officer (CEO) or an SME-based professional, who strives to achieve this highest level of qualification through a detailed examination of relevant research questions within a specific firm or industry.

 

2) Entry requirements 

Applicants must have a Master’s degree or Honours degree (2:1 or above) in a discipline appropriate to the proposed research to study for a PhD at Huddersfield Business School. Applicants need to also demonstrate appropriate research or professional experience at postgraduate level, which has resulted in published work, written reports, or other evidence of accomplishment. Similarly, DBA candidates must also have a Master’s level qualification (or equivalent), usually with a classification of merit or distinction. However, they must have held or currently hold a senior management position in a business for three or more years - which is the main difference between these two qualifications in terms of entry requirements.

 

3) Structure and scope

PhD students work towards producing a large-scale piece of written work in the form of a research thesis, normally between 70,0000 and 80,000 words. This piece of research will be undertaken within three years of full-time study and six years of part-time study. However, as part of our DBA programme, students undertake a taught element of the programme in the first two years. The taught part of the course provides training for the doctoral research phase, where students submit a research thesis. The course contains four taught modules that focus on research methods in a classroom-based setting. Students complete the doctoral research phase once they complete the taught element. They conduct an individually supervised research project that is written up in the form of a doctoral thesis. The thesis is usually around 50,000 words and should demonstrate publishing potential in the field of managerial/public administration/ leadership in business or other organisations. The maximum duration for a DBA is four years for full-time and six years for part-time with an optional submission pending (writing-up) period of 12 months.

To summarise

Both doctoral degrees are of equal status, both being the very highest level of qualification awarded. At Huddersfield Business School, our students gain excellent research skills and become experts in their chosen fields of interest, benefiting from close interaction with a vibrant research community and research-engaged academic staff, many of whom act as doctoral supervisors for postgraduate research students. The key difference between the two is the career pathways the qualifications lead to, so when thinking about undertaking doctoral study, think about your career goals and aspirations to help you understand which programme is right for you. Whether you chose to undertake a PhD, a DBA or another kind of research degree, we wish you all the best in your future endeavours.

To find out more about our Business and Management PhD, please visit https://courses.hud.ac.uk/2022-23/full-time/postgraduate/business-and-management-studies-phd. 

For more information on the DBA, please visit https://courses.hud.ac.uk/2022-23/full-time/postgraduate/doctor-of-business-administration. 

If you would like to explore other postgraduate opportunities, head to https://www.hud.ac.uk/about/schools/huddersfield-business-school/research/postgraduate-researchers/.