What’s the Difference Between a DBA and a PhD in Management? (2024)

In one year, the world can generate a gross domestic product of more than $100 trillion U.S. dollars.¹ That’s a lot of business. It also means there’s a lot of value in having an in-depth understanding of business administration and business management. The question is, if you want to acquire in-depth knowledge, which online degree program would be most beneficial: a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) or a PhD in Management?

To answer this question, we turned to Dr. Douglas Campbell, researcher, consultant, and retired core faculty member of Walden University’s online DBA degree program. He offered these expert insights:

DBA vs. PhD Core Differences

Should you earn a DBA or PhD in Management? The answer depends on your interests and career goals. Both business management degrees represent the highest level of academic achievement, and both degrees are highly respected in both the academic and business worlds. However, there are differences.

The DBA is considered a professional doctorate, and the PhD is an academic doctorate. Both are advanced research degrees that involve conducting original research, analyzing data, and producing important findings.

DBA candidates focus on real-world organizational and business problems and involve original and secondary research to explore, examine, and address those problems. The DBA is primarily for those focused on a career in business and consulting. However, many DBAs do teach in colleges and universities.

PhD research is focused on developing theories, addressing a gap between theories, or addressing a gap in the general body of knowledge. What does a PhD in business management do? The PhD may be more appropriate if you are focused on a faculty career in higher education or a career as a researcher in a research center.

DBA vs. PhD Curriculum Differences

In both the online PhD in Management and DBA degree programs, the coursework will help you develop a more sophisticated understanding of the foundations, theories, research, and developments within the field of business, management, and leadership.

At Walden, both programs include a special emphasis on effecting positive social change. However, the DBA vs. PhD curriculums differ in significant ways.

The DBA degree curriculum includes:

• The formulation of effective solutions to complex, real-world problems common to the practice of business and management.
• The appropriate application of professional ethics. The application of current research and literature to practical problems found in business and organizational management.
• The design of rigorous research that contributes not only to the professional body of knowledge of business and management, but also to solving real-world problems that can contribute to positive social change.

The PhD in Management curriculum includes:

• The evolution of the field of business management and its relationship to human and societal development.
• The evaluation of management and systems-thinking principles at the core of the design and evolution of organizational and social systems.
• The appraisal of the relevance of emerging management theories and practices from an interdisciplinary and social change perspective.

DBA vs. PhD Program Differences

Walden’s online PhD in Management and DBA degree programs both require you to take advanced business and research courses, and spend time conducting an in-depth research study. However, there is a difference in how you earn each degree.

In Walden’s online DBA degree program, you will typically complete a doctoral study in which you conduct scholarly and original research focused on developing a practical solution to a business problem. For the PhD in Management program, you will complete a dissertation in which you conduct scholarly and original research with the goal of addressing a gap in the body of knowledge in the field of business management.

What Careers Can You Follow With a DBA or a PhD?

While both a PhD in Management degree and a DBA degree can prepare you to pursue your professional goals, those who earn these degrees usually take slightly different career paths. For example:

How You Can Earn Your Doctoral Degree

One of the best ways to earn a management PhD or a DBA is to enroll in an accredited online business management degree program.

Walden’s online DBA and PhD in Management degree programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), a global business education accrediting organization. ACBSP accreditation focuses on recognizing teaching excellence, determining student learning outcomes, and following a continuous improvement model.²

Walden designs its online management degree programs for working professionals who want to match their education to their career goals. In the PhD degree program, you can choose one of seven specializations. Options include 21st Century Finance, Leadership and Organizational Strategy, and Human Resource Management. There’s even a PhD degree completion program for doctoral candidates who have completed their coursework but need to finish their dissertation.

DBA candidates have their choice of five specializations, including Entrepreneurship, Leadership, and Healthcare Management. There is even a Self-Designed option that lets you work with a Walden faculty mentor to create your own specialization.

Walden’s online business management degree programs give you the flexibility you need to move toward your goals without pausing your career. So, DBA or PhD? Choose the doctoral degree program that meets your interests and goals and get started down the path to becoming the thought leader and innovator the business world needs today.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering online PhD in Management and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree programs. Expand your career options and earn your degree in a convenient, flexible format that fits your busy life.

¹Source: www.statista.com/statistics/268750/global-gross-domestic-product-gdp
²Source: https://acbsp.org

Walden’s BS in Business Administration (BSBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), and PhD in Management programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (www.hlcommission.org), an institutional accreditation agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.