Earning A Doctor of Business Administration

Today’s global economy and complex technological advances are increasing demands for leadership. To keep pace, leaders and businesses are constantly looking for job applicants with advanced skill levels and knowledge.
 
A doctor of business administration prepares you to be a lead consultant in challenging corporate environments, as well as to effectively teach in advanced academic arenas. This degree program is designed for students with management experience and a master's degree.

Earning the Degree

To begin the process of earning your doctor of business administration, you need to select a university, complete the admissions process and arrange for financing. Along with traditional universities, online programs provide the option of distance education for doctor of business administration degrees. While a traditional classroom setting can give you more time with teachers, online programs let you study while still working or caring for your family.
 
Once accepted into the program, you should be able to finish your coursework in about two to three years. In general, business administration doctoral programs require that you complete a long-term project, such as a thesis or dissertation that is approved and evaluated by a review committee.
 
The final step is to pass a comprehensive exam. Depending on whether you enroll in a full-time or part-time program, you can usually earn a DBA in three to six years. If you are interested in online or distance education, doctor of business administration programs are also offered by many online colleges.

Joint Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration Degrees
The JD/MBA degree is a degree designed for law students who wish to earn advanced skills in professional management. The degree allows you to simultaneously earn a law degree and a master's degree in business administration.

Typically, to qualify for this type of joint program, prospective students must first apply to the law school that offers the program and then to the MBA program separately. Those who already have their Juris Doctorate (JD) can sometimes apply their credits toward a JD/MBA and complete it in less time.

Skills Learned

While studying in doctor of business administration programs, you expand on master’s degree experience to refine your skills so they can better accommodate current business and management environments.
 
Some of the skills learned include:
  • comprehending and using the latest research methodologies
  • understanding human behavior in organizations
  • understanding organizational strategy and performance.

Coursework

DBA degree program coursework generally covers:
  • human resource management
  • organizational behavior
  • organizational theory
  • strategic management.

Some of the core courses you may be required to take include:

  • accounting
  • decision-making processes
  • human resources behavior and management
  • quantitative research
  • management theory
  • marketing
  • project and strategic management.

Specializations
The doctor of business administration degree covers a wide range of information. Because of its general nature, students often have the option of specializing in more specific areas. Specialization allows students with specific career paths to focus the specific skills and knowledge they need in their chosen field. One example is a doctor of business administration in health. Other common specializations include:
  • economics
  • finance
  • organizational behavior
  • technology management.

Employment with a DBA

A doctor of business administration helps you become a leader in your profession. Graduates qualify for management and consulting roles at the senior executive level in private and public corporations. They also qualify for teaching and research positions at universities.
 
With a doctor of business administration, you will be able to:
  • perform and use strategic planning in business situations
  • understand and manage behaviors within your organization
  • use research and other methods to increase productivity.

Typical Cost of DBA

Whether you earn your DBA online or at a physical university campus, annual tuition for graduate study starts at $25,000, not including living costs. Unlike master’s programs, doctoral programs have many financial aid options.
 
For example, doctoral students are often given tuition waivers, and many students can earn income through a research or teaching fellowships. If your doctorate helps you on the job, find out if your employer will subsidize a portion of your tuition.
 
You may also qualify for a government-subsidized student loan with a low interest rate, and private student loans are available from banks and other lending institutions. Your school’s financial aid advisor can help you decide what financial assistance you need.

Resources

All Star Directories Inc. (2002-2008). Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Degree. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the AllBusinessShools.com Web site: http://www.allbusinessschools.com/faqs/doctor-of-business-administration.php.

ArticleDepots (2008). Master’s Degree and a Doctoral Degree? Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the ArticleDepots.com Web site: http://www.articledepots.com/?p=1107.

Degrees.com (2005). Doctor of Business Administration. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the Degrees.com Web site: http://www.degrees.com/l/doctoral/c/business/sc/business-administration/p/doctor-of-business-administration/.

Diploma Guide (2003-2008). Doctor of Business Adminstration. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the Diploma Guide Web site: http://diplomaguide.com/articles/Doctor_of_Business_Administr
ation.html.
 
Education Portal (2003-2008). Doctor of Business Administration: Online Degree. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the Education-Portal Web site: http://education-portal.com/articles/Doctor_of_Business_Administration:_
Online_Degree.html.
 
Littlefield, J. (2008). Earn a Doctorate Degree Online. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the DistanceLearn.about.com Web site: http://distancelearn.about.com/od/onlinecourses/a/doctorate
.htm.

U.S. Department of State (2008). Graduate Study in the USA. Retrieved March 24, 2008, from the PerthConsulate.gov Web site: http://perth.usconsulate.gov/education/graduate.html.

Golden Gate University (n.d.). Joint Masters in Business Administration and Juris Doctor Degree. Retrieved from the GGU Web site: http://www.ggu.edu/academic_programs/
business_administration/mba_and_jd.