Which is the right doctorate for me?

There’s often confusion between DBA and PhD programmes at business schools. Once gained, both will give you the title of ‘Doctor’, but which one is the right option for you?

Here Professor Karena Yan, Associate Dean of DBA programmes and Professor Kostas Nikolopoulos, Programme Director of the Durham-emlyon Global DBA, discuss the differences between the two, the type of applicant who suits each one, the career paths they can expect after graduating and the experience they can gain.

PhD

Professor Kostas Nikolopoulos:

The PhD degree is the highest qualification a business school can award, and a PhD from Durham University means our graduates obtain their doctorate from one of the highest-ranked schools in Europe. Candidates undertake a doctoral programme for a whole variety of reasons but underpinning all of them is a deep-rooted intellectual curiosity that only a research degree like this can satisfy.

Individuals may have a burning ‘what if’ question that’s always fascinated them, for example, or a real-world business problem to solve that just isn’t covered in existing literature. For some candidates, the PhD is building on recent research work undertaken for a Masters degree, while for others there’s an opportunity to construct a project that’s aligned to a broader programme of research being conducted by a senior academic in the School.

By far the most common reason for going down the PhD route, however, is a desire to better understand the world of business and to uncover unique new insights, as yet undiscovered. Whatever the underlying motivation, the Durham programme is the route to individual success. It offers candidates comprehensive training in research methodologies, a worldclass research environment and culture, and an opportunity to conduct original research under the guidance of supervisors who work at the frontiers of management knowledge creation.

Graduates mainly go on to become academic faculty in their own right, with the PhD programme still very much representing the traditional scholarly ‘apprenticeship’ for wouldbe professors working in leading institutions across the globe. But not all – around half of our graduates pursue a range of exciting alternative careers, from innovation-oriented research and development posts in major commercial research organisations to senior leadership positions in premium business consultancies.

Dba

Professor Karena Yan:

The DBA is a professional doctorate with the same status and level of challenge as a PhD.

For practicing experienced business managers and executives, the DBA offers them the opportunity enhance their business, professional career and knowledge to a higher level. Candidates continue to work within their profession, while applying and developing their theories and expertise to enable them to make a significant contribution to the business world.

The primary goal of the DBA is to advance professional practice, preparing candidates to carry out research and make a direct contribution to their profession, policy in a workplace or in a wider industry and business context.