Is there a Doctor in the Boardroom?

Until relatively recently the highest level of qualification available in Business Administration was the Master of Business Administration (MBA), a well-recognised qualification offered by most major universities. Some people would go on to do a PhD, but this was very much a research-oriented qualification, rather than something of direct value to practicing managers.

In recent years the qualifications landscape has changed, due to the introduction of a new qualification, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). The DBA is a perfect example of a new type of qualification, the Professional or Vocational Doctorate. Professional doctorates are usually awarded in fields where most candidates for the degree are involved in the practice of a profession, rather than carrying out scholarly research. In addition to the DBA, these include EngD (Engineering), EdD (education), DSocSci (Social Science) and nd DClinPsych (Clinical Pychology).

Normally the name of a Professional Doctorate specifies the subject area in which it is awarded, rather than the more generic Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), which can be awarded in any subject area. PhD programmes are invariably research-based, with no taught content, other than a few taught courses in research methodology, but Professional Doctorates usually include a year of advanced-level study prior to the research phase. In the case of the DBA, this taught component often focuses on current hot topics, such as branding and entrepreneurship.

The DBA also incorporates a research element, but this is usually applied research, rather than the scholarly research found in PhD programmes. Professional doctorates generally require the candidate to produce piece of original research of a similar length to a PhD thesis, usually around 70,000 words. However, this may take the form of a portfolio of technical reports on different research projects, rather than a single, long thesis.

Many candidates undertake a DBA on a part-time basis, fitting it around their work commitments. In this case, the research element may be something of direct relevance to their employer and the course may even be sponsored by an employer. A thesis may be jointly supervised by faculty members and company employees.

To date relatively few institutions offer DBA programmes, but their numbers are increasing rapidly. They include such well known names as Harvard University and Heriot-Watt University. It still remains to be seen whether DBA programmes will come to rival the MBA in popularity, but don't be surprised when you notice that your manager's nameplate reads "Doctor".

Article Source: http://www.thearticlenet.com

Peter Brown is a well-known London businessman who is Founder and Principal of London Graduate School of Management (LGSM), one of the capital's top Business Schools. LGSM offers an innovative DBA programme that can be undertaken on a Distance Learning basis anywhere in the world.

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