Doctor of Business AdministrationDoctoral DegreeBusiness Programs
A Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) degree is a growing opportunity for business leaders and educators. If you’re looking to increase the efficiency and profitability of your company or want to educate the next generation of business leaders, a DBA can set you apart as a leader and innovator.
A DBA will prepare you to navigate an ever-changing business landscape as technology, consumer expectations and a global economy introduce new challenges that call for new, creative solutions. You will gain the skills you need to use research to solve real-world business problems, refine your leadership approach and apply business theories to create systemic organizational change.
The process of researching, qualifying for and applying to DBA programs can be confusing and time-consuming. We want to make it easy for you to understand the process, so you can successfully identify and apply to the right DBA program for your career aspirations.
What’s Required to Qualify for a DBA Program?
Application requirements vary by DBA program, however there are many common ways programs evaluate readiness for doctoral education in business administration.
For most programs, you will be evaluated on criteria like:
- Previous graduate coursework
- Master’s program GPA
- Entrance testing and exams
- Professional experience
- Personal qualities and characteristics
We’ll provide more detailed information on program requirements and evaluation criteria below.
Previous Graduate Coursework
As with many doctorate programs, you’ll need to complete coursework at the graduate level before you can apply. For most DBA programs, the prerequisite graduate coursework will need to be closely related to business administration.
Master’s Program GPA
Most credible DBA programs require a minimum GPA to qualify for doctoral study. At Franklin University, we require students to graduate from their master’s program with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale.
Entrance Testing and Exams
Some DBA programs require you complete and pass the GMAT exam in order to apply, however this is not the case for all programs. Franklin University doesn’t require any graduate testing to qualify to our DBA program as long as you meet minimum GPA requirements.
Professional Experience
DBA programs look for professionals who have substantial work experience in business or management. Years of experience requirements vary, but many programs give preference to students with a minimum of three years of experience. Senior management or executive level experience, as well as professional credentials or licensure, can give you an additional leg up.
Earning a doctorate is challenging and rewarding, but do you know what to really expect? Download this free guide for tips and insights to help you prepare for success.
What’s the Application Process for a DBA Program?
Once you’re sure you meet the application requirements, you’ll need to complete individual university applications. Most schools will require the following documentation to complete an application:
- Online Application: Graduate programs require unique applications for each university. Make sure you understand application deadlines and begin the process far in advance of the deadline to complete your application on time.
- Transcripts: Universities require you to submit transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate study. You’ll need to get original copies from your institution(s), which may require a small fee. You should also make sure you understand how long it will take for your school to complete your request.
- Letters of Recommendation: Most institutions require letters of recommendation from former professors, supervisors or colleagues. Be sure to give any recommenders significant advance notice so they have time to complete your recommendation before your application deadline.
- Test Scores (if required): Some programs require GMAT test scores be submitted with an application. Schools often won’t publish minimum qualifications, so if you received low scores you may consider retaking the exam.
- Application Fee: Most universities require a fee to complete their application which usually ranges from $50-$150 dollars and may be waived by some institutions.
What Does the Typical Curriculum of a DBA Program Include?
DBA programs consistent of both coursework and independent research, which will culminate in your dissertation.
Coursework is typically comprised of:
- Major Area Courses: These courses focus on core business administration knowledge and skills like management theory and practice, leadership and strategic thinking and organizational change. Skills and knowledge gained in these courses are applicable to all business functions.
- Electives: These courses give you the opportunity to specialize your knowledge or dive deeper into your areas of interest.
- Research Core: Research courses teach you to design and conduct research, use research tools, and translate research into effective written communications.
- Dissertation Requirements: Requirements include a comprehensive exam and writing and defense of an original dissertation that applies current research to real-world business challenges.
Franklin University’s unique dissertation structure helps you step-by-step to complete your dissertation. With the help of faculty mentoring and guidance, as well as peer-to-peer review, you’re supported at all levels. You’ll never be left to figure it out on your own, which increases the likelihood you’ll complete your program on schedule.
What Are the Typical Graduation Requirements for a DBA Program?
DBA graduation requirements vary by university. Typical DBA program requirements include:
- Credit hour completion: Credit hour requirements vary by university and program. The Franklin University DBA requires the completion of 58 credit hours. The State of Ohio requires a minimum of 60 hours beyond the bachelor’s level to complete a doctoral degree. If needed, you can make up the two additional credit hours through advanced research.
- Dissertation completion: As part of your required credit hours, you must research and write a dissertation that is approved by the institution’s selected academic committee.
- Minimum GPA requirements: Most schools will require you to have a 3.0 GPA to graduate from a DBA program.
- Tuition payment: All schools require your tuition and fees be paid in full in order to graduate.
- Academic standing: You’ll need to be in good academic standing and adhere to the student code of conduct in order to graduate.
How Long Does It Take To Earn A DBA Degree?
Completion of a DBA depends on many factors, including the number of required credit hours, number of credits you complete each term and completion of your dissertation.
As a full-time student, Franklin University’s DBA program is designed to be completed in as few as 3 years without transfer credit. We also have a liberal transfer credit policy that allows you to transfer in up to 24 credit hours of previous doctorate coursework, which can reduce your time to degree completion.
Any program that touts a 2-year time to completion is probably not reputable. These programs are often not regarded well by employers, especially if you have academic career aspirations.
Many traditional, in-person programs take 4.5 to 5 years to complete. Often this is due to teaching or research requirements imposed by the university in exchange for a stipend. At Franklin University, and many other online programs, you’re only responsible for your individual coursework and research, which expedites graduation.
Choosing the Right DBA Program
Success at the doctoral level requires commitment to your studies and professional pursuits. The process and requirements for getting your DBA are rigorous, so you need to find a program that will support your success.
At Franklin University, we created our DBA program specifically for the needs of working professionals. We help you complete your DBA degree on your schedule and on time by offering online courses, one-on-one mentorship and a no-fear dissertation process.
Explore the Franklin University Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) to find out if our program is right for you.
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FAQs
What are the requirements for a DBA? ›
- An MBA, or other relevant Masters degree.
- Significant professional experience, ideally in relatively senior leadership or management roles (most universities will specify a minimum of three years).
Earning a doctorate in business administration takes roughly three years depending on each student's internship, fellowship, and dissertation requirements. However, many online degrees offer accelerated paths to graduation.
What learning skills do you need to develop to be successful in the DBA program? ›- Curiosity. Curiosity is often cited as one of the most important skills in modern business. ...
- Focus. In business, it is not uncommon to be pulled in multiple directions at once. ...
- Dedication. ...
- Flexibility and Writing Ability.
As with other earned doctorates, individuals with the degree are awarded the academic title doctor, which is often represented via the English honorific "Dr." or the post-nominal letters "DBA" or "DrBA." However, in the United States, DBA degree holders often use the social form of Dr.
Do I need documentation to be a DBA? ›To do business under a DBA, you must complete and file the appropriate DBA forms and pay a filing fee — after which point you receive a DBA certificate. Depending on the state, you may need to file with a local or county clerk's office, with a state agency, or both.
Is getting a DBA worth it? ›DBA programs teach valuable business management, leadership and organizational effectiveness, empowering graduates to put their skills to good use in a variety of industries and job titles. Where an MBA boosts your management skills, a DBA focuses on research and problem-solving skills.
Will a DBA increase my salary? ›Negotiating a Salary Increase After a DBA
According to PayScale, the average difference between an MBA salary and a DBA salary is more than $20,000 per year, so graduates may feel reasonably entitled to ask for a raise. However, the negotiation process may vary depending on employment factors.
Generally, both programs require a dissertation project (or its equivalent) toward the end of the course of study. Finally, both degree programs develop the skills associated with communicating scientifically conducted research findings within the field of business to the broader business community.
How long does an online DBA take? ›How long does it take to earn a DBA online? Online DBA programs typically require 54 to 60 credits. Full-time students can complete their DBA online within three to five years.
What are the three main work of a DBA? ›Short for database administrator, a DBA designs, implements, administers, and monitors data management systems and ensures design, consistency, quality, and security.
How do I start a career in DBA? ›
- Complete your education. The minimum educational qualification required to become a database administrator is a bachelor's degree in computer science or information technology. ...
- Get certified. ...
- Gain experience. ...
- Apply for jobs.
- Ability to do Data Modelling.
- Physical Schema design for given Database.
- Database install, patching, high-availability & disaster recovery design, interaction with network and system administrators.
Knowledge comes in many forms and from every direction. The DBA is the highest level of academic achievement in the business world.
Which is better PhD or DBA? ›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. In contrast, DBAs focus on real-world organizational and business problems and involve original and secondary research to explore, examine, and address those problems.
Can you get a DBA without an MBA? ›Can you get a DBA without an MBA? Usually, an MBA and professional experience are often a requirement for taking a DBA course. However, academic prerequisites can be flexible; therefore, you may be admitted without an MBA (or other Masters) but with real-life experience.
How do you write a DBA letter? ›Using a DBA on a Legal Document
Then, UpCounsel says, you add the "doing business as" name. DBA examples are "Bert Smith, DBA Steel IT Security" or "Helen Marker, DBA The Best Vintage Jewelry."
What is an example of a DBA? If electrician John Doe owns his business as a sole proprietor, he might use a DBA name to operate as "John Doe Electricians" or "Gold Star Electrical."
Can you have multiple DBAs under one LLC? ›The answer is yes--it is possible and permissible to operate multiple businesses under one LLC. Many entrepreneurs who opt to do this use what is called a "Fictitious Name Statement" or a "DBA" (also known as a "Doing Business As") to operate an additional business under a different name.
Is DBA good for taxes? ›No Special Tax Benefits: Unlike a corporation, filing a DBA that is not part of an LLC or another 'corporate umbrella' will not give you any special tax benefits. Your business' revenues will be passed on to your individual tax return and taxed accordingly.
How long is a DBA dissertation? ›You may be wondering how many pages a dissertation consists of. It varies greatly, however, the average may be approximately 100 – 200 pages or more and possibly between 40,000 – 80,000 words. Your paper may include tables, footnotes and appendices, as well. But what truly matters, is the content.
Are DBAs respected? ›
A DBA degree is a widely respected and acknowledged professional doctorate in Business Administration.
Which DBA has highest salary? ›- associate director - ₹45.0lakhs per year.
- senior manager - ₹34.0lakhs per year.
- technical solutions consultant - ₹30.0lakhs per year.
- senior oracle dba - ₹21.0lakhs per year.
- postgresql dba - ₹20.0lakhs per year.
| Job Title | Average Salary | Salary Range |
|---|---|---|
| Database Administrator | $131,426 | Min: $70K Max: $260K |
| Senior Data Engineer | $136,631 | Min: $90K Max: $254K |
| Data Architect | $145,230 | Min: $70K Max: $279K |
| Senior Data Scientist | $146,742 | Min: $47K Max: $350K |
Sole Proprietors pay themselves by taking draws from the company's profits. Typically, this is done by writing a business check in the name of the business owner. Or they may take the draw by transferring funds from their business checking account to their personal checking account or withdrawing cash from the company.
How many pages is a DBA dissertation? ›Most dissertations are 100 to 300 pages in length. All dissertations should be divided into appropriate sections, and long dissertations may need chapters, main divisions, and subdivisions.
What doctorate degree doesn t require a dissertation? ›Some fields and programs that may not require dissertations can include: JD (Juris doctorates, law degree) DPT (Doctor of Physical Therapy) EdD (Doctor of Education)
Does Harvard have a DBA? ›“We honor the legacy and achievements of our DBA graduates as we position new generations of HBS doctoral students for success and impact.” “We honor the legacy and achievements of our DBA graduates as we position new generations of HBS doctoral students for success and impact.”
What is a DBA degree? ›DBA: Doctor of Business Administration
A DBA is a terminal business degree that provides practical, leadership-level research, writing and presentation skills that can be directly applied in the workplace. DBA coursework and dissertation focus on helping you identify, define and solve a pressing business issue or gap.
While both programs develop research skills, an Executive Doctor of Business Administration is directed at research that advances business practice, while a PhD is directed at research that contributes first and foremost to theory.
Is Liberty University DBA accredited? ›Liberty University's DBA is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
What tools do DBA use? ›
- MySQL. One of the most useful database management tools is MySQL. ...
- SQL Server Management Studio. If we are talking about database management tools, the best choice is SQL Server Management Studio. ...
- Oracle RDBMS. ...
- Salesforce. ...
- DevOps. ...
- Visual Studio Code. ...
- ESM Tools. ...
- PhpMyAdmin.
Different types of DBAs
The most common types of DBAs include system administrators, database architects, database analysts, data modelers, application DBAs, task-oriented DBAs, performance analysts, data warehouse administrators, and cloud DBAs.
Database Administrators are responsible for the management and maintenance of company databases. Their duties include maintaining adherence to a data management policy and ensuring that these essential pieces of equipment are functional.
Is IT stressful to be a DBA? ›“A Database Administrator has a special responsibility for a component that is critical to the success or failure of a business: its DATA. This makes being a DBA very challenging and stressful given its many responsibilities.
Is DBA still a good career? ›The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 8.1% employment growth for database administrators between 2021 and 2031. In that period, an estimated 7,400 jobs should open up. Database administrators – DBAs, for short – set up databases according to a company's needs and make sure they operate efficiently.
Is IT easy to learn DBA? ›Becoming a database administrator is not easy. You should know many things to pursue a career in this field. Many different paths allow you to pursue becoming a DBA, depending on your qualifications and experience.
Is Excel considered a database? ›Excel is not database — it is spreadsheet software. Even though many users try to force it to function like a database, its limitations in that regard are considerable. Starting with the most obvious, Excel is limited to 1M rows of data, while databases don't suffer from such restrictions.
What are two soft skills that a database administrator should possess? ›- Communication. Database administrators must explain complex ideas in clear and concise terms as part of reports and recommendations shared with employees and executives throughout a company. ...
- Organization. ...
- Analytical. ...
- Creativity. ...
- Business-Focused. ...
- Problem-Solving.
Database Specialist Skills and Qualifications:
Understanding of dimensional and relational data modeling. Advanced knowledge of database security, performance standards, and backup and recovery. Strong statistical and mathematical knowledge. Close attention to detail.
- Director Data Management. Salary range: $97,500-$177,500 per year. ...
- Lead Data Architect. Salary range: $110,000-$170,000 per year. ...
- Data Architect Manager. ...
- Data Center Manager. ...
- Director Data Architecture. ...
- Data Operations Director. ...
- Lead Database Administrator. ...
- Application DBA.
What is the salary difference between DBA and PhD? ›
Salaries between a DBA and a PhD can vary widely, and largely depends on your career outcomes after both degrees. However, a good general rule is your salary will be rough equal to $10 k per year in higher education. Some PhDs and DBA's make much less than this, and some make much more than that.
Is DBA a bachelor? ›BACHELOR IN BUSINESS STUDIES – IS-DBA.
Can a DBA use DR title? ›In summary, DBA program is a fully recognized research degree of the highest standing on the educational ladder. Graduating from it means you become a doctor and can use the Dr. title.
Are DBA graduates called Dr? ›As with other earned doctorates, individuals with the degree are awarded the academic title doctor, which is often represented via the English honorific "Dr." or the post-nominal letters "DBA" or "DrBA." However, in the United States, DBA degree holders often use the social form of Dr.
Is there a degree higher than a doctorate? ›Doctorate degrees are the highest level of education you can achieve in many countries. However, there are some countries that have qualifications considered higher than a PhD such as professional degrees, habilitation degrees, doctor of science and doctor of technology.
How long is the DBA program? ›Many traditional, in-person programs take 4.5 to 5 years to complete. Often this is due to teaching or research requirements imposed by the university in exchange for a stipend.
How long is DBA degree? ›Earning a doctorate in business administration takes roughly three years depending on each student's internship, fellowship, and dissertation requirements. However, many online degrees offer accelerated paths to graduation.
Does a DBA increase salary? ›WS: Such high-percentage salary increases are common, but not guaranteed, of course with any doctoral-level degree advancement. What the DBA is designed to do is make you more well suited to perform at a higher level – and that can certainly mean a higher salary.
What is required for a DBA in Florida? ›Before you can file a DBA, you have to publish notice of your intent to register with at least one newspaper in the county of your principal place of business. The newspaper notice will likely cost somewhere between $30 and $100. Once it has run, the newspaper should send you a certification to confirm the publication.
Is a DBA equivalent to a PhD? ›A DBA is a professional doctorate with a focus on theoretical knowledge and its use in business practice. Essentially, a PhD candidate is focused on making a contribution to scholarship and a DBA candidate is focused on making a contribution to the practice of management and a difference in the industry.
How long does it take to get a DBA in California? ›
How long does it take to process a DBA in California? It takes one to four weeks for California to process a DBA registration. In some cases, it may take longer.
How long does it take for a DBA to be approved Florida? ›How long does it take to process a DBA in Florida? If you filed it online, it takes the Florida Secretary of State 2-3 business days to process your DBA.
How much does a Florida DBA cost? ›Florida DBA Costs
It shouldn't be a surprise that there are fees associated with filing DBA paperwork. The Florida DBA registration fee is $50, then there's an added $30 price for a certified copy of your DBA registration. The Certificate of Status for Fictitious Name Registration costs $10.
Why is registration required? The Fictitious Name Act (s.865.09, F.S.) requires any person (which, by definition, includes an individual, as well as a business entity) to register their “fictitious name” or “dba” name with the Florida Department of State prior to conducting business in Florida.
Does a DBA require a dissertation? ›Generally, both programs require a dissertation project (or its equivalent) toward the end of the course of study. Finally, both degree programs develop the skills associated with communicating scientifically conducted research findings within the field of business to the broader business community.
Can I teach college with a DBA? ›The DBA is primarily for those focused on a career in business and consulting. However, many DBAs do teach in colleges and universities.
What kind of degree is a DBA? ›DBA: Doctor of Business Administration
A DBA is a terminal business degree that provides practical, leadership-level research, writing and presentation skills that can be directly applied in the workplace.
A DBA degree is a widely respected and acknowledged professional doctorate in Business Administration. It is designed to challenge the practical knowledge an experienced professional has acquired through their existing career in business, management, or leadership.
How much does it cost to renew a DBA in California? ›Renewing is quick and easy, complete the application online and mail it in or make an appointment. There is a $26 renewal filing fee along with a $5 fee for each additional business name/registrant.
What happens if you don't publish your DBA in California? ›Failure to meet your state's publishing requirements can result in your DBA being revoked, fines, or a suspension or revocation of your business license.