A Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in business are both terminal degrees in their field.
The main difference between the two is that a PhD emphasizes research and theoretical knowledge, while a DBA focuses on practical applications.
A PhD in business is typically academic in nature, requiring students to complete coursework and pass comprehensive exams before beginning their dissertation.
In contrast, a DBA program emphasizes the development of new ideas and approaches to solving business problems. Students in a DBA program typically complete coursework before embarking on their doctoral project, which may take the form of an applied research project, consulting project, or teaching project.
While both degrees require a significant investment of time and effort, a DBA may be the better choice for sudents who wish to pursue careers in industry or government, or for those who wish to teach at the collegiate level. A PhD is generally seen as the better choice for those who wish to pursue careers in acedemia or research.