Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program: Cutting-edge career choices

Doctor of Business Administration program: The DBA develops skills to make data-driven scientific evidence-based decisions. The decisions may be related to strategy formulation, implementation, operations, et

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program is the highest-level qualification in business administration. It is a unique applied research course that helps students to dive deep into corporate strategic or operational problems. Till date, very few students complete this programme compared to MBA. According to Dr.Koilakuntla Maddulety, Associate Professor, Deputy Director - Doctor of Business Administration, SP Jain School of Global Management, DBA is a good degree to have as it opens top level career choices for working middle and senior corporate executives. In a email interview with Nilesh Mathur of Hindustan Times online, Maddulety explains about the programme, its key components, benefits, where it is taught, expected pay package after completing the course and much more:         

The DBA program is different from Ph.D. The DBA program is designed for working middle and senior corporate executives of the average age group around 40 years. (Representative image)(File)

1. What are the key components of a DBA program? How do you think it is different from Ph.D. in Business Administration? 

The key components of the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) program are coursework, coursework evaluation, research work, evaluation, publications, and awarding the degree.  

The DBA program is different from Ph.D. The DBA program is designed for working middle and senior corporate executives of the average age group around 40 years. The DBA develops skills to make data-driven scientific evidence-based decisions. The decisions may be related to strategy formulation, implementation, operations, etc. 

In contrast, the PhD in Business Administration is designed for young academic-oriented scholars of age group around 25 years. The PhD develops research skills that help to develop theories or models that enrich the existing literature.   

 2. How can students benefit from a DBA degree? How it can help them strengthen their career in Management? 

The DBA program is industry-relevant research and can address specific issues / complicated situations/ dilemmas/challenges resulting in generating career advancement opportunities for scholars as they get ready to take strategic decisions based on research output. Upon successful completion of the program, the Scholar produces a high-quality dissertation thesis, publications, patents, etc. bringing insight in a specific area with a specific proposal of the solution which results into DBA Graduate’s career advancement in the following areas:

 Can grow in their present job with promotions and enlarged challenging responsibilities  

 Can change their career from present corporate job to Independent Consultant in their research area or join a top consultancy organization.  

 Can start their own research organization

 Can become Consultant to Government or political parties

 Can take teaching careers in top Global B-Schools as a second career in their life

As DBA program ensures the imbibing knowledge of research tools and methodologies to students can apply on their jobs in a scientific manner to ensure their organizational growth. In-turn DBA students can benefit by getting senior roles including CEO, CFO, CHO, CTO, COO, MD, etc., in top MNCs, some may become top independent consultants in their area of interest, some may become entrepreneurs, etc.

3. Skills – both hard and soft, play a crucial role for managers. What new skills the doctorate degree will help students develop? 

The DBA degree will help students to develop majorly research skills, skills of scientific inquiry for identifying problems and growth opportunities of corporates, high-level analytical skills to deep dive, scientific problem-solving skills, strategy formulation, and deployment skills. In addition, the DBA program ensures cognitive and generic skills that include fundamental skills, people skills, which are needed for business leaders.  

4. What makes the DBA course stand out in an ever-expanding community of MBA degree holders? Please tell us the top career options for the Graduates?  

The DBA is the highest-level qualification in business administration and very few professionals are available with DBA degrees unlike MBA so DBA stands out as a unique applied research course that helps the students to dive deep into corporate strategic or operational problems. The top career options for DBA Graduates are:  

 To become an independent consultant in the selected area of Business Management, 

 To join a senior position in top consultancy organizations 

 To establish their own research organization,  

 To ensure elevation in their present organization, 

 To become professors by practice in top b-schools across the globe etc.,  

5. Which industries have showcased an increased demand for DBA graduates? 

The Demand for DBA is increasing continuously as DBAs can take better decisions based on research.

Majorly Consultancy organizations, Multinational Companies for senior-level positions, and Research organizations are looking for DBA graduates.

6. Name some of the institutes in India that offer quality programs in Doctorate in Business Administration? 

S P Jain School of Global Management is the only Australian school operating high-quality DBA from India. There are many traditional PhDs and Fellow programs in India. Some of them are IIM Ahmadabad, IIM Bangalore, IIM Kolkata, IIM Indore, IIM Ranchi, SOM IIT Mumbai, XLRI, IMT, NMIMS, Great Lakes, etc.

 7. What kind of salary package the graduates can expect after pursuing this course? 

S P Jain School of Global Management (SP Jain) Average package is around Rs. 1,00,00,000 (Around 1 Cr) p.a, rest all are not comparable with S P Jain DBA program, but the average package may be around ₹20,00,000 p.a.  

8. Is there any advantage in pursuing DBA course abroad? Name some of the top institutes teaching this course? 

Yes, if someone wants to invest a good amount and settle abroad, I recommend the following top B-schools for study and settling in respective countries.  

 S P Jain School of Global Management   

 University of Western Australia

 Washington University

 University of Florida

 University of Wisconsin

 Georgia State University

 Aberdeen Business School

 City University of Hong Kong

 EU Business School

 Massey University

 Victoria Graduate School of Business

9. What is the fee structure for students who want to pursue this course in India and abroad? 

S P Jain School of Global Management – Fee is approx. USD 25000 for India/Online and approx. USD 50000 for Sydney.

The average fee of the DBA ranges from USD 25000 to USD 95000.

10. Are there scholarships available to students who want to pursue this course. 

The DBA is designed for working middle and senior executives whose average age group is around 40 years who can’t sacrifice their jobs but can sacrifice their weekend times so, there is no requirement of scholarship, hence, universities or schools are not providing scholarships for DBA Students. 

Scholarships are generally available for Ph.D. students whose average age is around 25 years, and they are full-time researchers and expected to work for their professors’ projects and provide academic support to universities/schools.

(Author Koilakuntla Maddulety is Associate Professor, Deputy Director - Doctor of Business Administration, SP Jain School of Global Management. Views expressed here are personal.)