In this series of articles, we hope to keep the Dr. Sam Pack College of Business (DSPCOB) stakeholders informed of what we have learned and later what we decide as we develop a doctoral program. This paper explores the various types of doctoral programs available. As we examine the issue, we keep in mind what was reported in another recent article, We asked, you spoke – Doctoral Programs Survey Results, (2025).
Introduction
As the Doctoral Program Committee works through the various issues in proposing a new program, one of the first questions is, what kind of program should we pursue? It turns out that there are several potential programs to offer, and several attributes differentiate each. Many of those attributes reflect key details you revealed to us in our surveys – some correlate positively, while others do not. Let us start with a little history.
Historical Developments
The first U.S. Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) program in business was launched in 1920 at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. The Booth program might be the first business doctorate worldwide. Then, in 1922, Harvard Business School launched the Doctorate in Commercial Sciences, renamed the Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) in 1953. So, what is the difference in these programs? As you will discover, it is more than just a name.
The Booth PhD and the Harvard DBA were model programs for years. Many business doctoral programs sprang up worldwide, although they were not evenly distributed. In the U.K. and Australia, 37% of business doctorates are DBAs (Piña et al., 2016). However, the PhD is better known in the U.S., with less than 10% of U.S. schools offering DBAs (Piña et al., 2016).
With that said, historically, the degrees were not considered much different, and some research found little to no difference in the dissertations written at the end of these programs (MacLennan et al., 2018). MacLennan et al. went on to say that when PhD and DBA dissertations were compared, the analysis methods used, sample sizes, and the research type (theoretical or applied) were statistically speaking the same.
But then, something changed. In 2018, after 65 years, Harvard transitioned their DBA into a PhD[1], saying,
“… [it] more accurately reflects the structure and emphasis of [Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences] programs and the rigor that has distinguished HBS doctoral students’ work for many years.”
A few others followed suit. For example, Louisiana Tech converted its DBA into a PhD. Like Harvard’s transition, conversations with Louisiana Tech suggested a similar motivation, based on structure and rigor. The DBA no longer idealized the work of the students in the program. Why? In recent years, two perspectives of business doctoral programs emerged in the U.S.: the Professional Doctorate, associated with the DBA, and the Academic Doctorate, associated with the PhD.
AACSB Perspective
AACSB is the accrediting agency for the DSPCOB. They differentiate doctoral programs as either a PhD or a DBA. Their website[2] defines these degrees as follows:
PhD in Business
The PhD is for candidates interested in pursuing a career in academia and are passionate about developing an in-depth specialization of knowledge on a particular area of business. The PhD focuses on conducting original research that contributes to new knowledge or theory. Many PhD programs follow a standardized curriculum, requiring students to develop specialized knowledge in a business area like management or economics.
Candidates typically find roles in a university setting as a tenure-track faculty member, but may also continue to focus research or work as a business consultant.
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
While it still requires research, the DBA is designed for practice-oriented candidates with significant industry experience at high levels. Candidates gain experience with conducting rigorous research to address a defined business issue, combining business acumen and scholarly methods.
Candidates of the DBA may find similar roles as a PhD—either teaching at a university or in business consultancy—but may also apply their experience to their roles as business leaders
From those definitions, we can see there is much overlap. But we also see separation or differentiation. The PhD involves specialized knowledge and new theory development while primarily working at a university. The DBA is for those with significant experience at high levels, and while they might work at a university, they might also resume or continue as business leaders.
EDBAC Perspective
EDBAC is the Executive Doctorate in Business Administration Council[3]. The council provides a very nice table comparing the two programs. They use the PhD and DBA labels and do not differentiate between professional and academic. Nevertheless, the distinction comes through from the table.
Table 1. EDBAC DBA & PhD Comparison
DBA
Candidate Profile
- Senior executives who:
- Hold an MBA or relevant post-baccalaureate
- Work full-time
- Will use the knowledge acquired to address problems and issues in contemporary business
Structure
- Multiple residencies per semester
Curriculum
- Interdisciplinary with a focus on general management and business issues
- Apply quantitative or qualitative research methods to contemporary business problems
Objectives
- To develop practitioner researchers
PhD
Candidate Profile
- Students with limited work experience who:
- May or may not hold a post-baccalaureate degree
- Typically enroll as full-time students
- Seek to position themselves for careers in academia
Structure
- Full-time student
Curriculum
- Specialized studies, generally within a single, specific discipline
- Heavy emphasis on research methodology and its application to develop new theories
Objectives
- To develop academic researchers
So, in the eyes of EDBAC, it comes down to the type of person and research they are trained to do. Of course, employment objectives also play a role. Based on the EDBAC, the PhD seems more academic, and the DBA more contemporary business. That is consistent with AACSB’s definitions: the “DBA is designed for practice-oriented candidates,” and “The PhD is for candidates interested in pursuing a career in …”
PhD for Executives
While examining programs, we discovered a third option. For now, we will call it the PhD for executives. The PhD for executives, also known as an ePhD. Oklahoma State and a few other schools offer these programs. The EDBAC identifies this ePhD name as an alternative to the DBA. Nevertheless, this PhD is designed for executives and appears to blend the two types of programs. It is a classic PhD in that it has a more traditional curriculum, it can be discipline-focused, for those with career aspirations in academia, but it is designed for working professionals, and mixes online delivery with weekend residencies. In the words of one Oklahoma State administrator, “The Executive PhD is a PhD.” Delivered to executives part-time.
Comparison
The table below summarizes what we believe are the main differences in these program alternatives. In recent years, a few other schools in Texas have opened DBA programs. Those include UT-Dallas, UNT, the University of Houston, Prairie View A&M, and Texas State. None of the schools in the state we know of have a PhD targeted toward the executive market; however, consistent with this research, all DBAs target that market.
Table 2. Program Comparisons
| DBA | PhD for Exec | PhD | |
| Profile | Senior Exec | Executives | Traditional student |
| Structure | Online or Hybrid with Residencies | Hybrid with Residencies | On-campus |
| Curriculum | General Management | General Management or Specific Discipline | Specific Discipline |
| Objective | Practitioner Researchers | Academic Researchers | Academic Researchers |
Alumni Preferences
When examining alumni surveys, we found a group of alumni who want to continue their careers and attain higher levels of leadership. This group wants a part-time, primarily online program, and their career goals seem better aligned with the DBA (see Tables 3 and 4).
Of the alumni and current students surveyed, only 14% were interested in a full-time program (See the DSPCOB, 2025 article). The attributes that people are interested in blend these programs. They want a part-time program, delivered online. There are varying degrees of experience among the alumni. There is also more interest in academic work. The preferences and design attributes of the PhD for executives appear to match the majority the best, as it straddles the two programs.
Table 3. Summary of Surveys
2021 DBA vs PhD survey (n = 74)
- 56% prefer PhD
- 44% prefer DBA
2024 Grad & Alumni survey (n=413)
- ePhD and DBA were most preferred
- 81% prefer online
- 76% prefer part-time
Table 4. Keyword Counts Observed in Student/Alumni Surveys
PhD Oriented Words
- Teaching 9
- Professor 3
- Higher Ed 1
- Academia 6
- Theory 1
DBA Oriented Words
- Leader(ship) 5
- Consulting 6
- Executive 2
- Plant manager 1
One final distinction that might need to be made: the program name does not necessarily need to reflect “executive.” Executive is the market, but the content of an executive program can reflect the same material as a traditional, on-campus PhD.
Conclusion
A doctoral program can assume a variety of formats. For now, we focus our attention on three key types and examine how they align with the needs and interests of alumni. Why focus on alumni? If the DSPCOB is to launch a new program, the likelihood that we can become players in the national and international student markets as a new player is unrealistic. On the other hand, the Tarleton alumni are a very loyal group. We need our alumni to get the endeavor off the ground, and many alumni are interested in the opportunity. The alumni are our legacy and our future.
One other thought to contemplate: In two January 2025 meetings with administrators outside the college, support was expressed for the college to propose two programs simultaneously. How that figures into our thinking is yet to be determined, but it sounds like an opportunity for the college, our alumni, and a much broader community.
Look for our next article in which we begin exploring program designs.
We look forward to seeing your comments
References
DSPCOB (April 22, 2025). We asked, you spoke – Doctoral Programs Survey Results. https://tinyurl.com/25dqredt
MacLennan, H., Piña, A., & Gibbons, S. (2018). Content analysis of DBA and PhD dissertations in business. Journal of Education for Business, 93(4), 149-154.
Piña, A. A., Maclennan, H. L., Moran, K. A., & Hafford, P. F. (2016). The DBA vs. Ph. D. in US business and management programs: Different by degrees?. Journal for Excellence in Business and Education, 4(1).
[1] https://www.hbs.edu/doctoral/overview/Pages/history-of-excellence.aspx
[2] https://www.aacsb.edu/learners/journey/doctorate
[3] https://edbac.org/degree