Does there exist a DBA without coursework?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by bluechicago3, Jul 8, 2005.

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  1. bluechicago3

    bluechicago3 New Member

    I have an MBA from a top US school, and I'm looking into doctorate business programs. I'm wondering if there are any well-reputed (i.e. AACSB) DBA programs that would regard the MBA as, well, the masters portion of the DBA, and thus the DBA would be dissertation only?

    I've been researching PhD and DBA programs for a while (especially distance-friendly UK ones) and I've noted that many DBA programs are very structured, with an MSc degree required for the first 1-2 years. (Examples: Aston and Strathclyde) Some programs will give limited credit for the MBA coursework.

    Furthermore, the PhD programs tend to require an MPhil that is mostly research coursework for 1-2 years. (Examples: Strathclyde and Lancaster) I don't undermine the need for research coursework, but I'm interested in accelerating the process a little for time and cost reasons.

    Hope this question makes sense...thanks for your help!
     
  2. MacWithey

    MacWithey New Member

    Jonnie's Distance Learning Page has a general listing
    (in case you don't know), currently at

    http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Haven/2386/dlphd.html

    I would especially look into the Australian and British ones, as
    the American doctorates (almost) always require coursework.

    Of course, not all of them will suit you.


    D MacWithey
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jul 8, 2005
  3. adamsmith

    adamsmith member

    Try www.usq.edu.au for a start. I think that you wil exempted from the MBA course work part of the program. But you will still need to do Research methodology 1 & 2, and possibly a couple of other 'doctoral level' course subjects.

    But also have a look at other Australian DBA's
     
  4. edowave

    edowave Active Member

    Even with the MBA counting towards coursework (UF accepted 24 credits from my Heriot-Watt MBA), you are still about 26-36 credits short of what most universities require for a DBA/PhD. You still will have to take coursework.
     
  5. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    If you're willing to consider a South African university then you might begin by looking at the offerings provided by UNISA. They have Doctoral programs in Business (although they're not all called DBA programs). There are Doctoral programs in Administration (with 13 areas of specialization). There are Doctoral programs in Commerce (with ten areas of specialization). And there is a Doctoral program in Accountancy as well as one in Business Leadership. All of these programs are dissertation only research degrees. However, I would not encourage you to conclude that they can be "accelerated" in any way as a result of the lack of coursework.
    Jack
     
  6. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    I was of the impression that most universities using the British system made the distinction that the PhD was the traditional (to them) dissertation-only doctorate while the DBA was a more American-style coursework + dissertation doctorate.
     
  7. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Hi Ted - I'm not sure if your comment was aimed at my post or toward another earlier post. In any case, I'll offer a response.
    The South African system seems to me to be rather unique. They frequently offer degrees that have distinct nomenclature. Is there any other country that offers a D.Comm.? How about a D.B.L.? ZA universities offer doctoral degrees with all sorts of nomenclature and, while someone might be able to discern the distinctions, I can not. (and this is not just an issue in the business education world, it's true throughout the ZA higher ed system.
    Go figure.
    Jack
     
  8. little fauss

    little fauss New Member

    A PhD from a Euro school sans coursework? Of course.

    A DBA from anywhere sans coursework? I can't imagine it, it seems like an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms, like "light darkness".
     
  9. DTechBA

    DTechBA New Member

    I think the closest you would get to an AACSB accredited DBA sans a lot of formal coursework is probably with Grenoble. However, I do believe they have "guided" study.

    http://www.grenoble-em.com/contenu/ens_rech/dba/dba_home.asp
     
  10. bluechicago3

    bluechicago3 New Member

    Thanks

    I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I hope this has been helpful to other readers.

    Triangulating the responses with additional web searching, I did in fact find that in the UK (as well SA and Australia), the DBA is definitely the more structured degree, with either a structured research methods curriculum or an MSc preceding the dissertation phase. The PhD at a number of schools is less structured, and students can basically start the various dissertation milestones from day one. I see that most PhD's in the UK start as an MPhil and move after 1-2 years to PhD candidate status.

    Here in the US, there are still very few DBA programs (Harvard, BU, and SNHU are three in New England). However, I think the difference between the PhD and DBA here is not in content or lack of coursework but in the theoretical versus applied focus of the dissertation.

    Thanks again! Additional suggestions for specific UK or Europe programs (closer to the US than SA or Australia!) would be greatly appreciated.
     
  11. Scott Henley

    Scott Henley New Member

    May I ask where you got your MBA from? It makes a difference for my response.
     
  12. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Re: Thanks

    I'd be willing to bet that there are at least a few programs sprinkled around Europe. Sometimes, however, there are problems in regards to the language of instruction. While English is rapidly becoming the the common world language there are plenty of places that require work be completed in the native tongue. Do you have a second language?
    Beyond that I'd suggest that you peruse the universities on this list:
    http://www.netherlands-embassy.org/article.asp?articleref=AR00000324EN
    I understand from previous posters that English is commonly spoken throughout the Netherlands and that dissertations may be written in English. Good luck.
    Jack
     
  13. JLV

    JLV Active Member

    Re: Re: Thanks

    Absolutely true. Universities here use English, and there are lots of programs conducted in this language. Eindhoven will use only English from thisSeptember on. Any university would allow you to use English your PhD dissertation.

    But once you leave the campus perimeter, watch out! They want people to be "integrated". Use English only when absolutely necessary. I send these lines clandestinely. ;)


    Regards



    PS Just in case anyone cares, there are employment opportunities for experienced professors here in the Netherlands. There are as well lots of post doc jobs, especially in the hard sciences and engineering. I see advertisements almost on a daily basis.
     
  14. master

    master New Member

    Hi JLV.
    Is there a website like jobs.co.uk for academic positions in the Netherlands?
    Cheers,
    master
     

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