Any New Online DBA?

Grenoble's program was very appealing to me but I had two concerns. The first was I wasn't confident I would be able to hit the ground running with a dissertation proposal and the second was the time needed for the travel requirements. For someone with a strong research background and a flexible schedule, I think it is a phenomenal program with the level of accreditation they have.

 

If all a DBA will get you is adjunct jobs - it makes no sense. A welding ticket can get you better money. Compare the welding course cost and investment of time - and the ROI is nothing less than spectacular.

BTW - you can actually earn a bona-fide PhD in Welding. Here:
https://gpadmissions.osu.edu/programs/program.aspx?prog=0198

DBA's are for those with better-than-adjunct careers in mind - and in reach.

 

For West Virginia University, I'd suggest you give Gary a call by following this link https://calendly.com/joeyvandevender
When I talked to him a few months ago, he said they would start other concentrations after the launch of the DBA accounting. It's a decently ranked business school and the $60k price is reasonable.

 

I agree, but I cannot think about other use of a low tier DBA. Most careers do not require a DBA so a certification in demand makes more sense if you want to stay in the professional field.
Welding is difficult, it requires you to leave your couch and actually do some work. Online adjuncts can work from home in their PJs while watching TV and drinking some coffee. Many people remain adjuncts because they get used to the life style. I have a friend with a PhD in Industrial Engineering that just adjuncts, he was offered jobs but in actual factories where he was required to do some physical work and wake up in the morning, he preferred the low paid adjunct job. He is the perfect example of someone that just finished a PhD to become an adjunct, he hated to work so he is happy now just grading papers home.
I myself completed a DBA, all my class mates were like me, adjuncts that needed the doctorate to either get a full time gig or get more adjunct work. I am sure that some people do DBAs for professional reasons but my experience has been that the DBA is the part time doctorate that can lead to an academic career. I said it can be lead because it is becoming harder with time.

I totally agree that construction jobs, welding, physical work, etc can get you more money with no investment but some people just prefer to become a low paid adjuncts because the life style. I count myself in those, I used to work in Electrical Engineering with lots of physical work and long days. I could have just remained an electrical engineer, but the idea of working from home and working my own hours was just too tempting to let go.

 

The DBA is, normally, a professional degree, not a scholarly one. That means that it can be used in academia, but it wasn't designed for that. (There is some blurring of this distinction, just as with so many others we discuss).

In the circles in which I run, having a doctorate can be extremely valuable. This is particularly true for people who are in control of their own career arcs and not so dependent on hiring managers and HR types. And I remain steadfastly against the "I'll get a doctorate so I can teach" thinking. It's true, technically, but it can be a hard road to hoe.

 

Had a call with the Associate Director of Graduate Admissions with Jacksonville University. It was a great and informative call. He obviously could not guarantee admissions but he said based on our conversation, he said he believes I would be a very strong candidate for the program. He did mention in a week or 2 he will have more information on scholarships that’ll cover 10-25% of the program costs, which is nice.

 

Personally, my employer supports the personal development and pursuit of higher education. I have always wanted a doctorate so figured I might as well go for it. If it leads to full-time academics, awesome. However, that is not the end goal for me. I just want to do it for myself.

 

But there's SUCH a demand for these degrees -as evidenced by this thread. Surely not all these aspiring DBAs (from other than top-tier schools) want to end up in adjuncting? (Or is this the first they've heard about this?)

There's one DBA grad - you might know of him - his name is Dr. Shaquille O'Neal, (DBA - earned - Barry University). He earned an MBA (U Phoenix) then the DBA, so he could do a better job of managing his money and investments than people to whom he was paying a hefty fee. I understand it worked. Surely Dr. Shaq isn't the only non-adjunct DBA? OK, he's unique, so there have to be other reasons, that apply to the rest of the world.

That's barbaric! Do people still have to do that in this day and age?

Good decision, obviously. I worked in the credit business for 30 years. Almost no physical work, tons of mental aggravation, some long days. I could have just remained a professional credit ninja, but the idea of staying home and doing absolutely nothing I didn't want to do, was way too attractive to miss. So I did that - it's been almost 29 years, now. It's working just fine. Your decision worked for you; mine works for me. Main difference between us - I'm lazy.

But there's gotta be some things for DBA grads from non top-tier schools to look forward to besides adjuncting. I'd like to hear what they are.

 

I hope I grow up to be like you. I mean that! It seems like you're loving retirement.

 

Since when did I ever grow up?
Thanks Dustin! It took a while to find my groove, but once I did...

BTW - just finished my Fashion Design and Merchandising (Career school) course. I ended up with 99% - so I guess in Dustin-lingo , that's 100% done with a GPA of what... 3.96? I had no idea it was going to be quite so absorbing. I think if I'd found this 60 years ago, I would have ended up in a job I loved. And I'm pretty sure it might have loved me back. Something new to do, going forward, that I wasn't expecting. I'm just tickled!

 

Some people do it for personal growth and development. It cannot hurt when you apply for a job in business if it comes from a decent school. The ROI might be questionable but the personal satisfaction cannot be measured with money.
As humans we like challenge, the idea to reach the top of the education scale is just rewarding.
It can be seen as a therapy too, instead of doing drugs or something bad for you health, you focus on something positive that is learning.

It can also be useful for academic administration jobs.

Adjuncts is a market that benefits the most as most adjunct jobs nowadays prefer a PhD or DBA except for fields in high demand like accounting or finance. If you want to remain an adjunct, the market pushes you towards the DBA or PhD.

 

And that's great. It works! But a DBA costs .... like drugs!

 

$90k, that is 44% pay cut where I am currently at.

 

Nonprofit administrators. Public sector managers and other levels especially that interface with business, e.g., community economic development officer.

High school and nondegree adult learning business-vocational-technical educators.

 

Agreed. I briefly did community economic development and thought my business coursework was helpful in building street cred and expanding the agency's services. A DBA would be even moreso.

 

Jonathan's post reminded me of something. I'm thread-derailleuring again, so excuse me. Here goes: There's a woeful dearth of education in personal finance in my neck of the woods. And it's so BADLY needed. You can find something basic perhaps, at a bank or somewhere. The usual advice is:

(1) Make a budget.
(2) Buy all our financial products - your life will be magically easier.
(3) Don't borrow unless it's necessary. (You define necessary.) If you do - come see us, nobody else.

That's WAY different to what people need. I just finished a course at a career school, one that teaches about 80 courses - everything from computer programming to gardening and photography - in fact I've taken all three of those there, and a couple of others. The school will now teach you video game development - but still NOTHING on personal finance. I think they could do well with such a course - I'll be suggesting Personal Finance (and Investment?) to them. They always ask new grads for suggestions -- let's see if it works.

 

I have applied to Liberty University and Jacksonville University. As of right now, Liberty would run me $25,000 whereas Jacksonville would run me $84,500 prior to any potential scholarship. If I were to get on the low end 10%, then it would run $74,550. If I were to get on the high end 25%, it’d run $59,625. So as of right now, the debate I’m having is if the AACSB Accreditation is worth $35,000-$50,000 more in cost were I to be admitted to both.

 

I'm sure AACSB would tell you it is! Josh, I'm definitely the wrong person to ask this question to - but I know a guy who's highly qualified. Look in the mirror. I suggest two things here:

(1) Your Duke / Fuqua degree and your prior education and work experience have given you all the tools you need to analyze this from a quantitative aspect. I don't doubt you had some mighty good chops in this kind of analysis, likely well before you even got to Duke! You know what you want to do with the degree, and have access to info about those careers. You can run the numbers re: the advantages of the AACSB imprimatur in that area, i.e. how often do DBA grads get hired with /without AACSB-accredited degrees, what do they make with or without, etc.

(2) I'm sure you've done networking throughout your years of education, particularly at Duke. I think the people you know from that source might be really good to call, for opinions and / or personal or colleague experiences either way on this issue.

But you've probably thought of and/or done these things already, so I won't bore you further, except to say I sincerely wish you continuing success. Good night, Josh.

 

Academia does not pay that much, people look for these positions mainly for life style and job security rather than salary.