University of Florida DBA?

Does anyone know of any plans for an new DBA at University of Florida?

Slide 10 of this 2007 AACSB power point mentions an "innovative DBA" at UF under the title of "Alternative Doctoral Programs", along with the Grenoble DBA.

 

Interesting. It looks to me that the AACSB is considering all options that does not include schools like NCU, Touro, Nova etc.

 

According to this PDF, the University of Florida DBA will include:

2 2-week residencies
5 2-day "visits"

3 year program

1 8-month "project" instead of a dissertation

On one hand I am happy they are designing a program for the working folk, but on the other hand I am dissapointed they are dumbing down the doctoral degree and not including a dissertation. Perhaps a dissertation could replace the project if requested. I guess you could call it an MBA-max or DBA-light. In the end this is a DBA from an AACSB school with a full-time MBA program ranked 37th in the nation by US News available through distance learning - quite a breakthrough.

It will be interesting to see if and when this program rolls out so we know more detail.

 

When I complete the PhD, this is something I would look into.

 

Since the DBA is an applied doctorate (not a theoretical doctorate like the PhD), the doctoral project (which basically means an applied dissertation) is the appropriate culminating learning experience for the degree.

 

Two doctorates? One is enough for me forever!!!!

It seems that doctoral degree variants are still evolving. This is nothing new, especially when one considers that the PhD was recently invented by the Germans in the 1800s (it's not a thousand years old). I noticed that NCU's DBA program was distinctly different and it appears that the "applied doctorate" is going to be different than the "theoretical doctorate." Applied doctorates might include the DBA and the EdD while the theoretical doctorate might include the PhD. Lines are being drawn in the sand. As these lines are being solidified, it will be interesting to see if certain kinds of doctorates are preferred over other doctorates in the business world and in the world of academia.

 

I said look into...not do

 

So you think a part-time, 2 semester project will be considered equal to a traditional DBA dissertation by a hiring committee?

 

More info?

The U. of Florida website has nothing about this program. Does anyone have any details about when it will start, the costs, etc.? Thanks.

 

I exchanged emails with the dean of the school. Very nice, he got back to me post haste. As he never said the info he gave was confidential, I assume it's ok to post here. He said that the program is set to kick off in 2009, but must still run the gauntlet of university approval. I assume that means they will be taking/reviewing applications and forming an adcom about one year from now, though that last part's just my speculation.

 

I simply said that the doctoral project is appropriate to an applied doctorate.

 

Perhaps not, and I think you raise a good point. But I also think the Warrington label will tend to override other considerations and concerns in the minds of most hiring committees--you don't obtain a degree from that program just by driving slowly enough by the main entrance so that they can toss a degree into the backseat of your car. I can only presume whatever they require for the final project will be rigorous.

It's not every U.S. top-40 program that offers a distance doctorate (in fact, so far as I know, there are none), and for the first U.S. AACSB distance doctorate--which many have been clamoring for for years--to potentially come from a borderline prestigious program is quite a stunning development.

The only downside is that intakes are likely to be low and there are likely to be some heavily-sponsored and big time executives who will be filling most of the spots; this will likely be competitive, and I doubt that many of us would bowl the adcom over with our vitaes (of course, this does not apply to all of us, as I recognize there are some very qualified people on this forum).

 

You are absolutely right, it is a stunning development. Who would have thought that the first US AACSB distance DBA would be from a highly ranked business school. I would have thought it would have been from one of the middlin or 4th tier schools.

I don't quite see the draw to a DBA program by a high-flying corporate executive though. What do they need a research degree for? Any degree for that matter - they have already "arrived" at the top. How would they have the time for a doctoral degree?

Other European schools advertise the DBA for executives, but as far as I've seen it is mainly academics that actually go through the programs.

Unfortunately, the executive nature of the program may help traditional academia to justify their negativity regarding distance and part-time doctorates. I hope that a full-blown dissertation is optional.

I like the Grenoble program better, but will consider this program as well, given the UF brand.

 

I don't know, you may be right; perhaps I'm taking too seriously their statement in the PPT to the effect that they were going after a select group of upper tier executives. Perhaps in the final analysis it will be about academics.

One thing I have discovered, though (having been a part of the UMass MBA program for the last three years) is that the amount of work put into a distance graduate business program is in pretty much direct proportion to the level of achievement and responsibility that a student holds in the professional world. About one fourth of UMass' Professional MBA student body are physicians, about another fourth are either attorneys or possess doctorates. It's almost a fait accompli that the highest achievers in class--and presumably, those spending the most time--will be those who are likely spending the most time on their careers outside of class. I don't know where they find the time! The most intense classmate I've yet encountered on one of my teams was a licensed physician who happened to be the VP of a network of hospitals in New England. I cannot imagine the guy's typical week ever dipped under 70 hours, yet he seemed to find time to do almost obsessive levels of work on the projects. It really raised the bar for the rest of us!

 

New Cash Cow?

Others have already jumped on this baby and are milking strongly!

Case Western Reserve University Executive Doctor of Management
http://weatherhead.case.edu/edm/

U Penn Executive Doctorate in Higher Education Management
http://www.gse.upenn.edu/hem/

Northeastern’s Executive Doctorate in Law & Policy
http://www.spcs.neu.edu/dlp/

The George Washington University Virginia Campus Executive Leadership Doctoral Program
http://chaos.va.gwu.edu/cslprog/academics/csl/doctor.html

 

I'm not sure if it will matter, but at least the University of Florida is a public university. Perhaps the tuition will be somewhat reasonable. In any case, if the degree helps one land an AACSB tenure track position, it may very well be a great value.

 

Thanks, this is great info!

 

There is also the Pace University Executive Doctoral Program.
http://appserv.pace.edu/execute/page.cfm?doc_id=14293