DBA or PhD? Frontier Innovation University Explains Which Doctorate Fits Which Career

Frontier Innovation University offers two business doctorates that are often confused. The Doctoral College has published guidance so applicants choose on evidence rather than title.

The Doctor of Business Administration is a 54-credit program over three to four years for senior executives who want to produce practitioner-focused research. It has a taught first year — applied doctoral research, philosophy of science, organizational strategy, advanced organizational behaviour, global management, and business ethics — followed by two structured research-methods years and a dissertation. The dissertation must address a problem the candidate is authorised to influence in their own organization or sector.

The PhD in Business Administration is a 60-credit program over three to five years for people aiming at an academic or research career. It is lighter on taught content, heavier on original contribution to theory, and expects publication in peer-reviewed journals during candidature.