PhD in Business Administration

A PhD in Business Administration is something that should not be taken with light thought. It shapes one mentally more than anything. People who go for this degree are looking for something higher than just making money in any corporation or hedge fund.

If you are struggling with the decision of whether you should go for a PhD in Business Administration, whether you are set on taking on this degree but don’t know how to go about it, or you are writing a research paper on this degree; I am fairly confident that you will find this work more than satisfactory in helping you along your way.

A lot of master’s degree holders tend to go for the third and highest tertiary academic honour once they’ve completed their programme. Some immediately enter into new jobs with their highest qualifications, hoping for better pay, an elevated position, and better working conditions.

A PhD is a very honourable achievement. For those who may not know, it is a doctor of philosophy degree, awarded when an individual undertaking such programme creates a dissertation, thesis, or research paper on a topic within the field of study, which may broaden the knowledge base of such field. It is a bold statement that one has completed the structured education programme.

It brings with it an air of authority. It oozes academic class. It puts on display, to those who have attained its glory. They are mostly attained by those who wish to become professors and teach in academic institutions of higher learning.

While it may be honourable, it is certainly not an easy feat to accomplish, especially a PhD in Business Administration. Business Administration on its own is a very tasking and challenging course. In some places, Business Administration in its own right is an umbrella body to courses like accounting, office building administration, data analysis, finances, project management, etc.

There is a lot to cover here for you starting from what is a PhD in business administration, why you should go for it, the best programmes for a PhD in business administration, to schools that offer PhD in business administration online so that you’d have a full view on this topic.

I will start by formally introducing this degree.

Table of Contents

What is a PhD in Business Administration?

This is an award of doctor of philosophy in business administration. It is awarded to students who have brought forth an academic paper or thesis which can expand the knowledge base of Business Administration. This work is then defended by the student before a panel of experts in the field.

Any student undergoing this degree programme is most likely aiming to go into an academic career in Business Administration, such as becoming a professor. They primarily work to advance Business Administration from an academic standpoint. For those who want to enter into the business side of this field, a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) would be your most desirable option.

Prerequisites for Obtaining a PhD in Business Administration

Before one can successfully begin the journey to get a doctorate in Business Administration, certain conditions must be met. Now, these conditions will differ according to the criteria of the institutions that have this programme on offer. Here, you will see a general overview of what may be required of you. The general requirements which most schools ask are;

A Master’s degree in Business Administration. (Some schools prefer this degree is for a strong grade.).
A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, with the minimum grade being an upper-level second class honours.

These are the general prerequisites for obtaining a PhD in Business Administration. For more detailed criteria based on institutions, see this article. You will see the admissions requirements from various top schools for a PhD in Business Administration.

Let’s now take a look at 5 of the best programmes for a PhD in Business Administration. I’m very sure top schools across the globe will fill this list.

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Why go for a PhD in Business Administration?

For those of you who aren’t too familiar with the perks that come with holding a PhD, especially one in Business Administration, I’ll gladly fill you in. A lot of people don’t understand the advantages of going the extra mile and obtaining this degree. Well, I wouldn’t want to bore you with my high praise for this particular academic honour, so I’ll just leave you with some reasons why interested students should go for it.

Higher Salary Prospects: this is normally the first thing that would enter the minds of many and with obvious reasons. PhD holders earn more money than either Bachelor’s or Master’s degree holders. Your pay scale would also be dependent on the beach of business administration you are in. Due to shortages in the number of professors in this field, the average salary is high, with some starting with a salary close to six figures.
Expanded number of job options: your range of possible job offers is increased, even though the jobs you will aim for are the topmost in certain organisations.
Research theory: you have the knowledge and options of now moving to create your own thesis and research journals. Your work, once scrutinized, can form the basis of a business principle.
High demand for professors in business: there is a very high demand for PhD holders in business administration in the academic field. Unlike other academic fields, most PhD students from this field graduate and move on to organisational and corporate roles. Very few remain in the academic sector. This is coupled with the increasing number of retiring professors in business.

For more benefits, you can visit this site and get a clearer picture.

Some of the Best Programmes for a PhD in Business Administration

You may be wondering how we are assessing these programmes, or on what basis do we give our evaluation? Never fret, our analysis and observations come strictly from;

External recommendations
Quality of education of the offering institution.
Comparison of observations made by educational bodies.

With this, we are able to identify top programmes that award this particular honour.

This is not a ranking. It is simply our observation. There is no particular order, neither is there any gain gotten from any institution mentioned below.

1. SWISS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

Located in Geneva, this world-class institution offers a PhD in Business Administration programme for interested parties. It is one of the best Programmes for a PhD in Business Administration around.

Runs for 2 years.
The language used in learning is English.
Has both full-time and part-time programmes.
Learning is done both in-person (campus) and online.

2. SMC BUSINESS SCHOOL

Located in Zug, Switzerland. The SMC Business School is another top institute of learning.

Programme runs for 36 months.
English is the language of instruction.
Has both full-time and part-time offerings.
Completely online. There is no in-person learning.

3. EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CYPRUS

Located in Nicosia, Cyprus. The school is home to a variety of courses, with a PhD in Business Administration part of that variety.

The course duration is unknown.
The learning language is English.
It has only a full-time offer.
It is only in-person. No online classes.

These three best Programmes for a PhD in Business Administration are just the tip of the iceberg. Due to the vastness of this topic, we won’t be able to list them all down in this article. However, a comprehensive list has been compiled by phdstudies and you can use the link to search for more.

Certain world renowned institutions like Harvard University are not included as they do not offer a “PhD in Business Administration”. They offer the degree in similar courses, however.

PhD in Business Administration Online

Now, we are in the digital age. A lot of courses are offered online and you can now go for a PhD in business administration by registering for it directly from the online portal offering institutions. We shall now see some of the schools that offer PhD in Business Administration Online.

1. ALFRED NOBEL OPEN BUSINESS SCHOOL SWITZERLAND UNIVERSITY OF EUROPEAN BUSINESS SCIENCES.

Lasts for 2 semesters.
English is the language of instruction.
It is solely a part-time course.

2. SMC BUSINESS SCHOOL, SWITZERLAND

It runs for 36 months.
Taught in English.
For both full-time and part-time.

3. TEESSIDE UNIVERSITY

Located in Middlesbrough, England.

It is a 4 year programme.
Language used is English.
It is strictly part time
Has an annual tuition fee of £6,188.

4. TRIDENT UNIVERSITY INTERNATIONAL

This school is located in Cypress, America.

The duration of this course is unknown, but the earliest start date for this programme is in Sept 2021.
The language used in learning is English.
It is for both full-time and part-time students.

5. SELINUS UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND LITERATURE.

This school is unique in the sense that it has two campuses or cities it is based in. London, England and Bologna, Italy. It has an annual tuition fee of €2,275.

Course duration is 1 – 4 semesters.
There is no deadline to register. It has an open enrollment policy.
Italian and English are the language of instruction.
It is offered for both full-time and part-time students.

6. OUS ROYAL ACADEMY OF ECONOMICS AND TECHNOLOGY IN SWITZERLAND

This school continues the trend of Swiss schools offering a PhD in Business Administration.

The programme runs for 3 years.
It is taught in English.
It is offered for both full-time and part-time students.

Is it really worth it?

If you are still asking yourself this question after going through this article, searching through all the links and notes given, then I believe you should not venture into this.

Getting a PhD in Business Administration is not all roses, there is a huge percentage chance that you quit, or your project research paper isn’t published. The stakes and strains are high. Be very confident and sure before you decide on getting this degree.

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