Those who want to move beyond the MBA level may want to look at some of the careers available with a DBA. Students often think that a Master of Business Administration is the highest level that business students can go, but a small number of business schools across the country also offer a Doctorate of Business or a DBA. These programs go beyond what you would learn in an ordinary classroom and offer networking opportunities for students too. Before you seek out the best DBA programs, find out what you can do with your degree.
Investment Expert
Do you sometimes find yourself sitting at home on Friday nights, watching the hit show Shark Tank and wishing that you could invest in companies like those sharks do? With a DBA, you can become an investment expert. The skills you learn can help you identify the benefits and risks associated with new business ideas and plans, and you’ll learn which investments pay off the most. Some DBA graduates work for the top investment firms in the country and make investments on their own too.
College Professor
When you enroll in an MBA program, you might notice that most of the professors in your classes have an MBA too. While schools often look for teachers who have a terminal degree, some consider an MBA as a terminal degree because so few schools offer a DBA. With a DBA of your own, you can apply for part time and adjunct positions at local colleges that let you teach one or more classes each semester as you continue with your regular job. A DBA may qualify you for full time academic positions as well, especially if you have a few years or more of professional experience.
Chief Executive Officer
Of the careers available with a DBA, one of the highest paid is that of a Chief Executive Officer. Better known as a CEO, this is the individual in charge of an entire company. While you may not open that company on your own, you can lead and operate it. All other department heads report to you, you keep track of the profits and losses and you ensure the general welfare of all employees. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the top executives working in the country earn a median wage of more than $102,000 a year.
Market Research Analyst
Use your degree to seek out other professional positions. Market research analyst is one of the potential careers available with a DBA. Marketing firms hire a number of workers and work with hundreds of companies and clients every year. As an analyst, you are the one responsible for looking at the needs of your clients, identifying how the market responds to different forms of advertising and then presenting that information to those clients. You may conduct focus groups, work with photographers, fly across the country to meet with clients and spend long hours researching older advertising campaigns.
Related Resource: Distance Learning MBA
The DBA is the highest degree in business administration that you can get. These programs are only available from a few colleges and are only open to MBA holders. Some of the careers available with a DBA that you might find interesting include jobs as market research analysts, chief executive officers, investment experts and college professors.
