Cutting-edge career paths for Doctor of Business Administration graduates

The business world is constantly transforming, and the skills and knowledge required to succeed in it are also changing. In order to remain competitive and relevant, business professionals need to keep themselves up to date with cutting-edge trends and innovations. With a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), you are uniquely positioned to not only understand these changes but also to lead them.

The DBA degree prepares you for C-suite and leadership roles while emphasizing the development of research skills. It will take four years to complete a full-time DBA program, and longer when studying part-time. If you want to study and work simultaneously, the Doctor of Business Administration online course provides the opportunity for flexible schedules.

What can you get with a DBA?

Earning your Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is a major accomplishment. It requires dedication, discipline, and a strong commitment to lifelong learning, but what can you actually do with a DBA once you have it?

The answer may surprise you. A DBA can open doors to a wide range of interesting and challenging career paths. From data science to think tanks and beyond, these opportunities are sure to pique your interest. Some of the job roles after earning a DBA include professor, market research analyst, C-level executive, management analyst, and economist.

While some DBA graduates may choose to enter academia or pursue a traditional business career path, there are a number of cutting-edge career paths that are emerging in today’s business landscape.

With a DBA degree, you are not limited to just one career path; a doctor of business administration degree is versatile. It offers hands-on training in several business-related areas, which can give you an upper hand in tapping into new career possibilities.

Let’s explore some lucrative career options that a DBA offers in more detail:

1. Government agencies

A DBA at the federal level can have great benefits. These include access to the federal government’s Special Access Programs and contracting opportunities with the government.

While the US government functions as a single entity, a diverse array of agencies oversee and influence different areas of US society. For example, the Federal Reserve Bank is charged with regulating banks, while the Securities and Exchange Commission regulates securities. A DBA can be an essential asset for those who want to pursue careers in government, considering that by profession, graduates work in policy planning, management, and research.

Some of the key government agencies where you can shine with a DBA include:

• US Patent and Trademark Office
• Department of Commerce
• Department of Agriculture
• Department of the Interior
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Department of Labor
• Department of the Treasury
• Department of State
• Department of Transportation

2. Academic careers

Science and technology have become a central focus of modern life, and business schools are at the forefront of these developments. By profession, DBA graduates work in science, management, and technology.

The DBA degree is an excellent terminal graduate degree for those who plan to teach and lead in academia. With a DBA in hand, you can get a job as an assistant professor or in related administrative positions at a master’s level, for example.

Though becoming a professor is one of the most common academic options after earning a DBA degree, there are others that can be equally rewarding. You can become an independent scholar, research analyst, or postdoctoral fellow as well as an educator in business schools and management programs.

Here are some of the careers you can pursue in academia with a DBA:

• Instructor/professor
• Dean
• Department chair
• Vice-chancellor

3. Executive officers

Top executives have the power to make decisions and influence the lives of thousands. As an executive, you manage, administer, and coordinate multiple activities to achieve a company’s goals.

In the world of business, it’s becoming more common for corporations to prefer chief executive officers with doctoral degrees. Aside from it being just a matter of competition, a DBA portrays advanced preparation in business. With a DBA, you will come across as a statement of purpose and stand out from the crowd of other potential colleagues clamoring for the same position.

Jobs for DBA holders in the corporate world include:

• CFO
• CEO
• Executive VP
• COO

4. Independent consulting

Consulting is a broad field that gives you the opportunity to work with different companies, institutions, and individuals. For example, you can work in strategy consulting, risk management consulting, marketing consulting, technology consulting, etc.

Independent consultants use their business expertise to solve problems in order to gain profits. With a DBA, you will be able to communicate effectively, make decisions, and come up with ideas that can help clients resolve their issues. As a business consultant, you can take on complex cases and find the best course of action for the client.

DBA holders are uniquely positioned to thrive in any of these fields thanks to their ability to analyze situations and provide solutions.

Some of the consulting careers you can pursue include:

• Financial and management consulting
• Strategic consultant
• Consulting research analyst
• Marketing consultant
• Senior project manager
• Senior executive consultant
• Manager of operations and program controls

By virtue of their diversity, think tanks are ideal places for DBA holders to branch out and make use of their abilities. As you increase your experience in this field, you can choose to specialize in one particular area of interest.

5. Think tanks and research

When it comes to breaking new ground and making an impact, working in think tanks is an excellent way to broaden your skills. Think tanks are research centers that conduct studies for policymakers and governments.

Think tanks employ people with wide-ranging expertise – from political science experts to statisticians and economists. DBA holders can build a varied career by working in a number of fields including consulting, corporate consulting, government contracting, government policy formulation and implementation, and public administration.

While other management degrees can suffice, a DBA focuses on skills in analysis, communication, and research, including speaking and writing. These are precisely the skills that are highly sought after by think tanks.

Some think tank careers include:

• Research associate
• Research analyst
• Strategic planner
• Executive administrator
• Project manager

Pursue a DBA to reward your business career

To sum up, a DBA degree can take you to the next level in your career. It allows you to gain a competitive edge when seeking employment as well as opening doors in academia, research, and consultancy.

Aside from learning the theory of business, you will be well positioned to apply the knowledge learned from several subjects to solve real-world business problems. Some of the subjects you can pursue include general management, accounting, strategic planning, finance, marketing strategy, and research methodology. 

DBA graduates also receive a superb grounding in business intelligence and data analytics using advanced analytical methods such as multivariate analysis. Moreover, the program provides a solid foundation in organizational behavior and management science.