I am currently considering doing a part time PhD in Mgmt/DBA. I am in a full time job and travel extensively - so a full time PhD is not possible. Part time PhD that require significant F2F interactions with the supervisor/participation in seminars is also a big challenge. After scanning through different websites etc. I have shortlisted a following unis - 1. DBA or PT PhD in Strathclyde 2. PT PhD in Surrey Biz. School 3. DBA in Heriot-Watt 4. DBA in Middlesex 5. DBA in Aston. Would really appreciate any inputs on how these part time PhD/DBA programmes are rated? Is it realistic to expect that these qualification will open the door to a career in academics? I am aware that DBA with Manchester Biz School or a Cranfld. or Durham are higher rated, but they are turning out to be quite expensive at £40,000 - £50,000 - so need to choose unis/programmes that I can afford. Thanks a lot for any inputs.

Hi,

A DBA is not a PhD, although a DBA is a doctorate.

If you are looking for a career in academic, many, many institutions will prefer a PhD rather than a DBA.

You might want to look at the FT rankings for business schools.

Dear dont_run_on_time
Thanks for the response. I did my mba 15 years ago and now in a full time executive role. I had quite good acads, but again these are now 15-20 years old. Will the unis consider my profile favourably for part time PhD still? Wont they push me to a dba programme which seems to be priced differently for working execs?

Secondly is it realistic to expect that there will be response to my phd app from the cold with no linkage or connect with academics? I may even struggle to get a reference from the unis after all these years? Thanks a lot agin for the insights.

Would really appreciate any inputs on some of the topics I am struggling with. Thanks a lot for all the ideas and inputs.

Hi Burla,

I can't offer advice on specific universities in the UK or which doctorate would be best for you but I can provide a perspective.

I was struggling with some of these issues related to my career as an educator. I had an eight year gap from uni , had a very demanding role as a head of a team that coordinated the teachers, assistants, volunteers and families of students with special learning needs and really (at the time) wanted to go back to see whether academia was a possibility. I had to do a Masters-as had not completed the separate year for honours (in Aust unis) not due to results or awards but purely for financial reasons (mother of three young children and needed a steady income) and the gap seemed a bit too large. I also believed I needed to 'get back into it' before trying out for a doctorate.

So I went back and did my masters with a 50 percent component of thesis plus a couple of coursework units. It was quite hard to balance the two (my job and the study and family)but I did complete it to a level where I was eligible to apply for either professional doctorates or PhDs- not to the highest scholarship level but the one just below. I first applied and accepted for a educational doctorate as well as successfully applying for a role as curriculum coordinator in my professional life -bit of a promotion -but I still had not let go of the possibility for academia and on my supervisor's advice-applied for a transfer to a PhD and was accepted. I have been on this course of study for 2 years (1 year fulltime-2 years parttime).

However, I seem to have completed a 180 degree turn on my feelings about the PhD and academia, as well as how much I value my professional work. The upshot is- I have been applying for a few jobs over the years-one per year and received favourable interviews but no position. One of these was as a seconded academic -teacher practitioner. I have also realised that my perspective about academic life and the work and writing that I wish to ultimately do has changed. I recently received a promotion for a very large job in my workplace (for which all of my study including the doctorate really counted!!) and I intend to slowly complete my PhD over the next 3-4 years. I no longer wish for academia but I value all of the learning opportunities that doctoral study offers. I see younger people who have studied PhD's fulltime as being given those few opportunities for entrance lecturer positions-and I am happy about this, especially given the current employment climate.

Finally, on getting the latest position only a few days ago, I reflected that an educational doctorate would have been just as useful and more manageable but I am sticking with my current PhD course now as I am too far on the pathway to change again. Hope this is helpful. Good luck with your decisions and ultimately you have to make the right choice for you and your own hopes and dreams.

Hi Pjlu - Thank you very much for the response. This is indeed a different perspective to what I have been thinking and helps a lot.