The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA Degree) & the Doctor of Philosophy in Business (PhD)  graduate programs are generally intended for students who wish to pursue a career in academics, research or government. PhD business programs tend to focus more intensively with developing theory & is more appropriate for those wishing to become professional researchers. The DBA degree program research however focuses on the application of theory & addresses applied business issues with respect to the student's business or profession.

The U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation recognize numerous research-oriented doctoral degrees such as the DBA as "equivalent" to the PhD.