Need Input/Advice

[ThatBankDude]

So I currently hold a MBA from an AACSB Accredited program. I am the AVP of a bank and I am an academic coach as well. I have been accepted to the following programs: MS Finance at the University of Missouri and the DBA Grand Canyon University. I know at some point I want to pursue a doctorate. However, I want to pursue it in Finance I think. The issue: I prefer online programs and I prefer AACSB Accreditation. I am leaning towards the MS Finance at Mizzou since they are ranked #69 in the USA in terms of their business school, they are AACSB, it would help in my current career and it would open doors for AACSB PhD or DBA programs in the future. Any other thoughts or advice?

[lacussucceed]

Wouldn't it be possible to go straight for the DBA/PHA with your MBA?

[Merlin]

So I currently hold a MBA from an AACSB Accredited program. I am the AVP of a bank and I am an academic coach as well. I have been accepted to the following programs: MS Finance at the University of Missouri and the DBA Grand Canyon University. I know at some point I want to pursue a doctorate. However, I want to pursue it in Finance I think. The issue: I prefer online programs and I prefer AACSB Accreditation. I am leaning towards the MS Finance at Mizzou since they are ranked #69 in the USA in terms of their business school, they are AACSB, it would help in my current career and it would open doors for AACSB PhD or DBA programs in the future. Any other thoughts or advice?

IMO, there is little value in an AACSB DBA since this accreditation is primarily used as an endorsement for teaching business courses at the graduate level.  But to be qualified to teach at most ranked universities, you'll generally need a Ph.D. rather than a DBA. The DBA is considered more of a generalist professional degree, and less of an academic degree. So, if you have any interest in teaching, maybe consider a Ph.D. in Finance or something specific. If you're not interested in teaching, then having the AACSB accreditation is probably just costing you extra money, IMO. However, in theory, you should be getting a more rigorous education as well.

You should think about why you want the degree. If either one will open doors, then go for the one you're more interested in or that you can recoup your investment faster. For example, you should be able to complete an MS more quickly than a Ph.D. So, if they are equal in benefit, the MS may be the better option since you'll recoup your investment sooner.

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Wouldn't it be possible to go straight for the DBA/PHA with your MBA?

Easily. Heck, in many Ph.D. programs, you can go straight from a bachelor's degree to a doctorate, with the option of earning a master's along the way. In fact, earning a non-research based masters can actually be a negative in some situations since the courses may not be applicable to the Ph.D. program, which means you'll end up having to redo some work.

That said, going from an MBA to a DBA is usually a straightforward path since both are considered professional credentials rather than research degrees, so the requirements are a bit different.

[ThatBankDude]

So I currently hold a MBA from an AACSB Accredited program. I am the AVP of a bank and I am an academic coach as well. I have been accepted to the following programs: MS Finance at the University of Missouri and the DBA Grand Canyon University. I know at some point I want to pursue a doctorate. However, I want to pursue it in Finance I think. The issue: I prefer online programs and I prefer AACSB Accreditation. I am leaning towards the MS Finance at Mizzou since they are ranked #69 in the USA in terms of their business school, they are AACSB, it would help in my current career and it would open doors for AACSB PhD or DBA programs in the future. Any other thoughts or advice?

IMO, there is little value in an AACSB DBA since this accreditation is primarily used as an endorsement for teaching business courses at the graduate level.  But to be qualified to teach at most ranked universities, you'll generally need a Ph.D. rather than a DBA. The DBA is considered more of a generalist professional degree, and less of an academic degree. So, if you have any interest in teaching, maybe consider a Ph.D. in Finance or something specific. If you're not interested in teaching, then having the AACSB accreditation is probably just costing you extra money, IMO. However, in theory, you should be getting a more rigorous education as well.

You should think about why you want the degree. If either one will open doors, then go for the one you're more interested in or that you can recoup your investment faster. For example, you should be able to complete an MS more quickly than a Ph.D. So, if they are equal in benefit, the MS may be the better option since you'll recoup your investment sooner.

---

Wouldn't it be possible to go straight for the DBA/PHA with your MBA?

Easily. Heck, in many Ph.D. programs, you can go straight from a bachelor's degree to a doctorate, with the option of earning a master's along the way. In fact, earning a non-research based masters can actually be a negative in some situations since the courses may not be applicable to the Ph.D. program, which means you'll end up having to redo some work.

That said, going from an MBA to a DBA is usually a straightforward path since both are considered professional credentials rather than research degrees, so the requirements are a bit different.

I need more finance acumen if I am going to succeed at a good AACSB PhD program. Hence the MS in Finance.

[lacussucceed]

Something about $1.50 in late fees.

[bjcheung77]

Josh, you pretty much made up your mind already with your "leaning towards the MS Finance" and your updated signature. I think that is where you should go, that direction would be better for you since you're looking into more Finance related studies. You may want to throw in some Accounting and Economics if they allow that as they all go pretty much hand-in-hand.

Having said that, life is full of learning opportunities, and you should continuing learning even after the MS Finance. You're much younger than I, so, I would even recommend doing a DBA after the MS Finance. Just pace yourself and not stress yourself, it's a balance of family (your twins are going to be a handful already!) , life/school/work etc.

If you have the extra energy/money/time - that is when I would suggest you to continue with the DBA, it maybe right after the MS Finance, or a few years afterwards. Heck, after the DBA is done, you can go for a PHD! Life is again, a learning experience, don't settle for anything less! I keep learning new things as I get older, as I don't yet have tuition assistance, I do the cheap/easy/fast.

[ThatBankDude]

Josh, you pretty much made up your mind already with your "leaning towards the MS Finance" and your updated signature.  I think that is where you should go, that direction would be better for you since you're looking into more Finance related studies.  You may want to throw in some Accounting and Economics if they allow that as they all go pretty much hand-in-hand.

Having said that, life is full of learning opportunities, and you should continuing learning even after the MS Finance.  You're much younger than I, so, I would even recommend doing a DBA after the MS Finance.  Just pace yourself and not stress yourself, it's a balance of family (your twins are going to be a handful already!) , life/school/work etc.

If you have the extra energy/money/time - that is when I would suggest you to continue with the DBA, it maybe right after the MS Finance, or a few years afterwards.  Heck, after the DBA is done, you can go for a PHD!  Life is again, a learning experience, don't settle for anything less!  I keep learning new things as I get older, as I don't yet have tuition assistance, I do the cheap/easy/fast.

Thankfully, they allow economics and accounting. I would be taking Econometrics from the Economics Department and I have not thought about what I would take from their Accounting Department.

[Merlin]

I need more finance acumen if I am going to succeed at a good AACSB PhD program. Hence the MS in Finance.

You can build that without the MS program, but it sounds like you're set on going down that path. Given that, you might want to do a bit more research on the Ph.D. (or DBA) program you want to do and verify that the MS will apply. If the MS is a research-based degree then you have a good chance that at least some parts of it will apply, but there is no guarantee... particularly if it is at another school. If it doesn't apply, you may end up having to complete the same number of courses as someone coming in with a bachelor's degree.

This came up recently with someone I know who graduated with an M.S. in Computer Science from MIT. They wanted to move onto a Ph.D. (also in Computer Science) at a different school and found that only a single course was able to be applied towards their Ph.D. Had they planned on pursuing the Ph.D. from the start, they could have skipped the MS and went right into the Ph.D. program. As it is, they will have to effectively complete another master's degree in CS along the way to their Ph.D.

Apparently this is the status quo for top Ph.D. programs... the first few years of a Ph.D. is higher-level coursework and master's level research that is meant to prep you for the Ph.D. level research later in the program. If you are unable to complete the Ph.D. (fail the candidacy exam or oral defense, etc.), then you can usually leave the program with a master's degree.

Of course, if your choice is either the MS or the doctorate, rather than pursuing both, then this may not matter.