Management consulting is a professional where professional consultants help companies solve common challenges and problems. It’s one career that requires an advanced degree. Candidates with a doctorate degree have the skills required to become strong consultants. Many people have heard of corporations and enterprises, but there are a wide variety of companies hiring professional consultants.
These organizations are typically segmented by the industries they serve energy, healthcare, pharmaceutical, or retail, as an example. Professional consultants who work with organizations usually specialize. Entry-level consultants are more common to be hired by larger companies because they have the best resources for training. But it’s common for some professional consultants to work for small businesses after a few years of experience.
Most larger companies have their own internal consulting teams, which are part of the business development group or the strategic planning division. If you’re seeking a consulting career, then you should look into DBA accredited online programs. Once you have chosen a school and program, here are the common steps to completing your professional doctorate.
Coursework
You’ll complete a lot of coursework for your doctorate program. You’ll learn how to develop ideas for potential research projects. You’ll also learn about the various dissertation topics and choose ones that interest you as you work throughout your courses. This typically consists of attending virtual courses and lectures.
Residency
This next step may be referred to as a colloquium or year-in-residence. Not every doctorate program requires it, but depending on the subject you’re studying, you may be required to attend one or more in-person residencies. During a residency, you’ll receive detailed feedback, structure, and training that will help you through the development phase of your research project.
Rather than attending in-person lectures, you’ll work on various projects that will prepare you for the comprehensive exams. The skills acquired from these projects can help you with your action research or dissertation. Residencies can give you the necessary levels of approval for methodology and research topics and provide you with the skills you need to conduct research.
Field Experience
This step requires entering a field such as counseling or social work, where you’ll spend a majority of your doctorate program. You’ll work hands-on and improve on your skills as you focus on the core of your research.
Comprehensive Exams
Comprehensive exams are either oral or written. Some DBA accredited online programs include a combination of both. The goal of these exams is to determine your readiness to work on a research project. Whether you’re working on action research, dissertation, or another project, you’ll have the skills and knowledge you need to conduct independent research.
Approval Process
Once the written and oral exams have been completed, the final project has to undergo an approval process. The person who makes the final approval varies upon each program and school, but it could involve the dean or faculty committee. You should also be prepared to answer about the work you’ve done and the conclusions you’ve come to. Once everything has been approved, you will earn your professional doctorate.
The typical time frame for completing a doctorate program is four to six years. There are numerous factors that can impact that time, such as personal commitments. It’s also dependent upon the length of the program, whether you’re a part-time or full-time student, and how long the research takes.