You’ve led an ERP rollout, defended an IT budget, or translated between finance and the systems team when a migration stalled. That experience is the raw material for a Doctorate in Information Systems. The open question is which doctorate turns it into research that others can act on.
Two degrees lead this field. A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Information Systems builds theory for other researchers. A Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) in information systems applies research to problems inside real organizations.
This guide compares the two degrees and explains what a “PhD in ERP” typically means. It also walks through Crestmont University’s (CU) Doctorate of Business Administration in Information Systems and Enterprise Resource Management, which you can complete 100% online.
What is a Doctorate in Information Systems?
Information systems (IS) studies how people, processes, data, and technology work together inside organizations. It sits between two neighboring fields. Computer science studies computation itself. Information technology centers on the hardware, software, and networks an organization runs.
IS asks a business question instead: Does this system help the organization decide and perform better? That question covers ERP platforms, data governance, project portfolios, security policy, and knowledge sharing.
The field has its own research community. The Association for Information Systems (AIS), the discipline’s professional association, has members in about 100 countries.
A doctorate in information systems is the terminal degree in this field. It trains you to study organizational technology problems with rigorous methods and to defend your conclusions in writing.
Why Information Systems leaders pursue a Doctorate
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) describes computer and information systems managers as people who plan, coordinate, and direct an organization’s computer-related activities. Their listed duties include assessing IT needs, managing security, justifying project funding, and negotiating with vendors.
Each of those duties is a decision made with incomplete information. A doctorate adds a method for making them: frame the problem, review the evidence, collect data, and test a recommendation before the organization commits.
BLS projects 16 percent employment growth for this occupation from 2025 to 2035. It also notes that some employers require or prefer a graduate degree in computer science, information technology, or business administration. These figures describe the occupation nationally. Crestmont University does not represent that a degree leads to any specific role, placement, or salary.
PhD vs. DBA in Information Systems
Both are doctoral degrees. They differ in what the research is for and who it serves.
The PhD in Information Systems
A PhD in information systems asks what holds true across many organizations. Its research aims to add a new theory that other scholars can test and extend.
Most programs follow a similar sequence. Students complete advanced coursework, pass qualifying exams, and write a dissertation that makes an original contribution. Many programs also expect peer-reviewed publications before graduation.
The commitment is substantial. The National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES) reports that 2023 research doctorate recipients in computer and information sciences took a median of 5.7 years from program entry to degree. A PhD fits you if you’re aiming at a full-time faculty or research career.
An accredited university. Programs offered 100% online, on your schedule.
8 terms a year. Start when you’re ready.
The DBA in Information Systems
A Doctorate in Information Systems asks how a specific organization should solve a specific problem. The research begins in a workplace and ends with recommendations that leaders can act on.
The coursework reflects that purpose. You study finance, economics, leadership, and research methods alongside IS courses in projects, security, and ERP. The degree suits IT managers moving toward executive roles, consultants, and founders of technology firms. It also suits senior leaders who want a credential that matches the responsibility they already carry.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| PhD in Information Systems | DBA in Information Systems | |
| Core question | What holds true across organizations? | How should this organization solve this problem? |
| Research output | Original theory and journal publications | Applied research with recommendations |
| Coursework | Theory and advanced research methods | Business core, IS specialization, research methods |
| Typical student | Aspiring researcher or professor | Working professional who plans to keep working |
Neither degree outranks the other. Choose the question you want your research to answer.
Is there a PhD in ERP?
Search “PhD in ERP” and you’ll find a few degrees with that exact title. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) is usually a research area within a broader doctoral program. Information systems, operations management, and accounting information systems are the most common homes.
ERP still supports serious doctoral research. An ERP platform integrates finance, procurement, inventory, and human resources data into a single system. That reach creates research questions with real stakes:
- Why do some ERP implementations meet their goals while others run over budget?
- How should leaders manage the process change that a new platform forces on every department?
- Which access controls protect integrated data without slowing daily work?
- How should an organization weigh vendor selection, customization, and long-term support?
If you want to publish ERP theory in academic journals, a PhD in information systems with an ERP focus is the closer match. If you want to solve an ERP problem your organization faces now, a DBA is designed for that. At Crestmont University, ERP is part of the degree’s name and has its own course: IST 639 – Enterprise Resource Planning and Management.
Doctorate in Information Systems at Cresmont University
The program is designed to help you perform applied research and sharpen advanced decision-making skills. It requires 60 semester credits in four parts. See the full curriculum on the Doctorate of Business Administration program page.
Business core: 30 Credits
Ten courses build the business side of the degree. They cover global economy, global business finance, international business, and e-commerce models. You’ll also study leadership theory, organizational change, entrepreneurship, and consumer behavior research.
Two core courses prepare you for doctoral writing and analysis directly. GRC 600 – Doctoral Academic Study and Writing builds scholarly writing habits. GRC 605 – Business Research Methodology and Quantitative Statistics covers the methods your research will rely on.
Information Systems and ERP Specialization: 15 Credits
Five courses apply doctoral thinking to enterprise technology:
- IST 630 – Information Technology in Organizations. How systems shape structure, strategy, and daily operations.
- IST 635 – Managing IT Projects. Scope, schedule, risk, and stakeholder decisions on complex implementations.
- IST 638 – Knowledge Management: Concepts and Practices. How organizations capture expertise and make it reusable.
- IST 639 – Enterprise Resource Planning and Management. Selecting, implementing, and governing integrated enterprise platforms.
- IST 655 – Effective Security Management. Security as a governance and leadership responsibility.
By completion, the program is designed to prepare you to evaluate ethical practices in information systems and to apply computational thinking to technology decisions. You’ll also be prepared to use research methods for data analysis and continuous improvement within IT.
Comprehensive competency assessment
Before the research phase, you complete a Comprehensive Competency Assessment. It confirms readiness across the core and specialization content. It carries no credits.
Research project or dissertation: 15 Credits
You choose one of two research paths for the final five courses.
The research project path (DRP 801–805) moves from introduction and literature support to methodology, findings, and recommendations. It suits professionals who want to study a problem inside their own organization.
The dissertation path (GRC 641–645) follows the five-chapter model and ends with a dissertation presentation and oral defense. It suits anyone planning to teach or pursue research-focused roles.
Both paths require doctoral-level research. Both lead to the same degree.
DBA Distance learning: How the format works
If you’re comparing DBA distance-learning options, start with the structure. Crestmont University’s program has 20 courses, and you take one at a time. Each course runs six weeks.
That pacing keeps your attention on one subject and one set of deadlines. It’s built for people who study around meetings, travel, and release schedules. During the research phase, a faculty chair guides your work from proposal to final presentation.
Professionals arrive at different career stages. Some are Millennials leading their first major system implementation. Others are Generation X and Baby Boomer executives, formalizing decades of experience. The research paths let each of them put a real problem from their own work at the center.
DBA Specializations Offered 100% Online
Crestmont University offers four Doctorate of Business Administration specializations, each offered 100% online:
- Global Business and Leadership
- Entrepreneurship and Business Management
- Healthcare Management and Leadership
- Information Systems and Enterprise Resource Management
If you’re searching for a doctorate in entrepreneurship that you can complete online, look at the Doctorate of Business Administration in Entrepreneurship and Business Management. The Information Systems and Enterprise Resource Management specialization carries entrepreneurial content, too. It includes MGT 662 – Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, and one of its five program competencies centers on an entrepreneurial mindset for starting and growing ventures.
Tuition and Admission
Crestmont University publishes three tuition figures for the program:
- Tuition per credit: $528
- Tuition per course, including e-books: $1,779
- Total tuition: $36,675
Financial aid options are listed on the program page.
Admission asks for a master’s degree, a curriculum vitae or professional résumé, and a completed application.
Your next step
You already know how systems succeed and fail inside an organization. A doctorate in information systems gives that knowledge, a research method, and a doctoral credential. Review the curriculum and both research paths on Crestmont University’sDoctorate of Business Administration program page. Then talk with an enrollment advisor about which path fits the problem you want to study.
Frequently asked questions
Explore our frequently asked questions about the Doctorate in Information Systems.
Do I need hands-on ERP experience before starting a DBA in information systems?
Crestmont University’s published admission requirements are a master’s degree, a CV or résumé, and an application. Experience with a specific ERP platform isn’t listed. Professional exposure to enterprise systems will help you choose a research problem and apply course concepts at work.
How is a DBA in information systems different from an MBA in information systems?
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) builds management knowledge for practice. A DBA adds doctoral research: you investigate a problem, collect evidence, and defend your recommendations. Crestmont University also offers a Master of Business Administration in Information Systems and Knowledge Management for those not yet ready for doctoral work.
Can my research focus on my own employer’s systems?
Applied doctoral research often does. Plan practical steps such as obtaining written permission from your organization, ensuring data confidentiality, and completing research ethics review. Discuss the scope with your faculty chair before collecting any data.
How does information systems research connect to AI adoption?
AI tools depend on clean, well-governed, accessible data. That is a core IS concern. Topics such as knowledge management, data integration across ERP modules, and security governance shape the reliability of AI tools’ results.
Will a U.S. doctorate be recognized in my country?
Recognition rules vary by country and by employer. Many international professionals use a credential evaluation service or check with their national education authority. An enrollment advisor can explain which documents Crestmont University provides for that process.
