Online Doctor of Arts > Online PhD .... for a certain demographic?

For those among us who want a "cherry on the top"/fulfill a lifelong dream/vanity doctorate, could the doctor of arts actually be superior to the doctor of philosophy? Is there less of a stigma or sense of fraudulence (by the general public) around receiving a lesser known type of doctorate online? In other words, do online doctor of arts recipients seem less like "posers"? Would an online doctor of arts be more accepted as legitimate than an online PhD?

I haven't made up my mind on this but I thought I'd bring it up...

 

Well, would a DM (Doctor of Management) sneak by also? How about a DMin? I would think of PhD would be more accepted in the sense that it is a "known" degree. If you present a DA, someone may ask, "What is that...is it a real degree...I never heard of it before...?"

 

Yeah, I suppose I would include pretty much everything that isn't a PhD or MD. A "doctor of management" is another one of those odd ducks that many people don't know of.

 

I've found more people think DBA stands for "Doing Business As" than "Doctor of Business Administration."

 

I'm wondering if online professional doctorates (DA, DM, DBA, etc) are more acceptable because they aren't PhDs. Since they aren't quite a PhD and the method of instruction isn't quite traditional, therefore, it may be seen as okay. By contrast, the well-known PhD done completely online couldn't be a "real" PhD because it wasn't done the "right" way. (I don't agree with this personally, by the way, I'm speaking of general public opinion).

I guess it would require some surveying to get a solid answer on this but I thought of it today and figured I'd share...

 

I can understand waht you are saying (which makes me nervous but that is another story) - a "traditional sounding degree" like a PhD should be from a traditional school where a non-traditional doctoral degree can be from a non-traditional school. Did that nail it?

 

Exactly, you nailed it.

 

In the case of the DMin, for it not to be earned via distance learning (inclusive of short-term residencies) would be odd. I know of only one DMin program (at Asbury Seminary) that is a full-time, residential DMin.

 

Hey, we may be on to something!

 

Along those lines, would you say a more technical masters would be more accepted if earned online vs. an MBA since many say the MBA is more about the "networking" aspect?

 

Perhaps to some people, particularly those who completed a traditional MBA. I am not making any personal judgments here, I'm just speaking a possible issue of perception.

Do you think there's anything to this idea?

 

Yes I do. There are certain degrees/subjects I think are more campus based (for me anyway) like computer programming or accounting. Others can be learned outside the class room, like history or management (but with management you lose the sharing of expereince if you do not have any).

 

I like the model. Of course, the DMin is a practitioner's degree. It's designed for ministers with at least three years of full-time, post-MDiv experience. The dissertation is usually in the form of applied research in tandem with a project conducted through the minister's congregation or organization.

That's why studying for a DMin via distance isn't an issue. It's not trying to be a PhD.

The problem with the DBAs, EdDs, etc. is that some of them seem to be trying to be PhDs with a different name. I think this is why you have the academic "snobbery" (for lack of a better term) that prefers PhDs to other degrees in many cases, even if the coursework is equivalent.

I, for one, think that fields like education and business could follow the ministerial model of degrees. There could be a PhD for those who desire a career in academic research and scholarly pursuits, and a practical doctorate could exist for those not seeking such positions but who might want to advance in the field (to become superintendents, principals, vice presidents, etc.).

 

My experience has been just the opposite. One of my university's (where I work) main graduate faculty members has advised me explicitly not to do an EdD if I want to go into college teaching in education because the PhD, according to him, doesn't have the perception issues. He has extensive experience both in K-12 ed and in university instruction. Additionally, my boss (who is enrolled in an EdD program at a state university) has spoken to me on several occasions about his professors making comments in class to the effect of, "Hey, what do I know? I'm just an EdD," in reference to academic discussions with PhD holding faculty.

You will also find similar discussions by participants on the forums of the Chronicle of Higher Education.

I realize this evidence is anecdotal, but I've seen it.