Hi, I am in desperate need of help finishing my PhD degree online. I completed all of my coursework at a Research 1 university for an MA and PhD in Sociology (with a 3.8 GPA), received a full pass on my theory and methods prelims, but I just timed out. I have a prospectus that is almost a dissertation. I need to find a way to transfer as many credits as possible to get an (at least minimally accredited) PhD that I can use to teach community college. I do not intend to publish papers or get a job at an ivy league school. I need to the PhD and I need to get it fast and cheap in order to keep my job. Thanks in advance!
You mentioned 2 different things. Using the Phd to teach and then you ended the post "in order to keep my job". Not sure what you are wanting the degree for. In my Phd research, I only found about 3 schools that will accept a few credits into their program. . . . and I never found one that was Fast and Cheap. You might need to check into the South Africa or English programs that are dissertation only . . . .etc Michael
Well, let's start with your requirement for "minimally" accredited. The only US based PhD you're going to find that is accredited (and offered via DL) is going to be Regionally Accredited. A Nationally Accredited, or Faith Based Accredited, doctorate is almost certainly not going to be a PhD. You might find an EdD or a DBA but PhD isn't happening in the non-RA world. So you're going to need something that is RA or foreign and there are quite a few reasons for you to be incredibly cautious when investigating the latter (particularly if they eagerly offer up being "quick" ). There are plenty of online PhD programs but I haven't encountered many in Sociology.You might be able to find some allied program in the Psychology, Education (or even CJ if that's your shtick) area. The first result for a DL PhD in Sociology I found was here.
University of the Cumberlands doctoral programs in education and Valdosta State University's DPA accept a lot of transfer credits in various subjects. They're both relatively cheap.
Rather than recommend specific schools, I have a different suggestion. But first, let me explain why I'm not recommending schools. It's because--according to their brochures, websites, regulations, etc.--they won't accept much prior doctoral work. All (or nearly all) of your courses (and other progress) is lost. Let it go. If you want another shot at a PhD, take it. But the other things are now just sunk costs. Except.... Graduate work is highly negotiable. You might find a school willing to accept you under unusual circumstances and be willing to let you pick up your program with them and finish. But you won't find them here, and you won't find them by reading their stuff. You're going to have to ask. Inquire. Check with. Kick around. Do whatever you can to speak with people who might be able to help. You might be surprised what a school might do for an exception in an individual case, but won't make it public so it won't come off as normal procedure. So get talking, already. Oh, and don't talk to admissions offices, select and get to know people with real power. Good luck.
I totally agree with Rich. You are not going to find a school that is RA or foreign equivalent that is going to advertise that all your previous work will be accepted. You need to use a bit of networking. A former student of mine had the same issue, he tried with British schools but none of them were willing to reduce the minimum time requirements of 4 years part time and none of them were willing to just take his previous research work and continue the dissertation as he was required to make a new proposal, defend it, etc. I refer him to few faculty people that I know in few schools and finally was able to find a professor willing to let him continue his work and he recommended course exemptions for his case but this had to go to a committee and based on recommendation, he was exempted from course work. In few words, you are not just going to be able to do this from the comfort of your home by sending few emails here and there. You are going to need to make few appointments with professors and sell your work. I would start by asking for referrals to your former professors and locate a local school first. After I went the distance route for my doctorate, I found that I could have gotten a similar deal at half the price from local schools but was too lazy to look around and talk to people and used the internet to locate my program. Sometimes it is just easier to use the old fashion networking approach instead of using internet to solve our problems.
I am an adjunct in the social sciences and I need a PhD degree in my field to keep my job. I entered my position as an ABD PhD candidate in sociology, but I timed out. Do you know of any schools that will accept more than just a few transfer credits or the names of the South African or English programs that are dissertation only? Thank you.
Thank you, but that DL PhD doesn't accept any transfer credits and I have completed all of my courses. I was hoping for quick because I have completed all of my classes, passed my exams, and I am almost finished with my dissertation. Do you know of a DL PhD in CJ that accepts transfer credits?
I have already contacted the schools in my area and most professors won't even meet with you if you are not a student there or if you don't want to pay for the entire program. I don't really know anyone in my department anymore, because I timed out after 12 years. Thank you.
Most may not. But I would try to find the one who is willing. Even a professor emeritus, if they are willing to hear you out, might be willing to help you approach current faculty. NOTE: I've been listening to some Jordan Belfort speeches while I'm working on a data project so I'm feeling a bit more "knock on all the doors" sort of motivated today. Paying for a program isn't really within the purview of the faculty. The faculty might care if you are enrolled, and being enrolled might require a financial obligation, but generally professors have no way of knowing a student's financial status. It's possible that you've turned over every stone. If so, well, at least you tried. FWIW, when I applied to Scranton I missed an application deadline. So it was unclear if I was going to be able to start there in the Fall. I had been planning to go somewhere else and it fell through for financial reasons. On the phone, admissions was pretty dismissive and was pretty clear that this issue was entirely my fault (it was). I put on some nice, but not ostentatious, clothes and I went down to campus. I showed up at the admissions office and asked to meet with the Director. This was some time in the middle of the summer before the fall semester. To my surprise, the Director came out, introduced herself and brought me to her office. I politely and concisely explained my dilemma. She admitted that she only met with me because the receptionist had assumed I was a guidance counselor or school representative. She asked me "Which school are you from?" and I told her my high school not realizing the disconnect. But, she also agreed that she would review my record and that she appreciated my initiative in coming down, asking to speak with her, speaking to her politely and simply saying "please" as she had more than a handful of potential students and parents who simply got rude. I got my acceptance at the end of the week. So going in person can be a very different experience from just showing up. It's a lot easier to hang up on a person than it is to tell them, as they stand before you, to get lost. That's why I've never purchased anything from a telemarketer but have a set of encyclopedias.
They will only accept credits within the last 10 years and mine are about 10-13 years old. No one will take any of them, apparently.
You appear to be running out of options. That might mean you'll consider this Unisa Online - Sociology
