McDoctorate -- No Dissertation Required!

The following posts led to the creation of the McDoctorate topic:

Yes, there is an explosion in the issuance of Masters degrees. Additionally, as more colleges and universities begin offering Doctoral degrees without requiring the completion of a dissertation, we will see an explosion in the issuance in doctorates over the next 10 to 15 years. The dissertation has traditionally had a high attrition rate (50% or more) -- and with the removal of the dissertation obstacle, the graduation rate for doctorates will invariably skyrocket. Everybody wants a doctorate, so the most cost-effective way awarding more doctorates is to remove the requirement for the completion of a dissertation. It's the new McDoctorate -- no dissertation is required to be awarded a doctorate.

Prediction: In 20 years, the PhD will be the last doctorate that uniformly requires the completion of a dissertation. It looks like dissertations are slowly being phased out for awarding other degrees i.e. D.A., EdD, DBA, DPA, etc.

 

" A dissertation is the doctoral-level thesis, the culmination of a Ph.D. candidate's research into a topic, and typically the major requirement of earning the doctorate."

Grad: What's the difference between a masters and a doctoral degree? - idealist.org

Rather than mess around with the definition of a doctoral degree (which would require approval by all the accreditors, etc.), an alternative would be to create a new designation for a new type of degree. Maybe something like an EdS or a Licensiate. In any case, if the universities see it as a way to make some money they'll find a way to make it happen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctorate

 

Well, if you're licentious then you may need to doctor it.

 

king of the non-sequiturs

 

And we're already seeing it. The EdS is a prime example. But it also explains the proliferation of non-degree programs. Look at how many respectable schools outsource non-credit learning to for-profit companies. Canned curriculum is offered to students everywhere but a school slaps their name on a certificate if you sign up through their portal.

Brilliant from a business standpoint. Objectively, though, it is the university acknowledging that the only thing it can really offer the student is a name on a piece of paper.

 

For sure. Sadly, for many, it's also called "giving 'em what they want." :sad:

J.

 

Won't it be pretty obvious who actually completed a dissertation and who didn't when reviewing CVs? For those who are comfortable with hiring those who have completed programs that did not require the completion of a dissertation, all should be well, while those who require the completion of one will continue to require that a candidate have completed one.

Is the main problem the title of "doctor" or "doctoral program" in this case?

 

Would you be the outsider of Doctorate holder community if your Doctorate without dissertation/thesis? My professors at Nova Southeastern University told everyone that at the end people only care what is your quality dissertation about your Doctorate. They don't really care what grade or class you have taken for the degree.

 

@ TEKMAN No, you wouldn't be a true outsider. Just not a PhD. Actually, you might be in far-too-numerous company (for good employment prospects). Without a dissertation, You'd be among the Ed.Ds, DBAs DAs etc. Your program at Nova led to a Ph.D., right? Those, as poster 'me again' pointed out, will still require a dissertation - so... what your profs said, I guess.

J.

 

Just for clarification:

It appears that the PhD will retain a uniform requirement for:
- completion of a dissertation
- with a statistical component
- and an execution of research methods (and not just discussion of a proposal)

It appears that many other doctorates (such as the D.A., EdD, DBA, DPA, etc.) may only require:
- a capstone project (not a dissertation)
- omission of a statistical component
- no execution of research (just a discussion of proposed research methods)

Or something along those lines...