Elapsed time to complete a doctorate

Recently, Nova Southeatern's school of business compiled some statistics on elapsed time to complete a DBA in their program. The data reflects students from 1996 on. Note that DBA students must have earned an MBA or similar degree prior to starting the program.

While this is just one school, it is indicative of the kind of time that is involved in such a venture. As was mentioned in another thread, doctoral work is intended to include new learning and the creation of new knowledge. While competency based learning may be acceptable for undergraduate programs, doctoral work needs to be different.

In traditional, on-ground PhD programs elapsed time has been growing - it is often 7 years (beyond the BA) or more.

Occasionally I hear folks in this NG talk about how some DL doctoral programs can be completed in 2-3 years. I have to wonder what sort of magic is going on to allow this. Perhaps some students have more time to work on their studies.

In any case, I don't see a doctoral program as a "race" to be won. Personally, it took me the mean time (about 5 years) to complete the program. As I look back the real joy of this program wasn't in graduation or being called "doctor" - it was in the years of learning that I had.

Regards - Andy


Start of classes to Draft approval

Mean 62 months
Median 62
Mode 62
First Quartile 51
Thrid Quartile 73

 

I agree completely. It will take me about four years (48 months) to earn my doctoral degree. Majority of SCIS doctoral students that are able to proceed to the dissertation phase complete their studies in about five years. As far as I know, there is no way one can earn a Nova doctoral degree in 2-3 years, Ed.D from Fischler Graduate School of Education excepted.
Some Nova students have completed their doctoral studies in 42 months but I think that it will be extremely difficult to finish doctoral studies, including the dissertation, in 36 months. It is doable in 36 months but ......what do I know? Two years (24 months) is definitely impossible at Nova for so many reasons. First, Nova programs are highly structured (inflexible). Second, it takes about 2-3 years (24-36 months) to complete the course work. Third, the dissertation takes between 18 and 60 months to complete.


Ike Okonkwo

Ph.D. candidate
Nova Southeastern University.

 

My time to complete the NSU doctorate was almost 4 years. I do know first hand someone in my graduating class who did it in the 2-3 years (about 2 3/4 years). However, this person was exceptionally driven and really put in an exceptional effot to complete his dissertation within a year of completing his course work. I do not see see a two year doctorate as a possibility because of the coursework involved. The 3 year doctorate is more the exception than the rule.

John

 

As long as DL schools insist on charging tuition per-semester (regardless of how many credits you take), it will indeed be a race......against crippling debt or bankruptcy.

If an RA school ever sees the niche I do and starts a DL doctoral program that charges per-credit, I believe they'll do very well.


Bruce

 

Re: Re: Elapsed time to complete a doctorate

Bruce - In fact Nova Southeastern does charge per credit hour. I like this approach as you can "pay as you go" and take a term off (or a reduced) load. The "pay per semester" plan are a bad design, IMHO. This approach seems designed to maximize the school's cashflow - not the student's flexibility.

Thanks - Andy

P.S. Who follows the "pay per semester" approaches? It wouldn't be "for profit" schools, would it? I digress ....

 

Re: Re: Re: Elapsed time to complete a doctorate

Thanks, I wasn't aware of that. Unfortunately, NSU doesn't offer a doctoral program in a field that I'm looking for.

I agree. With a full-time job and two young ones at home, I wouldn't be able to do more than one or perhaps two courses a semester. Using the Capella, Walden (profit), and Union (non-profit) tuition plan, I'd be in debt up to my eyeballs by the time I finished. I'm more than willing to put in the time and effort, but not my life savings.


Bruce

 

I believe there is a confusion between what is a minimum time required and the actual time that it takes to finish a doctorate. Many universities use the two year minimum registration period as the minimum time required, it doesn't mean that you can finish it in two years. The only exception could be a doctoral student that is transfering from another university and has already some credits and an ongoing dissertation.

When I registered with USQ in its DBA program, I was given a minimum three year registration period, but I have been registered for two years already and I'm still far to complete half of it.

I think that many people in this forum are not very realistic and think that they can finish a doctorate in two years with all the full time work and family commitments. I believe a five year part time can be a more realistic time frame from those of us that work full time and have families. I spend about 15-20 hours a week on my doctorate and I believe it is the time that most of the people can give to it with all the life commitments that we have to cope with.

A DL doctorate doesn't mean that is easier, it only means that is flexible and can accomodate your life style, but you still have to put the required time to it.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: Elapsed time to complete a doctorate

At Nova, tuition is paid on "per credit hour" basis. You may choose to take only one course (3 credits) per semester if your work and family obligation do not permit you to register more than one course. I took three courses (9 credits) per semester, and as a result, I was able to finish course work in two years.

 

I think the numbers can be very inconclusive. Yes, a place like Capella may have numbers that show candidates completing in shorter times than a traditional program, but the method of tuition payment is responsible for much of this. It doesn't mean that the work is any less stringent.

As example, I started my Capella program at about the same time a friend of mine started a doctoral program at Howard University. She actually completed her classwork and dissertation quicker than I did. However, she was able to pay for one credit hour per quarter and stay in her program till she felt like she was ready to officially exit it.

She finished her work quicker than me, but was in her program longer than me. The statistics won't show this, and I bet it is quite common. If I could have stayed in my program for the cost of one credit of in-state tuition, I might still be in it.

 

The last time I communicated with a school regarding their "research PhD" program I was told that most people finish in three years and the rest require an additional year. Occasionally someone goes beyond this but it's usually because there has been some sort of problem (family, health, etc.) that has interrupted their research. Please keep in mind that this is a GAAP "dissertation only" PhD program.
Jack