Aspen master to phd?

That is an interesting question. I'm guessing that instructors with masters degrees will always cost less than academic doctors and therefore the economic reasons for employing them will persist. Probably the first group on the chopping block will be J.D.s, who are essentially the same as masters degree holders and have not produced a dissertation; the increasing availability of real academic doctors will make J.D.s less necessary for meeting accreditation standards. Paying faux academic doctors such as J.D.s more than masters degree holders is some fat in the payroll that could easily be trimmed.

Dave

 

But also depends on the number of PhDs available to teach. Just to give you an example, it is well known in our University that is almost impossible to get a part time teaching position in some engineering departments without a PhD. Some departments like English, an applicant with a master's has almost no chance of part time employment.

How long before this happens to Business departments? The PhD is quickly becoming the minimum academic teaching requirements at some departments. Some departments like sciences won't even consider an applicant for a tenure track without few years of PostDoc's appointments at research institutions first.

However, this is the case in large Canadian cities also because mass immigration. Every year, we get thousands of Phds coming from abroad which makes academic employment even more difficult.

 

For adjunct positions, the answer seems to be that Ph.D.s are paid more and are necessary for only some undergraduate instruction with respect to accreditation, which is an economic advantage that the for-profits have to some degree.

Dave