Online Doctoral Programs with No Dissertation

The thread about the Ed.D got me thinking about a few programs I found awhile back.

Texas A&M's online Executive Ed.D in Curriculum and Instruction has no residency requirements, but it does have something called a "record of study" which might require as much work as a dissertation. For admission, it is required that the applicant have at least five years of teaching experience.

Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture - Texas A&M University » Edd FAQs
Department of Teaching, Learning and Culture - Texas A&M University » Executive EdD


Arizona State University has an online Doctor of Behavioral Health which does have residency requirements and includes a practicum in a clinical setting. Instead of a dissertation, students complete a research project. The program can be completed in 18 months, but it requires that the student already be a licensed clinician at the master's-level. They'll accept anything related to therapy and mental health: LPC, LMHC, LMSW, LCSW, occupational therapy, LMFT, etc. Last year, I was informed that they are creating a management track that will be open to non-clinicians.

https://sls.asu.edu/graduate/proginfo/lsbevhedbh
https://sls.asu.edu/bh/distance-learning

A.T. Still's D.H.Sc in Health Science requires a 1-week residency and a 5-credit applied research project. The requirement below will disqualify a lot of people.

ATSU - Arizona School of Health Sciences - Online Programs - DHsc - Admission Requirements
ATSU - Arizona School of Health Sciences - Online Programs - DHsc - Curriculum Overview

Nova Southeastern University also has a D.H.Sc in Health Science that only requires a 2-credit capstone! There is a practicum and internship requirement, however. Healthcare experience is required for admission.

Admissions Requirements for the Doctor of Health Science Program
http://www.nova.edu/chcs/healthsciences/forms/dhs_curriculum.pdf

 

These are more professional doctorate versus academia. It is understandable that practitioner does not require research publication. Their purpose of earning professional doctorate to enhance their opportunities and abilities. So, capstone or other type of projects are more suitable in the workforce.

 

The differentiating factor between the academic and the professional doctorate isn't the requirement to publish--many academic doctoral programs do not require it. Instead, the distinguishing factor is the original contribution to the academic discipline. In a professional doctorate, sometimes the candidate is able to make a contribution to professional practice in lieu of an academic contribution.

An academic contribution usually falls into one of two areas: theory building (inductive) and theory testing (deductive).

A professional practice contribution can enhance practice through the findings of the research yet not actually tie back to the underlying theory or theories of the academic discipline by either building upon them or by testing them.

So if a teacher and develops a new block of instruction for 8th graders taking astronomy, he/she can deliver it and measure the results (probably compared to a previous way of delivering the instruction). He/she doesn't have to tie what's being done back to the underlying theories of either childhood pedagogy or astronomy. In fact, the work might not affect either discipline, yet still represent an original and significant contribution to the practice in the field. Oh, and get him or her that doctor-thingy to hang on the wall, which is nice.