Lowest Cost PHD/DBA

Discussion in 'Business and MBA degrees' started by matt, Aug 29, 2007.

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  1. freakoutguy

    freakoutguy New Member

    Swiss Management Center (SMC University)

    Does anybody have any experience with the SMC University. Their DBA is completely online and is very affordable at 11,000 Euros (15,000 USD), if paid in full at the beginning.

    This university is accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) and by the CHEA. It claims to have been ranked 1st in Switzerland, 5th in Europe and 9th in the World by the Financial Times among leading Online MBAs.

    http://www.swissmc.ch/Programs/Distance_Learning_Programs/Online_Doctorate_Programs/
     
  2. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator



    Here is a recent thread on SMC:

    http://www.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?t=21927&highlight=smc
     
  3. morganplus8

    morganplus8 New Member

    This fellow has some very interesting things to say about SMC:

    http://community.elearners.com/all_blogs/online_student_blogs/economics_phd_by_distance/b/atsu/archive/2010/03/18/smc-was-too-interesting-to-resist.aspx

    From what he is stating, SMC are going to resolve their differences with accreditation within Switzerland:

    " ...... Of course, it makes it easier to issue such a bold statement of principle when it also conveniently happens that I have strong reason to believe that their overlapping statuses will be resolved long before I graduate."

    I have read several of his posts to date and they do sound interesting. If the accreditation issue can be worked out, this may be a cost effective way to obtain a good degree.

    Additional reading:
    http://community.elearners.com/all_blogs/online_student_blogs/economics_phd_by_distance/b/atsu/archive/2010/03/01/update-on-swiss-management-center.aspx

    "A few months ago, the issue flared up again, with one SMC student being so vehement in defense of his alma mater that I agreed to contact the school to get their take on things. I'm very glad that I did. I ended up corresponding with Michael Schmelczer, the Chairman and CEO of SMC, and it was a very enlightening conversation. They're aware of the inconveniences that their current situation may cause students who have certain goals like full time teaching, and they're determined to resolve the matter in some useful fashion this year, whether it means finding a better recognized status within Switzerland or even institutional accreditation through some other system."

    Thoughts?
     
  4. Arch23

    Arch23 New Member

    Thanks for your usual helpful info, Ted!

    For those interested, please note that while Bellevue promotes this program as online, it is a hybrid program at best, requiring not one but MULTIPLE week-long campus visits, particularly at the dissertation stage. Moreover, those who don't have a master's degree in human capital management (or an MBA with the same courses as their MS in Human Capital Management) have to complete the 36 units required for their master's, bringing the total number of semester units to 93.
     
  5. Arch23

    Arch23 New Member

    This program is quite interesting, but it's not a distance learning program. Classes are held on campus at night once a week; in addition, students attend monthly "Executive Fridays." The classes are supported by online sessions, though.
     
  6. salami89

    salami89 New Member

    A friend of mine took a low cost low quality DBA once at Charles Sturt, my opinion is stay clear of programs that say one off payment but later ask you for more and don't really have the intention of passing you. Also, the program gave him endless worry with the countless change in supervisors. Any sane person would give up on such a program.
     
  7. MSG_T

    MSG_T New Member

    I guess it depends on how your paying. I personally am going thru TUI. I completed my Bachelors, Master's, and Im on my Doctorate now. So i have had the past 6 years with them. I can almost quote the lessons to you I have taken. I took them seriously enough to really study, and It has paid off. When I finished my "Integrated Project" or thesis, to me it was a joke, alot that ho hummed and rolled thru school it is a nightmare for them. This Doctorate Program to me is simple as well, and to think Im doing this AND im in Iraq!!. It to me is acceptable. Sometimes cheapest isnt the best, and you have to look at the levels of accredidation. The Paper isnt what makes the deal, its the knucklehead behind it. I say that losely, meaning you can have all the papers in the world on your wall, but its YOU not the paper that makes the deal when you sit across from the man at the table...Oops, I meant to be PC and say the "Interviewer" hehehe or Man/Woman. A lot easier to get a PhD than it is to learn the PC of the Liberal World.
     
  8. Garp

    Garp Well-Known Member

    Aspen University has an EdD. It is DETC accredited so will limit utility and it is focussed in educational leadership (so may not be quite what you are looking for). But it is affordable at 100 per credit hour.

    From the site you can focus in Administration or Faculty Leadership.

    School of Education - Doctorate in Education

    If it is close enough and as you note, the doctorate is just for personal achievement, it may be worth exploring. It will be an accredited and affordable doctorate.
     
  9. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    Yes, schools that keep changing requirements after the fact (often referred to as "lying" outside of higher education) and requiring continued enrollment and more tuition payments (often referred to as "extortion" outside of higher education) are simply being uncooperative to hold high academic standards (often referred to as "committing fraud" outside of higher education).

    Unfortunately, all these sorts of shenanigans are being done over the Internet so they are Federal crimes (except for off-shore Universities) and there is an electronic record of them. Oops!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 20, 2010
  10. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    From the Great State of Kentucky

    Sullivan University Sullivan University - Home now offers the PhD in Management with concentrations in Conflict Management, Information Technology Management, and Strategic Management. No information yet on tuition or program length. They are accredited by the Southern Association.
     
  11. MISin08

    MISin08 New Member

    My business strategy prof at Excelsior is the Dean of Sullivan' graduate school. Make of that what you will.

    Phillip
     
  12. commserver

    commserver New Member

    If you already have Master's degree in IS then you only need 61 credits
     
  13. okydd

    okydd New Member

    Online Courses & Programs
    Metropolitan State University offers a flexible DBA for under $40k. The heading said online program but it is not fully online.
     
  14. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    Metropolitan State University's Doctor of Business Administration program prepares you to be a successful, ethical business leader in complex and changing organizations. The DBA program will help you develop the advanced skills and depth of understanding needed to assume demanding positions in business management, higher education teaching, and management consulting.

    The program also:
    Offers you a part time program, approved by the Higher Learning Commission, that you can complete in three years.

    Engages you in a Web-enhanced model in which you enroll in one to two courses per semester and attend classes on alternate Saturdays with web exercises in between classes.
     
  15. samuelarnold

    samuelarnold member

    University of South Africa provides PHD programs at low cost.
     
  16. bing

    bing New Member

    Are people nuts for spending this kind of money on a doctorate these days? I mean, 57K, 51K, +70K(some state school in this thread) is insane for the chance to be an adjunct(that's likely barely a part time teaching gig folks). Do people have more money than brains? Let's say one spent 70K on a low rate doctorate just to get a part time adjunct teaching gig. How long do you think it would take to pay that education off? Also, I would say most are likely not to be spring chickens doing these programs.

    Let's say you want the doctorate to get an extra bit of cash in a part time teaching gig. That means you need the little pittance extra. Since you CAN teach with an accredited master's degree, the extra money is just not likely to pay off when tuition is this high. Obviously, some may get their employers to pay the tuition, or some may even have GI Bill money. Those might make a bit of sense then.


     
  17. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think that there has been an increasing amount of attention paid to ROI in such situations. I don't know that there are any positions in the business world that actually require a PhD/DBA and so teaching immediately comes to mind as a possible motivation. I've heard a few people state their intention to begin a consulting firm or enhance their credentials in consultancy with a PhD/DBA and that makes some sense but I'd still be curious about how you'd calculate the ROI in such a scenario as it's so speculative. Maybe it's just the crest of the latest wave of credential inflation. Once an MBA was sufficient, now a PhD is required in order to be a competitive applicant. I just don't know. In any case, there seems to be no lack of interest in these programs. Best of luck to all.
     
  18. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member


    The problem is that few people are selling the idea that you can make 100K teaching online as a side business. I have read few books with titles such as "how to teach online and make 100K a year" that tell people that you can teach 10 or 11 classes at the time and make the 100K. Some of the authors of these books tour around the country giving seminars about the booming of online adjunct teaching and how the online doctorates are key to make small fortunes as a an adjunct on the side.

    People figure that 70K is not so bad as they can make their money back quickly. Universities selling these programs also tell prospects students that they can finish in 3 years and half while holding a full time job.

    The increasing price of these "dotcom" doctorates just reflect the fact that people are buying the story of how this is the ticket to make small fortunes.

    I teach online but can barely teach 3 online classes at the time, this brings an income of 20 to 30K a year. The money seems to be reasonable for the 20 hrs you put a week but comparable of what I could make if I work part time for a company or running a small business. I honestly don't think the 70K for a dotcom doctorate makes sense, some people do it for title "Dr" but the reality is that few people have respect for dotcom doctorates so it is not to add prestige to your resume.

    Some people have found magic formulas to teach 10 courses at the time while holding a full time job but I cannot find the secret for this.
     
  19. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Not many, the very few that might require a DBA or PhD would only accept people with degrees from top schools (at least the ones that I have spotted here and there) and most of these are in high level finance or consulting.

    The real market for these low tier DBAs and PhDs is adjunct positions. Some argue that University administration positions can be a good market for this type of degrees.

    The reality is that people are getting this type of degrees for some reason. I know plenty of MBAs that have the intention to continue with a doctorate and schools like NCU, UoP, Walden and TUI are doing really good judging by the number of graduates.

    I think that the reality is that this type of degrees are really replacing what it was one day continuing education. People in the past were happy to get a certificate but now people see the need to put in a resume "Doctor of" as they see that everyone is getting one so they fear that they will not be able to compete in the future without a "Doctor of" degree.

    There are also big name schools in the continuing education business, I think low tier schools like NCU, Walden, etc see that they cannot compete with schools like Stanford for online certificates so they figure they need to call their qualifications "Doctor of" so they can get the attention of the public.

    I believe that the online doctorate has found its niche, it is clear that it is a credential that has use for online adjunct positions and for promotions within the academic administration environment. Outside this, it has very little use.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2011
  20. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    This has been calculated in several other threads, I would suggest removing these posts from this thread since it is clogging it up?

    ROI is pretty straight forward:

    MBA probably qualified you for nothing (18 hours in a given field is the requirement or Cert such as CPA)
    SO.. if you are not a CPA and want to teach, you might need to pick up / hit the 18 hours anyway.

    The "market" prefers a doctorate holder....(they will hire a Masters if they cannot find a doctorate)

    When there is a crunch...or only a few classes available the "market" will most likely give those to the doctorates...keeping them happy and the accreditors happy.

    Therefore... a doctorate will allow you to become the "doctorate" and get as much adjunct work as you wish (vs fighting for work as a Master)

    Based on personal experience... when times are good (full teaching, as much as I want) 50k or more and I can see 100k if that is your full time job.

    When times are slow 0-25k

    So... to keep yourself in the "times are good" (Because you a doctorate, thus they give you all the work you want)

    The annual return is the difference between 25k to that 50k or more... 25k to be conservative

    Let's say your Doctorate cost 50-75k

    25k return divided by 50-75k of Investment = 33-50% PER YEAR on your money. Perhaps you have a better return in your 401k, personal savings plans, etc. But fantastic ROI does exist...

    Final "Proof".... they are signing up (and graduating a certain % of) folks every year and can you find ANY of them here on DI complaining about not making enough money on their Doctorate?

    We have DL doctorates on here... do any of you have personal experience on your income before / after your doctorate.
     

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