DBA or PhD, or DM or...sigh

Discussion in 'Introductions' started by JeepNerd, Jan 14, 2010.

Loading...
  1. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    Well, I have lurked on here in the past and I am lurking "harder" now!!

    I got my BS in Accounting from High Point University (93), and then went immediately into grad school, Appalachian State University and got my MBA in 1996.

    Also managed to wrap up and become Certified Public Accountant in NC in Dec 1996.

    Started teaching in the evening degree program at High Point University in 1999 and did that for about 3 years, mostly teaching finance courses!! (Somehow my MBA had 18 grad hours in Finance, didn't really mean to, but a good thing!)

    I started teaching at Univ of Phoenix in 2002, and have taught from the beginning classes to Advanced Accounting and all between.

    Keller University and I hooked up in 2004 and I am a "Senior Faculty" member there. Teaching accounting at the grad level.

    So...here I am, 13 almost 14 years after grad school and thinking of getting my doctorate.

    WHY? Well I do work full time at a CPA firm, teach part time online, and I really want to move towards teaching as my main / steady income source in a few years down the road.

    I will continue owning my own firm, but would prefer to build a tax practice that would allow me to travel the other 8 months a year. Teaching online will make sure the bills get paid....

    So I doubt that I will ever go back to teaching at B&M school, but never say never.

    Based on what I am reading, it sounds like I want to go to a RA (Regionally accredited) school.

    Anderson.edu would actually be my #1 choice if it wasn't for the 4 weeks per year for 3 years deal. Right NOW in my life that is a deal breaker...cannot justify ALL my time off being in Indiana.

    So...I am looking for choice #2... hoping I will get some help, may post more of this on DL area.

    My wife and I live in NC, no kids, and looking for all thoughts on a good next step.

    The reason I am looking at Doctorate is that seems to open a LOT of doors for teaching there are hundreds and hundreds of online colleges now, and with a "Good" doctorate I cannot imagine not being able to fill my plate with as much work as I want!?!

    One final thought....I am SERIOUSLY considering what it takes to open a University / once my Doctorate is finished. If anyone has decent links or thoughts on that, would be interested!! My thought is a school in the Carrib Islands, where the draw is residency / at a beautiful resort, be able to bring family....and/or CRUISES residency, etc.

    I think there is a niche there....!?!? (My first choice would be an American Territory....)
     
  2. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Welcome to degreeinfo jn. I'm driving a 2004 Sahara.
     
  3. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    I am on my 5th Jeep!!!

    First was a 1988 Jeep Wagoneer (Cherokee - Blue with Woodgrain sides!)
    Next was my 97 Jeep Grand Cherokee!!

    Since then I have owned a 90 Wrangler with huge lift, a 95 Wrangler stock and now as of about 2 weeks ago a 97 Wrangler.

    Lots of fun, just got to hit some sheared off manifold bolts drilled out, joy, and then it will be ready to drive on a regular basis!
     
  4. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Whether or not that amount of residency can be accomplished/tolerated is, of course, relative. No one else can say; it's for you to decide.

    That said, I strongly encourage posters/readers contemplating a DL doctorate to consider schools that have at least brief periods of residency. Doctoral studies are lonely enough; I can't imagine taking one on without regular contact with both the university and one's peers. I can recall from my own program how I and others felt after spending a week--or even a day--together. It just boosted us.

    Regarding the degree designation, I think that is waaaay down the list of factors to consider when selecting a program. Areas I personally find important are costs, residencies and location(s), curricular content, the reputation of the school and its faculty, and the school's research interests.

    Admittedly, I'm old school, having begun my research in this field in 1978 (and getting a Ph.D. specializing in it in 2003), but my favorites include:

    -- Fielding
    -- Walden
    -- Nova Southeastern
    -- Capella, and....
    -- Yes, even my alma mater, Union. (To attend the Union I did, however, you'd need a time machine.)
     
  5. Economist

    Economist New Member

    Hi JeepNerd,

    Welcome to the forum. With respect to starting a new university you may want to check out this:

    http://www.laureate-inc.com/GPSEM.php

    It is not exactly a university, but it's the next best thing.

    Keep me posted on your progress. I am currently exploring an idea similar to yours except I am looking to implement it in my native Bulgaria.
     
  6. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    I have been teaching online for around 7 years and have decided to do more face to face now for few reasons:
    -Online salaries for teachers seems to going down and not up. Many schools haven't revised their salaries in years
    -Schools are becoming more demanding. Schools tend to enroll more students per class and ask more from the instructor than before.
    -The increasing number of doctorate graduates from online schools. The new generation of doctors from online schools seems to saturate schools and drive salaries down. Traditional schools only graduate a handful of people but online schools are graduating by the hundreds. Where do these doctors go?
    -Extremely poor job security. I have taught for schools that have changed management, chair, etc and from one day to the next stop giving you work without any reason. The worst is that the same schools still call for instructors on their web site but here you are with the training and teaching experience but not able to work because someone has decided to take your name out the list.

    At some point I saw myself working 80 hrs a week doing just grading and generating feedback for about 50 to 70K a year. Some people claim that you can make the 100K grade just doing the online thing but I have given up on this goal already. I must also add that most of the courses I taught online were canned courses designed by someone else, I was just paid to baby site the web site, grade papers and post online. No real teaching but just facilitating and grading.

    I finally took a job at a technical college, I work a lot less and have benefits and some job security. I get to design my own courses and I actually develop myself in my area.
    I really don't advice anyone to become a full time online professor, it seems that the online market is just getting too competitive and automated. Most schools just need the Dr title to get accreditation and to attract students but most of the education is automated with little contribution from the instructor.
     
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    JeepNerd: There is a DBA Sticky on the main board which should be very valuable to you. Also, some guy named ethanre started a thread titled "PhD in Management?" which also should be helpful. Sorry I don't have those threadlinks.
     
  8. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Who are you and what have you done with Ted Heiks?!

    -=Steve=-
     
  9. fathalbab

    fathalbab New Member

    DBA or PhD

    I've PhD in accounts as well as being MBA, CPA, CPM, CPES, CWM, IRCA, PMP and BBSS.
    now I'am intrested to have PhD or DBA in financial Management through online courses so how to do so
     
  10. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    lol ....... :)
     
  11. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

  12. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    Wow, the 5 page thread on Doctorate in Management made my brain hurt!!

    Ok, just a quick update, 1 of the 2 schools I am teaching for did not end up offering me a new section for next semester!! We have a new Dean, and all of a sudden she drops my Live Lecture and then no classes this upcoming session, so I started looking around for new schools to teach at this week.

    Hoping to find / diversify myself a bit more, isn't it funny that as you reach "Senior Instructor" level where they pay you more, they use you less?? Happened at both schools, I would rather have stayed at the same pay if I could have kept my consistent work load.

    As I am applying, it is pretty obvious that a DBA or PhD or DM would help right now. So once I secure more cash coming IN (to help pay for the tuition) I will be looking pretty hard.

    Ted you mentioned another thread of DBA/PhD "by state"? I have read the sticky you were in that has the comprehensive "cheap" list a bunch, but would love to see by state too?

    I am pretty sure I want to lean towards accounting if at all possible, since that is what I teach primarily.

    LOVE the Anderson concept, but 4 weeks per year on campus is probably the ONLY reason I am not jumping all over that. I have a personal connection with the college too (My mom attended Anderson in the mid 60s)

    If there is any suggestions on east coast schools with short residences (less than 4 weeks per year, ha!) OR mostly if not all DL.

    DBA with concentration in Accounting (or PhD in "Accounting") is my first choice
     
  13. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    Looking closer at Walden based on a comment above, I noticed while at Baker College, that many of their faculty had PhD from Walden!!

    Also determined that PhD seems to fit a bit more into my goals of teaching

    I would PREFER to find a B&M (like Anderson, Baker, UMUC) with a PhD / distance but so far they are DBA OR they want too much face to face time to work with my full time job.

    (Anderson's 4 weeks per year kills it for me, otherwise they would be my first choice)

    I have gone thru the PhD/DBA cheap thread a million times trying to pick out the NFProfit B&M schools that seem to fit my criteria, and none seem to be quite right.

    NCU vs Walden is really where I am at...

    (Baker and UMUC are my next choices but I don't like their degree as much, I really want accounting!)
     
  14. sshuang

    sshuang New Member



    Hi JeepNerd,

    Have you looked at Argosy DBA in Accounting?
     
  15. JeepNerd

    JeepNerd New Member

    I created a new thread in the other forum to consolidate my current thoughts. Argosy, Walden, Capella, you are looking at 60-80k, which is just beyond what I can justify for this degree.

    UMUC is about the upper end of my range at 50k

    Walden when I talked to him on the phone, quoted me 60-80k, in theory if you were perfect and finished in 3 years you might could get out at 40k or so, but realistically, that 4280 per semester is income to them and no real incentive to help you move along with the dissertation and quit paying that!!!

    (Maybe I am cynical...)
     
  16. major56

    major56 Active Member

    UMUC offers the D.M.“The Doctor of Management program requires the completion of 48 credits of coursework and successful completion of comprehensive exams and a dissertation. The program is offered online with limited residencies. Successful completion of a 3-credit prerequisite course (DMGT 600) is required prior to admission to the program. The DMGT 600 requirement may be waived upon review of the personal statement of applicants with five or more years of professional experience, or for applicants who submit a GMAT score of 650 or above, or for applicants who already have another doctoral degree. Full admission to the program is granted upon meeting one of those criteria.”
    http://www.umuc.edu/programs/grad/dm/
     

Share This Page