APUS Has A Profession Doctorate Poll

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by Tireman 44444, Aug 12, 2013.

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  1. RobbCD

    RobbCD New Member

    Thanks for agreeing with me, agreeing with you.
     
  2. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    Dear All,

    I am just glad they are considering this again. The time has come for, at least in history ( I cannot speak for any other area), for a DA or PhD ( mostly or all) by distance to come to fruition. I know there is a bias from historians about the distance genre in the area of doctoral work ( I have had it done to me), but it is about time. At one time I thought it would have been Sam Houston State University that would have beaten APUS to the punch ( that is looking less and less likely), but I am glad APUS is going to finally ( if they hired a Dean of Doctoral Studies, surely they are SERIOUSLY thinking about it) going to make this a reality. I am embracing it and welcome it with open arms. Once one program does this, others will follow.
     
  3. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Military studies, military history, and related areas are ripe for a professional--not academic--doctorate. People wanting to write and publish in those areas are not likely to develop and/or test theory. Not that they couldn't, but it would be done in the context of other academic disciplines (like history, sociology, psychology, etc.). But APUS's audience isn't academic--their students are practitioners looking to advance their careers. A DA (or similar professional doctorate) would be ideal for them.
     
  4. Tireman 44444

    Tireman 44444 Well-Known Member

    I agree. 100 percent. Agreed.
     
  5. airtorn

    airtorn Moderator

    Are you getting upset because he stated his opinion of you? Maybe it is based on years of observations of your posts.
     
  6. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    Wait, wait, wait. I only meant to refer to the statement, not to the man (who, as it happens, I actually like even if we often disagree). In retrospect, I shouldn't have said something so easily taken as trollish. So Rich, I apologize.
     
  7. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Why are they limiting themselves to professional doctorates when they're no longer DETC?
     
  8. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    And if I said something that was arrogant--as opposed to being someone who is arrogant, I apologize. And I appreciate you making the distinction.
     
  9. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    Thank you for piling on without any reason. I'll try to do better in the future.
     
  10. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    I can't answer specifically for APUS, but there are ample reasons for doing this. First, it might be easier to get a professional doctorate (or several) through their RA. (Union faced the situation in reverse when they were pressured to drop some Ph.D. programs in favor of professional doctorates.)

    Second, the content necessary for a real academic doctorate (the Ph.D.) would be difficult to create and manage without a sufficient full-time faculty.

    Third, their audience--working practitioners--would benefit more from a practice-oriented research doctorate....as opposed to one designed to make contributions to the scholarly research.

    Fourth, the dissertation requirements will likely be lessened under such a model. Smaller projects, practical settings, no theory-building, no original contribution to scholarship, etc. (This doesn't make the degree inferior--or easier. Just different.)

    Fifth (and related to the second, above), they may not want to maintain the research facilities and attendant costs associated with operating a real research university.

    Sixth, they will be more likely to be able to use existing faculty--mostly drawn from practice rather than academe--to create and run these programs. Which leads to....

    Finally, they may be able to get professional doctorates on board more quickly, allowing them to realize the additional revenues sooner and with lower costs. And enriching shareholder wealth--the core purpose of any for-profit business--is the ol' bottom line.
     
  11. ryoder

    ryoder New Member

    NCUs DBA requirements require a contribution to knowledge so its not watered down enough to make it a worthwhile option compared to the PhD if one is looking for an easier ride to the doctorate. The main difference from what I can tell is a slightly reduced requirement for large and randomized sample sizes.
     
  12. Rich Douglas

    Rich Douglas Well-Known Member

    This raises an important point about distinctions: they aren't 100%. Some doctorate titles awarded are based on degree programs that are indistinguishable from the Ph.D. This is particularly true of the DBA and the EdD. While an alternative title indicates the possibility of the degree being a professional doctorate, it is the content and approach that really matter.

    Also note that many a Ph.D. has been awarded on the basis of very good, but very non-scholarly work not making a significant academic contribution. These are guidelines, not laws.
     
  13. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    At recent APUS faculty meeting I attended, the Doctorate of Public Service and Leadership was mentioned. I am not sure on the nomenclature of the degree title yet, but I am pretty sure it will not be a DPSL. They are also working on an Executive JD in a blended format and seeking ABA accreditation for it as well.
     
  14. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    The phrase "executive JD" usually refers to a program that is not bar qualifying but which otherwise covers similar material to that which a normal JD does. This is not what you mean, is it?
     
  15. CalDog

    CalDog New Member

    My understanding is that ABA only approves bar-qualifying JD programs. Furthermore, ABA dislikes non-bar JD programs, like the typical "Executive JD", and will not allow ABA-approved law schools to offer them.

    I think the only schools that offer non-bar JD degrees are non-ABA-approved law schools in California.
     
  16. Jason9934

    Jason9934 Member

    WELL........Going back to the original point of this discussion ; I would love to see a versatile program in the Liberal Arts. Perhaps featuring: History, Philosophy, World Religions, Psychology, Political Science, etc.
     
  17. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Amen!!!!!!
     
  18. Cyber

    Cyber New Member

    If the proposed program by APUS is flexible, it will succeed. However, creating a Doctor of Public Service and Leadership for example, instead of something like a Doctor of Professional Studies (DPS) with optional specialisms, including one in Public Service and Leadership, History, Security, etc., would be too narrow and limiting. An inflexible program may be viable in the short term (first few years), but enrollment in a narrow program may dwindle in the long term, forcing it to be discontinued. More so, a versatile program will be financially viable than a narrow one, as more students equate program profitability.
     
  19. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    Correction on my part. Executive JD - yes. ABA accreditation - yes, but I on re-reading the context I do not think that the Executive JD is what they were referring to. I think they were referring to the Legal Studies program.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 16, 2013
  20. DxD=D^2

    DxD=D^2 Member

    I third that (right after Ted Heiks)
     

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