Value of DHSc vs EdD

So, I'm asking you all to be my advisor. I just accepted a new position with a private college that is starting a few new healthcare programs via hybrid/online delivery. These would be at the Associates level and up to the Doctoral level. The healthcare/programmatic accreditor requires an academic doctorate (which I don't have; mine is a clinical doctorate). I really just don't care much for a PhD despite its recognizability/"prestige", nor do I care about doing research for a career. The purpose of the degree would be to add skills in both the following realms: clinical, education/teaching, mild research. (Would also love if there was a mild ministry slant to it, given that I may end up in ministry on the side. )I'd need to know enough of research to oversee research of my students, not teach or train other PhD students necessarily. A pay bump is tied to completion, also, so the sooner the better. The options on the table at this point are:

1) EdD in Health/Wellness - Instructional Technology from American College of Education (iffy reviews, but inexpensive) - 23k, completed in 3-5 years depending on how well they stay connected during the dissertation

2) DHSc from U of Bridgeport (Love the content, but am unsure about the cost/benefit) - content is all I mentioned above, with even a public health slant, which could be useful. completed in 8-10 semesters at ~45k

3) EdD in Health and Human Performance from Concordia Chicago - health/nutrition/public health/kinesiology content (love because I'm a PT, though could be duplicative??, and little to no content on teaching/instruction) completed in 8-9 semesters at 45k.

4) EdD/PhD from Liberty University in Instructional Design (which has no health content, full of instruction material) with two discounts that put full tuition at 22k, completed in 7-8 semesters.

Employer says they'll pay ~5k/year to assist, so I'll be doing the math on this plus the pay bump. The accreditor doesn't care either way; both are considered academic to them. DHSc seems to be more utilitarian, but maybe I'm wrong? What say ye?

 

You've thought this through enough to know that on some levels it really doesn't matter which you choose. Typically people applying to doctoral programs already have earned a Masters and so have proven they're capable of grad coursework. In these cases the most daunting element is the dissertation, doctoral project or whatever term they use for that big headache you have to get through at the end. If you already have an idea about the topic then you should go to the place that will allow you to do it. Otherwise, choose the place that catches your interest the most because, as you know, it's a long process and there will be times that you'll need some passion to push through. Good luck.

 

Kizmet, your comments confirm to some degree that my similar train of thought is on the right track. Here is part of the dilemma, though. The ACE program is from all accounts a "do-what-you-want" type of dissertation project. They give the student some sort of free reign, which is nice to a degree. They also have a history of flaking when it comes to following up on proposal reviews, dissertation edits, etc. I've started with them once and felt really disconnected, which is different than other online schools I've worked through. (These things come from colleagues who went through ACE, and from multiple online reviews) The last thing I want is to get tied up for an extra year because of some professor not doing his/her job, or because my dissertation chair left. I'm finding this might be a struggle with online programs who use multiple adjuncts, or have no B&M campus tied to it for structure. Am I wrong in this perception?

The other programs mentioned seem remotely good or very good and timely, but also costly.....

 

Steve, I have constantly gone back to this program at UoC because I love so much about it. The kicker, for me, is the Leadership courses (8 in total?) that are synchronous, and at nighttime when I'm trying to get my 5 little kids down for bedtime. They don't seem to budge on this "attendance" policy, either. Do you know something that would say otherwise? I really do like their program.....

 

My suggestion is that you go with Liberty University if you are concerned about cost. As long as you're ready to learn and express yourself from a Christian worldview, you'll be fine!

 

I see you're in the PhD with LU in CJ. How has your experience been?

 

Out of the options you presented, 4 seems best.

 

I'm just seeing this. My experience has been great so far. I'm currently working on my second course.

 

I took two graduate courses in business with Liberty and had no issues with them but left the program overall for one that more closely aligned with what I wanted to study. I had posted about looking to use my GI Bill to fund a PhD in Conflict Resolution, thanks for your recommendation, but overall can't find something that meets all that I want that isn't a traditional program. What I might do, since it is $275/credit hour, is go for one of Liberty's EdD options for now and save my GI Bill for a different traditional program at some point in the future. It checks some of the boxes I want and is inexpensive; I have to verify I will be sufficiently motivated through completion.