South African PhD completed

All: wanted to pass along a little success story. I owe the board big time for making this possibility (SA higher degrees by distance) known to me. Finished up (passed external review) an accounting PhD recently. Degree will confer next month. Don't want to say the school but it's not UNISA.

I highly recommend the "back door" approach. Find a professor, write them, get their attention, make a case for admission. I already have a PhD in another discipline, so that was a help in topic choice, etc. It was so much faster and easier than UNISA, and the price is similar.

My supervisor was great- and I will tell you- the degrees and review process was every bit as rigorous as my degree from a state flagship. Blind external review is not a joke; committees, as some may know, can be. Not all of course...

Very happy with it, and all for well under 8k.

 

A double doctorate dipper. Double congratulations!

 

That's great. Two doc degrees just like Dr. Douglas!

Good job!

 

Genuine congratulations on your success.
--
Allow me to be negative. You are selfish. It is not a game to guess what school in South Africa that has been accommodating to you. DI is about helping, you try to give more than you take.

 

Nice work! May I ask how long it took to complete the degree?

 

Well- no one told me which school. I was told to try non-UNISA. So I did. About 6 times. I've given as much as I was given. I am not going to say the university because I'm quite sure my supervisor didn't sign up to be a billboard. Others need to find their own path. I had several choices with the backdoor approach. It wasn't hard. The key is knowing that the path exists- and it does- at almost every SA school. If it doesn't, they'll tell you.

Allow me to be negative- get over yourself. Maybe go get a PhD in not being a raging jackass.

 

Congratulations from one accounting Ph.D. to the latest! Dissertation topic?

 

Good luck. I also believe that once you earned your Phd you should be given the latitude to be a jerk. A phd is no easy feat. I do have a doctorate.

 

I'm not sure what precipitated this reaction but . . . whatever

 

I am unfamiliar with the "back door" approach to which you are referring; is this an alternate way of getting accepted or something? Is there a DI thread to which you could refer me?

 

You're not sufficiently indoctorinated.

 

Congratulations phdorbust! That's a big accomplishment indeed.

 

Perhaps that's for the best.

 

First congratulations!

Second, I would love to know both the University name and that alternate method. I might already know both or might not, but will never know if it is not stated; after all, this site is supposed to be about helping with distance education endeavors.

 

Thanks! Took about 2 1/2 years- but most require you to work a minimum of 3. There really is no secret- the key is to write professors directly and ask if they'll sponsor your admission. Here in the US it works (mostly) only the other way. In SA professors can get you admitted if they want to sponsor you. That's what you have to do. Write and lobby them. That's the backdoor.

Why would anyone be surprised that I'd get annoyed that right out of the gate someone calls me selfish? Are you serious? You don't know the first thing about what you're talking about. What I said was that I'm not going to advertise my supervisor's name, or the institution, because I'm not putting them in a position to hear 25 emails lobbying for admission because it worked for me in my case. I don't know that I'd come right out of the gate and call a total stranger selfish. What that sounds like to me is jealous or judgmental or both. Come off it. The thread isn't about you.

Find a professor, write them, see what happens. That's what I did. I think almost all SA allow this- so in that sense it really doesn't matter. It was not UNISA, they will not do this, however. All the others will at least consider it, or can.

Topic was historical. Never once had to go to SA. Never once had to Skype.

 

Congrats!!!!!!!!! I can see where your coming from with your above comments. In my own personal situation, I do not feel comfortable giving too much information over the internet. That's just me.

 

You have been able to open a door but you want no else to walk thought that door. Your claim is that you have figured this out on your own -the truth is that you didn't. Also, your excuse to protect the university from member such as DIers from contacting it, is antithetical to everything about DI. Not everyone will apply, but many will, which should be encourage. I accept your criticism of me whathever it is. The more excuses you make, It does not change what you are doing which is the classic definition of selfishness - (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure:

 

The fact is that if someone was sufficiently motivated it really wouldn't be that hard to figure it out. There are not that many SA universities. Fewer have PhD programs in Accounting. Look at the recent graduates. How many have another PhD? Voila! The fact is that no one cares that much. Much ado about nothing.

 

That's what I call a trail of bread crumbs. If you don't want certain information out there, it's better not to post about it.

 

I am in agreement. I am a DIer groupie. I personally don't care. The DIers who are asking- I do care about them.