ABD to PHD programs...

LOL

 

I don't know of any in the United States. But as Dustin suggests, somebody in your situation might be a candidate for a British-style PhD "by research". Most British universities offer them, but most are kind of vague on the details (such as residencies). That's because students work out the details of their programs in consultation with their supervising professor (and what they expect you to do might be hugely variable).

Here's one, discussed a lot on this board in the past, that emphasizes distance learning:

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/postgraduate-research/

If there's an admissions interview, they will probably ask you why you didn't complete your dissertation here in the States. They might be concerned that you might not complete it with them either.

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/research/education-communities/psychology/

https://www.uwtsd.ac.uk/research/humanities-lampeter/spirituality-health-and-wellbeing/

A bit of warning: I doubt whether this would satisfy the psychology licensing requirements in most states. (Licensing boards want specific coursework, hands on clinical experience etc.) If being a practicing clinical psychologist is your goal, then you need to be planning your course with the licensing requirements in mind. (Pastoral counseling might be a way to dodge around that.)

 

Maybe you are not as as smart and you seem to think. I practice pastoral counselling, most insurance companies will require an ordination certificate and a masters degree for a pastoral counselling insurance. The ordination certificate from UCL might be a mill but legal so good enough to get insurance.
I agree that it should not be displayed but I would just write in my profile "insured as a pastoral counselor".
Also, she is eligible to apply to pastoral counselling associations given the mill ordination. Some associations will not accept it but some might.
Even in the new age community, people know that degrees from Sedona, etc are substandard. If you get a degree from these places, using it as a PhD in a profile might hurt you and not help you.
She has enough good credentials to be a pastoral counselor, getting a substandard credential or a cheap foreign route with a Nicaraguan school might do nothing for her because she has already credible credentials.
I would just use the extra credits to get a post masters certificate at NCU or other similar place and leave it like that. It looks like she wants just to put a PhD in her business card but a substandard degree or mill would just make it worst.

Laughing at someone is just a sign of insecurity, you can laugh at me too if you want, I really have no issues with someone like you laughing at me if these make your insecurities flourish.
To the the OP, Steve made a good point although I do not agree with his sarcasm. If you want to be a pastoral counselor, work in your pastoral counselling skills and get a real ordination certificate. I practice interfaith counselling and most real ordinations require 3 years of study. I would forget about the doctorate and study more pastoral counselling. The interfaith ministry below has a good program:

https://www.onespiritinterfaith.org

They offer spiritual counseling certification.

Most people go for a particular pastoral counsellor because referrals. Serve your community and network with people, most people will not even ask about your education. The real credential is the perception of people of you and your service to them.

 

So Steve's insecure? Like that's news? So are we all, including you, RFValve, that's why we hang out here, whiling away our time rather than going out and changing the world through more productive pursuits--res ipsa loquitur (my gratuitous use of Latin phrases is also a sign of insecurity).

 

And here I thought we all just stopped by DI to take a break for a few while we're busy out there changing the world.

 

Not me, I do it because I'm insecure and neurotic--I thought we were all in that same boat. Maybe you're an outlier around here.

 

Mississippi College offers a regionally accredited Doctorate in Professional Counseling (DPC) entirely online. They accept up to twenty one doctoral credits into this program, but if you speak with the Chair it's possible that they may
make an exception.

This degree from this Baptist School, appears to fit nicely with the practice of Pastoral Counseling.

 

I'm not an expert but usually, without APA accreditation the utility of such a degree is more limited.
Yet its an RA degree so totally legit and pastoral counseling is a calling.

 

Only 19 states require APA accreditation in order to become licensed. Many people are licensed at the Masters level and so do not require a license eligible doctoral degree.

 

Okay, campers, I've been out of this field for several years. But historically . . .

The APA accredits psychology programs, and psychologists do require doctorates for licensure. Counseling programs are accredited by CACREP, and generally require a master's degree for licensure. Sounds like this thread has fallen into mixing psychology and counseling - like mixing oil and water.

A DPC degree is like a DSN for nurses - not necessary for licensure, good on top of whatever a particular state does require for licensure, yet at the same time another bullshit doctoral title for institutions looking to take your money and students who get their rocks off by the thought of being called "Doctor."

In other words, "DPC? Are they fucking joking?" I have spoken. Get over it. Thank you. Thank you very much.

 

Correct. Except the nursing bodies heavily push the DSN, and it is expected to become a required credential for various types of APRNs (eg., Family Nurse Practitioners). So it will become akin to the DPT, a professional Doctorate for physical therapists that used to only have Bachelor's - a good way to saddle every new entrant to the field with unsustainable student debt.

Oh, and about 100% of academia have the same opinion about PhDs awarded by programs with any kind of substantial distance component. And don't be fooled: few make distinction between Union and Capella. Literally, "diploma mills catering for students who get their rocks off by the thought of being called "Doctor"". Of course, we know better: DPC from Mississippi College and a PhD from UI&U are both hard-earned RA degrees. The only difference is that Union degrees are in Interdisciplinary Sciences or some such, inherently Mickey Mouse fields.



...only kidding, of course. "Counselling" is also a Mickey Mouse field.

 

In fact, practically every Mental Health and allied health profession has a professional doctorate option versus the traditional Ph.D, such as in Psychology (Ph.D vs Psy.D), Social Work (Ph.D vs DSW), Physical Therapy (Ph.D vs DPT), Nursing and others.

The fact that the DPC degree did not catch on by the majority of universities as an an option for graduate students in counseling seeking a practice oriented doctorate, is a power/political decision emanating from Academics with Ph.Ds in Counseling Education and Supervision who dominate this profession and the organizations representing their constituents.

The basis for not approving a counseling practice doctorate appears to be due to these Academics holding that the Masters Degree Program in Counseling, is sufficient in itself for general practice, and that the doctorate in counseling should involve a research oriented program oriented towards academia and professional practice.

The problem with such rigid standards is that it does not allow students who are not research oriented, and instead prefer advanced graduate training in practice oriented coursework, to pursue a doctoral program congruent with their professional and career goals. The fact that other professions as noted above recognize the differences in students needs and objectives and have developed practice oriented doctorates, imho does not bode well for the counseling profession.

 

What is the difference between:

• Doctor of Philosophy in Accounting (aka PhD in accounting)
  
• Doctor of Business Administration in Accounting (aka DBA in accounting)

 

I believe you'll find the difference described here (sec. 2.1 & 2.4)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctorate

 

Delete.

 

MDs laugh at the DNP. DPT and PharmD degrees are overkill because you learn everything you need for those professions at the Bachelor's level. All of this BS does is create more unnecessary debt and stroke egos.