100% Online PhD Programs - State School or Private U.?

Hi all,

What state or private schools do you know of that offer completely, 100% online (requiring zero campus visits) PhD--or even professional Doctoraet--programs? For this list, I'd like to not include any for-profit's.

- University of the Cumberlands
- Liberty University
- California University of Pennsylvania

Are three I've found so far.

 

I believe the University of the Incarnate Word has an online DBA program. It is ACBSP Accredited. I think it is 100% online but I could be wrong.

 

University of Arkansas at Little Rock: PhD in Computer & Information Sciences ($383/credit)

 

For the above PhD in CIS, not 100% online. Forgot about the 3 campus visits.

(While on the subject of not 100% online, there is a PhD in Clinical Psychology at the non-profit Fielding Graduate University. Requires monthly meetings with local clusters around the US.)

 

There really are too many to mention. You will need to tell us the subject area of your interest in order to shorten the list.

 

I must be living in that past. My impression is that 100% online, zero-campus-visits doctoral programs are unusual. Maybe that's changed without my noticing.

 

Besides, Nemo is clearly not asking because she is planning on enrolling. The list is for some other (unknown) purpose. I know you'll all be surprised if I get a little bitchy . . .


but while I don't mind helping someone to identify prospective programs, I've never been interested in doing other people's homework for them.

 

You are wrong.

"Classes are held Friday nights and all day Saturday once a month."

 

This is a good chance to talk about sleaze.

I have held to the following position for well over 30 years: a doctoral program that has no residency requirement whatsoever is sleazy. It’s also crappy. And a sham.

Notice that I mentioned nothing about accreditation here: Even if a doctorate is RA, if it has no residency at all, it is still crap.

Doctoral programs, by nature, are designed to produce a leader in one’s field. This is especially the case with Ph.D. programs, which are designed to produce both leaders and scholars. Residency is a way of providing accountability. Without accountability, do you not get a leader, you get a shyster.

Notice that I also mentioned nothing about how much residency is required. In my Ph.D. program, the requirement was 35 days: I had to do a 10-day entry colloquium, three 5-day seminars, and ten peer days (a 1-day peer seminar as opposed to a school sponsored function). The colloquia and seminars were in full residence, often held a hotels or on a college campus. To some people, the notion of 35 days is a joke, but for me it worked quite well. Plus in-person meetings with both my full doctoral committee and individual committee members. To me, the notion of zero days is a joke.

Seeking a totally external doctoral program, to me, is like the oold cheapest, easiest, fastest argument. Someone who wants to do a Ph.D. without ever showing up doesn’t deserve a Ph.D. Ever.

Final note: I imagine there are a few fields in which a legitimate doctorate can be done without ever showing up. But, like the OP, I’m sticking to talking about a Ph.D. here. If professional doctorates (those in P.T. or audiology come to mind) are normally non-residential (and I don’t know if they are, I have no expertise in those areas, and don’t give a shit one way or the other, with all good wishes to both professions), then you can go with the norm. But a totally non-residential Ph.D.? Get out the hip-high boots. If you’re not willing to do a residency in your Ph.D. program, you better hope that you never run into someone like me, because we’ll make you out to your own followers as the ultimate fool and con artist you are.

Um, have a wonderful day.

 

Public Administration, Organizational Leadership, or a related field.

 

That's entirely incorrect, and I'm not sure if I should be offended or, since it's the internet, shrug it off. I'm a career police officer, with an online BS from Arizona State, and a MPA from UTPB. Due to family and work obligations, I'm looking at entirely online Doctoral programs. There are countless schools out there--many, in fact, I was unaware of before finding this forum--so I thought this thread would be a good way to present all options. Yes, for me, but also for the future visitors who utilize this forum for expanding their opportunities.

 

Thankfully many people aren't guided by your opinion.

 

Chris, are you telling us that your Ph.D. program at Liberty has absolutely, positively no residency requirement at all? Not one modular course or seminar, not one orientation workshop, no in-person dissertation defense (assuming, as a Ph.D. program, that there is a dissertation requirement)? Are you saying that during the entire course of your Ph.D. program, you will never be required to show up on campus at any time?

 

I find this terribly interesting and would like to ask some follow-up, if I may. And I ask these out of sheer curiosity to your thought processes, so I hope you don't take this with any need to get defensive.

Having experienced it yourself, what value do you find so profound in a (relatively) few days of in-person contact? I'm not sure what exactly those residencies require, so I would interested in learning more about them. What is it that can't be done over phone, teleconference, video, etc.?

What would you say to people--if there are any--who say that, similar to your stance, online PhD's with "only 35 days of residency" are sleaze? I'm sure there are people in academia who think a PhD earned via any means other than traditionally are less revered.

Is your opinion based mostly on desire? You say "If you're not willing to do..." But what about people who are willing, but the program just doesn't require it? I have found this weekend that even very well respected UK universities, such as Lancaster University and Leicester University, don't require residency and you can defend your dissertation over web conference.

How would a person who had to do residencies during their PhD make one who didn't out to be "the ultimate fool"?

I enjoy your passion on the subject and appreciate you sharing with me and all on this forum.

 

Well, the fact is that you are not qualified for "all options." The fact that you still haven't named even one area of interest makes me think that my initial suspicions were correct. But since I like to play along in these situations, I'll point out that every PhD program at UNISA is available 100% online with no residency requirements of any kind.

https://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default

 

I personally don't care for a degree from a for-profit. Simply personal preference and not a slight to whatever the educational quality of those degrees may be, but they aren't for me. Thus, I was looking for input on "all options" related to the types of schools I am interested in.

Also, I responded yesterday at 9:30pm with a clarifying post on my areas of interest.

Thanks for your suggestions; I'll take a look at UNISA.

 

Steve, the Ph.D. in Criminal Justice is 100% online - so no, I will never be required to show up on the campus at any time. However, this is not the case for all the doctoral programs at Liberty, some programs do require on-campus intensives while others have optional intensives. I would have loved if my program had maybe a yearly residency but it's not a deal breaker. In fact, the residency requirement is the reason why I didn't get to start the D.CJ. at Saint Leo in August. I couldn't get the time off because the residency was held the same week I was starting my new job. Anyway, Liberty's criminal justice program does have a 15-credit dissertation component and I hope to arrange to defend mine on-campus when I get to that point. I do plan to visit Liberty's campus in February when I get my mid-winter break at my job. I am a little too old (over 24) to participate in Liberty's College for a Weekend event. However, I'll get my own accommodation off-campus and visit the campus. I already have my Flame Pass (ID card), so I will have access to all the facilities on the campus when I visit.

 

Yes you certainly did, and if you use our little search widget I think you’ll find a bunch of threads related to such programs. I the meantime we can try to focus on identifying some zero residency options

 

Valdosta State University (VSU):

Doctor of Public Administration Degree

Tuition is only $293 per credit hour.