I understand that there is no university in the U.S. that offers a Ph.D. in History online. Is there anywhere that offers the option of getting all the coursework completed online. Allowing for someone to reach ABD status online, and then completing a dissertation, perhaps at another school. I know it's a long shot, but I figured I would throw it out there. I have looked at online phd programs overseas, but the credible ones seem rather expensive, such as the University of Birmingham in UK, which offers an online phd in modern history.
While it wouldn't include coursework, you might want to consider a British Uni that will admit you to their Ph.D. program ("programme") while you study in the U.S. I realize you looked at one, but talk (really, truly, TALK) with others. See what you can work out. You might also want to consider unis in SA and Oz.
The philosophy of schools outside North America is that if you're ready for doctoral study, you don't need more coursework. This is not a bad way to look at it.
That's part of it, but not the whole story. I've posted this distinction before: "big book" and "little book" approaches to the Ph.D. In "big book," the candidate writes a very large (by U.S. standards) thesis, somewhere around 80-100K words. No formal curriculum is followed, but the candidate might still be required to take certain courses by his/her advisor in order to be prepared to do doctoral-level research. In the "little book" approach, the candidate takes a series of courses (lasting two or more years), followed by a smaller thesis (about 50K words or less). What's the difference in the theses besides size? The size of the project, usually, because even the small book thesis has to cover all the bases. Most Ph.D. programs in the UK, SA, Oz, and parts of Europe follow the big book approach, while those in the U.S. and much of the Western Hemisphere follow the small book approach. We're also seeing many professional doctorate programs (DBA, DSoSci, etc.) pop up that use the small book approach in those other countries. Another difference: most Ph.D. students have already done a master's thesis, so they're expected to be pretty ready for writing the Ph.D. thesis. Another difference: many Ph.D. programs overseas admit students first into a master of philosophy (MPhil) degree status. The student then works to get an acceptable thesis proposal and get "upgraded" to Ph.D. (or DPhil) status. If the candidate does not successfully move up, he/she is awarded the MPhil. The MPhil can also result from the candidate choosing not to continue. So yes, while it's true you're expected to be pretty learned in your field prior to the Ph.D., there are other real distinctions about the nature of the Ph.D. to consider. Many Americans think "Oh, great, no courses. I'll just to my dissertation." No. Not only will you encounter requirements from your advisor not found in the school's literature, you will write a much bigger thesis--and spend 6 years part-time doing it, often with multiple visits to the campus. Caveat emptor.
Have you loked at the University of Leicester's University of Leicester PhD in Archaeology and Ancient History by distance learning?
One cannot expect to do the coursework for a Ph.D. at one school and then complete the dissertation at another. Ph.D. "programmes" in the UK typically require the student to spend some time in residence. This is individually negotiated between the student and the advisor, so it can vary even at the same school.
