Advice on doctorate

Discussion in 'Online & DL Teaching' started by AdamJLaw, Dec 3, 2010.

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  1. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    I'm looking for some advice here. I teach online full time. I'm working for 6 schools teaching English and CJ. I am gonig to get a doctorate because it will increase my pay and I've always wanted one. Looking at my credentials below, what subject do you think would be best for my online teaching career. I don't want to have to get any more work experience and I want to teach at the graduate level. I have three years of experience teaching special education, two years probation and the rest online teaching.

    Thanks
     
  2. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    I suppose that this is really a question that only you can answer. Do you enjoy English or CJ the most? How is the market for CJ? I know English is pretty swamped. But whichever of those that you would choose if forced to decide between the two would be the field I would pursue, if I were you.
     
  3. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Have you considered teaching special education courses in a university alternative teacher certification (post-bachelor) program?
     
  4. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    If I had to choose between CJ and English, I'd choose CJ. I love CJ and I know that Nova has an online CJ Phd program. I can't earn an online English degree, and I want to teach graduate courses, and there isn't a lot of online English graduate courses. My fear is that my two years of experience in probation would hold be back. I want my degree to be financially worth the effort. That means that I want to make substantially more money after earning it. Also, I don't know of an online PhD in Special education, I don't think that I'd want to do that anyway.

    Adam
     
  5. major56

    major56 Active Member

    SPED course/s instruction was just a thought; alternative teacher certification program instruction wouldn’t necessarily require a terminal degree.
     
  6. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    I'm not sure then what you are talking about. Can you refer me to a program's website for the alternative teacher certification?

    Adam
     
  7. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Each state determines its own requirements to obtain teaching credentials (state certification) alternatively. There are university programs and even private vendors who teach these education courses at the graduate level. After a number of years in the military and corporate systems, I received Texas special education and business administration teacher certifications through the Prairie View A&M alternative teacher certification program (ATCP) http://[URL="http://www.pvamu.edu/pages/159"]www.pvamu.edu/pages/159[/URL].asp.
     
  8. major56

    major56 Active Member

    Adam,

    Each state determines its own requirements to obtain teaching credentials (state certification) alternatively. There are university programs and even private vendors who teach these education courses at the graduate level. After a number of years in the military and corporate systems, I received Texas special education and business administration teacher certifications through the Prairie View A&M University alternative teacher certification program (ATCP) http://www.pvamu.edu/pages/159.asp.
     
  9. cdhale

    cdhale Member

    Do you mean that YOU can't do an online English degree or that there isn't one out there? Texas Tech has a PhD program online, as does Old Dominion. That doesn't include any from overseas.

    However, if neither of those interests you, then I suppose your choice is made, then.

    You have degrees in English and CJ, so if English is out, then CJ is the one for you.
     
  10. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    Regardless of where you live, if you go to your state department of education website you will find information on alternative routes to teacher certification. These are designed primarily to assist mid-career professionals to move into the field of K - 12 teaching.
     
  11. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    Yeah, I guess you're right, there are online English programs.My only hesitation is there's about 1 million people with a doctorate in English, my job prospects would not be much improved. What intrigues me about Nova's online criminal justice degree is that it's an actual criminal justice degree rather than a program in business with a focus in criminal justice. Also Nova's program is only 2.5 years. I've also thought about Northeastern's EdD in higher education administration.

    Adam
     
  12. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    While I'm personally considering Northeastern's program, with the goals you've outlined, it sounds like Nova's doctorate in CJ would be better for you since CJ's much more in demand. Also, University of the Rockies has a PsyD in Criminology and Justice Studies, but it costs like $70,000 so since one of your parameters is return on investment, that's pretty much out?

    -=Steve=-
     
  13. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    I will go against the grain here - I recommend getting a Doctorate in a subject such as Public admin. You already have MAs in the other two subjects, getting a Doctorate in either one is only going to narrow your options. PA will be nicely supplemented with your CJ background. The faculty opportunities for an individual with a Doctorate in PA are significant. Just a thought.
     
  14. not4profit

    not4profit Active Member

    Pffffffff. Don't listen to truckie! He is biased. Just look at his signature block. I think you should go with Northeastern instead!!

    Just kidding. I completely agree with the advice about the DPA. It is a good general doctorate that will complement your other degrees (especially the CJ one). The DPA is an excellent doctorate for anyone who has lower level degrees in any public safety or public service type field. I would definitely also recommend it for anyone who has the recently popular masters in homeland security, since there aren't really any doctorates in homeland security yet.
     
  15. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    Interesting, I've never thought about a DPA before. Would that stop me from teaching graduate CJ courses? Also, without experience would the DPA be useful in opening more doors for teaching? Honestly, my main concern in earning a doctorate is being able to teach graduate courses online. I'm open to a DBA in Finance or Accounting, PhD in CJ ....really anything. I'd hate to finish and regret my choice because it doesn't help get me the teaching jobs I want.

    Adam
     
  16. not4profit

    not4profit Active Member

    In my experience, the answer to your question depends on the school you want to teach for. My advice is to do this: Go to the websites for the kinds of schools and programs you are interested in teaching for. Look at their instructor bios. See what kind of degrees they have. You may not want to hear this, but the tenure track professors usually have LOTS of strong publications and a degree in a related area, usually with some experience in the area in question.

    I actually just did a cursory check of the faculty section of University of Maryland's school of CJ. It lists the bios of the tenured and adjunct faculty. It appears that the tenured track faculty mostly have PhDs in CJ, with the second most prominent type of degree as the PhDs in Public Policy (very similar to public administration). I would say you are more than safe with a DPA. That said, you will definitely want to beef up the old resume and research in criminal justice related areas. It almost seems like some schools just use the doctorate as a check mark, and they really look at your teaching background, published research in the area, and experience in the area you would like to teach. You may find that the DPA gets you the CJ related management job, which is the position that later gets the attention of the school program head who hires you. Wouldn't that be ironic...

    Oh, and if you are trying to get on with schools like UoP or Everest it really doesn't matter your degree area (assuming you have the credentials to teach to begin with), since it seems that they are mostly just trying to get lots of instructors with doctoral degrees for the accreditation. You will probably find that the majority of the Associate Deans that you work for only have a masters degree in education even though they are managing a department full of CJ instructors teaching CJ courses.
     
  17. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    Yeah, I'm planning on working online. Well, I actually already do work online. I want to teach online graduate courses to improve my income.

    Adam
     
  18. not4profit

    not4profit Active Member

    Again, the caliber of school matters when you are trying to decide on the route you go. But, honestly if you are just trying to teach adjunct online at a regular school (which is my plan as well) and not some top ranked school, just go with the degree program that most interests you (as long as it remotely relates to your area you want to teach). Your masters in CJ definitely gives you some freedom (in my opinion) to broaden your doctoral studies into education, public administration, or even business, and still marketable as a CJ instructor. I would definitely always look to tie your doctoral studies back to the area you want to teach though. Example: I am doing an EdD, but I am writing all my papers on security education or campus security since I want to teach organizational security courses.

    The one caviat I would say is to, at least for now, stay away from doctorates from highly publicized fully online/for profit schools. These doctorates still sometimes carry a stigma among the old school cranky pants types. Plus, alot of the time, they are more expensive.

    Oh, also UMUC has a doctorate of Management degree that would work if you can afford it (I can't).
     
  19. truckie270

    truckie270 New Member

    I may be biased towards the public admin. field, but I also made nearly six figures teaching this year because of it. :) With a MPA and soon to be DPA I have secured faculty work and taught courses in the following programs at both the graduate and undergraduate level: PA (obviously), general management, non-profit management, business, healthcare admin., criminal justice, emergency management, homeland security, public safety mgmt., and political science.

    My professional field is the fire service and emergency management, so naturally I have secured work there from a combination of my education and experience. In almost every graduate program geared towards a particular profession there is some management/adminstration component in the core curriculum making PA the perfect generalist degree. You will not be able to teach in a business program with a Doctorate degree in CJ, but there are courses you can teach with a DPA.

    Not to discourage you, but a Doctorate in English in my view is likely a waste of your time and money if your goal is increased faculty work as there are limited opportunities and many applicants. I have pursued the PA path because it helps me professionally as well as provided the most utility in terms of faculty work.

    There are several people with CJ backgrounds in my DPA program at Valdosta. There are several PA programs that will let you conduct your specialization work in the field of CJ, so you would get the benefit of the utility of PA combined with the field-specific focus that aligns with your interests and makes you more marketable.

    Also, as not4profit noted - I would stay away from completely online schools for your Doctoral studies. There are enough programs out there with limited residencies from B&M schools that you should be able to find one to meet your needs. If you can find a limited residency program at a state/private school with a B&M presence you will be money ahead, even with the cost of residencies.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 4, 2010
  20. AdamJLaw

    AdamJLaw New Member

    Would the advice on the DPA extend as far as the DPA program at Capella? Also, what is the value of a Capella degree for online teaching?
     

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