D2D: Earn Your Second Doctorate Degree with Just 27 Credits

Ph.D. in Strategic Leadership & Administrative Studies
D2D: Earn Your Second Doctorate Degree with Just 27 Credits

There's also an ABD pathway

ABD Pathway
Marywood University offers a pathway to ABD students who had completed all their doctoral courses at other accredited institutions of higher learning but were unable to start or complete their dissertations. The pathways consists of three courses (Ethical Leadership, Pre-Dissertation Seminar, and Qualifying Seminar) plus 9 online dissertation credits (a total of 18 credits). Applicants who lack research courses in their prior doctoral programs must take additional research courses at our program, including qualitative, quantitative, advanced quantitative research, and statistical analysis.

https://www.marywood.edu/strategic-leadership-doctoral-degree

 

Second doctorate? Why would anyone do that?

 

Truly strange about the 2nd doctorate option: they want you to do the research methods courses and dissertation, but skip the "taught" portion on the subject itself. If you have a doctorate already, it's reasonable to assume you've learned research methods already. And if you're doing this degree while coming from a different discipline, it would seem like you would need to take the foundation courses to learn the subject.

That is seriously weird.

It would not be in a UK-style thesis-only PhD. But, then again, such a degree already requires expertise in the subject matter. This degree approach assumes quite the opposite.

Really, really weird.

 

Under the Outcomes section they list "Published Faculty" and note that Dr. Dawoody is a published author. While true, his play appears to be self-published according to Amazon along with his other works, and not particularly relevant to administrative sciences or leadership.

Multiple references to his being a Fulbright scholar also seem a bit irrelevant.

On the plus side, the dissertations are made available: https://www.journal-aps.net/dissertations

 

The cost for a second (third?) doctorate is just south of $30K. I would be interested if it wasn't a scholarly degree. What I would want to do is more practice-based and would suit a professional doctorate.

 

Maybe it is for name recognition? But not sure if Marywood brand is any better than, let's say, Liberty University or University of the Rockies.

 

Name recognition? Well, it's not Harvard or Yale, or even Penn State. But Marywood is a regular Catholic university in Scranton, PA - an area I lived and worked in (University of Scranton) for some time. Marywood does not have any controversial history as far as I know. So, I think a Ph.D. from there would not hurt anyone. But it wouldn't come with a big name recognition.

I would pursue the Marywood option if it were cheaper lol. Not because of anything to do with my Liberty Ph.D. It has served me well (two tenure-track positions, one at an R2 university, currently non-tenure track, fully remote Teaching Assistant Professor at an R1 university, and I've published 7 peer-reviewed articles - with the 8th coming in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education soon - all as first author). And while my position does not require research, I already have another proposal to submit to the IRB, so I can begin data collection. I can only credit my career achievements in academia to Liberty University.

 

I went back to your old post and had ChatGPT check. This is what it found. Not sure if it will be helpful for you!

Closest matches (self-paced or very flexible + 100% online)

• Capella University – DBA (FlexPath) — fully online, competency-based and self-paced; optional GuidedPath if he prefers a paced format. Capella notes virtual (online) doctoral residencies for some programs, so no travel. Regionally accredited (HLC). Capella University+2Capella University+2
  
  
• Franklin University – DBA — 100% online, designed for working adults with an embedded, “No-Fear Dissertation” approach; typical 3-year plan. Regionally accredited (HLC). Franklin University+2Franklin University+2
  
  
• National University – DBA — fully online with structured courses that walk students through dissertation chapters (“little-book” taught model). Regionally accredited (WSCUC). National University+1
  
  
• Westcliff University – DBA — online format; university is regionally accredited (WSCUC). (Good if he wants an ACBSP-accredited business school on top of institutional accreditation.) Westcliff University+1
  

Mostly/entirely online with light or periodic residencies

• UMGC – Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) — online courses with two-day residencies each term (core courses in person; dissertation residencies online). Fully recognized U.S. regional accreditation (MSCHE). University of Maryland Global Campus+1
  
  
• UMGC – Doctor of Management (DM) — applied, leadership-oriented professional doctorate with short residencies and a 3-year plan; strongly practice-based. University of Maryland Global Campus
  
  
• Johnson & Wales University – DBA (Online) — lock-step dissertation support, regionally accredited (NECHE); fully online coursework. JWU OnlineJohnson & Wales University
  
  
• Liberty University – DBA (Online) — 60-credit, 100% online coursework in 8-week blocks; practice-oriented DBA option. Regionally accredited (SACSCOC). Liberty University+2Liberty University+2
  

Public-sector / leadership professional doctorates (great if he’s open beyond “DBA”)

• Valdosta State University – DPA (Doctor of Public Administration) — practitioner-oriented, 100% online; strong fit for leadership/administration roles across sectors. Valdosta State University+1
  
  
• West Chester University (PA) – DPA — 100% online, applied focus, housed in an AACSB-accredited college; 45-credit “little-book” structure. West Chester UniversityWest Chester University Catalog
  
  
• Liberty University – DPA (Online) — online, applied capstone/dissertation sequence. Liberty University+1
  

International (recognized national systems; distance-friendly, applied)

• Teesside University (UK) – DBA (Online) — 100% online, part-time; explicit taught modules plus an applied thesis (classic “little-book” format). UK public university, nationally recognized. Teesside University
  
  
• University of Portsmouth (UK) – Professional Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) — professional doctorate with coursework + applied research; blended/online elements typical. UK public recognition. University of Portsmouth
  
  
• Heriot-Watt (Edinburgh Business School) – DBA — flexible, part-time professional doctorate oriented to solving organizational problems (blended). UK public recognition. Heriot-Watt University+1
  

Quick fit-check against his criteria

• Professional (non-PhD): All programs above are DBA/DPA/DM professional doctorates. ✔️
  
  
• Distance: Each is online; a few note brief residencies (UMGC DBA/DM; some U.S. DBAs may do virtual or limited on-site). ✔️
  
  
• Business/Management/Leadership: DBAs (business), DPA/DM (management/leadership in public/admin contexts). ✔️
  
  
• “Little-book” taught: These programs include coursework + an applied project/dissertation (not thesis-only). ✔️
  
  
• Self-paced: Capella (FlexPath) is the truest self-paced option; others are asynchronous but paced by terms. ✔️/⚠️
  
  
• Recognized accreditation: U.S. picks are regionally accredited (HLC/SACSCOC/NECHE/WSCUC). UK picks are public universities under the national QAA framework. ✔️
  

If he wants my fastest short-list

1. Capella DBA (FlexPath) for maximum self-pacing and zero travel (virtual residencies). Capella University+1
   
   
2. Franklin DBA for a structured, fully online plan with heavy dissertation support. Franklin University
   
   
3. Teesside DBA (Online) for a pure UK, 100% online professional doctorate with taught modules. Teesside University
   
   
4. UMGC DM if he wants an explicitly practice-based management doctorate with short residencies. University of Maryland Global Campus
   

 

I went to an LLM, asked it to look at Marywood's program, and asked it (twice) if there was another school somewhere with a similar opportunity for those wanting to earn a second doctorate. It told me to shut up and quit stacking credentials.

 

. Hahahaha!

 

This looks like a good option for someone with a foreign Doctorate that has a positive NACES member evaluation service that wants a US PhD just to be able to enter the academic market. However, given the saturation and low availability of tenure track positions, I wonder how realistic is to get a tenure track with a PhD in Leadership from a low tier university. It might be OK for someone looking for adjunct jigs.
Some potential clients are also people with DBAs, DMs, etc that want the more prestigious PhD tag.
However, as the LLM reference from Rich, it looks like just stacking credentials for no reason other than getting some adjunct gigs might not justify the effort. Maybe better to invest the time getting some certifications or licenses to improve potential job prospects in the industry field. Maybe a real estate license or CPA for DBAs might be a better product than PhDs. It looks like the PhD is going to be the next MBA with fast track options, shorter dissertations, etc.

 

Someone with a low prestige doctorate that wants a second with more prestige. Let's say someone with a PhD from Central Nicaragua that was a second one from a US university or a person with a DBA from Capella that wants the PhD tag just to be able to sell a CV as a more research oriented academic.

 

Schools are getting creative to get people to consume their products. The next will be PhD certificates for 9 credits after a doctorate.

 

I know of someone who earned their Ph.D. in Public Safety at Capella, then earned a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at Nova Southeastern. He's an assistant professor at a private NFP university in New Jersey.

 

Good for this person. Getting two doctorates to get a tenure track seems to be a bit extreme but I guess these are the times we live in. Rich was going for his third doctorate. Are we are going to see now people with 3, 4 or N doctorates as they become a dime a dozen?

 

(It was sarcasm.)

 

I was? Somebody should have told me, because to my knowledge I've never pursued one. No application, no admission, no enrollment. No wonder I didn't get it!

 

They are? The only thing I've seen that has changed has been accessibility.

 

I don't think they're a dime a dozen or the percentage of doctoral degree holders would be more than 2% in the U.S. and 1% worldwide.