Know Any Cheap RA Doctorate?

Board,

I am looking for the most affordable Doctorate programs. I would prefer a computer related discipline or education. The goal is to be able to teach at any higher education institution.

Thanks,

 

Get a copies of John & Mariah Bear's _Bears' Guide to Earning Degrees by Distance Learning_ (this one at the very least as they are the true deities of distance learning) and maybe Marcie Thorson's _Campus-Free College Degrees_, Matthew & April Helm's _Get Your Degree Online_, _Peterson's Guide to Distance Learning Programs_, and _Barron's Guide to Distance Learning_.

For the PhD in Education (or, indeed, any education degree), check out John Bear, Mariah Bear, Tom Head, & Tom Nixon, _Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning_.

For the PhD in Computer Science (or, indeed, any computer degree), check out John Bear, Mariah Bear, & Larry McQueary, _Bears' Guide to the Best Computer Degrees by Distance Learning_ and John Bear, Mariah Bear, & Tom Head, _Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead_.

Also, there is a degree search function on this board: just choose degree level, major, and desired residency (low residency OK or absolutely no residency). Or one may try http://www.gradschools.com .

 

"Computer-related" and "education" are very divergent fields. When one pursues a doctorate, it is because one is going to be an expert in a particular specialty. It is also helpful to know what one might want to research, which involves considerable winnowing down of one's educational interest.

In short, you might want to be more specific.

RA DL doctoral programs, generally speaking, cost $30-50K. British programs are in a similar range. Australian programs might be $10K less (both British and Aussie costs are much higher these days due to our weakened dollar). South African programs are the least expensive, but hardly anyone seems to do them--the administrative difficulties are tremendous and difficult to overcome for U.S. students.

Again, in short, the "most affordable" RA DL programs are almost the same as the "most unaffordable." Cost will not--with a few exceptions like UMUC (higher)--be the deciding factor. Nova Southeastern, Union, Fielding, Northcentral, TUI, Argosy, UoP, etc., all cost about the same. The differences are not as significant as other differences between those programs.

You might also consider a state school in your vicinity, if one exists (and if they offer a degree you want, and if you can get in).

 

For CS, I will advice you to have a look to University of Pretoria/South Africa. They are excellent, very supportive and inexpensive.

 

If by RA you mean "from a school in the USA" then I'd suggest you take a look at the EdD program at University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It's pretty inexpensive as these things go. If by RA you mean "credible, generally accepted, etc" then I'd suggest that you take Muhammud's advice and look at the offerings at some of the South African universities. They are the least expensive you'll find.
Jack

 

By the way, a great place for you to start your research is at Jonnie's Distance Learning Page
http://www.geocities.com/liu_jonathan/distance.html
Jack

 

Marcus,
Assuming you have a related Master's Degree, Northcentral's tuition for a Ph.D. program is $25825 which includes the dissertation fees (everything except books). There are no residency requirements so that also saves a lot of money over most other options. If you prepay the whole thing (except the $1600 dissertation fee) you get a 10% discount, so your total would be under $24,000. This is about $10,000 (at least) less than most other programs I checked out before deciding. I am enrolled in the Ph.D, Education with a specialization in Technology Management.
Good luck with whatever you decide on. The downside for some is they don't participate in Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

 

Well, let's see here. If you wish to teach Computer Science classes, go for the PhD in Computer Science. If you wish to teach Education courses, go for the PhD in Education or the EdD. If you wish to teach classes on how to teach computer classes, go for the PhD or EdD in Computer Education. If you wish to teach about the use of computers in the classroom, go for the PhD or EdD in Instructional Technology.

 

Northcentral University's PhD in Business Administration program has a concentration in Applied Computer Science.

 

Re: Re: Know Any Cheap RA Doctorate?

Of course, Rich, your alma mater Union www.tui.edu emphasizes granting their learners the freedom to study "unrelated" fields. Does it not?

 

Re: Re: Re: Know Any Cheap RA Doctorate?

The Union Institute and University has a professor named Fred G. Kohun, who hold an MS in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a PhD in Applied History with a concentration in the History of Technology from Carnegie-Mellon University. He taught Computer & Information Systems at Robert Morris University from 1981 to the present, eventiually becoming Department Head, Director of the Institute of Information Management and Associate Dean of the School of Communications and Information Systems. And you could select an education professor as your second core professor. Sound good, eh?

 

COMPUTER RELATED DOCTORATES

University of Bradford www.brad.ac.uk (BG15, p. 176) Computer Graphics, Computer Science
Central Queensland University www.dtls.cqu.edu.au (BG15, p. 103) Computer Information Systems
Colorado State University www.learn.colostate.edu (BG15, p. 106) Computer Engineering
Colorado Technical University www.ctuonline.edu Computer Science
Columbia University www.cvn.columbia.edu (BG15, p. 106) Computer Science
University of Luton www.luton.ac.uk (BG15, p. 139) Computer Information Systems
University of Massachusetts - Amherst www.ecs.umass.edu/vip (BG15, p. 140) Computer Engineering
University of Melbourne [url]www.unimelb.edu.au (BG15, p. 140) Computer Education, Computer Information Systems, Computer Science, Software Engineering
Mississippi State University www.distance.msstate.edu (BG15, p. 163) Computer Engineering
Naval Postgraduate School www.nps.navy.mil/dl/index.html (BG15, p. 124) Software Engineering
University of New England www.une.edu.au/admissions/ext_prospective.htm (BG15, p. 141) Computer Science
Nova Southeastern University www.nova.edu (BG15, p. 165) Computer Information Systems, Computer Science
Pace University www.pace.edu Computer Science
University of South Africa www.unisa.ac.za (BG15, p. 144) Computer Science
South Bank University www.lbsu.ac.uk (BG15, p. 172) Computer Science
University of Sunderland www.sunderland.ac.uk/international (BG15, p. 180) Computer Information Systems
University of Tasmania www.international.utas.edu.au (BG15, p. 146) Computer Information Systems
Technical University of British Columbia www.techbc.ca (BG15, p. 174) Computer Information Systems, Software Engineering
Technikon of South Africa www.tsa.ac.za (BG15, p. 132) Computer Information Systems
University of Teesside www.tees.ac.uk/cll/Frames/O&Dframe.htm (BG15, p. 181) Computer Graphics, Computer Science

 

EDUCATION DOCTORATES

Australian Catholic University www.acu.edu.au
University of Birmingham www.edu.bham.ac.uk/CPD Special Education
University of Bradford www.brad.ac.uk (BG15, p. 176) Education
Capella University www.capellauniversity.edu (BG15, p. 156) Adult Education; Educational Psychology; Elementary & Secondary Educational Administration; Guidance Counseling; Higher Educational Administration; Instructional Design for Online Learning; Teaching & Learning
Central Queensland University www.dtls.cqu.edu.au (BG15, p. 103) Education
Charles Sturt University www.csu.edu.au/study/de.html (BG15, p. 104) Education
Columbia University http://dtp.tc.columbia.edu AEGIS (Adult Education Guided Independent Study?) Program
Edith Cowan University www.cowan.edu.au Education and Applied Linguistics
Fielding Institute www.fielding.edu (BG15, p. 159) Educational Leadership and Change
Flinders University www.flinders.edu.au
George Fox University www.georgefox.edu
International Management Centres Association www.i-m-c.org (BG15, p. 116) Vocational Education
University of Kent at Canterbury www.ukc.ac.uk Applied Linguistics
Lakehead University www.lakeheadu.ca/~disedwww (BG15, p. 119) Education
Liberty University www.liberty.edu (BG15, p. 162) Education; Educational Leadership
Macquarie University www.coe.mq.edu.au (BG15, p. 120) Applied Linguistics; Early Childhood Education
University of Manchester www.man.ac.uk
Maryvale Institute www.maryvale.ac.uk Catholic Education
University of Melbourne www.unimelb.edu.au (BG15, p. 140) Applied Linguistics; Computer-Assisted Language Learning; Computer Education; Education (General); Health & Physical Education; Mathematics Education; Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
Mississippi State University www.distance.msstate.edu (BG15, p. 163) Community College Leadership
University of Montana www.umt.edu/ccesp (BG15, p. 178) Educational Leadership
National-Louis University www.nl.edu/nlu_programs/online.html (BG15, p. 164) Adult Education
University of Nebraska Lincoln http://dcs.unl.edu (BG15, p. 179) Curriculum and Instruction; Educational Administration
University of New England www.une.edu.au (BG15, p. 141) Curriculum Studies; Education Studies; Special Education Northcentral University www.ncu.edu
University of North Dakota www.conted.und.edu (BG15, p. 179) Teaching & Learning
Nova Southeastern University www.nova.edu (BG15, p. 165) Adult Education; Child & Youth Studies; Computing Technology in Education; Educational Leadership; Higher Education; Instructional Technology & Distance Education; Vocational/Technological/Occupational Education
Open University (England) www.open.ac.uk (BG15, p. 126) Child Development; Curriculum & Assessment; Developing Lifelong Learning; Education/Training/Future of Work; Educational Management; Gender Issues in Education; Inclusive & Special Education; Language & Literacy; Primary Education; Teacher Education & Mentoring
Open University Hong Kong www.ouhk.edu.hk
Pepperdine University www.pepperdine.edu (BG15, p.167)Education; Educational Technology
Prescott College www.prescott.edu (BG15, p. 167)
Purdue University http://distance.soe.purdue.edu (BG15, p. 168) Educational Administration
Regent University www.regent.edu (BG15, p. 168) Distance Education; Education; Educational Psychology; Higher Education Administration; K-12 School Leadership; Special Education; Staff Development/Adult Education
University of South Africa www.unisa.ac.za (BG15, p. 144) Comparative Education; Education Management; History of Education; Philosophy of Education; Psychology of Education; Socio-Education; Special Needs Education
University of South Australia www.unisa.edu.au Early Childhood Education; Education (General)
South Bank University www.lbsu.ac.uk (BG15, p. 172) Education
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary www.sbts.edu (BG15, p. 172)Educational Leadership
University of Southern Queensland www.usq.edu.au Professional Leadership
University of Tasmania www.international.utas.edu.au (BG15, p. 146) Education
Technikon of South Africa www.tsa.ac.za (BG15, p. 132) Education
University of Technology, Sydney www.gradschool. uts.edu.au Adult & Vocational Education; Teacher Education
University of Teesside www.tees.ac.uk/cll/Frames/O&Dframe.htm (BG15, p. 181) Education
Texas A & M University - Commerce www.tamu-commerce.edu/coe/psy/Psyphd.htm (BG15, p. 174) Educational Psychology
Touro University International www.tourou.edu (BG15, p. 134) Education
Union Institute www.tui.edu
Walden University www.waldenu.edu (BG15, p. 183) Education
University of Wales Aberystwyth www.aber.ac.uk

 

Thanks Theo!

 

You're very welcome, Marcus. I meant to get those DL CS & ED PhDs posted to this board much earlier than this, but somehow my first attempt at posting same totally evaporated before my very eyes and I had been a bit remiss in getting back to it.

 

Re: COMPUTER RELATED DOCTORATES

Sorry, it looks like a couple of those computer docs got run together in a previous post.

 

Gentle advice, Marcus?

Cost, while important, shouldn't even enter your mind at this point. Right now, you need to identify what subject it is for which you have sufficient PASSION to sustain you through a doctoral program. Otherwise, IMHO, you will fail before finishing your masters (or equivalent).

Next, you need to identify what KIND of learning experience will work for YOU in pursuing this passion. Failure to do this will cause you to fail before completing the first HALF of the coursework.

Then, and ONLY then, should you consider the comparative cost of suitable programs. If you set yourself up to fail, the cost will not matter.

 

For perhaps the first time I'm going to disagree (slightly) with Nosborne. I agree with virtually everything he's said but would only add one factor. Graduate study is, amongst other things, an exercise in stress management. If, among these stressors, is a bigbigbig and ever accumulating debt for your education, this leads to increased stress. Ultimately, too much stress can be overwhelming and potentially lead to the inability to complete the program. At that point the (x)student is left with the bill but without the benefit of the degree. In my own view it is never unreasonable to keep an eye on expenses.
Jack
(I also believe that the part about passion is absolutely true)

 

Jack Tracey is right.

My point, perhaps badly expressed, is that in CHOOSING a program, do not allow relative cheapness to lure you into studying something different than what you WANT to study. You won't succeed.

Now, having identified the subject that REALLY interest you, by which I mean you bore your spouse and friends to death by babbling on about it at every opportunity, you would rather read the most recent Journal article than Penthouse, you have texts on your nightstand, you get the idea!, you absolutely MUST look at available programs and COUNT THE COST before you sign up.

You need a detailed plan for financing your graduate study. And if there is no obvious way to pay for it, you need to reconsider.