I don't know if this has been discussed before. However, Lipscomb University in Nashville offers a Ph.D. in Leadership & Policy Studies. The program is campus-based. However, those who aren't local to Nashville can study through video conferencing (synchronous classes). Probably not best suited for those who want asynchronous learning. Another unique feature is the Bachelor's to Ph.D. pathway. However, those who aren't admitted through this route will have to earn a master's degree before being considered for admission. https://www.lipscomb.edu/academics/programs/phd-leadership-and-policy-studies-info
It worths if top 100 school. Liberty University's tuition is really extractive, especially for Veterans and law enforcement.
It's not worth it if you're more worried about ranking than whether the program is the right fit. Liberty's tuition discount is what got me. However, Liberty isn't for everyone.
This is a part-time PhD with some on-campus requirements and a steep price. Am I missing something of note here?
It's a full-time (9 credits per semester), mostly campus-based program. They are merely allowing those out of Nashville the opportunity to join the real-time campus-based classes through video conferencing. Some classes (accelerated format) are offered online. However, each semester, there is a campus-based 15/16-week course being offered. It's more than just showing up for a few days like students would for a residency. The entire semester is face-to-face, so video conferencing is an option for students not based in Nashville.
Note on cost: All applications will be automatically considered for scholarships. In-Service Scholarship Students working as professionals in education, public service, or healthcare may apply for a 20% In-Service Scholarship, which brings the tuition rate to $763 per credit hour.
In QUOTE="chrisjm18, post: 585123, member: 32184"]It's not worth it if you're more worried about ranking than whether the program is the right fit. Liberty's tuition discount is what got me. However, Liberty isn't for everyone.[/QUOTE] I intended to pursue my Ph.D. at Liberty University due to the significant advantages that outweighed the drawbacks from my perspective. However, I ultimately decided to enroll at Cumberlands University because of the liberal transfer of credits for my two master's degrees, making it an obvious and easy choice.
Thanks. I guess my comment was about why this school was a thing for this board? It doesn't seem to be particularly aligned to what we normally look at academically. I thought maybe I was missing something relevant.
Long ago, Lipscomb had a deal with Nations U., for quite a while, before Nations became accredited. A Bachelor's from Nations would get you into a Master's program in religion at Lipscomb. A pretty good deal for someone with an unaccredited (at that time) Bachelor's. Of course, there was a bit of probation - you had to do well in your first couple of courses at Lipscomb to continue - nothing one would not expect with such an arrangement. And 'way back, then-unaccredited SCUPS was a "feeder-school" for (accredited) NorthCentral, which was under the same ownership. I'd like to see more arrangements like that, with other schools.
SCUPS - Southern California University for Professional Studies. Founded in 1978, it remained unaccredited until 2007, when it changed its name to California Southern University and acquired DETC (now DEAC) accreditation. Today Cal. Southern is part of the AIU (American Intercontinental University) system, which is accredited by HLC. As I said, I'd like to see more arrangements like that between Lipscomb and Nations, SCUPS and NorthCentral, i.e between accredited and non-accredited (as yet) schools. Some other members would NOT like that, I'm sure. I'll wait around and see what people think.
I'm a "yes" on that one. Such arrangements can help a newer school get off the ground, and they can inject new energy into the older, sponsoring school. If such arrangements are approved by--and scrutinized by--the "parent" school's accrediting agency, why not?
Additionally, Cal Southern earned WASC accreditation a few years before becoming part of the HLC-accredited AIU System.
Which was a bit surprising (in a good way) since the whole purpose of Northcentral was that SCUPS couldn't get anywhere with WASC. Times, they have changed.
Circling back to the Lipscomb PhD in Leadership and Policy Studies, "There are two guided elective subject areas for this degree, based on your experience. These are: Education Public Service (begins August 2024)" Public policy/administration/related isn't a super heavily served title area for online doctorates, so yay! (Pace Valdosta, Tennessee State, Union, Liberty, Regent, ACE).
ACE? Public Admin.? Other online public admin/public policy options include WCUPA, Cal Baptist, ODU, UIS, National, and Walden. This field doesn't seem to lack enough online options.
There's a focus of study in Public and Non-profit Leadership available within the ACE EdDs in Leadership; Curriculum and Instruction; Instructional Technology; and Second Language Instruction.
There's also Nova Southeaster if you (or your employer) is willing to shell out 90k They offer a DPA online (synchronous - 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays). They also note, "Attendance at on-campus end-of-term seminars may also be required periodically during the program." The tuition is $1,500/credit ($90,000). https://www.business.nova.edu/degrees/doctoral/public-administration/index.html
This is an important point. Individuals who shell out tuition to get a degree probably should at least consider the ROI. (There are lots of other reasons to get a degree, of course.) But employers who pay what it takes for that person to do that degree might be able to see a much more robust ROI. For example, the University of Pennsylvania offers an EdD program specifically designed to elevate training (or learning or performance, whatever) professionals to the executive level--the Chief Learning Officer. A noble quest, no doubt. (The CLO was the subject of my research at Leicester.) But the admissions are extremely limited--around 18 or so per intake. And the tuition alone (excluding other costs like travel and room and board during residencies) is more than $200K. Who is going to self-fund that? And even if you did, would you even be able to recoup your expenses, much less see an ROI? But your sponsoring company might. If I'm running Microsoft, for example, I might want to ensure my next head of talent development was prepared to impact our company in myriad, positive ways. The ROI might be huge, surely enough to offset the investment.
