Please give me your opinion on PhD programs in general when done by distance. 1. What did they do for you in terms of generating a good job and higher pay. it would be helpful if only people who already obtained such a degree would respond. Thanks.
PhDs in my experience have the highest level of return if you are interested in academic careers. If you are already teaching with a Master's, the PhD done via DL or traditional will provide for most cases for a better career prospect and better salaries. If you are working in Industry, you will find many PhDs frustated because this level of education is hardly recognized in industry unless you hold research appointments at the high level in industry or government. I work in education so the doctorate helped me for career goals and salary but have been in this area for more than 12 years.
I did a Ph.D. with Union. It helped change me from someone in the food chain to someone who has a center of gravity regarding his practice, irrespective of the organization or client being served. And no one understands the phenomenon of degree acceptance like I do--by other schools, thanks to John Bear's survey (which I analyzed), and by HR professionals, thanks to mine. Almost 10 years later, no one has replicated either. Do a Ph.D. to establish your professional identity and to get a footprint in the academic literature and theory of your chosen field.
