Tom Head Hits Roadblock in Ph.D. Process

The good news: I was formally offered a place in an Australian Ph.D. program, assigned a student number, cleared for enrollment, et cetera, and had verified that the dissertation defense could be done via videoconferencing.

The bad news: In my acceptance letter, I spied a clause stating that 10 days per year of face-to-face supervisor contact was required. The university did the right thing by telling me this before I sent them any money, and the dissertation defense can technically be done by videoconferencing, so nobody's really in the wrong here.

I'm currently working to have the 10-day requirement waived (and may yet succeed), but this does highlight the importance of getting this sort of thing in writing before one enrolls for that first semester. If the program doesn't work out, I have a few more options on the table--and, failing that, enough writing projects to keep me busy for a while. But it's nice to know that an AQF-approved Australian school has approved me for Ph.D. work, and I can probably use that fact as a leveraging point should I apply to another program.


Cheers,

------------------
Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press)
co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)

 

Tom,

How tedious was the application process? What field are you planning on studying?

Thanks,
- Ellis

 

Well Tom, I hope the ball bounces your way.
BTW, what school does this involve? I had a similar sort of "fine print" problem with the University of New England once although mine had more to do with fees. Best of luck,
Jack

 

(a) The application process was remarkably easy, which is one of the reasons why it never occurred to me to ask about face-to-face residencies.

(b) I'm planning on studying religious philosophy.

(c) I don't want to say which school until the negotiation process is over, but it wasn't the University of New England, and the tuition was more-or-less what I expected.

(d) Thanks for the kind words, folks. If I do end up having to drop the program, this could be a blessing in disguise; I've long lamented the fact that "international distance education" nearly always seems to mean four countries (USA, UK, Australia, South Africa), and here's my opportunity to put my money where my mouth is.


Cheers,

------------------
Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press)
co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)

 

Oops--five countries, that is. I keep forgetting that Canada isn't part of the USA.


Cheers,

------------------
Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press)
co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)

 

It is not a roadblock but a minor bump. The only problem is that the cost of flying to Australia and loging in hotels for 10 days each year will increase the overall cost of the program. It could be avoided if face-to-face requirement will be waved for you. Good luck.

 

I mean lodging in hotels not loging ...

 

Hey Tom,

I would be happy to do your residency for you!!!! Just think, they have never seen you, I could put on Yankie voice and pretend I know the be all and end all of your topic.

Can't be that hard, can it?

Cheers,

George

 

George,
Your kindness is overwhelming!!!!!!!!

------------------
Howard Rodgers

 

Look at the bright side Tom, I can think of worse ways to spend 10 days than a working vacation in Australia.

Now, if I can just figure out a way to get there without getting on a plane again.....


Bruce

 

Unfortunate but you could probably easily arrange to do 10 at once (i.e. a 2 week vacation). Even with the airfare (go in our summer... cheaper)& lodging (stay in residence) the cost is probably less than any US option. A legitimate doctorate with 10 residency is still a great opportunity... go for it!!!

 

Sorry, George! Tom has already negotiated with Peter French to serve as his distance learning advocate.

Russell

 

Roundtrip airfare from SFO to Sydney is availabl from around $1200 (Air Canada advanced purchase). Sometimes by having the school purchase it and ship the ticket to you it can be cheaper.

So figure another $2000/year for travel and lodging.

 

...at which point it begins to approach Union Institute territory, given the likely 4-6 years of part-time enrollment. If the $AU goes up, too, this could get ugly.

Then again, I never liked the whole 4-6 year business anyway; 2-4 or 3-5 is more my ticket, as I can't see why any single research project should take me longer than 3.5 years. I mean, heck, people expect a book in 4-6 months. But I digress. I shouldn't diss the timeframe too much, since there's still a good chance I can get the requirement waived.

But if I can't, note to self: 3 years. If I go much longer than that, I'll be a basketcase.


Cheers,

------------------
Tom Head
www.tomhead.net

co-author, Bears' Guide to the Best Education Degrees by Distance Learning (Ten Speed Press)
co-author, Get Your IT Degree and Get Ahead (Osborne/McGraw-Hill)

 

If you time it right you might be able to do 2 years of residency in a row on one trip (assuming your department was agreeable)

 

The difference is that you will have a PhD from a respected (assumed) traditional Australian University vs. a Phd from a non-traditional, name-changing entity... IMO it is not even a close call.

 

Careful, George. Tom may have applied to Northern Territory University. A long way from your mild Melbourne. Though you could go in August for the Beer Can Regatta, and who would be able to say whether you knew "the be all and end all" of anything?

 

Name-changing entity? Kind of like that respected, traditional Australian university, the University of Southern Queensland, formerly the Darling Downs Institute of Advanced Education?


Bruce

 

Am I missing something?

If you can defend via video-conference, why not your advising appointments too?

 

I can see a difference. Meeting with an advisor could/should take hours. Also, the discussion would be much more interactive than in a defense. The video conferencing medium--which we use at work--has limitations. The more free-form the conversation, the more difficult and limiting the medium becomes. We might hold a meeting with a very specific agenda using it, but we'd try to make creative sessions face to face.

Rich Douglas, also noting that Northcentral's candidacy was allowed in part because the NCA was satisfied with the video conferencing option for interactions between students and faculty.