Utility of an Online Doctorate

Just for my understanding, what is meant by the utility of an online doctorate, or even a traditonal B&M doctorate?

Thank you,

Boethius

 

- personal enrichment (Dr. Who, Dr. What?)
- adjunct for making extra incomes
- Some luckily to land a full-time tenure track (example: Dr. Shawn Ambrose)
- Promotion
- Job qualification (example: certain jobs require 10 years experiences with a Master degree, or 7 years with a Doctorate).
- Personal health purposes (saving life from alcohol threats)

ANYTHING ELSE?

 

Sounds good TEKMAN. I like that you put personal enrichment in addition to other vocational reasons. After reading so many posts on the utility of the doctorate, I was wondering if utility was reduced to just economic cost/benefit reasons. I guess that's because the majority of folks pursuing doctorates think they're going to break into academia or use it for teaching.

Boethius

 

If you work for an employer who will pay for part/all of your doctoral education then you may have a ROI that makes it worthwhile. Please take into account opportunity costs (things you could be doing instead of schoolwork) especially when it comes to family obligations. You might earn that PhD, not get that promotion (which you might have gotten if you just spent a few extra hours at work), not get that teaching job (or even a low paying adjunct job), and miss your kid hitting the winning shot in the big game and then have the pleasure of paying for the whole thing yourself. I'd call that poor utility.

 

I would add that the "utility" of the degree refers to that degree's ability to effectively fulfill the kinds of outcomes mentioned above.

 

Yeah TEKMAN, you've got to check your math. If the job requires 10 years with a Masters and 7 with a doctorate you could qualify for the job by working hard for three more years rather than spending 6 years earning a PhD.

 

Kizmet,

Well, it depends if you can get a full-ride on Ph.D program. Or you love to learn (example: Dr. Randell O.). Would you do your Ph.D? The reason I still want a Ph.D because I get half tuition for FREE fro VA benefits, and personal enrichment. However, I do not look for a full-time tenure track.

 

An excellent point about opportunity cost. As an economist, we agree. For midcareer folks, or empty-nesters, spending time with your kids could be a moot point however. So, it depends (as economists are noted for saying all the time :cool2. It may not always be poor utility, but I'm glad you mentioned the emotional cost of strained family relationships.

 

Some doctoral diplomas look very nice as decorations in the basement.

I think we have to differentiate between an online doctorate and a doctorate from an online institution. Someone might be taking some online classes for a doctorate from a recognized institution for a traditional doctorate. Most courses required for a PhD in IT from the New Jersey Institute of Technology are offered online and yet the program is still considered traditional.

 

The key to the utility question is that not all can't be quantified as economists love to do. But Kizmet then brought up the point about opportunity costs and everyone has a different opportunity cost depending on their life's circumstances. This is why I find some of the battleground discussions on NA vs. RA doctorates moot, unless a person is truly unaware of what the differences are about the economic benefits they expect to achieve (e.g. a NA DETC doctorate looking for a tenured track position at a RA Research Level 1 University).

 

I understand your point in the abstract but in reality, how many people get full tuition/fees reimbursement for an online doctorate? Answer: zero

 

Having said all that I want to make sure that I don't create a false impression. I am still a big believer in online grad programs, including online doctoral programs. It's entirely possible that I might take a shot at one myself someday. My point is simply this: Go in with your eyes wide open, knowing that from some perspectives it might not make sense. To me it might be similar to going out and buying an expensive motorcycle or a classic sports car. You can't say that you actually need it. You can't say that it will advance your position in any significant or substantial way. But maybe you just want it. Maybe you hope it will help you in some unforeseen way in the future. Call it personal enrichment if you like and as far as I'm concerned it's fine, who would argue with personal enrichment. But if you find yourself having a hard time with the realities of the situation (promotion? teaching? career shift? whatever?) then maybe it's time to take a deep breath and think it through again. The main reason that I'm saying this is that we know, statistically, that a relatively small number of people actually finish their doctoral programs (just ask our friends at PhinisheD.com). The only thing worse than earning a PhD that never pays for itself is a failed PhD effort that never pays for itself. Be smart. Do it if it's a smart thing to do. Do it because you're passionate on the subject. But don't do it just because you think it would be cool to have those letters after your name.

 

A degree, like a professional certification, is a proxy. It speaks on your behalf to the stakeholders and customers in your life. It tells them something about your knowledge, what you can do, even what you value (see Bloom). The term "utility" is used in this context to discuss, in general terms, how well certain degrees from certain schools do this. In this thread you'll no doubt see elements of it (employment, academic use, prestige, learning, and many others).

Your MPA indicates you have a good understanding of the complex issues found in public administration, and that you learned these things at a well-regarded school (along with many other places, certainly, but we're talking about the degree). If the degree has qualified you for consideration for a job, influenced a promotion, or gotten you a raise, it has demonstrated one or more elements of utility.

 

Wrong, I did - well it was $3K out of pocket due to a dissertation fee not covered by TA and some other fee/class.

 

Also consider my case where I travelled 25-80% of the month (travel meaning being in a hotel away from home), I could have watched The Building of the Hoover Dam for the 4th time or earn a PhD. So i missed not eating at a restaurant alone and ate in my room alone and worked on a paper. Not everyone lives a traditional life.

 

Of course, Dr. Randell is the exception to many rules.

 

Again, it depends. There is a lot here and thank you.