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Online Phd Facts and Definitions
Doctoral
Degrees
The doctoral degree is designed to train research
scholars and, in many cases, future college and university
faculty members. Receipt of a doctoral degree certifies
that the student has demonstrated capacity as a trained
research scholar in a specific discipline.
At
the doctoral level, the Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy)
is the most common degree awarded in academic disciplines.
Other doctoral degrees are awarded primarily in professional
fields, such as education (Ed.D. or doctor of education)
and business administration (D.B.A. or doctor of business
administration). Doctoral programs involve advanced
coursework, seminars, and the writing of a dissertation
that describes the student's own original research,
completed under the supervision of a faculty adviser.
A
comprehensive examination is given, usually after
three to five years of study and completion of all
coursework, and when the student and adviser agree
that the student is ready. This exam is designed to
test the student's ability to use knowledge gained
through courses and independent study in a creative
and original way. Students must demonstrate a comprehensive
understanding of their chosen field of study. Successful
completion of this examination marks the end of the
student's coursework and the beginning of concentration
on research.
The
Ph.D. degree is awarded to those students who complete
an original piece of significant research, write a
dissertation describing that research, and successfully
defend their work before a panel of faculty members
who specialize in the discipline. This may take an
additional two to three years. To earn a doctoral
degree, therefore, may take anywhere from five to
eight years beyond the bachelor's degree, depending
on the field of study.
In
the United States, you will find a variety of nontraditional
doctoral programs; these programs might have very
different types of requirements from the traditional
programs. Prospective students should be sure of what
is required to enter any program they are considering,
and what is required to obtain the degree. This information
is usually available from university catalogs and
websites or directly from individual departments.
Distance
education is an increasingly popular way to study
for everything from a short professional course to
a doctoral degree in the United States, and numerous
institutions offer graduate degree programs using
distance education teaching methods. Under the distance
education model, students do not attend classes in
a classroom on a campus; instead, classes are delivered
"from a distance" through the use of technologies
such as the Internet, satellite television, video
conferencing, and other means of electronic delivery.
For international students this means that they can
study for a U.S. degree without leaving their home
country, though they may have to go to the United
States for short periods of face-to-face contact and
study on the campus.
Studying for a degree using distance education requires
students to have special qualities such as self-discipline
and the ability to work on their own. If you are considering
distance education, you should thoroughly research
the quality of the program, the accreditation of the
institution in the United States, and its recognition
in your home country to make sure this option is the
appropriate one for your future goals.
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