Online doctoral programs in information technology typically provide students with the opportunity to build specialized academic tracks within the information technology field. The most common specialized doctoral tracks of study include concentrations in information security, information science, information systems and network architecture.
Ph.D. programs in information technology typically require between 60 and 120 credit hours of coursework. (The disparity in credit hour requirements between schools is typically attributed to differences in quarter and semester schedules.) While a third of the required credit hours are generally dedicated to the completion of a dissertation--which presents an original, research-based solution to an extrapolated information technology challenge--the majority of a program's required credit hours are dedicated to core information technology courses in numerous areas of study, including information technology management, database systems and network architecture. Ph.D. programs in information technology typically take between three and five years to complete, and students enrolled in an accredited online program at least half-time are eligible for federal student aid (including federal grants and loans).
Online Ph.D. programs in information technology provide distance-learning courses via a centralized management system. Lectures are typically delivered on an asynchronous (archived) schedule, allowing students to log in and view course materials and lectures wherever and whenever they choose. This flexibility not only allows doctoral students to take classes from the comfort of their homes, but allows them to learn wherever they have computer and Internet access.
Online degree programs have garnered a bad reputation in some circles because of diploma mills that lack the proper accreditation. However, accredited online Ph.D. programs in information technology are viewed by employers as having the same worth as those earned on campus. Additionally, a survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Education recently revealed that online learners perform much better on learning outcomes than students who learn solely on campus, revealing that sound online educational models are just as effective pedagogically as those found on campus.
Students should avoid Ph.D. programs that originate from international schools that lack the proper educational accreditation as well as schools located in the United States not accredited by a board recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Additionally, students should avoid life experience degrees, which claim to grant Ph.D. degrees in information technology based upon a person's work experience, as such programs are not recognized as legitimate by employers.