The Doctor of Philosophy degree, or Ph.D., is the most prestigious degree one can acquire from a university. It's the terminal degree for university academic programs. The student is required to take advanced courses in his field of study. The course work for most doctorate programs could be completed in about four semesters. The candidate is also required to take a written and oral doctoral exam. Once the student passes the required exams, he may proceed to the final stage of working on dissertation research. Ph.D.s are the latest program addition to the distance-learning format.
Today, many accredited online programs receive the same recognition offered to traditional Ph.D. programs achieved through the traditional classroom model. Online Ph.D. programs are structured and presented in the online classroom, where all students interact with the professor through various techniques. Course lectures are presented through the discussion board, and students respond to the lectures and questions from the instructor. The online Ph.D. programs offer every tool the student needs to complete the doctorate degree program. Many universities have adopted the online library approach. This means that research materials drawn from the academic community are also available to the online Ph.D. student as well.
All Ph.D. programs require dissertation research as part of the program. The dissertation project requires exhaustive research. Each student working on their dissertation research is assigned three to five committee members, comprising of professors in their chosen field. The job of the committee members is to evaluate and guide the student towards a successful completion of the research. Research tools and materials can be located through the university's libraries online.
You can earn a Ph.D. degree online in many academic programs of study. A Ph.D. in leadership or management is available through the distance-learning program. A Ph.D. is also offered in philosophy through the distance-learning format. Other doctorate programs are offered in history, sociology, psychology, political science and nursing. The fields of religion, law and education also offer Th.D, J.D., and Ed.D. programs, respectively.
Some traditional universities such as Boston University now offer online Ph.D. programs. Benedictine University offers Ed.D. and a Ph.D. program. Online-focused universities offering online doctorate programs include University of Phoenix, Walden University and Capella University. Universities strive to stay competitive in this technologically driven global community. Many have realized that the online-learning format is here to stay and will continue to attract more students in the coming years. As a result, many more universities are implementing doctorate degree programs online. But when you choose one, make sure it's accredited. All schools listed here are accredited institutions. Make sure a program is accredited before selecting it.