Top-15-Online-Ph.D.-Programs-in-the-United-States-2021

Top 15 Online Ph.D. Programs in the United States 2021

Online Ph.D. programs mostly follow the same curriculum as like in colleges. Doctoral degrees usually require 60 credits beyond the master’s level. Moreover, it includes coursework and dissertation research and writing.

In addition, online Ph.D. programs are getting popular nowadays since education is shifted to online mode.

So instead of students wasting their year, the interests have now shifted to the online Ph.D. programs to complete their education.

Advantages of Online Ph.D. Programs

Let us look at some of the benefits of taking online Ph.D. programs.

Flexibility of Time

Students can study at any point in time in a day, making it convenient for them. Although, there is a deadline for all kinds of online Ph.D. programs.

High Income

Ph.D. programs offer students the opportunity to study in-depth and acquire mastery in a subject. Therefore, companies offer higher salaries to students having Ph.D. degrees.

Reduced Costs

Online learning is beneficial for international students, especially as the expenses get reduced. Therefore, online Ph.D. programs give an added advantage to the students.

Professional Opportunities

Online Ph.D. programs offer professional opportunities to the students who want to qualify for tenure positions. It may be in academia, leadership roles in industry etc.

What are the Courses in Online Ph.D. Programs?

With the addition of classes, online Ph.D. programs usually include coursework covering general topics. In addition, the classes develop strong skills which they can apply throughout their studies and in the industries.

The courses cover skills such as research, writing etc. Let us look at what are the courses under online Ph.D. programs.

Research Work

Research work is the main component of the doctorate programs. Every learner requires to complete in-depth research to pursue a doctorate degree.

Moreover, Ph.D. programs require learners to complete their research work before their research.

Writing

Online Ph.D. programs offer students the course on academic writing to make them prepared for writing the dissertation. Hence, Ph.D. graduates contribute to their field through industry journals, research papers and reports.

So writing becomes an important skill for completing Ph.D. programs as it should be clear and precise.

Pedagogy of a Subject

Doctorate degree or Ph.D. program students usually take up industry level jobs to secure high-level positions.

But some students even might want to pursue being professors in colleges or institutes. Hence, this is where pedagogy comes into play.

Training is given to the learners regarding teaching methods, developing a syllabus, etc.

Therefore pedagogy includes classroom teaching opportunities for the learners.

Presentation Skills

Strong communication and presentation skills are what an interviewee will look for in you. Nowadays, it is essential to be excellent in both these skills to beat the competition in the industry.

Online Ph.D. programs, therefore, include this particular course. To prepare learners to defend their dissertation and oral presentation.

Computer Course

Having a good hands-on computer is the need of the future. Everything is online nowadays. So be it any field, computer courses require in all of them. Similarly, online Ph.D. programs offer the same skill to students.

In addition, doctorate degree holders should master the computer software required for Ph.D.

Online Ph.D. Programs Scholarships

Many universities and colleges offer scholarships to support Ph.D. students. Similarly, online Ph.D. programs also provide the same opportunities to students. Some of the scholarships of online Ph.D. programs are:

American Educational Research Association Dissertation Grants

Advanced doctoral students can apply for AERA who need extra funding to conduct research. Besides, applicants must hold US citizenship and must be enrolled in education-related online Ph.D. programs.

Amount: $25,000

Mellon International Dissertation Research Fellowship

The Social Science Research Council awards students researching humanities and social sciences. Qualifying subjects include art history, theater, literature, philosophy, and religion. Moreover, the program accepts United States citizens only.

Amount: Varies (projected average award for 2021 is $23,000)

Best 15 Online Ph.D. Programs in the United States

One must need to know the top institutions in their field to get the best out of it. Here is a list of the best 25 online Ph.D. programs in the United States.

Azusa Pacific University 

The university offers online Ph.D. programs with low requirements in nursing, higher education, etc.

Collegiate Nursing Education accredit the nursing practice degrees.

Learners can pursue Ph.D. in higher education leadership or a doctor of philosophy in higher education. Both programs require learners to participate in campus activities at specific points in time.

Baker University

Students at Baker University can pursue an online Ph.D. program in design and performance technology. The program includes 27 core coursework credits, six credits for research, and 20 credits for dissertation.

The requirements are a master’s degree in the field or a closely related field with a final GPA of at least 3.5. The program’s duration of each course is about seven weeks.

Learners begin their dissertation during the third year of the program and complete the course requirements in two years. Moreover, Higher Learning Commission accredits Baker University.

Bradley University

The two main focus areas in online Ph.D. programs under Bradley university are higher education and college leadership. However, students must complete 18 credits of core coursework before enrolling in specific classes of their area.

In addition, learners must complete a research project before graduation. The research work is of 15 credits, and it begins with an introductory class and bibliography.

Higher Learning Commission accredits Bradley University.

Concordia University

Concordia University provides 64-credit online Ph.D. programs that learners can complete in three years. On the other hand, dissertation and writing consist of a total of 14 credits.

A maximum of 23 credits can be transferred from the master’s program to the review of the program director. The program, Ed.D., consists of 17 three-credit courses and residency during student’s second and third year of enrollment.

The Ed.D curriculum includes leadership and scholarship courses. The Higher Learning Commission accredits Concordia University, St. Paul.

Creighton University

The university offers online Ph.D. programs in leadership and occupational therapy. Additionally, it offers programs in administration, nursing, and pharmacy. Leadership as an online Ph.D. program comprises 60 credits that learners can complete in four years.

Students can take the classes online, but they must attend college during their first term. Also, students enrolled in online Ph.D. programs require to return to the campus during their dissertation.

Endicott College

The college offers online Ph.D. programs in nursing and behavior analysis. Moreover, learners are not required to submit their GRE scores. In contrast, doctoral learners can transfer up to six credits towards their degree.

On the other hand, Ph.D. in nursing comprises 45 credits which they can complete online. The curriculum comprises research, nursing knowledge, theories, practical, etc.

New England Commission on Higher Education regionally accredits the Endicott college.

George Washington University

The university provides online Ph.D. programs in engineering and nursing. Moreover, systems engineering comprises 54 credits, including 24 credits for coursework and 30 credits for research.

Minimum 3.4 GPA is to be scored by the Ph.D. enrollees to avoid being dropped from the particular program. On the other hand, Ph.D. in nursing comprises 57 credits. The best part is that learners pursuing a Ph.D. in nursing will receive complete tuition remission. And to top it up, a living stipend would be provided to the students for the first two years of their enrollment.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits the George Washington University.

Georgia College and State University

The University of Georgia provides online Ph.D. programs in nursing, having 37 credits. The university requires a Ph.D. candidate to attend an annual one-week onsite experience.

Minimum 3.2 GPA in master’s degree in nursing is a must for applicants to pursue a doctoral program. Moreover, students should have a record of 500 supervised clinical hours at the master’s level.

In contrast, learners must complete 540 clinical hours at the Ph.D. level before earning the degree.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission accredits Georgia College and State University.

Gonzaga University

The college offers online Ph.D. programs in nursing and leadership studies. Additionally, it takes five years to complete a doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program with a bachelor’s degree.

Although an online Ph.D. program in DNP requires students to participate in on-campus residencies.

Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities regionally accredits Gonzaga University.

Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Mercy offers online Ph.D. programs in educational leadership and nursing. The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) accepts applications from MSN-trained RNs. The course includes 400 hours of clinical internship and one onsite session at the end of the program.

The online executive doctorate in educational leadership consists of 54 credits. It take learners less than three years to complete it. In addition, students enroll in one class at a time, and each class continues upto five or seven weeks.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education accredits Gwynedd Mercy University.

John Hopkins University

John Hopkins offers online Ph.D. programs in engineering, nursing, public health, and education. Applicants must have a strong background in biostatistics and epidemiology.

The course offers specialization in environmental health, science, and equity, and social justice.

Middle States Commission on Higher Education regionally accredited Johns Hopkins University.

Maryville University of Saint Louis

The University offers online Ph.D. programs in nursing and higher education. Learners can pursue both programs entirely online.

The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) accepts applications from MSN-trained RNs and graduates after just 20 months. Whereas students in nursing practitioner (NP) usually graduate in 36 months.

The program follows an education model that takes learners 32 months to complete. Higher Learning Commission regionally accredited Maryville University.

Mount Carmel College of Nursing

The online Ph.D. program consists of 37 credits beyond a master’s degree. In addition, it takes students 18 months to complete the course.

MSN- trained applicants with advanced practice offers credits to the students. Whereas students without advanced practice may need to complete additional hours.

Higher Learning Commission accredits the Mount Carmel College of Nursing.