Earning a PhD, or doctorate degree, requires years of intensive academic training and study. Doctorate degrees are the highest available from a college, and statistics show that those who have earned doctorates greatly improve their earning potential in the workforce.
Pursuing this high level of education is a considerable time commitment, and for those who aren’t in a position to uproot a family or change jobs in order to attend school, distance learning may be an option. Online colleges have both critics and supporters, which can make it difficult for prospective students to decide whether to pursue an online degree. Understanding a few important factors can help individuals weigh their options thoroughly.
Views of Online Education
According to Reuters, online education increased 13 percent in 2008, and grew approximately 20 percent in prior years. While some may worry about the quality of an online degree and education, some research indicates that students may learn material better online than in an actual classroom.
Reuters noted that many employers consider online degrees equal to those of traditional institutions, and some may even feel that those people who go to school and work at the same time have greater self-discipline than their counterparts. Critics of online schools, say the lack of interaction between students and professors can be problematic, but Michael P. Lambert, Executive Director of the Distance Education and Training Council, notes, however, that doctoral students perform most of their research and studies independently anyway.
Accreditation
As with a traditional brick-and-mortar institution, accreditation is a critical factor to consider when exploring online schools. Not every program available on the Web is legitimate, and even the government has been fooled by schools providing degrees of dubious credibility. Accredited institutions are the only online schools providing degrees that professional associations, future employers or licensing organizations will recognize.
Remember that the legitimacy of the online school and its accrediting associations must be researched thoroughly. The U.S. Department of Education provides lists of recognized accrediting agencies and schools in the United States. Other databases, such as the U.S. News & World Report University Directory [http://www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com/doctorate.aspx] can also help students search for reputable institutions online.