Yes. Many students choose to study part time, particularly when they are working professionals and self-funded. It is likely that the majority of funded PhD positions will require a full time commitment.
Unlike graduate or post graduate courses where the course duration are more or less fixed, doctoral programs’ durations vary from country to country. However, a minimum duration for a PhD is 2.5 years but it may take long depending upon how focused, disciplined and determined one is in pursuing his PhD. In certain special circumstances, the minimum duration can be reduced too. Students are expected to submit a thesis within 12 months of the end of the program (and preferably within the 2.5 year period).
Desire to do PhD often leads wise people to make a complete mess. Whether they are online or offline, PhD programs require you to be organized, have good study habits and excellent time management skills; especially when it happens while working. Important things to remember are:
Time Management
Time management of multiple tasking is an art that seldom comes as a virtue. Often in haste of doing many things at a time, people tend to leave important tasks incomplete. While you are enrolled in your PhD program, you are expected to manage your time wisely and taking out time to study. It is important to recognize that you may have other responsibilities besides studying and completing assignments.
Its important to create a schedule of every activity and assignment for which you are responsible. If you have a realistic idea of how long it takes to do these things, you will find it much easier to balance your various responsibilities.
Study Well and Wisely As per Personal Choice
For a working professional, it takes more than just willpower to study. You need to understand how you study best, including when and where you are most productive. In order to study well and study wisely, you must first find out what works for you personally.
Some people are morning people who can concentrate and be productive during morning hours. Some find it easy to slog during nights. While many others find it equally opportune to study any time of the day. If you study better at one time of the day over another, you should try to arrange your schedule so that you are free to study during these hours.
Some people find it more motivational to tackle the most challenging aspects first while there are others who like to start from easy to tough. Your surroundings also play a major role in grasping what you are studying. Some cann’t study unless it is pin drop silence while to others it hardly matters even if they are studying in a stock market. Some can stretch for hours together but for some regular intervals are necessary. Studying is a personal choice which can not be copied. So be at your natural best while devoting time to the best of activities.
Preparation for Oral Defense or Viva
Your Oral Defense or Viva is, perhaps, the most difficult task of entire PhD program. First, because it doesn’t give you many chances and each chance takes valuable time. Second, this is one activity of entire program where you are on your own… your guide is not there to help you. Third, by the time your Viva takes place, you are at the end of your wits and you are in a hurry to finish your PhD.
Therefore, regardless of whether you get to choose your own committee or whether it is selected by your department, it always helps to know the members of the oral committee. Meetings with your committee members can be informal conversations, but the point is to get a better understanding of how they approach the exam and what they expect you to know. For example, it is acceptable to ask your committee members if there are any specific areas in your field in which they would like you to demonstrate knowledge. What they tell you will help you formulate a reading list and a study plan.
Once you have spoken to your oral exam committee, you should begin to develop a reading list that you will use to prepare for your exam. Some PhD programs allow you to choose your own field for the oral exam, while others provide you with specific guidelines. Your reading list is likely to vary widely. However, almost all schools require you to include the most important books and peer-reviewed journal articles in your field.
It is usually a good decision to make your reading list as short as possible. The point of an oral exam is to demonstrate your knowledge in a scholarly field, and the literature that you choose for your reading list is one indicator for how well you know your topic. Be sure to discuss your reading list with your dissertation advisor and members of your oral exam committee. They may have suggestions and valuable input regarding what you should study.
Be sure to practice for your oral exams with friends, family or other students. In an online program you are not likely to have peers to help you practice, but you may practice with your family and friends. Practicing your oral exams is a very important part of your preparation. Although you may have all of the knowledge and information in your head, you must also be able to discuss and explain it in a natural manner.
Once you have completed your first practice exam, make notes of what you did well and where you could use improvement. Repeat this process several times and be sure that you focus on improving the areas that you feel are weakest.
If you are considering earning your PhD online, there are several factors that you should consider before you apply to any programs. The most important of these are accreditation, your career objectives and your field of study.
ACCREDITATION
Institutional Accreditation
It is important for you to make sure that your online school is accredited by a nationally recognized educational agency or association. Accreditation ensures that the institution provides quality and reliable education to its students. It is also important if you plan to use student loans to pay for your degree since the federal government only awards financial aid to students who are enrolled at accredited schools.
Program Accreditation
Some fields of study also require that graduate and doctoral programs have specialized accreditation. This kind of accreditation is usually granted by a professional organization. If you are unsure whether your program needs accreditation, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) provides an online database that you can use to search for accredited schools and programs.
WHY EARN A PHD ONLINE ?
An online PhD might be a good option for you if you can find an accredited institution and an accredited program in your field. However, some PhD programs are not suitable for online study. The American Psychology Association (APA), for example, does not accredit any fully online doctorate degrees in psychology although some Internet-based schools offer online PhDs. Therefore, if you earn an online PhD in psychology from 1 of these schools, you still might not be allowed to practice in most states.
However, there are accredited online PhD programs that are offered by accredited institutions. These programs are usually offered by brick-and-mortar colleges that try to accommodate working students by offering some coursework in an online format.
An online PhD can give you more flexibility and make it easier for you to work and study at the same time. However, it is important to remember that just because an online PhD offers you more flexibility, it does not mean that you will have less work to do. Online PhD programs are best suited for highly disciplined students who wish to advance their careers and while they continue to work.
PROS AND CONS OF AN ONLINE PHD ?
Pros
Increased Flexibility
An online PhD program can provide you with greater flexibility by allowing you to watch lectures and post to discussion boards at times that fit your schedules. There will probably be strict due dates for assignments and discussion posts. However, you will have the freedom to complete your work when you want within a broader timeframe.
Working While You Study Saves Money
Although not all PhD programs allow students to work while they earn their degrees, some disciplines like education design their PhD programs to fit the schedules of working professionals. If you can work while you earn your PhD, you can save money by continuing to earn an income as you pay for school. However, depending on how much you earn at your job, this will not necessarily leave you without student debt when you finish your program.
Cons
Not All Disciplines Are Suitable for Online Study
Many of the professional associations do not accredit online PhD programs. This can be for a variety of reasons, including a lack of resources or poor student performance. Many disciplines like nursing, psychology and the natural sciences require hands-on training in clinics or labs that simply cannot be earned entirely online.
Lack of Funding
Students enrolled in online or brick-and-mortar PhD programs are eligible for student aid from the federal government as long as the school is accredited. However, federal education loans are not the only way to pay for school, especially at the PhD level.
To qualify for most awards, fellowships and teaching or research assistantships at the PhD level, students must be usually be enrolled in an accredited brick-and-mortar school. Because fellowships and assistantships are often school-specific, you should consider attending a brick-and-mortar PhD program if you hope to finance your studies through 1 of these types of awards.
PhD is a short form of Doctor of Philosophy which is one of the most common type of doctorate degree worldwide. Since all doctoral degrees are highest level of educationthat one can obtain in a field of study, they are often referred to as terminal degrees.
Although only certain disciplines award a Doctor of Philosophy, most do have doctoral degree program. Although the PhD is only 1 kind of doctorate degree, the 2 terms are often used interchangeably in the academic sphere since the PhD is by far the most common type of doctoral degree.
Essentially all PhD programs engage students in research and analysis work which is a prerequisite for almost all research & academic institutes from graduation level onwards across the globe. Not all doctoral degrees put emphasis on research work. Many other have more practical use of existing research and knowledge.
For example, if you choose to study education, you can earn a PhD in education or a Doctorate of Education, which is commonly written as EdD. Although both of these are doctorate degrees, the PhD in education focuses on giving students the tools and foundational knowledge that they need to produce their own research and contribute to the scholarly debates in their specialty fields. In contrast, the EdD in education promotes the use of existing research to improve education systems.
A Masters degree, or its international equivalent, is often required for entry onto a PhD and this is usually the case in arts and humanities subjects. In the sciences, however, students can sometimes progress directly to a PhD after their undergraduate degree. In addition to any postgraduate requirements, you’ll also need to demonstrate good performance during your undergraduate degree. An upper second class bachelors degree is generally the minimum entry requirement.If your PhD is not conducted in your first language, you’ll have to provide evidence of proficiency through a language test.
In today’s time when entire world is virtually connected with one another, education is one field which has taken maximum advantage of it. Gone are the days when one was required to sit through the regular lectures in a physical classroom all throughout his learning session; today, even flying is taught in a simulator.
An online PhD gives you more flexibility in terms of place & time and makes it easier for you to work and study at the same time. However, it is important to remember that just because an online PhD offers you more flexibility, it does not mean that you will have less work to do. Online PhD programs are best suited for highly disciplined students who wish to advance their careers and while they continue to work.
An online PhD program can provide you with greater flexibility by allowing you to watch lectures and post to discussion boards at times that fit your schedules. There will probably be strict due dates for assignments and discussion posts. However, you will have the freedom to complete your work when you want within a broader timeframe.
However, it is important for you to make sure that your online school is accredited by a nationally recognized educational agency or association. Accreditation ensures that the institution provides quality
Doctoral degrees significantly improve your chances of finding employment and can often raise your level of income.With a PhD from an accredited university, you are far more likely to find a job than people with other lesser degrees. Besides, as an expert in your field, you are more likely to earn better pay for your knowledge and skills. A PhD does not necessarily guarantee higher income and full-time employment, but it can greatly improve your chances of having both. On top of that the prestige that you receive of having the ultimate knowledge in a particular subject is beyond any other achievements.
Some professions do require a doctorate as a compulsory degree. In academics from graduation level onwards, it is now mandatory to have a doctoral degree to get a teaching job. In research institutes as well a doctoral degree is a must. Even if you get a research or consulting job without a PhD, further promotions would be hampered without one.
However, you should be aware that PhDs and professional degrees require a large investment of time, energy and money. The minimum duration to complete your PhD is 2.5 years but often this duration is extended if your focus is not on completion.
