Online Doctorate Degree Programs

PhD Degrees and Doctoral Programs by Distance Learning

Online doctorate degree and PhD programs are offered by accredited distance learning colleges and universities.

Doctoral degrees represent the pinnacle of education. They indicate that you are an expert in your chosen field, and that you possess extraordinary skills and knowledge. Of course, doctoral degrees require extraordinary effort on the part of the learner. If you have a passion for your chosen profession, a doctoral degree will prepare you to contribute to the growth and extension of knowledge in your area of expertise.

Accredited Online Doctoral Degrees and PhD Programs

Online doctorate degree programs and PhD degrees are available from accredited colleges and universities in these and more areas of study:

PhD/Doctorate in Business Administration
PhD/Doctorate in Counseling
PhD/Doctorate in Education
Juris Doctorate(JD) Degree
PhD/Doctorate in Leadership & Management
PhD/Doctorate in Healthcare
PhD/Doctorate in Engineering

PhD/Doctorate in Health Sciences
PhD/Doctorate in Human Services
PhD/Doctorate in Religious Studies
PhD/Doctorate in Psychology
PhD/Doctorate in Nursing
PhD/Doctorate in Technology
PhD/Doctorate in Criminal Justice

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What can you expect from a doctoral degree?

Doctoral degree programs can be either research degree programs or professional degree programs. Research degree programs result in a PhD degree. Online PhD degree programs are designed to provide you with the tools you need to design experiments, analyze, data, and communicate the results in both written and oral formats. People who like solving puzzles, and who are analytical thinkers, do well in PhD degree programs.

Professional Doctoral degree programs are designed to provide you with the training you need to apply the theory of a particular discipline to practical situations. Professional doctoral degrees include Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Doctor of Public Health (DPH), Juris Doctorate (law degree; JD), Doctor of Education (EdD), and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). Problem solvers with a practical outlook do well in professional doctoral degree programs.

In your pursuit for a doctorate degree, you will enroll in courses that build in greater detail upon what you learned while earning your bachelor's degree. Upon completion of your coursework, you will take your Qualifying Exams. These exams are comprehensive, covering everything you have ever learned about your chosen field of study. If you do not pass the Quals, as they are sometimes called, you cannot advance to doctoral degree candidacy. You may or may not be able to retake your Quals if you do not pass the first time. There is no third chance.

Once you become an online doctorate degree candidate, you will select a research topic with the help of your doctoral program advisor, research the scientific literature, develop a hypothesis based on your literature review, design and execute an experiment to test your hypothesis, and defend and publish the results of your findings in your doctoral dissertation.

In a professional doctoral degree program you will take classes that build on what you learned in your undergraduate degree program. You will also specialize in your field by taking classes and completing hands-on projects that delve into great detail in specific aspects of the profession. Many professional doctoral degree programs require a comprehensive final project leading to a dissertation. Others require practical experience gained through internships. Still others lead to a licensing exam you must pass in order to work in your chosen career.

Types of Online Doctorate Degrees

Online doctorate degree programs offering a PhD or professional degree can be found in many career fields including education, business, technology, psychology, health care, nursing and more. Accredited online colleges focus on providing working people access to high-quality courses at any time of the day or night. You should be careful to make sure that the online PhD degree or professional online doctorate degree program you attend is accredited to ensure that your degree will be accepted by employers and other colleges and universities, and to protect yourself against fraudulent degree programs and diploma mills. Many online doctorate degree programs require residency or a period of time on a university campus or in a clinic in addition to online coursework and projects.

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - an online DBA is a usually a graduate degree that can open many doors for an experienced business manager. DBA training includes business fundamentals, specialization in a particular aspect of business management and administration, and a dissertation. Graduates with a DBA typically advance to leadership positions in the business world.

Doctor of Education (EdD) - an online EdD is a graduate degree that prepares educators to accept leadership roles in instruction, technology, curriculum development, and administration of academic institutions. EdD training includes fundamentals of education, specialization in a particular aspect of education or education management and administration, and a dissertation.

Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) - an online PsyD program involves completion of extensive coursework in human behavior, nearly a full year of supervised practice in a clinical setting, internship, dissertation, and a clinical practice exam. PsyD's must also pass a state licensing exam before they can practice psychology.

Online Juris Doctorate (JD) - a JD program is an online law degree that will prepare you to pass the state bar exam required of all lawyers to practice law in their respective states. Online JD degree programs provide you with instruction in criminal law, tort law, family law, business law, legal writing, ethics, logic and reasoning skills, and much more.

Earning an Online PhD Program by Distance Learning

For those who are oriented toward research, an online PhD degree can be pursued at several accredited distance learning colleges. Completion of a PhD is a major undertaking, requiring additional coursework that analyzes your subject area in great detail. You will write and defend a dissertation which will include an original piece of research you have conducted.

PhD's are available in almost any field of study, but online PhD's are more common in fields of study related to professional degrees. Online PhD programs in business, education, public health, physical therapy, law, and many other fields are readily available. Completion of online doctoral degrees and PhD degrees may take between three and seven years depending on the program and whether the learner is studying full-time or part-time.

Colleges that offer Online PhD Degrees and Doctoral Programs

University of Phoenix

Accredited Online Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
Doctor of Education - Curriculum and Instruction
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Higher Education Administration
Educational Specialist (Ed.S)
Doctor of Health Administration
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing
Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership - Educational Technology
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership/Information Systems and Technology

Walden University

Accredited Distance Learning PhD and Doctoral Programs

Doctor of Business Administration
Doctor of Education - Administrator Leadership for Teaching & Learning
Doctor of Education - Curriculum, Instruction & Assessment (K-12)
Doctor of Education - Higher Education & Adult Learning
Doctor of Education - Higher Education Leadership
Doctor of Education - Special Education
Doctor of Education - Teacher Leadership
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) - General
Ed.S. in Administrator Leadership for Teaching and Learning
Ed.S. in Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Development
Ed.S. in Educational Leadership & Administration (Principal Preparation)
Ed.S. in Educational Technology
Ed.S. in Special Education - General
Ed.S. in Teacher Leadership
Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision and Supervision
Ph.D. in Education - Course-based - Assessment Evaluation and Accountability
Ph.D. in Education - Course-based - Educational Technology
Ph.D. in Education - Course-based - Leadership, Policy & Change
Ph.D. in Education - Course-based - Learning, Instruction, and Innovation
PhD in Education - KAM-based
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Adult Education Leadership
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Community College Leadership
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Early Childhood and Primary Education
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Higher Education
PhD in Education - KAM-based - K-12 Education Leadership
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Self-Designed
PhD in Education - KAM-based - Special Education
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Adult Education Leadership
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Community College Leadership
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Early Childhood and Primary Education
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Higher Education
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - K-12 Education Leadership
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Self-Designed
Ph.D. in Education - Mixed-Model - Special Education

PhD in Psychology - Clinical Psychology
PhD in Psychology - Counseling Psychology
PhD in Psychology - Forensic Psychology
PhD in Psychology - General Psychology
PhD in Psychology - Health Psychology
PhD in Psychology - Organizational Psychology
PhD in Psychology - Educational Psychology
PhD in Psychology - General Educational Psychology
PhD in Psychology - General Research Evaluation
PhD in Psychology - Social Psychology
PhD in Public Health - General
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course based - Terrorism, Mediation, and Peace
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Criminal Justice
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Emergency Management
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - General
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Health Policy
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Homeland Security Policy and Coordination
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Interdisciplinary Policy Studies
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - International Non Governmental Organization
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Law and Public Policy
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Local Government Management for Sustainability
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Policy Analysis
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Course-based - Public Management and Leadership
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Criminal Justice
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Emergency Management
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Health Policy
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Homeland Security Policy and Coordination
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Interdisciplinary Policy Studies
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - International Non Governmental Organization
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Law and Public Policy
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Local Government Management for Sustainability
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Nonprofit Management and Leadership
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Policy Analysis
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Public Management and Leadership
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-Model - Terrorism, Mediation, and Peace
Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration - Mixed-model - General
Post-Doctoral Psychology Certificate - Clinical Child Psychology
Post-Doctoral Psychology Certificate - Online Teaching

Capella University

Online Doctorate Degree Programs

Education Specialist (EdS) - Curriculum and Instruction
Education Specialist (EdS) - Leadership in Educational Administration

Liberty University

Accredited Online Doctorate Degrees and Programs

Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Education - Educational Leadership
Doctor of Education - Teaching and Learning

Colorado Technical University

Online Doctoral Degrees and Programs

Doctor of Computer Science
Doctor of Computer Science - Enterprise Information Systems
Doctor of Computer Science - Emerging Media
Doctor of Computer Science - Digital Systems Security
Doctor of Computer Science - Information Assurance
Doctor of Management - Emerging Media

Concord Law School

Online Graduate Degrees - Doctoral Programs by Distance Learning

The Juris Doctor Program
The Executive JD Program
Small Business Practice LLM (JD Required)

Northcentral University

Accredited Online Graduate Degrees - PhD and Doctoral Degrees

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Health Care Administration
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Management Information Systems
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Homeland Security Leadership & Policy
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Project Management
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Marketing
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Management of Engineering and Technology
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Management
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Human Resource Management
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - International Business
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Public Administration
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Applied Computer Science
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Computer and Information Security
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Criminal Justice
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Financial Management
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Advanced Accounting
Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) - Electronic Commerce
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - International Education
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Early Childhood Education
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Higher Education Leadership
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Instructional Leadership
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Education Technology and E-Learning
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Educational Leadership
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Curriculum and Teaching
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Athletic Administration
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Organizational Leadership
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Exceptional Student Education
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - Global Training and Development
Doctorate in Education (EdD) - English as a Second Language (ESL)
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Curriculum and Teaching
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Educational Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Instructional Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Early Childhood Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - English as a Second Language (ESL)
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Education Technology and E-Learning
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Higher Education Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Global Training and Development
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Exceptional Student Education
Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD) - Athletic Administration
Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage & Family Therapy - Child and Adolescent Therapy
Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage & Family Therapy - General
Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage & Family Therapy - Therapy with Military Families
Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage & Family Therapy - Couple Therapy
Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage & Family Therapy - Medical Family Therapy

Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Health Care Administration
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - International Business
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Advanced Accounting
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Financial Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Human Resources Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Applied Computer Science
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Homeland Security Leadership & Policy
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Electronic Commerce
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Marketing
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Computer and Information Security
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Criminal Justice
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Management of Engineering and Technology
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Management Information Systems
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Project Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Public Administration
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration (PhD) - Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) - General Studies
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) - Indutrial Organizational Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) - General Psychology
Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD) - Health Psychology/Behavioral Medicine

University of the Rockies

Online Doctorate Degrees and Programs

Doctor of Psychology - Business Psychology
Doctor of Psychology - Criminology and Justice Studies
Doctor of Psychology - Educational Leadership
Doctor of Psychology - Executive Coaching
Doctor of Psychology - Health and Wellness Psychology
Doctor of Psychology - International Leadership
Doctor of Psychology - Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Doctor of Psychology - Mental Health Administration
Doctor of Psychology - Non-Profit Management
Doctor of Psychology - Organizational Consulting
Doctor of Psychology - Organizational Diversity
Doctor of Psychology - Organizational Leadership
Doctor of Psychology - Evaluation, Research & Measurement
Doctor of Psychology - Sports and Performance Psychology
PhD in Psychology - Organizational Development and Leadership

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Careers, Occupational Outlooks, and Salaries with PhD and Doctoral Degrees

Your online doctorate degree will open doors to you in a wide variety of careers. No matter which career field you choose, opportunities will exist in nearly every facet of both the public and private sectors. One of the best features of a doctoral degree is that it identifies you as an expert in high demand in government or industry.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, people who hold doctoral degrees are less likely to be unemployed than holders of any other degree. They also earn higher salaries than any other class of employee. Salaries for doctoral degree graduates vary widely, depending upon the degree you earn, the industry you choose, and where you live. However, doctoral degree holders typically earn very high salaries.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2008), professional doctoral degree holders and PhD's average well over $50,000, but with bonuses it is not uncommon for them to earn over $100,000. Because of the renewed expansion of the U.S. economy and the rapid growth of economies in developing countries, opportunities for doctoral graduates in nearly every occupation are expected to grow significantly over the next 10 years.