* Which is more important when determining the validity of a degree or program: the sponsoring university or the method of delivery (online vs. traditional)? I can see why people might question some online-only programs, especially given the propensity for diploma millery online, but Penn State, which is about as legit as they come, offers several 100% online BA, MA/MEd, and post-grad certificate programs. Should these programs be devalued because they were not attained in a classroom? Similarly, Argosy has an APA-accredited online doctor of psychology program, though I’ve read some unflattering things about how the program is perceived (though interestingly enough, nothing unflattering about the program itself). Seton Hall has an “executive Ed.D.” program for school administrators that can be earned in two years, including dissertation, over nights and weekends.

* So as not to take the discussion in the wrong direction, is it only doc programs that are held to this scrutiny, or is it considered “OK” to do undergrad or non-doctoral grad programs online?

* If I don’t plan on looking for employment as a university professor, does it matter where my doctorate comes from? Brian’s point regarding licensure requirements is well-taken, and I absolutely would look into that before starting a program.

* Kind of continuing off my first point, I’m also wondering if the perceptions of online degrees as less rigorous or unequal in value are supported by data, or just preconceived notions without basis. I’m not asking a rhetorical question; I really don’t know the answer to that. I would be interested to know how much about online programs those who dismiss them do know. As Michael mentioned, I don’t want to invest the time and money and then not be taken seriously. It’s a legitimate concern.

* The online issue isn’t just a matter of convenience; as Louise pointed out, some of us don’t live near major universities where we can take courses, and moving isn’t an option for many folks in this economy, especially those of us with families.

*Eric says, “After 2.5 years… [I] feel like I was well prepared” and Robert says “I want to get the degree so I can be better at my work — having to quit my job in order to get the MA is therefore kind of absurd.” – that’s really what I’m feeling – I want to learn more about my practice, and I’m not trying to impress anybody with the name on the diploma – might as well just write off all the non-Ivies if that’s one’s goal. I have to hope that my ability to do my job well is more important than where I received my training. Maybe it’s not.

*Ian, thanks for the heads-up on Act 93. I’m going to look into that, but I don’t know if it will apply to me because I’m currently employed in NJ, even though I live in PA. I’m supposing I’d have to be a PA employee to qualify.

I feel I should add that my preference really is to do a traditional or combined traditional/online program (Eric, what you described sounds perfect for my purposes; wish they had one in my discipline); I’m just wondering why we haven’t made more strides toward viable (and well-respected) distance learning programs. Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) has what appears to be an excellent Psy.D. program for working psychologists, as does Rutgers University, and I think I could possibly make one of those work, depending on where I’m working, living, and what kind of financial aid I could get at the time. Still, I’ll be spending more time in the car than in class in either scenario, and that sticks in my craw a bit.

However, I expect that you will find more traditional universities are offering hybrid doctoral programs – you may still have to do some residency, especially for the dissertation component.

In fact, the National Science Foundation funded a “Center for Learning and Teaching” that involved a collaboration between five universities (Montana State, U of Montana, Portland State, Northern Colorado, Colorado State) that developed doctoral programs in science & math education with significan components online. I took advantage of the program at Montana State and was able to finish my degree while working full time (I did have to take time off for residency). It was a “normal” doctoral degree from Montana State, so there were no perceptions of a lack of quality. I had no problems in interviews & after 2.5 years of being in a tenure-track position, fell like I was well prepared.

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I look forward to hearing about what you find.

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As someone with a doctoral degree from a brick and mortar university I would think that it would be hard to do a Ph.D. in isolation. I know for myself that having the support of my colleagues made it task doable. I’m not sure that I could have sustained the effort or drive towards completion without my friends and colleagues. I do vividly remember that as my colleagues were finishing up just how hard it was for me to keeping persevering-but I did do it. Doing a Ph.D. degree can be an awfully lonely experience and having the interactions and the face to face time is important. On another note if you plan on applying for State Licensure as a psychologist you want to make sure that the program fulfills the requirements and is recognized by State as being primarily psychological. It can get a bit tricky so please investigate this as fully as you can.

All the best
Dr. Brian
http://assistivetek.blogspot.com

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As long as it would be taken seriously once I completed it.

Great blog post.

I don’t offer any sort of defense of the way this all works, but I can say that I think the reason it’s the way it is, is because advanced degrees require a very high degree of personal interaction with other students and expert faculty. There is a high premium on producing original work — that’s the heart of a PhD program — and doing this all online is, fair or not, considered counterproductive toward this end. The “establishment” as a whole does not consider online work to be real academic, intellectual work. And in advanced higher ed, it seems that credentialing is at the center of the viability of a degree.

I think things are changing, though. There are several MA/MS programs popping up that are offered through real, brick-and-mortar schools that either compress an entire MA program into one year or else combine face-to-face classes with online work to make them doable for people with jobs and lives. Pepperdine University offers an Educational Technology degree that is done mostly online; a guy here at work did it and thought highly of it. The University of Washington now offers a “professional Master’s program” in computational linguistics that can be done in one calendar year, although you do have to be in residence to get it done that fast. I’ve never seen a PhD program on this scale, but I bet that if these accelerated master’s programs offered by well-thought-of universities take off, the doctoral programs won’t be far behind.

I also think that within ten years, the idea of spending 4-5 years in residence at a university to get a doctorate will be an anachronism as the technology allowing remote academic collaboration becomes cheaper and better. Based on your experiences I think the market would demand it.

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Although I’m sure our professional situations differ, here’s some of what I have found.

The trick to working full time and pursuing a doctorate (and life for that matter) is availability of time and money. It is conceivable to take one class every semester (including summer) and get done within 5-7 years. The financial side is a while other subject. I, like you, have two kids, a mortgage, and other domestic expenses. Most (not all) teacher contracts do not have great tuition reimbursement policies. Act 93 agreements, however, usually do. As a school psychologist, you most likely qualify for Act 93. Check with your district.

I hope this helps at least a little.

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