| A recent U.S. report on the state of education, In | | | | programs give students the opportunity to earn |
| Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United | | | | professional or research degrees. |
| States, 2005, revealed that thirty-eight percent of | | | | Professional doctorate degrees, such as J.D. and M.D., |
| schools offered distance learning online Ph.D programs. | | | | are required to perform in certain specialized fields |
| Further, the Survey of Earned Doctorates found an | | | | such as medicine, dentistry, law, psychology and |
| increase of 3.4 percent in the doctorate degrees | | | | chiropractics. Students must earn a bachelor's degree |
| awarded in the U.S. as of June, 2004. Ph.D education | | | | before entering into a professional doctoral degree |
| online offers working students the opportunity to | | | | program. Professional doctorate degrees traditionally |
| complete coursework within the parameters of their | | | | take three years to complete and do not usually |
| busy schedules, which may account for the substantial | | | | require a thesis, although some require an original |
| increase in doctorate degrees earned in the past two | | | | research paper. Online Ph.D programs are tailored for |
| years. | | | | the individual student and may be completed in less |
| Postgraduate degree programs are designed to give | | | | time than in a traditional classroom setting. |
| students a chance to explore a subject fully to gain | | | | Research doctorate degrees are pursued by students |
| the greatest levels of proficiency in that area. Online | | | | who seek to become experts in their particular field |
| doctoral programs may be based upon a specific | | | | and are the most commonly earned doctorate degree. |
| curriculum or research and independent study. A study | | | | It can take anywhere from three to ten years to |
| done by the Penn State University Outreach Marketing | | | | complete a research doctorate degree, depending on |
| and Communications with University Continuing | | | | the course of study and the length of time it takes to |
| Education found that nearly half of distance learning | | | | gather pertinent research. Online doctoral programs |
| college enrollments are adult students that prefer the | | | | enable working students to progress at their own pace |
| flexibility of online classes. Students save time and | | | | to complete the research necessary for the doctorate |
| energy on traveling to campus and can pursue their | | | | degree. |
| studies at their convenience. | | | | Online Ph.D programs give students the valuable |
| Online doctoral programs offer students guidance | | | | opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies while |
| through coursework, email, online chats and virtual | | | | maintaining their current positions and income. |
| lectures. Students are expected to work independently | | | | SUMMARY: Online Ph.D programs give students the |
| and use research resources to fulfill course | | | | valuable opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies |
| requirements. Some doctoral programs require | | | | while maintaining their current positions and income. |
| students to complete a thesis, which is a detailed | | | | Research doctorate degrees are pursued by students |
| research paper that will be made available to other | | | | who seek to become experts in their particular field |
| students in the field. | | | | and are the most commonly earned doctorate degree. |
| There are two basic types of doctoral degree | | | | Professional doctorate degrees, such as J.D. and M.D., |
| programs students may pursue - professional or | | | | are required to perform in certain specialized fields |
| research. There are also honorary doctorates, which | | | | such as medicine, dentistry, law, psychology and |
| are not necessarily academic and can be awarded for | | | | chiropractics. |
| notable contributions to a particular field. Online doctoral | | | | |