PhD Online Degree

The  PhD, the best known of all doctoral degrees stands for "Doctor of Philosophy." A person who has the degree is expected to be an expert in scholarly research and to continue writing and publishing in professional, scholarly journals. In addition, these individuals often have an impact in the community and in government decisions as various persons in authority look to them for advice and guidance in their particular area of expertise. There are, however, numerous other doctoral degrees. These include the D.A. or Doctor of Arts, the juris doctorate, a law degree, the DD or doctor of divinity, the D.Ed or doctor of education, and the M.D. which is, of course, medical doctor. Nearly all of these, with the exception of medical degrees can be earned through distance learning programs.

Popular Fields for Doctoral Study

Even leaving aside the "first professional" doctoral degrees--the J.D. (juris doctor) in law and the M.D. in medicine--the doctorate still takes many forms and has many variations. Online doctoral degree programs, with few exceptions, require as much as a year of residency and/or field work or other clinical experience. Some fields require supervised practicums leading to licensure.

Here are a few of the most popular doctorates that are available online:

• Psychology (Ph.D.; PsyD)
• Education (Ph.D.; EdD)
• Engineering (PhD; DCS)
• Public Health(Ph.D.; DPH)
• Business (Ph.D; DBA)

Universities Offering PhD Online Degree

University of Phoenix - Business

• Doctor in Business Administration
• Doctor in Organizational Leadership

Grand Canyon University Online

• D.B.A. with an Emphasis in Management
• EdD in Organizational Leadership - Behavioral Health
• EdD in Organizational Leadership - Effective Schools
• EdD in Organizational Leadership - Higher Education Leadership

University of Phoenix

• Doctor in Health Administration

Colorado Technical University - Online Grad

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

Walden University

• DBA Entrepreneurship
• DBA Finance
• DBA Global Supply Chain Management
• DBA Information Systems Management
• DBA International Business
• DBA Leadership
• DBA Marketing
• DBA Self-Designed

Jones International University

• Doctorate in Business Administration
• Doctorate in K-12 Education Leadership

Liberty University Online

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

Capella University

• DBA - Business Intelligence
• DBA - Global Operations and Supply Chain Management
• DBA - Strategy and Innovation
• DHA - General Health Administration
• DHA - Health Care Leadership
• DHA - Health Policy and Advocacy
• DPA - General Public Administration
• DrPH - Epidemiology

California Coast University Online

• Ed.D. Educational Administration

Last Updated: 01/11/11