Shortest PhD Programs In USA

If you are considering pursuing a PhD, you might be wondering what it will entail. A PhD usually involves students engaged independently in original and significant research in a specific field or subject prior to the production of a publication-worthy thesis. By undertaking a PhD, you will become an expert, possibly an international expert, in your chosen field. A doctorate is the highest academic degree that can be awarded by a university.

The length of time it takes to complete a PhD program varies greatly depending on the program type and institution. It can take as little as three years or up to six years to complete your studies if you are focusing on full-time study while working part-time hours. However, most programs require four years of full-time study before being eligible for graduation.

There are many types of degrees available at colleges and universities around the world including Master’s degrees (MA), Doctoral degrees (PhD), Master’s degrees with Honors (MS), Bachelor’s degrees (BA) and Bachelor’s degrees with Honors (BA).

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what is the shortest PhD program

Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy, programs are available in a variety of subject areas. Institutions that offer the best programs typically have exceptional funding, research, facilities and resources. When choosing one of the shortest doctoral programs or easiest Ph.D. programs, request info from each school to find out how each school rates on the above criteria.

The easiest isn’t always the shortest nor the shortest the easiest.

What is the Shortest Doctoral Program Online?

The shortest path to a doctorate varies depending on your background, the program selected, and the university’s requirements. The time it takes to complete a doctoral program online varies widely by the university. For some universities, 3 year PhD programs are the norm. One common question we hear asked is if there are any 1 year online doctoral programs. For most students, the answer is somewhere in the middle if you already hold a master’s degree. The official timeline given on most university websites is about 3 – 5 years to complete your degree, but that’s just a general guideline.

The typical Ph.D.-level coursework includes courses in research methods; fields such as history or economics; specialized knowledge in a particular subject area like biology or physics; fieldwork or studies abroad; writing skills workshops; dissertation proposal preparation; and final oral exams/defense of research work before peers and professors alike.

If you are looking for the shortest PhD programs, you’ll want to select a program that does not require a dissertation. Dissertations are notorious for taking 2+ years to complete beyond the actual course requirements.

The following doctoral programs often do not always require a dissertation: EdD, PsyD, DBA, DPA, and similar professional degrees. Most PhD programs require a dissertation (which means it’ll take you longer to complete).

Another way to speed up your degree is by enrolling at a university that offers accelerated doctoral courses (8 weeks long). Since the courses take half the time to complete, you can finish your doctoral studies in the shortest possible timeframe.

And finally, you’ll want to pick a program that requires fewer credit hours. For example, one university may require 64 credit hours for an EdD while another may only require 42 credits. When looking for the shortest doctorate programs, you’ll want to examine the credit hour requirements closely. Plus, this is a great way to find the cheapest online PhD, EdD, DBA, and other doctoral programs. Generally, you’ll pay less tuition if you don’t need as many credit hours for program completion.

Are There Any 1 Year Online Doctoral Programs?

Although a number of universities offer accelerated doctoral programs online, there are no accredited universities that advertise the shortest 1 year PhD programs online. That being said, there are quite a few universities with 30-credit doctorate degrees which could possibly be completed within a year if you have no dissertation requirement. You can earn your doctorate online at a fairly fast pace if you enroll in accelerated classes, have transfer credits, choose one of the shortest doctoral programs in terms of credit hours, and select 100% online doctoral programs that do not require a dissertation (which is time-consuming).

You can also earn your doctorate faster by taking classes at multiple institutions if they are all accredited by the same accreditor. For example, if you take classes at two different universities that are both accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), then they will likely be able to work together to transfer credits between each other so that you only have to take 12 credits total—6 at each school—to complete your degree.

Another way to earn your PhD faster is to choose an accelerated program rather than one that takes longer than 4 years. This means enrolling in 30 credits or more per semester instead of just

Instead, go for a program that offers a capstone project. Although research is still required, it takes far less time to complete a capstone project than it does a dissertation.

Do All the Shortest PhD Programs Require a Dissertation?

An accelerated PhD program usually requires a dissertation, but professional doctorates such as a Doctor of Business Administration or Doctor of Education generally do not require a dissertation. Instead, you complete a capstone project.

We’ve assembled a list of doctorate degrees that don’t require a dissertation here.

Are there any 1 year PhD programs online?

In most cases, a PhD will take 3 to 5 years to complete unless you select a program without a dissertation, though there may be an occasional 2 year PhD program available. Very few doctorates do not require a dissertation and they tend to be professional doctorates like the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Doctor of Education (EdD), and similar professionally-oriented programs.

If your aim is to find the fastest PhD program, you can complete one in less than 3 years if you opt for a short program (fewer credit hours), accelerated doctoral courses, and no dissertation requirement.

Together, these three factors will go a long way in helping you find the fastest online PhD and speeding up your time to completion.

What is the fastest PhD program available?

The fastest PhD programs available will be those that require 30 credit hours or less to complete. As noted in the guide, we selected a number of fast PhD programs which meet this requirement. Once you’ve selected a PhD that requires fewer credit hours than the norm, try to narrow your list further by selecting a university with accelerated PhD classes which generally only take 8 weeks to complete.

If you don’t absolutely have to have a PhD, you will likely find it easier to locate a professional doctorate program that meets all of these criteria with the added benefit of no dissertation requirement. For example, it will likely take you longer to complete a PhD in Business Administration with 36 credit hours and a dissertation than it will to complete a Doctor of Business Administration of the same length without the dissertation requirement.

If speed is the most important factor for you, than a professional doctorate such as a DBA, PsyD, or EdD will likely be the fastest online doctorate you can find.

What is the Shortest Doctoral Program Online?

The shortest doctoral program online is an accelerated program that caters to professional students who are seeking to expand their career opportunities into research and higher education teaching fields while still working full-time.

The primary way in which a doctorate program is accelerated is through 8-week online courses.

This can potentially shave off as much as 2 years from your completion time because you won’t have to complete a master’s degree before even considering applying for a doctorate program. It also helps if you enroll in a PhD program without a GRE requirement.

To explore typical salary ranges and career opportunities for a wide range of doctoral programs, check out our in-depth look at all the top online PhD programs.

1 Year Online Doctoral Programs

While most programs last 2 or more years, we’ve found one university that offers a 12-month online doctoral program.

BREYER STATE UNIVERSITY – accelerated doctor of psychology in grief counseling. This program is also one of the most affordable online doctoral programs on our list at tuition of $3,500.

As we find more 1 year online doctoral programs, we will add them to this list. This list was last updated on April 1, 2019.

Shortest Doctoral Programs Online and On-campus

Obtaining a Ph.D. is a long-term commitment. Most doctoral programs can take well beyond five years to complete, although, there are accredited accelerated Ph.D. programs available from universities.

For working professionals that are crunched for time yet looking to advance their careers, we provide this list as a starting point of the shortest doctoral programs. Many of the Ph.D. programs in our list are full-time, part-time, and completely online or a hybrid of online and on-campus.

• FRONTIER NURSING UNIVERSITY – doctor of nursing practice, with MSN 19 credit hours. This is the shortest doctoral program we found.
• BOSTON UNIVERSITY – Online Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, 33-37 credits
• GWYNEDD MERCY UNIVERSITY – Accelerated Executive Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership ABD completion program, minimum 27 credit hours/18 months
• DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY – Online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, 35 credit hours
• THE COLLEGE OF ST. SCHOLASTICA – Transitional Doctor of Physical Therapy (tDPT) program online for doctoral students, 2 years, 100% online, 16 credit hours. This is the shortest doctoral program online that we found.
• LIBERTY UNIVERSITY –  Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program online, 33 credit hours, 100% online
• UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA – Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program 35 credit hours, 5 semesters
• UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA –  Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, 2 years
• SETON HALL UNIVERSITY –  Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program online, with MS 32-33 credit hours, with BSN 73-79 credit hours, 100% online
• REGIS UNIVERSITY –  Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program online, 2-3 years, 100% online
• GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY – 60 credit hours
• BOWLING GREEN STATE UNIVERSITY – 66 credit hours
• HAMPTON UNIVERSITY – 66 credit hours
• INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA – 11 semesters
• EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY – hybrid online curriculum

Easiest PhD Programs Online and On-campus

No Ph.D. program will be “easy” but there are Ph.D. programs that are easier than others.

Typically, the easiest college majors have been education, humanities, and social sciences–we will use that criterion for our list. With that in mind, our list of the easiest Ph.D. programs includes schools and programs that offer significantly reduced residency requirements, accelerated courses, credit transfers, and integrated dissertation colloquium.

The rankings below contain schools that are accredited by at least one of the six regional accrediting agencies. At least one Ph.D. program had to be offered online by a school. Online programs were also ranked by U.S. News and Forbes Magazine rankings.

Easiest PhD Programs Online

• UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA – 11 doctoral programs online. Tuition – $3,876 (in-state) or $16,580 (out-of-state) yearly
• UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI – 10 online doctoral programs. Tuition $18,745-$49,046 total
• COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY – Systems Engineering PhD or Higher Education Leadership PhD online. Tuition – $882-$1,035 per credit
• UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA – 4 PhD programs online, including the PhD in Higher Education and PhD in Nursing. Tuition – $410 per credit
• NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY –  10 doctoral programs online. Tuition – $635-$1,040 per hour
• LIBERTY UNIVERSITY –  25 online PhD programs. Tuition – $595 (full-time) or $650 (part-time) per hour

By earning an accelerated doctoral program online, you will also be contributing to your field’s body of knowledge, which can be deeply satisfying.

Online PhD in Accounting

If you enjoy working with numbers and financial concepts, then consider delving deep into that field with a doctorate in accounting. This degree can prepare you for a position as the chief financial officer of an organization, serve as an auditor, teach accounting at the college level, or oversee a team of accountants.

During your studies, you’ll take classes in statistical analysis, financial research methods, and accounting theories. Available concentrations may include Public Accounting and Forensic Accounting.

Another possible option if you’re looking for the shortest completion time is earning a DBA with a concentration in Accounting.

Online Doctorate in Business Administration – DBA & PhD

A doctorate in business administration is a degree program that will prepare you for leadership at various companies and skillful operation within global markets.

People with a DBA often hold leadership positions in a variety of fields, including for-profit companies, non-profit organizations, and government groups. They can also work in education, whether in an administrative role or as a professor.

In preparation for such positions, coursework may cover topics like quantitative research methods, qualitative research methods, statistics, economics, management theories, and organizational behavior.

As a more exclusive degree than an MBA, a DBA can set you apart and help you land top leadership positions. Plus, the number of courses required is often less, making it one of the shortest doctoral options.

Slightly different than the DBA degree, a PhD in Business Administration is geared more toward academia.

If you’d rather conduct original research and teach students about your specific field in business rather than take on a demanding and rigorous role as a company’s CEO, a PhD in Business might be right up your alley.

Online PhD in Counseling

A doctoral degree in counseling or therapy can equip you to help others work through their mental health or interpersonal struggles, and it can prepare you for leadership in a counseling organization.

Potential career paths include social work, private practice, and program administration. You may also tailor your education with concentrations like Counselor Education and Supervision, Art Therapy, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Addiction Counseling.

Coursework often covers topics like group and individual counseling, trauma response, ethical behavior, and diversity. Some universities require that you already be licensed as a counselor in your state before beginning their programs.

A PhD in Counseling is designed for counselors looking to ramp up their careers by becoming college and university educators, advanced counselors who train and lead others, or primary researchers on innovative studies.

If you’re currently a counselor and training other counselors, or if managing counseling programs are career goals of yours, then a PhD in Counseling online can make those goals a reality.

Online PhD in Criminal Justice & Homeland Security

When you hold a doctorate in criminal justice or homeland security, you may find work in law enforcement, government, or private practice. Your chosen career may provide opportunities to protect your community, conduct investigations, work with criminals, or collect intelligence. Often, doctoral graduates gain leadership positions, such as serving as a chief of police.

In pursuit of your doctoral degree, you may take classes in psychology, emergency and disaster situations, the justice system, and victimology.