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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
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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).
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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.
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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.
Your program may offer concentrations like Terrorism, Criminology, Information Assurance, Security or Emergency Management.
Online Doctorate in Education – EdD & PhD
Whether you want to teach in a classroom, serve in school administration, support teachers through an outside organization, or equip the next generation of instructors, a doctoral degree in education can help you achieve those goals.
Many graduates remain in the classroom and take on leadership roles, such as becoming a headteacher. Others choose positions such as principals, superintendents, professors, policymakers, curriculum specialists, or educational consultants.
While earning your doctoral degree, you may take classes in curriculum, organizational leadership, student assessment, and education research. You could select an EdD concentration in an area like Special Education, Administration, Curriculum and Instruction, or Early Childhood Education.
A PhD in Education and an EdD are quite similar degrees. Both programs focus on education and prepare you for leadership roles. PhD programs, however, are more research-based.
A PhD is typically more research-based and might be a better match for someone looking for a career in research, publishing, and teaching at the university level. It focuses less on application than an Ed.D., but the same types of careers would be possible with either of these two degrees.
In terms of time to completion, the shortest program option is likely the EdD as there’s often no dissertation required.
Online PhD in Finance
People with strong math and money skills are good candidates for pursuing a doctoral degree in finance. Many doctoral graduates take leadership positions with investment firms, large banks, hedge funds, universities, or government agencies. Some earn CEO or other C-suite roles.
A doctorate in finance can even prepare you for an international career. As you study for your degree, your classes may cover subjects like market analysis, global markets, financial planning, theories of finance, taxation, and leadership.
Some students choose to prepare for leadership roles in this field by pursuing a DBA with a concentration in Finance.
Online Doctorate in Healthcare Administration
When you hold a doctoral degree in the field of healthcare administration, you will be well-suited for a leadership position in a healthcare or medical setting. Potential places of employment include hospitals, nursing homes, medical records companies, political think tanks, government agencies, and universities.
Students of this discipline take classes on global health, business, law and policies, finance, and organizational leadership. Many DHA programs offer concentrations like Public Health, Leadership, and Health Policy.
An alternative academic path that is available at some colleges and universities is earning a DBA with a concentration Healthcare Administration which can offer the shortest path to a doctorate when no dissertation is required.
Online PhD in Human Services
A doctorate in human services can prepare you for a leadership position in an organization or program that provides services or assistance for various groups of people. Work settings may include schools, clinics, community outreach programs, or non-profit organizations.
Some people who pursue this degree are licensed counselors who want to serve in a leadership capacity in a mental health practice. Others desire teaching positions in human services at the university level.
Courses in a doctoral program may include grant writing, leadership, communication, financial management, and ethics. Some of the concentration options are Mental Health, Gerontology, Marriage and Family, and Leadership and Management.
A PhD in Human Services prepares graduates for leadership and as policymakers in the public and human services fields.
A PhD in Human Services is quite flexible. Students with a variety of undergraduate and master’s degrees in public service, including social services, child welfare, criminal justice, and healthcare, may find this degree interesting.
Online PhD in Information Systems or Technology
Companies and organizations rely on systems to keep their data and records safe and accessible; to be at the forefront of that field, consider a doctorate in information technology.
With this degree, you might be qualify for work as a C-suite executive, a director in a tech department, a consultant, a leader in a government agency, or a strategist. You might also be well-poised for opening your own company.
Your classes will equip you with knowledge about data collection and analysis, threat and risk management, policy-making, strategic planning, and research.
Online PhD in Management
If you want to hold one of the highest roles in an organization, then earning a doctoral degree in management may be in order. Some people who hold this degree become C-suite executives, such as chief operating officers. Others take the helm of school districts or universities, or they accept teaching or research roles in higher education.
To earn this doctorate, you will take classes on leadership, ethics, consulting, decision-making, innovation, and research. Many students pursue concentrations like Technology, Homeland Security, Non-Profit Organizations, or Healthcare.
Alternatively, some schools offer a DBA program with a Management concentration. This often adds more flexibility to the program and can make it the shortest option when compared to the PhD which usually requires a dissertation.
Online Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
You can take your religious education to the next level with a doctorate in ministry. After earning this degree, you may choose to put your education into practice in church, parachurch, counseling, or chaplaincy positions.
Coursework often helps students grow not only academically, but also spiritually. Topics covered may include leadership, spiritual disciplines, evangelism, social justice, and teaching methods.
Some doctoral candidates pursue a specialization; options may include Counseling, Worship, Chaplaincy, Spiritual Disciplines, and Urban Ministry.
A career as a professor is a possibility with this degree as well as a missionary leader or lead pastor at a church.
Many universities require students to hold professional ministry positions before admitting them into their programs.
Online Doctoral Nursing Programs – PhD & DNP
The top-educated nurses have their doctoral degrees in nursing practice. If you have this degree, you may continue offering direct patient care; for example, you may work as a specialty nurse in a healthcare clinic. You could also use your degree as a care coordinator, a manager of a nursing team, a policymaker, or a nurse educator.
For RNs (Registered Nurses) who want to teach and train other nurses in an academic setting, a PhD in Nursing is the best doctorate-level nursing degree to pursue. A PhD in Nursing also prepares graduates for a career in research as nursing scientists who can contribute to the advancement of knowledge.
Coursework may include classes on information technology, finance, organizational leadership, safety, and healthcare law. Keep in mind that a doctoral degree in nursing is a terminal degree in the field does not qualify for a position as a physician.
DNP programs have gained a lot of popularity over the years and are designed for RNs who seek advancement while remaining practicing nurses.
A DNP prepares graduates for leadership in the nursing industry by advocating for and making policy, managing and directing nursing programs at health facilities, and ensuring that their communities offer the best healthcare to citizens who need it most.
Online Doctor of Public Administration
Whether you want to work in a government agency or would prefer a position with a related organization, a doctorate in public administration can help you achieve your goals.
People with this doctoral degree often serve as politicians, lobbyists, non-profit directors, grant writers, administrators, or government affairs directors. If you want to go into government or politics, you could work at the local, state, or national level.
Students in this field study human resources, public policy, budgeting, ethics, organizational leadership, and decision-making.
As a professional doctorate, the DNP may be one of the shortest paths to a doctorate when compared to the PhD which generally requires a lengthy dissertation.
Online PhD in Public Health
Many people who earn a doctoral degree in public health conduct research in the fields of epidemiology, environmental science, clinical trials, or academia.
Others choose leadership roles in public health organizations that work to better the health outcomes for populations or groups of people. For example, you could become a safety engineer, a clinic manager, or an executive of a hospital system.
Classes for this degree program often cover health equity, data analysis, biostatistics, and healthcare policy. Concentrations are available at many universities; options may include Health Education, Leadership and Laboratory Science.
Online PhD in Public Policy
If you want to have a hand in creating or modifying the policies that shape people’s lives and communities, then a doctoral program in public policy can provide the education that you need. Graduates often work for government agencies, universities, think tanks, and various institutions.
Doctoral candidates may focus on Urban Policy, Health Policy, Financial Management, or other areas of specialization.
Online PhD in Psychology Programs
A doctoral degree in psychology can help you understand how people think and the influence that thought has on behavior. Many people pursue this degree because they want to work as licensed clinical psychologists in schools, private practices, hospitals, or organizational settings.
The doctoral curriculum often covers counseling theories, psychopathology, culture, motivation and behavior, and cognition.
Programs leading to licensure typically require students to engage in a lengthy supervised practicum.
For those looking at normal PhD programs that aren’t accelerated or “easy”, here’s a list of the top PhD programs in the U.S. according to Study.com.
Best PhD Programs in the U.S.
| College/University Name | Distinction | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Cornell University | Conducts interdisciplinary research through at least 100 research centers, institutes and laboratories housed at the university | Ithaca, NY |
| Northwestern University | Has interdisciplinary clusters that give students the option to study and conduct research with students and faculty outside of their program that have similar interests or who are trying to resolve a common problem | Evanston, IL |
| Stanford University | Has a faculty that includes 20 Nobel Laureates and four Pulitzer Prize Winners | Stanford, CA |
| University of California in Berkeley | Allows doctoral students to customize an interdisciplinary degree program | Berkeley, CA |
| University of Michigan in Ann Arbor | Offers more than 100 Ph.D. programs | Ann Arbor, MI |
| University of Pennsylvania | Is home to nearly 200 research centers and institutes | Philadelphia, PA |
| University of Texas at Austin | Has 13 libraries stocked with over 10 million volumes | Austin, TX |
| University of Washington in Seattle | Provides $11 million in graduate fellowships and other awards yearly, according to 2013 data | Seattle, WA |
| University of Wisconsin in Madison | Offers over 100 doctoral programs | Madison, WI |
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