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| Author | Topic: Opinions of Online Degrees |
| Doctor of IS |
posted 12/28/07 3:11 PM
All, There have been numerous requests for information about online doctoral degrees and the hiring of someone having an online doctorate. At the risk of being discouraging, I would like to provide a few opinions for everyone to consider. NOTE: I am not interested in discouraging you from getting your degree online, but I think you need to have the full story while you are making your decision. I am also not interested in discouraging those of you who are currently enrolled in such programs. I only hope that you can get a better feel for what you are up against. I admit upfront that I have biases since I did not earn my degree online, nor do I teach online. Instead I obtained my degree by quitting my job and going back to school for four years with my spouse and kids behind me all the way. I cannot imagine anyone from any of the more popular online degree programs (i.e. UofPhoenix, Walden, etc.) having anywhere near the same level of success and the same type of faculty position that I have now. (If nothing else, I would hope that you would consider doing the same or similar - if I can do it, you can too!) If you want additional information, check this study (which I have no affiliation with) - http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/v43n3/flowers.html Having a doctorate from an online university will SIGNIFICANTLY limit the number of places that will accept you as a faculty member. In fact, I would say that such degrees will eliminate you from any serious consideration at most schools. Note that you may still be able to find a job, but not at many of the more lucrative, higher-paying, more prestigious colleges/universities. Consider that a listing for a job opening in IS may bring over 150 applications from doctoral candidates from schools such as Minnesota, Indiana, MIT, Georgia, Georgia State, Pittsburgh, Texas, NYU, etc., many with publications in some of the most respected journals in the field, many of whom have 5-20+ years professional, managerial, and/or consulting experience, all with personal recommendation letters from known and respected scholars from those institutions. Compare that to a U of Phoenix graduate, with similar experience, but less stellar publishing records (based on the purely unscientific observation that I have never seen a significant article published by UPhoenix or Walden faculty or students), and faculty recommendations from UPhoenix faculty (few, if any, of whom have reputations in the field at all) who can barely vouch for their students since they have never met them. The comparison is not friendly. Most universities are interested in building/maintaining a certain reputation, which typically includes hiring faculty from programs with a higher reputation or those having a stellar reputation in the field. At least the doctoral-granting institution should be <a href="www.aacsb.edu">AACSB</a> accredited, which is the 'gold standard' for business programs (www.aacsb.edu). The jury is still out on online doctoral programs from historically reputable (old, established) universities, but I cannot see how it will be much better. To date, there are no online business PhD programs that are AACSB accredited. Thus, these programs have another hurdle to overcome. Additionally, one of the key components of an online degree is the daily interaction with faculty and students, including socialization, political awareness, and (for lack of a better phrase) indoctrination into the field. Many important parts of the academic life, such as learning (in excruciating detail) the nuances of research methodologies (positivist and interpretive, statistical and qualitative, etc.), reviewing high-level articles, incorporating existing theory bases and developing new theory, dealing with the journal/book submission process and reviewers, etc. Additionally, teaching college kids and handling a classroom has another set of nuances. An online format is poorly suited toward imparting a student with any of this information and values. Finally, perhaps the best thing to gain from a PhD program is the association with established faculty members and peers. It is important to realize that most academic fields (IS included) are like a private club with tough admission standards. Online degrees are not currently part of those standards, so having one makes it more difficult for someone to associate with the rest of the field. It would be somewhat like pledging a fraternity online and then showing up at the national conference. Yes, you would be a member but noone would know you and you would be clueless about all of the social norms that go on. The best, non-partial advice I can give you would be to call someone (dean/department head/etc.) at the colleges or universities where you would like to be hired. Ask them what the odds are that they would be likely to hire you with an online degree and x years of experience. They will be able to answer your questions far better than I can. Additionally, use the college's website to see where their faculty members earned their degrees. It is a red flag if you don't see any faculty from institutions similar to the one you are planning to attend. Again, I know this sounds negative and I also admit that I have a bias. But it is a pervasive bias among most of the universities in the field. Unfortunately, it is not very likely to change over the near future. At any rate, I wish each and every one of you the best of luck and continued success as you choose your path! Doc |
| Marie |
posted 4/3/08 10:23 PM
Doc, I am not sure if you are aware of the fact that almost every university offers an online course or program of some sort. To this end if you have never taken an online course then you really cannot comment. I have done both and I can tell you that taken a course online is a lot harder than sitting in a course room as it requires a lot of discipline. Again as you indicated you have a bias without knowing the facts, which is nothing more than your mere opinion. I am not sure what type of research you have done, but in most PhD online programs you have to do several residences, which means you get the opportunity to meet the professors and peers you interact with in the course room online. Additionally, most of the professors at Walden, Capella, and other online programs are from some of the top PhD programs in the United States to include Cornell, Harvard, and Yale. What it basically comes down to is the mind set of individuals who do not really understand the online environment, which are typically individuals that fall into the Traditionalist and Baby Boomer era. These individuals have not caught on that the traditional way of doing business, school and work is long gone and you will start to see more individuals embrace the online environment as technology continues to change. Marie |
| Robert |
posted 5/8/08 4:00 PM
I am writing this as a former department head and business school dean. Over the years I have seen (and heard my colleagues speak of) applications from doctoral candidates from online universities and the likes of the U. of Phoenix. We simply will not hire their products. Bottom line: you are getting a second (or lower) tier degree and you will be very, very disappointed in the results of your search and career growth. Do not let them tell you differently! Recommendation: stay with the traditional doctoral programs only at AACSB accredited schools. Remember basic brand management. |
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