Admissions Requirements for Online PhD Programs
Just as online universities are striving to match the academic quality of their brick-and-mortar counterparts, they are also becoming more selective in the admissions process. As it stands now, however, online institutions tend to be easier to gain acceptance into than traditional schools. This is a result of a number of factors, such as less competition and unproven reputations.
Basic Requirements
Most of the reputable online universities that offer doctoral degrees have similar basic requirements for acceptance into their programs. These requirements include: possession of a master's degree from an accredited institution in the field in which the doctorate is being pursued; three years of professional work experience; and at least three reference letters. In addition to these basic prerequisites, there are myriad school-specific requirements. The University of Phoenix, for example, requires that all doctoral program applicants be members of a research library.
If applicants to an online PhD program possess these basic credentials, their chances of being accepted to an online doctoral program are strong, as long as their master's degrees are from accredited schools and their work experience is in a related field. However, as a greater number of people are recognizing the benefits of online learning, and more and more people are applying to online programs, gaining admission to an online PhD program has become more difficult. The grades that an applicant received in his or her master's program are becoming more important to the admissions process at online universities, as is the rigor of his or her previous education.
Getting Into an Online Program
Once an applicant possesses these basic credentials, he or she must then complete an application (typically online) and write a personal essay. Personal essays, sometimes referred to as personal statements, have long been used by traditional universities, and only recently has their popularity increased throughout the world of online education. Being able to write a strong personal statement is now an important facet of getting accepted to any doctoral program.
It is important to note that possessing the aforementioned basic requirements gives an applicant a good chance at gaining admission to a program, but going above and beyond those credentials will strengthen those chances.
Why is it Easier to Gain Online Admission?
While the internet has had a profound impact on societies the world over, it has only been in existence for a couple of decades. The concept of online learning itself, therefore, has been around for an even shorter period of time, and the schools that utilize it have not had the opportunity to establish trustworthy reputations as producers of quality graduates.
Harvard University just celebrated its 350 th anniversary. Online school Walden University, on the other hand, has only been around since 1970, and has only been conferring online doctorates since 1997. And while some established schools, such as the University of Massachusetts, are venturing into the world of online learning, the concept itself has yet to be truly proven.
There is also far less competition for slots in online doctorate programs than there are in traditional ones. For hundreds of years, brick-and-mortar institutions were the only option for obtaining a doctorate, and in all honesty the majority of people still prefer this method. Also, campus-based universities are limited by the number of seats in a classroom, a handicap that online institutions do not possess. Therefore there are far more applicants competing for far fewer seats at traditional schools, resulting in a much lower admission rate.
As online universities continue to grow and establish their reputations, gaining admission will undoubtedly become more difficult. However, at the current time, the fact that online learning is a relatively new addition to the world of academia works to the advantage of those seeking to earn a doctorate over the web. There is less competition for “seats” in online programs, and while substantial credentials are required to gain admission to any reputable online institution, these institutions are not as stringent in their selection of students as most traditional universities.
Article Resources:
Mass High Tech: The Journal of New England Technology
Walden University
University of Phoenix
"The Online Doctorate: Flexible, But Credible?" American Association of School Administrators
The University of Washington: Admissions