Clinical psychology is one of the more popular psychology disciplines. They perform psychological assessments and psychotherapy. As with many of the psychology disciplines, a doctorate degree is a requirement in order to become licensed in most states. There are many clinical psychology PhD programs to choose from.

Walden University

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of The North Central Association.

Walden University offers Psychology degree programs that can help you determine the science and theory of mental development. Delve into the minds of diverse people and discover techniques to understand how the human minds work and why people behave the way they do.

Walden University offers the following Psychology Programs:

• Master of Science in Clinical Psychology – Counseling
• Master of Science in Clinical Psychology – General
• Master of Science in Early Childhood Studies
• Master of Science in Education
• Master of Science in Forensic Psychology – Forensic Psychology in the Community
• Master of Science in Forensic Psychology – General
• Master of Science in Forensic Psychology – Mental Health Applications
• Master of Science in Forensic Psychology – Program Planning & Evaluation in Forensic Settings
• Master of Science in Forensic Psychology – Psychology & Legal Systems
• Master of Science in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling – Forensic Counseling
• Master of Science in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling – General
• Master of Science in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling – TrauMaster’s in and Crisis
• Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling – Forensic Counseling
• Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling – General
• Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling – TrauMaster’s in and Crisis Counseling
• Master of Science in Psychology – Health Psychology
• Master of Science in Psychology – Media Psychology
• Master of Science in Psychology – Organizational Psychology & Nonprofit Management
• Master of Science in Psychology – Psychology of Culture
• Master of Science in Psychology – Psychology, Public Administration & Social Change
• Master of Science in Psychology – Social Psychology
• Ph.D. in Psychology – Clinical Psychology
• Ph.D. in Psychology – Counseling Psychology
• Ph.D. in Psychology – General
• Ph.D. in Psychology – General Educational Psychology
• Ph.D. in Psychology – General Research Evaluation
• Ph.D. in Psychology – Health Psychology
• Ph.D. in Psychology – Organizational Psychology
• Post-Doctoral Psychology Certificate – Clinical Child Psychology

Walden University offers classes year-round so that you can complete your degree at an accelerated pace. In addition, you can study anytime and anywhere that is convenient for you.

Read more or get a program guide from Walden University.

Clinical Psychology PhD

How to Apply for a Clinical Psychology PhD Program

Compared to other psychology disciplines, clinical psychology PhD programs tend to be very competitive. Therefore, your personal statement, letters of recommendation, and application must be top notch. If you know that you will be  pursuing your PhD when you are working on your master’s, volunteer to be a research assistant to gain valuable research experience that you can put on your application.

What to Expect

As with all PhD programs, you will be required to complete a series of courses, as well as a dissertation. In addition, you will also be required to perform a specific number of clinical hours under the supervision of a licensed clinical psychologist. Programs can take four years of full time study plus the length of the internship. In addition, some schools will require that PhD students perform a certain number of hours as a research assistant or assistant professor.

Career Path

What can you do with a clinical psychology PhD? The majority of graduates go into private practice. However, they can also become substance abuse counselors, family counselors, and social workers. As with all PhD holders, there may also be positions available in academia or research as well.

Summary

If you decide that you are going to pursue a clinical psychology PhD, you should start preparing early. Entry into programs can be very competitive, so it is important that you have a stellar academic records and great letters of recommendation. There are many different clinical psychology programs to choose from. Some are even currently holding enrollment.

There is always financial aid, however. Read on to find out more about your financial aid options to pay for your chosen degree level.

Financial Aid Types

Grants – A grant is an amount of money allocated by the government based on how much they decide you can pay towards your own costs. It includes money for tuition, books, materials (including a computer) and living costs.

Fellowships

This is usually related directly to a master’s or PhD program. You are given a certain amount of money that pays for a research project or specific academic endeavor.

Scholarships

Awarded based on need, merit and often an assignment like an essay. There are a certain number offered by the government or school, but most are from third parties like businesses.

Student Loans

An amount of money awarded with interest from the government that has to paid back, usually done in installments over time.

Assistantships

A type of work-study program for higher degree levels. The student is asked to perform tasks based on a stipend and money towards tuition. Usually this involves research or teaching assistance.

Conclusion

Each one of these are options for financial aid to help the PhD student pay for their college tuition. Anything that can reduce the amount is usually necessary, because each degree level adds up over time, usually to hundreds of thousands in costs over the course of your education. Find out more about financial aid programs today.

Let’s look at some of the myths surrounding doctoral programs:

Myth #1: Online PhD programs aren’t as high in quality as traditional PhD programs

This is absolutely false. In fact, almost all PhD programs offered online are adapted from their campus counterparts. Many universities are now opening up their own online programs with the same content, including Ivy League institutions considered the best in the world. So never believe this myth… it just isn’t true.

Myth #2: Online PhD programs require less work

Again, false…there is the same amount of work, and technically more. You are working on your own time and keeping yourself accountable for your education. This can be difficult for some people who are used to a more structured and strict program. As for the coursework itself, it is nearly identical to what is taken on campus. The primary difference is the mode of delivery.

Myth #3: Employers do not recognized online PhD degrees

Once again, incorrect. As long as the school is accredited, which you can double check prior to enrollment, the degree is no different in any way than that of a traditional campus. If it was, top-ranked schools wouldn’t be offering them. Make sure the school you choose has at least regional accreditation, which is what you need to be recognized anywhere.

But that is a thing of the past thanks to the many online doctoral degree programs.

Are Online Doctoral Degree Programs Accredited?

Occasionally, a program won’t have proper accreditation. However, that is a rarity, and for every program that doesn’t have the proper seal of approval, there are ten that do. Since distance learning has become more popular, more universities are opening up their own web based curriculum for busy students.

What Are The Benefits Of Online Doctoral Degree Programs?

The biggest pro is the convenience. You don’t have to be a slave to a schedule. Instead, you choose your own work time by getting on whenever you have a few hours to spare, at any point during the day or night. They have instructors on all the time, and student collaborations are done via the web.

Are There Any Offline Activities To Attend To?

With doctor degree programs, you always have to make time for meetings and workshops. However, a lot of these are scheduled for a specific time and done through chat, Skype or other means. Unless you are part of a combined program that is done partially on campus.

Conclusion

Online doctoral degree programs are a godsend for the busy student who wants to reach the highest professional level in their education. There are plenty to choose from and enroll in now, so find out more today.

While most have the proper credentials, there are some that have no accreditation, and so are ultimately worthless for a legitimate degree.

For some students who don’t pay attention, there is a rude awakening when after years of study they are awarded a certificate of completion instead of the degree they signed up for.

Don’t let this happen to you.

What Is Accreditation?

This is an official certification given to a school by an accrediting agency and the US Department of Education, stating that it meet the standards set out by the government. These standards being met gives it a seal, which allows them to issue degrees that are recognized around the world.

What kinds of accreditation are there?

There are two kind of accreditation: regional and national. In order for a school to be properly recognized, it must offer either regional or national accreditation. Some employers put greater weight on regional accreditation, however, that is not always the case.

Who issues accreditation?

There are a number of agencies that handle this. The first is the U.S Board of Education. But others are The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and The New England Associations Of School and Colleges (NEASC). Another you will see quite often is the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). But there are dozens more.

Conclusion

Don’t get caught with a worthless degree. Proper accreditation is mandatory when you check out online and campus programs, so find out more today and make sure you pick the university program that is right for you.

You can go into the work force and make a great living, it’s true. But that isn’t where everyone wants to be, and for those who wish to take the next step, they are dedicating themselves to another five years or more of hard work and education before they make it to the very top.

If you are trying to decide if you want to go back for your doctorate, it might help to look at the PhD requirements for online programs.

PhD Application Process

Campus programs and online programs act differently when it comes to admission. You still have to show the basics, such as test scores, grades and former degrees and credits. But you also have to provide them with written samples, letters of interest, at least one letter of recommendation, and the GPA and GRE scores of each graduate level you have reached in the past, sometimes all the way back to your associate’s.

Most of that is simple to understand, but the element that students tend to have the hardest time with is the written sample. This is an essay that is fairly standard, but is meant to give the university a chance to see who you are, how you think and how you present information. Depending on the school, the topic of the essay may change, as well as the length and format.

PhD Post-Admission Process

Once you are accepted into a PhD program, you have to remember that even online courses will have mandatory meetings with advisers, instructors and workshops with other students. These are to ascertain your ability to maintain the program, as well as discuss the most important part of your degree: your dissertation.

There are many different doctoral degree types. We will look at a few of the most popular now.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A PhD degree can be attained in most fields. Unlike the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), the PhD is considered a research-oriented degree rather than a professional degree.

Business (DBA)

This PhD qualifies the student for a teaching position in higher education, or a research career with a focus on marketing, advertising, product placement or other issues circulating around the business world.

Education (EdD)

The PhD in this industry is somewhat different, as it prepares students for a job in administration or academia, usually for higher education. The EdD focuses more on training for lower level administration or teaching, such as in primary or secondary school.

Engineering (DCS)

This degree will either prepare you for an academic career teaching engineering, or more commonly one in a number of fields at the highest level. This might include computer science, civil engineering or mechanical work. It is one of the more versatile doctorates.

Psychology (PsyD)

This doctorate gives you two different directions to go in: counseling or research. Either the PsyD or PhD can be applied to each side, though traditionally the first is for therapeutic purpose, and the second for mental health and neuroscience research.

Public Health (DPH)

This degree is both research and policy oriented. From small communities to a national level, graduates work to promote and protect public health.

As you can see, there are many different doctoral degree types, and these are only a few.

If you are high up in the information technology (IT) or computer science field and looking for a new challenge, you may want to consider enrolling in a computer science PhD program.

Capella University

Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA).

Capella University offers accelerated classes: 10 week online classes.

Capella offers quality education for working adults who want to advance in their careers. Learn more about our online doctoral, master’s, MBA, undergraduate, and certificate programs

Online Doctoral Programs are also available in a wide-range of fields including:

• PhD – Accounting
• PhD – Counselor Education and Supervision
• PhD – Criminal Justice
• PhD – Curriculum and Instruction
• PhD – Educational Psychology
• PhD – Emergency Management
• PhD – General Advanced Studies in Human Behavior
• PhD – Business
• PhD – Human Services
• PhD – Information Technology
• PhD – Organization and Management
• PhD – Psychology
• PhD – Health Care Administration
• PhD – Human Resource Management
• PhD – Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• PhD – Information Security
• PhD – Information Technology Management
• PhD – Information Technology Project Management
• PhD – Instructional Design for Online Learning
• PhD – IT Education
• PhD – K-12 Studies in Education
• PhD – Leadership
• PhD – Leadership for Higher Education
• PhD – Leadership in Educational Administration
• PhD – Management Education
• PhD – Nonprofit Management and Leadership
• PhD – Nursing Education
• PhD – Post-secondary and Adult Education
• PhD – Professional Studies in Education
• PhD – Project Management
• PhD – Public Safety Leadership
• PhD – Social and Community Services
• PhD – Special Education Leadership
• PhD – Training and Performance Improvement
• 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
• DrPH – Health Advocacy and Leadership
• DSW – General Social Work
• EdD – Educational Leadership and Management
• EdD – Reading and Literacy
• EdS – Curriculum and Instruction
• EdS – Leadership in Educational Administration

Read more or get a program guide from Capella University.

Computer Science PhD

What is computer science?

Many people have a vague notion of what computer science is. It is actually the study of the foundations of information and computation used by computers.  Computer scientists are responsible for generating code that translates, creates, and transforms information into something useful. Computer science differs from IT, however. IT relates more to the software and hardware of a computer system. Computer scientists look at what a computer needs to do in order to run that software or hardware. The line between the two professions has become blurred in recent times.

What to Expect

Like most PhD programs in other disciplines, a PhD in computer science will require much dedication and determination. Programs can take 5-8 years to complete depending on the university requirements, concentration chosen, and the student’s time constraints.

Students will first be required to take a series of courses. This can take 2-3 years depending on if the student is full or part time. The specifics will vary by university. However, courses may include JAVA programming, computer architecture, operating systems engineering, programming language theory, and mobile computing, just to name a few.

In addition, students will also be required to write a dissertation. This will consist of findings determined by performing an original research project. Most of the work will be done at the student’s pace but will likely have a definitive deadline. Many universities will require that students complete all requirements within a certain amount of time, perhaps 8-10 years.

Summary

A PhD in computer science can take you to the top of the professional computing world. You will be looked at as an expert in your particular field.

Searching for Creative Writing PhD Program?

What to Expect

The specifics of a creative writing PhD program will vary based on the university. However, most programs take 4-5 years of full time study. There are a few colleges offering part time and online programs as well. Programs will combine both creative writing and the study of literature. Courses may include literary history, poetry, and playwriting. Much of the coursework will be delivered in the form of seminars, writing workshops, and research projects. When students are not in class, they are often working on their own works or performing research projects. As with all PhD programs, students will be required to write a dissertation. This will vary from other PhD disciplines in the fact that they dissertation is creative and will often be a novel, collection of poetry, or a play.

Admission Requirements

Students wanting to enroll in a creative writing PhD program will be required to have a bachelor’s and master’s in English or a related discipline. Most institutions will also require that students submit some of their creative work as part of their admissions package. Admission is very competitive and few students are admitted each year.

Employment Outlook

What can you do with a creative writing PhD? Most graduates will continue their writing. However, many will also seek employment in journalism, publishing, and editing. As with all PhD holders, there is a great demand for academics at the collegiate level as well. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for academics is expected to grow about 23 percent over the course of the next decade.

Summary

If you are looking for a career that will allow you to be creative, you may want to consider earning your creative writing PhD. It can open many doors for you beyond that of being an author. There both online and campus based programs available.

If you are currently in the business world and seek another challenge, you may be thinking about returning to school to earn your business PhD. The programs are very challenging, but they can ultimately lead to a career change or a position of greater responsibility.

University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association (http://ncahlc.org).

The Doctoral Programs of Phoenix mold students to become leaders in their chosen professions. The learners will have access to a comprehensive administration literature that will open windows of opportunity for the students to adeptly apply their knowledge in the business and health environments.

The Doctor of Education Program transforms students from being learners to becoming leaders in enhancing the educational institutions in the country. The program focuses mainly on leadership and on applied research that improve the educational system.

Doctoral Programs:

• Doctor of Business Administration
• Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership
• Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Curriculum and Instruction
• Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with a specialization in Educational Technology
• Doctor of Health Administration
• Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership
• Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership with a specialization in Information Systems in and Technology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration
• Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

Read more or get a program guide from University of Phoenix.

Business PhD

Concentrations

When deciding on a business PhD, you have a few different types of programs to choose from. Some of the more common business PhD programs include accounting, management, economics, marketing, and organizational behavior. Not all programs are available at each university, so it is important to check with your school for their current list of programs prior to enrollment.

PhD or DBA?

There are two types of programs to choose from. Those students who are seeking a career in research or academia tend to stray towards the PhD programs. These programs focus greatly on research and are geared to breed scientists. DBA programs vary slightly in that they are the doctorate level degree for those that wish to continue in the day to day operations of the business world. The program that is right for you will depend on your ultimate career goals.

PhD Requirements

Both the PhD and DBA programs have similar requirements. Students will have to successfully pass a series of courses and oftentimes a comprehensive exam. The number of courses required will depend on the program and subject matter. After completion of the courses, students begin work on their dissertation. This must be an original research project, and the results will have to be defended in front of a university board.

Summary

A business PhD can help you rise to the ranks in the professional world. PhD programs are a huge undertaking, however. They should only be started after much reflection into what you ultimately want to do with your career.