Best Accredited Online Ph.D. Programs 2024
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A Ph.D., or doctor of philosophy, is the highest level of academic degree that you can attain. Consisting primarily of research, a Ph.D. prepares you for a career in academia or research in the field you study.
Students who choose to pursue a Ph.D. online will find it can be completed in less time. Online students also get the added benefit of being able to complete their work from the comfort of home. The overall cost may also be less compared to an in-person program.
We’ve compiled a list of the best accredited online Ph.D. programs to help you start your search.
Top Schools for Online Accredited Ph.D. Programs
Capitol technology university.
- Campus + Online
- In-State $25,830
- Out-of-state $25,830
- In-State $11,340
- Out-of-state $11,340
- Retention Rate 75%
- Acceptance Rate 47%
- Students Enrolled 796
- Institution Type Private
Clemson University
- In-State $14,118
- Out-of-state $37,110
- In-State $10,600
- Out-of-state $22,050
- Retention Rate 94%
- Acceptance Rate 49%
- Students Enrolled 27,341
- Institution Type Public
Keiser University
- In-State $20,800
- Out-of-state $20,800
- In-State $29,632
- Out-of-state $29,632
- Retention Rate 72%
- Acceptance Rate 96%
- Students Enrolled 19,861
Mississippi State University
- In-State $9,110
- Out-of-state $24,790
- Retention Rate 81%
- Acceptance Rate 76%
- Students Enrolled 23,086
Nova Southeastern University
- In-State $33,510
- Out-of-state $33,510
- In-State $21,153
- Out-of-state $21,153
- Retention Rate 78%
- Acceptance Rate 93%
- Students Enrolled 20,898
Old Dominion University
- In-State $7,029
- Out-of-state $26,664
- In-State $10,207
- Out-of-state $29,851
- Students Enrolled 23,494
Saybrook University
- In-State N/A
- Out-of-state N/A
- In-State $20,856
- Out-of-state $20,856
- Retention Rate N/A
- Acceptance Rate N/A
- Students Enrolled 915
Texas Tech University
- In-State $8,935
- Out-of-state $21,204
- In-State $6,956
- Out-of-state $15,136
- Retention Rate 85%
- Acceptance Rate 68%
- Students Enrolled 40,542
How We Rank Schools
Accredited Schools Online uses a custom ranking system to evaluate schools on their quality, affordability, and reputation.
We rank schools using factors like graduation rate, admission rate, tuition costs, financial aid, and program offerings. All our ranked schools hold institutional accreditation .
For this page, we created a directory of online accredited Ph.D. programs that meet our criteria. The list is organized alphabetically rather than ranked.
Learn more about how we create school rankings on our methodology page .
Are Online Ph.D. Programs Worth It?
An online Ph.D. program is an ideal choice if you want to balance your career and family responsibilities along with your education.
While there are some preconceived notions that online programs aren’t legitimate, as long as the program you choose is accredited, the degree is the same as one earned in person.
While the annual tuition cost to earn a Ph.D. online averages $12,596 for a public institution and $28,017 for a private university, doctoral graduates enjoy a lower unemployment rate and higher weekly salary than those with less education, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Did You Know…
- According to the BLS , workers with a doctoral degree earned a median of $616 more per week than workers with a bachelor’s degree in 2023.
- Doctorate-holders boast some of the lowest unemployment rates at 1.6%.
- In 2019, research found that 39.8% of graduate students were enrolled in online learning.
- The number of doctorates awarded between 2020 and 2021 dropped by 5.4%.
- Not all Ph.D.-holders end up working in academia.
Does Accreditation Matter for Online Ph.D. Programs?
A college is accredited after being recognized by an independent institution that verifies the school’s courses and programs meet set quality standards.
The school you choose must be accredited in order for your Ph.D. to be recognized by employers , earn professional licensures, and qualify you for federal financial aid.
Legitimate accreditors are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
How Much Does an Online Ph.D. Cost?
In general, you can expect to pay around $13,000-$30,000 per year in tuition and fees for your online Ph.D.
Several factors affect how much your Ph.D. program will cost, including:
- Whether the program is fully funded
- Whether your school is public or private
- Whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state student
- How long your program lasts (most Ph.D. programs take 5-7 years to complete)
- How much financial aid you get
While many in-person and online doctoral programs in the U.S. are fully funded, these tend to be highly competitive.
One way to save money on your online Ph.D. is to attend a program that offers in-state tuition to residents. Make sure you submit the FAFSA each year so you can secure federal financial aid .
You may also need to budget for occasional travel to and from campus and research sites, especially as you work on your dissertation.
What’s the Difference Between a Ph.D. and a Doctorate?
While a Ph.D. and a doctoral degree, or doctorate, both signify the same level of education completed, their uses are different.
Doctorate is the broader term — a Ph.D. is a type of doctorate. Specifically, a Ph.D. is an academic degree that prepares you for a career in research or teaching in your field of study (such as science, English, or economics).
Besides a Ph.D., other types of doctorates include a doctor of medicine (MD), a doctor of education (Ed.D.), and a doctor of psychology (Psy.D.). These degrees are typically used in either an academic or professional setting.
Online Ph.D. Programs That Don’t Require a Dissertation
A dissertation is a final written project culminating in a student’s original research at the end of their Ph.D. program. A dissertation is typically presented and defended by its author. It’s typically required for degrees with an academic or research focus.
Not all Ph.D. programs require a dissertation. For example, some Ph.D. programs in humanities, education, business administration, and criminal justice require simple or no dissertations for a quicker completion time .
What Jobs Can You Get After Earning an Online Ph.D.?
Once you finish your online doctoral program, you can explore a variety of career paths both within and outside academia.
Many Ph.D. graduates, especially those who studied the humanities, go on to become professors. Other popular roles include administrator, scientist, and psychologist.
Graduates of online Ph.D. programs earn a relatively high average base salary of $108,000 a year, according to Payscale .
Frequently Asked Questions About Online Ph.D. Programs
What is the quickest ph.d. to get.
The quickest Ph.D. to earn are those that award professional degrees and don’t require extensive research projects or dissertations at completion. These Ph.D. programs can include accounting, business, education, and media.
To finish your degree faster, you can also look for accelerated programs that quicken the pace of a program and shorten the time it takes to complete.
Are online doctoral programs legit?
If the online doctoral program is accredited, it is legitimate. Accreditation ensures that the program meets the rigorous educational standards of other comparative doctoral programs.
With accreditation, employers and other institutions of higher learning will recognize your degree. As more universities turn toward online programs to serve a more diverse student population, there are a growing number of legitimate, accredited online Ph.D. programs.
How long are online Ph.D. programs?
Online Ph.D. programs, like any other doctoral program, can vary in length but typically take 5-7 years to complete. A doctoral degree balances coursework with research. Usually, students must meet a certain number of course requirements before they can start original research.
While coursework may take only a year or two, writing a dissertation that meets the program requirements varies from candidate to candidate.
Can I earn my Ph.D. entirely online?
Yes, many accredited colleges and universities offer 100% online Ph.D. programs. That said, some programs may require on-campus experiences, such as library research and a dissertation defense.
What do employers think of online doctoral programs?
It takes a high level of discipline and persistence to obtain a graduate degree, no matter the context. Most employers will recognize and value the hard work it takes to get a Ph.D., whether you completed your doctorate online or in person.
Make sure you research potential programs. If you’re attending an accredited, well-regarded school, employers will value your online Ph.D. just as much as a traditional one.
Online Ph.D. programs provide students with flexible schedules and affordable tuition. Check out the top-ranked programs in this comprehensive guide.
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10 powerful methodology courses for PhD students [online]
Good knowledge of research methodology is a precondition for a successful PhD thesis. However, not all PhD students have access to methodology courses as part of their PhD programme. Fortunately, there are good options online, such as the following 10 powerful methodology online courses for PhD students provided via Coursera.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at no additional cost to you.
Free online research methodology courses for PhD students
Online certificate courses in research methodology for phd students, short online courses in research methodology, extensive online courses in research methodology for phd students.
Coursera is a US-based platform that provides massive open online courses. To provide these courses, Coursera works together with universities and other specialised organizations such as Google or IBM.
Almost all online courses on Coursera, including methodology courses, can be accessed for free. This provides PhD students with plenty of opportunities to improve their methodological skills.
The only caveat of accessing methodology courses for free is the lack of a certificate upon course completion. Furthermore, in some courses, you cannot participate in the assignments and peer review of projects if you decide to go for the free option.
However, if you are just looking for a short refresher or some in-depth information on a specific method or research approach, simply accessing a course for free is a wonderful way to gain and deepen your knowledge.
Here are two examples:
Understanding Research Methods (University of London)
A powerful online methodology course that lends itself to the option of free access is Understanding Research Methods. The course is targeted at students conducting research as part of postgraduate studies and provides a great overview of the fundamentals of conducting research and different research methods. The syllabus includes information on research questions, literature reviews, research planning and research evaluation. If you choose the certificate option, instead of accessing the course for free, you can even create your own research proposal and receive individual feedback!
Enroll in the course >>
Basic Statistics (University of Amsterdam)
Coursera also provides powerful introductory courses on specific methods of analysis. Basic Statistics is one of them. Despite its focus on people working in the social and behavioural sciences, this course offers a great introduction to statistics to all PhD students who start from scratch when it comes to statistics, or those who learned some basic statistics a long time ago. The course teaches you how to explore data, understand correlation and regression, probability, probability and sampling distributions, and much more!
Learning new skills should be the most important part of following online courses in research methodology. However, it can also be useful to collect evidence of your knowledge and skills in the form of certificates.
Certificates look good on your CV and may come in handy in future job applications (within and outside of academia). In general, all Coursera issues certificates for the successful completion of all its course for a relatively low fee, including the ones presented above.
However, for PhD students who look for certificates in research methodology, it can be smart to follow online research methodology courses that are more extensive or go further in-depth compared to introductory courses.
Here are three good examples:
Research Design: Inquiry and Discovery (University of North Texas)
One powerful course that goes in-depth when it comes to research methodologies is Research Design: Inquiry and Discovery , which is definitely worth a certificate! It is a great course for PhD researchers who want to dive deeper into the creation of good research questions, how to connect research questions to suitable research approaches, as well as to methods of data collection and analysis. Additionally, it discusses important topics such as research ethics, which will really make you reflect on your own PhD research design.
Research Data Management and Sharing (The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill & The University of Edinburgh)
Another methodology course that is definitely worth a certificate is Research Data Management and Sharing . Many universities place a growing emphasis on data management as part of a research methodology. And often, a well-developed data management plan is a precondition for receiving ethics approval for a PhD research project. The online course teaches valuable knowledge on things to consider and actionable steps to develop your own research data management and sharing plan, including the curation, preservation, access and reuse of data!
Data Science Graduate Certificate (University of Colorado Boulder)
PhD students who work a lot with quantitative data can benefit from enrolling in Coursera’s Data Science Graduate Certificate, provided by the University of Colorado Boulder. In contrast to the other methodology courses, this one is a complete programme consisting of 14 courses! The programme teaches you how to extract knowledge and insight from large datasets, and incorporates knowledge of statistical analysis, data mining, and machine learning. And while it is taught 100% taught online, you can receive not only a certificate but 12 credits! So if these skills are useful for your PhD, it can be worth exploring whether the programme can be part of fulfilling the educational requirements of your PhD degree.
>”>Enroll in the course >>
Improving your knowledge of research methodology does not have to take months on end. There are many short methodology courses provided on Coursera , which provide PhD students with an efficient way to learn or refresh their knowledge of specific research methods.
Here are two good examples:
Quantitative Research Methods (University of Amsterdam)
This course on quantitative research methods takes approximately 30 hours, which means you can tackle it in less than a week. It provides a good overview of quantitative research methods and covers the fundamental principles of science, some history and philosophy of science, research designs, measurement, sampling and ethics. Quantitative Research Methods is an introductory course and does not specifically target the PhD level. However, it is a quick way for PhD students to explore different options of quantitative methods before diving deeper into the ones they ultimately select for their research.
Qualitative Comparative Analysis (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
A lot of PhD students using qualitative methods are interested in comparative analyses. If this is the case, the course Qualitative Comparative Analysis is right for you! In approximately 27 hours, the course discusses everything from the analytical foundations of qualitative comparative analysis, to research design and calibration, to systematic comparisons and the interpretation of results. All in all, PhD researchers can learn how to conduct a comparative analysis in a scientifically sound manner.
PhD students who look for more extensive online courses in research methodology are advised to follow a so-called Coursera ‘specialisation’. Specialisations often consists of several related courses and always involve a capstone project, which is individual work in the form of, for instance, a case study analysis or research paper.
When you finish and pay for a specialisation, you get course certificates for each individual course that it part of the specialisation as well as an extra certificate for the specialisation as a whole.
Here are three examples of powerful specialisations focusing on methodology:
Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialization (University of Amsterdam)
The Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences Specialisation includes some of the individual courses already mentioned above. It consists of five different courses, which cover quantitative methods, qualitative research methods, basic statistics, inferential statistics, and a final research project on methods and statistics in social sciences. Not only provides this course provides a great foundation of research methods and methodologies but teaches you in a practical way how to formulate a research hypothesis and design, come up with operationalizations, create manipulation and measurement instruments, collect data, perform statistical analyses and document the results.
Survey Data Collection and Analytics Specialization (University of Maryland and University of Michigan)
PhD students who are interested in surveys as part of their research can benefit from following the Survey Data Collection and Analytics Specialisation . This specialisation consists of 7 different courses, that provide in-depth knowledge on surveys in different fields, including market research, social sciences, government statistics and other domains. Students who follow the course will learn everything from designing questionnaires to sampling, dealing with missing values to analysing survey data. At the end of the specialisation, a Capstone Project is used to apply the skills taught during the courses. After the completion of the course, PhD students can tackle their own survey from beginning to end.
Econometrics for Economists and Finance Practitioners Specialization (Queen Mary University of London)
Finally, the Econometrics for Economists and Finance Practitioners Specialisation is a great intensive online programme that can benefit PhD students doing quantitative research. Yes, the course focuses on practitioners but hear me out: PhD students (and everyone else for that matter) can highly benefit from information even if it is not directly targeted at them. This specialisation, for instance, provides rigorous training in econometric methods and uses a ton of real-data examples. Learning how to test hypotheses on the relationship between variables is a crucial skill for many PhD students. Even those who are not directly involved in economics and finance theories.
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