Getting a PhD from an online program

[ZonedOUT]

Hello, I am new to this forum and would like read thoughts on obtaining an PhD degree from an online program. I already have two bachelors, one in psychology and one in sociology, one masters, in social work-all from B&M schools, two licenses, LCSW/LCAS, and specialty certifications in sex offender treatment, trauma, DD/MI treatment, and parenting. I have been in the mental health field for over 13 years. I live in an area where the B&M schools that offer programs in my area of interest are over 1 hour away, one way. It’s not possible for me to commute and work fulltime. I am currently enrolled in a PhD program (developmental Psychology) at Capella University. However, I am considering transferring to a different university, such as Fielding or an online program linked to a B&M school, due to the stigma surrounding online education. Since the APA only accredits counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, I figured obtaining a PhD in developmental psychology from an online school would be acceptable. On the latter, with my current licensure and knowledge, I find myself questioning the developmental psychology degree itself. I also thought of changing my major to human behavior or human development. My overall goal is to expand my knowledge base, obtain a collegiate teaching position and to continue in practice. I guess I am just stuck in thought… As I am not sure if I should switch school’s due to stereotypes and/or change my major -as I don’t know if the PhD developmental psychology degree would hold more weight than a PhD in human behavior/development degree. Any positive helpful feedback is welcomed.

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[PsyDr]

Hello, I am new to this forum and would like read thoughts on obtaining an PhD degree from an online program. I already have two bachelors, one in psychology and one in sociology, one masters, in social work-all from B&M schools, two licenses, LCSW/LCAS, and specialty certifications in sex offender treatment, trauma, DD/MI treatment, and parenting. I have been in the mental health field for over 13 years. I live in an area where the B&M schools that offer programs in my area of interest are over 1 hour away, one way. It’s not possible for me to commute and work fulltime. I am currently enrolled in a PhD program (developmental Psychology) at Capella University. However, I am considering transferring to a different university, such as Fielding or an online program linked to a B&M school, due to the stigma surrounding online education. Since the APA only accredits counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, I figured obtaining a PhD in developmental psychology from an online school would be acceptable. On the latter, with my current licensure and knowledge, I find myself questioning the developmental psychology degree itself. I also thought of changing my major to human behavior or human development. My overall goal is to expand my knowledge base, obtain a collegiate teaching position and to continue in practice. I guess I am just stuck in thought… As I am not sure if I should switch school’s due to stereotypes and/or change my major -as I don’t know if the PhD developmental psychology degree would hold more weight than a PhD in human behavior/development degree. Any positive helpful feedback is welcomed.

It wasn't possible for any of us to work full time and get a doctorate. If you want the same outcomes, you have to put forth the same effort and sacrifices.

 

[singasongofjoy]

If your goal is "obtain a collegiate teaching position" and by that you mean you just want to teach a class here and there, you can often do that with just a masters as an adjunct. You don't have to be enrolled in a formal program to "expand your knowledge base;" there are a million less-costly ways to do that. Finally, you're already practicing, so "continuing to practice...." how is that a goal that is driving you to pursue another degree? Frankly I'm not seeing the point in why you are pursuing and spending money on another degree. If you had a reason to pursue it that actually required a PhD, like you wanted to make a major switch in your career or something, then my advice/comment would be the same as PSYDR's above. But given the reasons you state, my advice is reconsider whether it's even worht the time and money. Find other ways to expand your knowledge and improve upon your current work; find a small school / community college and start adjuncting. If your goal is to go headlong into academics, like being an assistant prof or something, that's not going to happen unless you get a reputable PhD which will most certainly require some major sacrifice.

 

[ZonedOUT]

It wasn't possible for any of us to work full time and get a doctorate. If you want the same outcomes, you have to put forth the same effort and sacrifices.

I get that, but unfortunately my bills are not that understanding....Thanks for your reply.

 

[ilovedance1]

I have the same thoughts as PSYDR. I do not think that you can get the same quality of education from an online school by any means. A huge part of getting a PhD in psychology is learning how to do assessment and therapy, and getting direct supervision in these skills. This is not possible if you are doing your training online. It's not just a "stigma" against this type of training- the training is subpar.

I also don't personally think a 1 hour commute one way is that big of a deal. Most people don't even have that as an option. I personally moved to a new area to attend graduate school. In my 4th year of graduate school my husband moved to a new town. I moved with him, but drove 3 hours back to my university each week and slept on the couch of a fellow cohort member in order to attend classes. I then wanted to complete a supplemental practicum opportunity in another city, so I drove 3 hours in a completely different direction and stayed in a hotel there before driving back to my husband each week. I also moved to another state during internship and had to go through a long distance relationship for a year. Following that, we moved to another state for postdoc. I think that it is unrealistic to think that you can sacrifice the quality of your training just so that you can avoid a 1 hour commute. You already have the ability to do therapy, what other types of training are you seeking? Are you interested in gaining additional clinical skills? If so, in what area? If you want to improve your skills or train in a new area, you definitely need to do so in a way that helps you become a competent provider in those areas.

 

[singasongofjoy]

I get that, but unfortunately my bills are not that understanding....Thanks for your reply.

There are plenty of folks on this forum who scrimped for years before going back to school, took out loans, and/or made it through grad school living mostly on ramen and cereal, so that argument doesn't receive a lot of traction. And more than a few, myself included, traveled either an hour to campus or, in my case, an hour to externship/clinical site after class. There are some parts of getting a PhD that just really kinda suck no matter how you dice it, and for most people that is going to include cost and travel time. But if you don't need an additional degree to do the things you list as goals- you can do all of those things without an additional degree- , why bother at all with it, regardless of whether it is online or not?

 

[ZonedOUT]

If your goal is "obtain a collegiate teaching position" and by that you mean you just want to teach a class here and there, you can often do that with just a masters as an adjunct. You don't have to be enrolled in a formal program to "expand your knowledge base;" there are a million less-costly ways to do that. Finally, you're already practicing, so "continuing to practice...." how is that a goal that is driving you to pursue another degree? Frankly I'm not seeing the point in why you are pursuing and spending money on another degree. If you had a reason to pursue it that actually required a PhD, like you wanted to make a major switch in your career or something, then my advice/comment would be the same as PSYDR's above. But given the reasons you state, my advice is reconsider whether it's even worht the time and money. Find other ways to expand your knowledge and improve upon your current work; find a small school / community college and start adjuncting. If your goal is to go headlong into academics, like being an assistant prof or something, that's not going to happen unless you get a reputable PhD which will most certainly require some major sacrifice.

Teaching positions in my area are so competitive, but thank you for your feedback!! I really appreciate your advice. Also, how do you feel about the PhD in Developmental Psych or the PhD in Human Development-which one do you think holds more weight? What would you choose.

 

[erg923]

I get that, but unfortunately my bills are not that understanding....Thanks for your reply.

 

[ilovedance1]

There are plenty of folks on this forum who scrimped for years before going back to school, took out loans, and/or made it through grad school living mostly on ramen and cereal, so that argument doesn't receive a lot of traction. And more than a few, myself included, traveled either an hour to campus or, in my case, an hour to externship/clinical site after class. There are some parts of getting a PhD that just really kinda suck no matter how you dice it, and for most people that is going to include cost and travel time. But if you don't need an additional degree to do the things you list as goals- you can do all of those things without an additional degree- , why bother at all with it, regardless of whether it is online or not?

This is a much better way of stating exactly what I was trying to express.

 

[singasongofjoy]

It might be that teaching positions in your area are less competitive at the community college level which would give you some experience, especially if you have clinical experience and could talk about how that will inform your teaching (if you're teaching related classes). Worth looking into and letting folks know you'd be interested when positions came open rather than wait for them to be posted. Can't really speak to the devo psych vs. human devo - my guess is they probably have a great deal of overlap in content. My guess is that the difference in title is unimportant and it's more about the reputability of the place where you get the degree and the experiences you get along the way that you can bring to the table whenever you're finished (e.g., clinical and/or research training/experience).

 

[ilovedance1]

Teaching positions in my area are so competitive, but thank you for your feedback!! I really appreciate your advice. Also, how do you feel about the PhD in Developmental Psych or the PhD in Human Development-which one do you think holds more weight? What would you choose.

The teaching positions in your area may be really competitive, but I doubt that a PhD from an online program would hold more weight than a master's degree from a reputable program (which it sounds like you may already have).

 

[erg923]

Hello, I am new to this forum and would like read thoughts on obtaining an PhD degree from an online program. I already have two bachelors, one in psychology and one in sociology, one masters, in social work-all from B&M schools, two licenses, LCSW/LCAS, and specialty certifications in sex offender treatment, trauma, DD/MI treatment, and parenting. I have been in the mental health field for over 13 years. I live in an area where the B&M schools that offer programs in my area of interest are over 1 hour away, one way. It’s not possible for me to commute and work fulltime. I am currently enrolled in a PhD program (developmental Psychology) at Capella University. However, I am considering transferring to a different university, such as Fielding or an online program linked to a B&M school, due to the stigma surrounding online education. Since the APA only accredits counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, I figured obtaining a PhD in developmental psychology from an online school would be acceptable. On the latter, with my current licensure and knowledge, I find myself questioning the developmental psychology degree itself. I also thought of changing my major to human behavior or human development. My overall goal is to expand my knowledge base, obtain a collegiate teaching position and to continue in practice. I guess I am just stuck in thought… As I am not sure if I should switch school’s due to stereotypes and/or change my major -as I don’t know if the PhD developmental psychology degree would hold more weight than a PhD in human behavior/development degree. Any positive helpful feedback is welcomed.

BTW, the only places a online phd degree would make you competitive to teach is other online programs/schools. If you want to spend 150,000 in tuition to possibly obtain a non-tenured teaching position that pays of 60,000, be my guest. No reasonable person could argue that this a wise financial investment, however

 

[foreverbull]

Hello, I am new to this forum and would like read thoughts on obtaining an PhD degree from an online program. I already have two bachelors, one in psychology and one in sociology, one masters, in social work-all from B&M schools, two licenses, LCSW/LCAS, and specialty certifications in sex offender treatment, trauma, DD/MI treatment, and parenting. I have been in the mental health field for over 13 years. I live in an area where the B&M schools that offer programs in my area of interest are over 1 hour away, one way. It’s not possible for me to commute and work fulltime. I am currently enrolled in a PhD program (developmental Psychology) at Capella University. However, I am considering transferring to a different university, such as Fielding or an online program linked to a B&M school, due to the stigma surrounding online education. Since the APA only accredits counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, I figured obtaining a PhD in developmental psychology from an online school would be acceptable. On the latter, with my current licensure and knowledge, I find myself questioning the developmental psychology degree itself. I also thought of changing my major to human behavior or human development. My overall goal is to expand my knowledge base, obtain a collegiate teaching position and to continue in practice. I guess I am just stuck in thought… As I am not sure if I should switch school’s due to stereotypes and/or change my major -as I don’t know if the PhD developmental psychology degree would hold more weight than a PhD in human behavior/development degree. Any positive helpful feedback is welcomed.

I think if I were in your position I'd be a little concerned about the flexibility of the degree you're seeking in terms of it being the stepping-stone to the teaching job you want. I think it'd be important to hear from those who got doctorates in developmental vs. human development, etc. to see what their career opportunities were like. It's rare to get degrees in those fields so getting feedback from those who've been through it is important. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone with those degrees.

You might ask your program to provide information about alumni and where they end up after getting their doctorate. Also, is there anyone in this forum with a Developmental Psych or Human Development doctorate? Now's the time to chip in!

 

[ZonedOUT]

There are plenty of folks on this forum who scrimped for years before going back to school, took out loans, and/or made it through grad school living mostly on ramen and cereal, so that argument doesn't receive a lot of traction. And more than a few, myself included, traveled either an hour to campus or, in my case, an hour to externship/clinical site after class. There are some parts of getting a PhD that just really kinda suck no matter how you dice it, and for most people that is going to include cost and travel time. But if you don't need an additional degree to do the things you list as goals- you can do all of those things without an additional degree- , why bother at all with it, regardless of whether it is online or not?

I completely understand what "everyone has done" and how "everyone has made sacrifices"-heaven knows I have made my share. Yet, that doesn't negate the fact that everyone and everyone's situation is different. I haven't walked in anyone else's shoes, as no one else has walked in mine. I'm not looking for what I need to do, but more so what would be the best route to take for my situation, which is why I asked for thoughts on obtaining a PhD from an online institution. In order for me to obtain the position I want in teaching, I need a PhD. Thank you for your response.

 

[ZonedOUT]

I have the same thoughts as PSYDR. I do not think that you can get the same quality of education from an online school by any means. A huge part of getting a PhD in psychology is learning how to do assessment and therapy, and getting direct supervision in these skills. This is not possible if you are doing your training online. It's not just a "stigma" against this type of training- the training is subpar.

I also don't personally think a 1 hour commute one way is that big of a deal. Most people don't even have that as an option. I personally moved to a new area to attend graduate school. In my 4th year of graduate school my husband moved to a new town. I moved with him, but drove 3 hours back to my university each week and slept on the couch of a fellow cohort member in order to attend classes. I then wanted to complete a supplemental practicum opportunity in another city, so I drove 3 hours in a completely different direction and stayed in a hotel there before driving back to my husband each week. I also moved to another state during internship and had to go through a long distance relationship for a year. Following that, we moved to another state for postdoc. I think that it is unrealistic to think that you can sacrifice the quality of your training just so that you can avoid a 1 hour commute. You already have the ability to do therapy, what other types of training are you seeking? Are you interested in gaining additional clinical skills? If so, in what area? If you want to improve your skills or train in a new area, you definitely need to do so in a way that helps you become a competent provider in those areas.

Its not only the commute, there are other unavoidable situational factors. I have a wealth of clinical training, I already do various types of assessments and therapy. I do not do psychological testing-yet that isn't what I desire. According to my research, developmental psychologists don't complete psychological testing, that's usually for clinical psychologists-but I could be wrong. I want to expand on human development-as I believe it would be a perfect addition to my other degrees and licensure and it fits perfectly into what I want to teach. I'm not sacrificing my training-as my degree is more research based, the practicum will consist of therapy-which I am already doing. Kudos to you and your husband, 3 hours is a long commute.

 

[ZonedOUT]

This is a much better way of stating exactly what I was trying to express.

Thanks.

 

[ilovedance1]

Its not only the commute, there are other unavoidable situational factors. I have a wealth of clinical training, I already do various types of assessments and therapy. I do not do psychological testing-yet that isn't what I desire. According to my research, developmental psychologists don't complete psychological testing, that's usually for clinical psychologists-but I could be wrong. I want to expand on human development-as I believe it would be a perfect addition to my other degrees and licensure and it fits perfectly into what I want to teach. I'm not sacrificing my training-as my degree is more research based, the practicum will consist of therapy-which I am already doing. Kudos to you and your husband, 3 hours is a long commute.

I misunderstood your original post. I thought that you were planning on switching from a developmental psych program into a program that is focused on clinical or school psychology. I don't know much about what a career in developmental psychology holds, so I would definitely suggest that you consult with people who are already in the career field that you would want. You could reach out to people that have these types of positions directly in order to get the best information on what it takes to get into those kinds of positions. I think most of the people on this board are from counseling, clinical, or school psychology backgrounds.

 

[ZonedOUT]

I think if I were in your position I'd be a little concerned about the flexibility of the degree you're seeking in terms of it being the stepping-stone to the teaching job you want. I think it'd be important to hear from those who got doctorates in developmental vs. human development, etc. to see what their career opportunities were like. It's rare to get degrees in those fields so getting feedback from those who've been through it is important. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone with those degrees.

You might ask your program to provide information about alumni and where they end up after getting their doctorate. Also, is there anyone in this forum with a Developmental Psych or Human Development doctorate? Now's the time to chip in!

Thank you!! For some reason I didn't consider this...I may also look into ABA. I needed this!!

 

[ZonedOUT]

The teaching positions in your area may be really competitive, but I doubt that a PhD from an online program would hold more weight than a master's degree from a reputable program (which it sounds like you may already have).

Yes, I do, but I have to be ready for the process of elimination. Although I have a masters, I'm sure if I was up against a PhD, the PhD would win....

 

[erg923]

I completely understand what "everyone has done" and how "everyone has made sacrifices"-heaven knows I have made my share. Yet, that doesn't negate the fact that everyone and everyone's situation is different. I haven't walked in anyone else's shoes, as no one else has walked in mine. I'm not looking for what I need to do, but more so what would be the best route to take for my situation, which is why I asked for thoughts on obtaining a PhD from an online institution. In order for me to obtain the position I want in teaching, I need a PhD. Thank you for your response.

Yes, I do, but I have to be ready for the process of elimination. Although I have a masters, I'm sure if I was up against a PhD, the PhD would win....

I would think again about this assumption given the program options you are talking about. There is the degree, and then their is the requisite experience criteria, right? You can teach with masters degree (usually CC and sometimes small colleges, usually as adjunct) and no traditional college will hire a person for teaching/professorship/faculty who lacks experience teaching and doing research. And the ones that will (Capella and the like), will not pay you anymore than what you make now.

I dont think Capella even has a clinical program and if it did/does, it will not set one up for good prospects for any clinical career beyond therapy...which you said you are already doing.

 

[PsyDr]

Yes, I do, but I have to be ready for the process of elimination. Although I have a masters, I'm sure if I was up against a PhD, the PhD would win....

You'd also lose with a phd from an online school.

 

[Confused Post Med]

Hello, I am new to this forum and would like read thoughts on obtaining an PhD degree from an online program. I already have two bachelors, one in psychology and one in sociology, one masters, in social work-all from B&M schools, two licenses, LCSW/LCAS, and specialty certifications in sex offender treatment, trauma, DD/MI treatment, and parenting. I have been in the mental health field for over 13 years. I live in an area where the B&M schools that offer programs in my area of interest are over 1 hour away, one way. It’s not possible for me to commute and work fulltime. I am currently enrolled in a PhD program (developmental Psychology) at Capella University. However, I am considering transferring to a different university, such as Fielding or an online program linked to a B&M school, due to the stigma surrounding online education. Since the APA only accredits counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, I figured obtaining a PhD in developmental psychology from an online school would be acceptable. On the latter, with my current licensure and knowledge, I find myself questioning the developmental psychology degree itself. I also thought of changing my major to human behavior or human development. My overall goal is to expand my knowledge base, obtain a collegiate teaching position and to continue in practice. I guess I am just stuck in thought… As I am not sure if I should switch school’s due to stereotypes and/or change my major -as I don’t know if the PhD developmental psychology degree would hold more weight than a PhD in human behavior/development degree. Any positive helpful feedback is welcomed.

Super interesting topic. Look forward to seeing replies. Not much insight to offer but hope you find what suits your needs and skills. I don't think online programs have a negative connatation and would gladly do medical school through distance learning, if it were an option

 

[erg923]

There are plenty of folks on this forum who scrimped for years before going back to school, took out loans, and/or made it through grad school living mostly on ramen and cereal, so that argument doesn't receive a lot of traction.

This is true, even if containing some hyperbole.

There are choices in life. I could make more than I do now (within the same field/career), but to do so (legitimately and ethically) requires doing things my current domestic/family life generally forbids. Short-cuts in this line of work are risky, and potentially unethical. To me, my family, and to potential patients.

We didn't eat Raman noodles for 5 years, but we still were able to manage and have fun because we had the option to delay certain aspects/luxuries of life. We didn't have children yet, and we were geographically flexible while in training. Sacrifice is whats needed for the highest degree in the land (Ph.D.). Just like surgeons need to sacrifice certain things for the extended residency that the discipline requires.

To want the same outcome with a lesser degree of sacrifice says something about your motivation/commitment to the field...and to a lesser degree, probably something about your personality.

In other words: Rethink how life and career work/interplay.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

....how do you feel about the PhD in Developmental Psych or the PhD in Human Development-which one do you think holds more weight? What would you choose.

If they are online or from a hybrid program....neither. They will be costly and you would not be competitive against applicants from traditional programs. There are no shortcuts to training. This probably isn't the answer you want to hear, but it's the truth.

 

[WisNeuro]

Friends don't let friends get utterly useless degrees from online programs.

 

[aftermidnight]

BTW, the only places a online phd degree would make you competitive to teach is other online programs/schools. If you want to spend 150,000 in tuition to possibly obtain a non-tenured teaching position that pays of 60,000, be my guest. No reasonable person could argue that this a wise financial investment, however

I don't agree with this assessment, taken in very broad terms. There are people with online doctorates that teach at B&M schools (if the online program is linked to a B&M). vSince you are already a social worker, a doctorate in psychology (developmental or otherwise) could make you competitive for non-tenure track positions in solid schools of social work. There may be some other non-psychology programs that are health-science related that you could teach in as well. This is likely much more common in social work due to the shortage of doctorally prepared clinicians who also want to teach.

 

[singasongofjoy]

This is true, even if containing some hyperbole.

.

A bit of hyperbole, yes But I did have a classmate who was determined not to take out any loans at all, which involved dumpster diving behind the grocery store. Not a popular choice, and probably more of a personal challenge in extreme frugality, but they did get through without taking out any loans! Personally I think a small loan is worth it to enter the grocery store from the other end, lol.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Wait.

The reason is someone won't consider going to a better program.......... is because of an hour drive?

Wow.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

My take is that an online doctorate isn't likely to help you work toward your stated goals, or to be worth the costs (financial, time, opportunity) involved. If nearby teaching positions are competitive, then an online doctorate probably won't make you more competitive for them, and may actually induce a negative reaction to your application. There are cheaper and likely better ways to expand your knowledge base. The teaching role, based on your current limitations and reality, may unfortunately just not be an option right now. Maybe consider less-traditional teaching routes, like workshops or providing supervision of trainees?

You can of course continue to pursue your current degree, or one in a different program, to see if it ends up helping. But my thoughts are that it wouldn't.

 

[CheetahGirl]

@ZonedOUT - Did you search this forum for opinions of online degrees? If not, I would take a moment out to do so. In our field, online degrees are a joke. Harsh...yes, but the degree requirements for an online degree pale in comparison to what brick & mortar degrees hold. Why would anyone want to start off with their credentials (i.e., online doctorate) failing you from very start?

Now, folks could argue that clinical online doctorates are impossibly unrealistic and strongly unadvisable, but the two degrees you're looking at (for teaching, resume building, perhaps even intrinsically-related) may get your foot in the door, but not much more...and where? I would question any institution that presented an instructor with an online degree to teach my class & nurturing my understanding. Again, your competition will be everyone who sacrificed and made it work. And not be idealistic, but where there is a will, there's certainly a way...just no short-cuts for quality.

 

[psych.meout]

@ZonedOUT - Did you search this forum for opinions of online degrees? If not, I would take a moment out to do so. In our field, online degrees are a joke. Harsh...yes, but the degree requirements for an online degree pale in comparison to what brick & mortar degrees hold. Why would anyone want to start off with their credentials (i.e., online doctorate) failing you from very start?

Now, folks could argue that clinical online doctorates are impossibly unrealistic and strongly unadvisable, but the two degrees you're looking at (for teaching, resume building, perhaps even intrinsically-related) may get your foot in the door, but not much more...and where? I would question any institution that presented an instructor with an online degree to teach my class & nurturing my understanding. Again, your competition will be everyone who sacrificed and made it work. And not be idealistic, but where there is a will, there's certainly a way...just no short-cuts for quality.

Yeah, I would also question paying good money to be taught by someone who earned their doctorate online. To me, it screams that getting the best education and training possible was at some position lower than first priority.

OP, maybe you should look at the profiles of the current professors (adjunct and otherwise) at the schools where you would like to teach. Do any of them have online doctorates?

 

[Ollie123]

Important questions to ask yourself:
1) Why do you want a teaching position? If you are looking for added income and/or financial return on investment, this needs to be considered. I strongly suspect that if you crunch the numbers, it would come out as a significant net negative financially to do an online doctorate for this purpose. Online degrees are expensive and adjunct pay is terrible. You may be willing to accept that loss if your motivation is something other than money. However, there may be less expensive alternatives to fulfilling those goals.
2) Will an online degree even necessarily help you achieve your goal? None of the schools I've worked at would have allowed someone with an online degree anywhere near a classroom (at least in the departments I was in - can't speak for others). These were major universities though. I can't say that attitude is universal - I simply don't know. This is something worth checking though, given the time and financial commitment.
3) What alternatives exist? If you are just looking for to expand your knowledge, there are many ways to do that for a fraction of the cost (as has already been mentioned - workshops, conferences, trainings, etc.). If you want to teach, there may be places you can teach with a master's. There may be other ways you can fulfill the desire to teach besides formal college teaching positions (e.g. run your own workshops, find a hospital position where you can have students rotate through under your supervision). Unless you know for a FACT that there are several nearby universities that HAVE hired people with ONLINE doctorates, I would not bank on it making you more employable. As others have said, it could very well make you less employable.

 

[aftermidnight]

@ZonedOUT - Did you search this forum for opinions of online degrees? If not, I would take a moment out to do so. In our field, online degrees are a joke. Harsh...yes, but the degree requirements for an online degree pale in comparison to what brick & mortar degrees hold. Why would anyone want to start off with their credentials (i.e., online doctorate) failing you from very start?

Now, folks could argue that clinical online doctorates are impossibly unrealistic and strongly unadvisable, but the two degrees you're looking at (for teaching, resume building, perhaps even intrinsically-related) may get your foot in the door, but not much more...and where? I would question any institution that presented an instructor with an online degree to teach my class & nurturing my understanding. Again, your competition will be everyone who sacrificed and made it work. And not be idealistic, but where there is a will, there's certainly a way...just no short-cuts for quality.

I touched on this earlier, but I want to expand upon my point. As an very broad characterization, this is somewhat fair but again it depends on where the online degree is from. People are lumping in online schools like Capella with online programs at schools with much stronger reputations. For example, Penn has an online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree. Graduating from a program like that would position you to be able to teach at a good school. Not all online degrees are created equal. The perception of the degree will also be highly dependent on other contextual factors specific to the region, practice setting, college, etc.

 

[Justanothergrad]

I touched on this earlier, but I want to expand upon my point. As an very broad characterization, this is somewhat fair but again it depends on where the online degree is from. People are lumping in online schools like Capella with online programs at schools with much stronger reputations. For example, Penn has an online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) degree. Graduating from a program like that would position you to be able to teach at a good school. Not all online degrees are created equal. The perception of the degree will also be highly dependent on other contextual factors specific to the region, practice setting, college, etc.

You keep using other fields to indicate that this is a viable option in this field. This is a poor use of reasoning. No one thinks that all programs are the same, but the fact is that online programs are looked on poorly in psychology, period. No matter the 'quality' of the program. This is because training from online universities in psychology is poor. Period. Without respect to what online engineering or computer science programs (for instance) do for folks in those career fields, online training in psychology is a poor choice.

If someone wants to be an academic, they might be wise to take the paths taken by other academics or seek the advice of the academics in the field that they are wanting to work. How many faculty members in developmental psychology have degrees from online universities? If the answer is 'few' or 'none' then one should consider why that might be (answer above).

 

[Sanman]

Here is my question as a person with several academic friends in various fields, what is the point of getting an online degree? My friends with traditional doctorates who want more than to teach adjunct courses apply nationwide for positions. If you can't move now, how do you plan to acquire said position? If I was you, I would skip the degree and apply nationwide for a teaching position now. If you can't, an online doctorate is not changing this barrier to a job.

 

[kasmir8199]

I agree with some of the responses given earlier about online programs: degrees obtained from online programs that are linked to B & M schools may give you a BETTER chance at meeting your goal of obtaining a collegiate teaching position...but not your only chance. You can obtain a teaching position at Walden, Capella, Fielding, etc with a Ph.D. from one of their programs. I once had a supervisor who taught at 3 online institutions with a masters and a Ph.D. from Capella in Educational Psychology...she also taught an online course at a B & M school. It's not impossible but I can't imagine it would be easy-peezy for anyone. You seemingly have a solid clinical background and a lot of work experience that should work in your favor (as did she). Your goals are achievable with an online degree.

Just brainstorming a bit with you. I'm a single mother of 3 kids looking to begin a doctoral program in clinical psychology soon and will have to commute a little over an hour to get there. My goals would not be achievable with an online degree, but I absolutely could not entertain the thought without my support network helping me with my children and sometimes transportation (it's definitely time for a new car).

If you DID want to pursue an education from the nearby B & M and transportation wasn't a barrier, have you considered going into contract work or working for a community-based program that would allow more flexibility in your schedule? Being a clinical assessor (CCFAs) or a contracted clinician would allow you to work full-time and go to school as you control your caseload and make your own schedule. Some agencies would allow you to do both! You may have to sacrifice the benefits aspect of employment but there are ways of obtaining healthcare otherwise.

Wish you all the best in your pursuit!!

 

[kasmir8199]

You keep using other fields to indicate that this is a viable option in this field. This is a poor use of reasoning. No one thinks that all programs are the same, but the fact is that online programs are looked on poorly in psychology, period. No matter the 'quality' of the program. This is because training from online universities in psychology is poor. Period. Without respect to what online engineering or computer science programs (for instance) do for folks in those career fields, online training in psychology is a poor choice.

Perhaps... but OP is an LCSW. In the example given by @aftermidnight, if OP were to pursue a DSW from such an institution as Penn, she would have a much better chance of landing a teaching position regardless of whether it's an online program or a B&M school. This degree IS her field. I might have missed it, and I apologize if I did, but I didn't see where OP stated she specifically wanted to teach in developmental psychology. She's simply obtaining the degree in that field to expand her knowledge base and to have a higher degree to get her foot in the door to teaching on a collegiate level (assuming graduate level teaching). But having a DSW, I'd imagine, would allow OP opportunities to teach at various schools of social work and some fields of psychology...especially since LCSWs, LPCs, and LMFTs tend to perform the same job duties.

I'd go further to assume that if OP were to pursue a doctorate degree in any psychology field from an online program linked to a B & M, she could land a teaching position at a B & M...even if teaching an intro psych class. She has the experience, the licenses and the educational background RIGHT NOW to be an effective educator. She just need a doctorate degree to get her foot in the door.

 

[kasmir8199]

OP, maybe you should look at the profiles of the current professors (adjunct and otherwise) at the schools where you would like to teach. Do any of them have online doctorates?

This is great advice. LinkedIn profiles can give you awesome insight into this if you do a search.

 

[Justanothergrad]

Perhaps... but OP is an LCSW. In the example given by @aftermidnight, if OP were to pursue a DSW from such an institution as Penn, she would have a much better chance of landing a teaching position regardless of whether it's an online program or a B&M school. This degree IS her field. I might have missed it, and I apologize if I did, but I didn't see where OP stated she specifically wanted to teach in developmental psychology. She's simply obtaining the degree in that field to expand her knowledge base and to have a higher degree to get her foot in the door to teaching on a collegiate level (assuming graduate level teaching). But having a DSW, I'd imagine, would allow OP opportunities to teach at various schools of social work and some fields of psychology...especially since LCSWs, LPCs, and LMFTs tend to perform the same job duties.

I'd go further to assume that if OP were to pursue a doctorate degree in any psychology field from an online program linked to a B & M, she could land a teaching position at a B & M...even if teaching an intro psych class. She has the experience, the licenses and the educational background RIGHT NOW to be an effective educator. She just need a doctorate degree to get her foot in the door.

Part of my point is that asking for career advice for a doctoral degree in social work is not a particularly well suited question for a forum devoted to doctoral training in psychology. The standards are different. If someone is interested in what options may exist I don't want people who read a doctoral psychology training forum to get the perception that this is something that is an option for aspiring academics in this field. Doctoral training in psychology is not online.

Even the schools mentioned for where an online degree might be used are bad though, so there is also that. As others have said, the best thing to do is look and see how many university faculty have online degrees. Without respect to field, I suspect that it is a wee tiny minority because very few programs offer them outside of the online mills.

 

[WisNeuro]

As a point of clarification, the OP asked about a degree in developmental psych, not a DSW.

 

[aftermidnight]

As a point of clarification, the OP asked about a degree in developmental psych, not a DSW.

That's true. However, if you read his post carefully and the responses carefully, I believe my responses are quite relevant.

OP clearly states that he is an LCSW with extensive practice experience and opted for the degree in developmental psychology not necessarily as a first choice, but as an alternative to obtaining a more clinically-oriented degree. OP stated "Since the APA only accredits counseling, clinical, and school psychology programs, I figured obtaining a PhD in developmental psychology from an online school would be acceptable. On the latter, with my current licensure and knowledge, I find myself questioning the developmental psychology degree itself." OP's mention of considering Fielding School of Psychology (which has a clinical psych program, not a developmental psych program) makes this even more clear. It seems clear that OP is open to degrees that would be relevant to OP's experience and helpful to OP's career, not just developmental psychology.

As kasmir8199 stated, an online doctorate from any related field could help get OP in the door at quite few B&M schools -- not in developmental psychology but in mental health disciplines. Based on OP's experience, it's logical to assume OP would be open to teaching practice courses not just developmental psychology courses.

Most of the responses that put online degrees in a negative light lacked specificity. The conversation quickly broadened to include doctoral degrees of a variety of sorts including online clinical degrees, and the DSW is relevant to that. From my reading, saying something like "online degrees are a joke" in the context of this particular conversation doesn't suggest that online degrees in developmental psychology are a joke but rather that all online degrees related to psychology and clinical practice are a joke and make you look bad. That lacks proper nuance and context. Again, an online doctorate from somewhere like Penn or USC would (just for example) would certainly enhance his stature at many B&M schools.

Lastly, for those saying he should see who has an online degree, it may not be 100% apparent if the degree is from a B&M school. There is no asterisk or notation stating that the degree was obtained online. Having said that, it may be possible to narrow it down since there aren't THAT many online doctorates in these fields.

 

[WisNeuro]

Relevant-ish. But, most online degrees are still useless. I mean, sure, open could get an adjunct teaching position at a school that doesn't care about credentials. But, they'd also likely be taking a pay and benefit cut to do so. Chance at TT remains low.

 

[aftermidnight]

Relevant-ish. But, most online degrees are still useless. I mean, sure, open could get an adjunct teaching position at a school that doesn't care about credentials. But, they'd also likely be taking a pay and benefit cut to do so. Chance at TT remains low.

There are more options than just adjunct and tenure track. Universities hire teaching faculty full-time to positions that are non-tenure track in roles like Clinical Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor of Practice, Lecturer, etc. Some schools of social work at state schools, say regional state school like your Western ____ University, will even hire those type of positions are the master's level in certain programs. A doctorate online or otherwise from a B&M would make OP even more competitive. Again, probably not so much in developmental but that was likely never his intention, based on what OP said. For example: Clinical Assistant Professor

 

[WisNeuro]

These days, still likely looking at a significant pay cut compared to clinical practice.

 

[aftermidnight]

These days, still likely looking at a significant pay cut compared to clinical practice.

That's fine but he never stated he was looking to go into academics for the money. Of course you have a valid point that there are concerns about online degrees, but the conversation would have left out a lot of important information without further clarification. It's understandable that you may not be aware of this information as a psychologist, but that's why I provided it. He also stated he'd like to continue to practice. A Clinical Professor job could be ideal for OP because he would be relived of research duties. He could focus is energies on keeping skills sharp in a private practice while also making extra money. The university would see that as a positive because OP's primary job would be teaching practice courses and a lot of schools would LOVE to have someone who is 1) LCSW, 2) doctorally prepared, and 3) still actively practicing. You can disagree with whether that should be the case or not but that is reality. It is up to OP to make the choice but I imagine OP may find that information good to know. Hopefully OP comes back to read all this, hah!

 

[WisNeuro]

Anecdotes are great, but I'd still like to see the outcome here if the OP spends a good deal of money on that online degree. Most people aren't outliers.

 

[aftermidnight]

Anecdotes are great, but I'd still like to see the outcome here if the OP spends a good deal of money on that online degree. Most people aren't outliers.

That's not an anecdote. I'm telling you that if OP gets an online degree in social work, psychology or a related field from a respected B&M school and combined that with the practice experience OP already has, OP would be highly competitive for non-tenure track positions (like clinical assistant professor) at major B&M schools. For example, if he did the Penn DSW and applied as Dr. ___, LCSW then schools would be wanting to hire him. That's simply factual information. Key point is online degree from respected B&M school and granted there aren't that many of those currently. But that's my point -- that there is a difference between the few online programs from known B&M schools v.s. for-profit's like Capella. This point will become increasingly relevant though as more B&M schools explore this option. It doesn't mean all other points on this thread are wrong, and I never said they are wrong. For example, I completely agree that it might not be cost-effective but to say no online degree would significantly help OP's chances of getting a teaching job at a B&M school is simply incorrect.

 

[WisNeuro]

The real key point is that there really aren't any respected b&m schools that offer these kind of doctorates. Maybe the DSW is different, I don't know a single person with the degree, but it isn't happening in the psych world. Either way, still skeptical that it would open up that many doors and be worth the likely exorbitant cost.

 

[aftermidnight]

The real key point is that there really aren't any respected b&m schools that offer these kind of doctorates. Maybe the DSW is different, I don't know a single person with the degree, but it isn't happening in the psych world. Either way, still skeptical that it would open up that many doors and be worth the likely exorbitant cost.

That's a great point. I would say the DSW is different. As you'll see in this link, there are Penn DSW grads now teaching as professors at places like USC, NYU, and Temple. Doctorate in Clinical Social Work (DSW) Program Format - Penn SP2 Here (UT assistant vice chancellor for student life to retire) is someone with an online DSW from the University of Tennessee who is now Assistant Vice Chancellor at the University of Tennessee, in charge of overseeing the Director of the Counseling Center (granted that's not a teaching job but being an assistant VC is significant). One important thing to note is that all of these degrees are hybrid, to some extent or another, meaning that they require some visits to campus. Penn and UT require it once a year for 1 week during the summer. The Oregon State program is such that it probably wouldn't be realistic unless you lived in the region as you come on campus for a weekend twice each quarter. Based on my quick search it seems like there may be a few smaller B&M schools offering online degrees in related fields but very, very few major B&M schools, so that's an important point.

 

[psych.meout]

That's not an anecdote.

I'm telling you that if OP gets an online degree in social work, psychology or a related field from a respected B&M school and combined that with the practice experience OP already has, OP would be highly competitive for non-tenure track positions (like clinical assistant professor) at major B&M schools.

I don't think you know what an anecdote is.