An online PhD is one of the best education options available to working professionals. Unfortunately there are still many disadvantages to such courses of study that students should be aware of.
Advantages of online PhD programs
The biggest advantage of an online PhD program is that a person does need to live near a campus to study. Many people are simply unable to get their PhDs because they don’t live near a university offering the right degree.
Many persons would have to quit their jobs and even sell or rent out their homes in order to move closer to a university if they couldn’t study online. Others would have to sacrifice time with their family and might have to cut back the hours on their jobs. Obviously many people simply couldn’t afford the time off to study without a distance learning option.
There is also a lot of flexibility associated with these options. People can study when they want or when they have the time. Teachers could concentrate on their studies during the summer vacation and others can study on weekends and time off. Many traditional PhD courses are held during the day when most people are at work so they simply aren’t accessible.
In other cases a course may only be offered once or twice a year at a regular university. This means that many students won’t be able to take it. The same course could be offered several times a year through distance learning.
Disadvantages of online PhD programs
The biggest drawback with many PhD programs is the time that they can take up. A candidate will usually have to devote between ten and twenty hours a week to the program at a minimum. This can take time away from family and work and put a lot of stress on the student.
Some people simply find that they cannot take the stress and hard work associated with such programs. Others are not able to budget their time properly or exercise the discipline to complete the program quickly.
Many candidates eventually burn themselves out with too much work. Others simply find that they cannot exercise the discipline necessary to keep up with all their responsibilities.
Prepare yourself before entering an online PhD program
A person should definitely ask herself if she has the discipline and motivation for an online PhD program. A good way to do this is to take one or two online courses before signing up for the entire program. This way a person can see if they will enjoy studying online and turning in distance learning assignments before committing to a full program.
