next »

[zuzu_]

I am happily employed at a CC teaching general comp and and literature, and I think I will die happy doing this. My institution will pay for most of my doctorate. I've poked around on the internet, but I really have no idea what to do, so I am seeking suggestions on how to approach this.

 I am interested in studying television (also film and perhaps other aspects of popular culture, but mostly television) as texts for critical analysis. I am particularly interested in studying pedagogy/androgogy for the use of TV narrative in the types of courses I teach. I am interested in how TV can be used to make "English" concepts accessible to non-majors, including technical/vocational types. I am interesting in using to TV as a sort of democratizing tool to make higher level critical/analytical skills accessible and interesting.

I am open to a PhD or EdD or whatever.

I can see this fitting into fields of Education, English Lit., Rhet/Comp, Film/Visual Studies, Communication, Popular Culture, and probably others.

I am not too concerned with prestige, as I do not plan to seek a different job.

Funding is not an issue because my current employer will pay.

I am largely seeking this degree for personal fulfillment. I wish to have a great deal of control in tailoring my studies to my interests. Secondarily, I am seeking this degree because I will get higher pay at my current job if I take more graduate coursework and/or earn a doctorate.

I need a part-time low/no residency program, because I am employed full time in the very rural, remote area, and I have small children.

I already have a MA in English.

My gut tells that my pedagogical bent makes an Education or a Rhet/Comp program most appropriate. However I do not want a fluffy bull$hit Education program, and there aren't too many Rhet/Comp programs in the country (and none that I know of with low/no residency).

Online education doctorates are so ubiquitous and most are geared towards K-12 people or aspiring administrators; is anyone aware of a decent non-diploma-mill-real-university online program that fits my interests?

Suggestions appreciated.

[trabb]

Based on what you're describing, I'd go for the Ed.D. rather than the Ph.D.  My main reason for saying that is that based on my experience, education programs are much, much more flexible about distance learning, residency, and part-time study than traditional Ph.D. programs.  Many Ph.D. programs assume a full-time commitment on the part of the student; many education programs assume that their students will be employed in the field of education.

[zuzu_]

Based on what you're describing, I'd go for the Ed.D. rather than the Ph.D.  My main reason for saying that is that based on my experience, education programs are much, much more flexible about distance learning, residency, and part-time study than traditional Ph.D. programs.  Many Ph.D. programs assume a full-time commitment on the part of the student; many education programs assume that their students will be employed in the field of education.

Yes--this was my impression, too. Although I have seen some online PhD's in Education at "regular" univerisites, the few I've seen are either K-12 focused or for college administrators.

Although I would prefer a PhD on some level, I am not totally averse to the EdD idea.

But I wanted to see if there might be an appropriate PhD program out there. Although I don't want a for-profit or a diploma mill, it doesn't need to be a top-tier school.

[scheherazade]

Also look into UK schools.  The PhD there is purely research-based (no classes), and several schools are willing now to do a part-time distance degree (esp. look into U of Wales - not the Cardiff campus, but some of the others).  You have to look on the website or contact to see if it is possible - it's not strictly advertised.

[miss_m]

Beyond the UK, which is a good suggestion, have you considered an MLS?  It wouldn't necessarily do the "doctorate" pay raise thing, but master's of liberal studies are often part-time, low- or no-res, and allow students to design their own program, work on a major final research project, etc. I had a friend who did this at U Penn in Philadelphia--also because she wanted to--and loved it.

Be careful with the Ed.D. route, as not all of them allow as much freedom as you seem to want in study, and if you have never taken an online class, I suggest trying before committing to a full degree because many students find it more difficult than they thought going in.

[zuzu_]

Lots of great ideas here. Thanks!

I've done a ton of online teaching myself, so I'm aware of those challenges. Thankfully I have a pretty self-directed and (usually) non-procrastining personality.

[roarheels]

State Universities can be more flexible in general especially if your CC has any integration within the larger system. I knew plenty of part time PhD's with completely other lives at my ug state U. However, why bother with a diss if you are not attempting to advance, it just seems like an immense amount of work for little reward. Why not simply take the nearest doctoral seminar in your interests and publish your work from it? A nice article makes just as big a splash in my opinion.

[zuzu_]

State Universities can be more flexible in general especially if your CC has any integration within the larger system. I knew plenty of part time PhD's with completely other lives at my ug state U. However, why bother with a diss if you are not attempting to advance, it just seems like an immense amount of work for little reward. Why not simply take the nearest doctoral seminar in your interests and publish your work from it? A nice article makes just as big a splash in my opinion.

Yeah, you know, at the CC where I used to adjunct for many years, there were several people working on PhDs at the State U part-time; I think they worked out some sort of special deal to go part time and the program was glad to have them because funding wasn't an issue.

The State U where I live now has a lot of grad programs, but it's a big rural state, and I live too far out to actually attend classes anywhere. The online PhDs are for administrators and K-12 people.