A recent U.S. report on the state of education, In Growing by Degrees: Online Education in the United States, 2005, revealed that thirty-eight percent of schools offered distance learning online Ph.D programs. Further, the Survey of Earned Doctorates found an increase of 3.4 percent in the doctorate degrees awarded in the U.S. as of June, 2004. Ph.D education online offers working students the opportunity to complete coursework within the parameters of their busy schedules, which may account for the substantial increase in doctorate degrees earned in the past two years.

Postgraduate degree programs are designed to give students a chance to explore a subject fully to gain the greatest levels of proficiency in that area. Online doctoral programs may be based upon a specific curriculum or research and independent study. A study done by the Penn State University Outreach Marketing and Communications with University Continuing Education found that nearly half of distance learning college enrollments are adult students that prefer the flexibility of online classes. Students save time and energy on traveling to campus and can pursue their studies at their convenience.

Online doctoral programs offer students guidance through coursework, email, online chats and virtual lectures. Students are expected to work independently and use research resources to fulfill course requirements. Some doctoral programs require students to complete a thesis, which is a detailed research paper that will be made available to other students in the field.

There are two basic types of doctoral degree programs students may pursue – professional or research. There are also honorary doctorates, which are not necessarily academic and can be awarded for notable contributions to a particular field. Online doctoral programs give students the opportunity to earn professional or research degrees.

Professional doctorate degrees, such as J.D. and M.D., are required to perform in certain specialized fields such as medicine, dentistry, law, psychology and chiropractics. Students must earn a bachelor's degree before entering into a professional doctoral degree program. Professional doctorate degrees traditionally take three years to complete and do not usually require a thesis, although some require an original research paper. Online Ph.D programs are tailored for the individual student and may be completed in less time than in a traditional classroom setting.

Research doctorate degrees are pursued by students who seek to become experts in their particular field and are the most commonly earned doctorate degree. It can take anywhere from three to ten years to complete a research doctorate degree, depending on the course of study and the length of time it takes to gather pertinent research. Online doctoral programs enable working students to progress at their own pace to complete the research necessary for the doctorate degree.

Online Ph.D programs give students the valuable opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies while maintaining their current positions and income.

SUMMARY: Online Ph.D programs give students the valuable opportunity to pursue postgraduate studies while maintaining their current positions and income. Research doctorate degrees are pursued by students who seek to become experts in their particular field and are the most commonly earned doctorate degree. Professional doctorate degrees, such as J.D. and M.D., are required to perform in certain specialized fields such as medicine, dentistry, law, psychology and chiropractics.