Getting Your PhD May Be Easier With The Convenience Of Online Degree

Many don’t know that there is a difference between Doctoral and a PhD. degrees. While the differences are small, the distinctions are clear. A Doctoral degree represents the highest level of learning in a given field. A PhD. is a specific type of Doctoral degree. In technical terms, a PhD. is a Doctor of Philosophy Degree, but this type of degree is available in a variety of subject areas.

The PhD. is usually pursued by those who are interested in a career in academia or research. It is a degree that enables graduates to gain tenure while teaching at a four-year university. Other types of Doctoral degrees are geared more toward professional careers, such as a J.D. for lawyers or an M.D. for medical Doctors. Of course, there are certification and other requirements beyond a Doctoral degree for these types of occupations, such as passing the bar examination for lawyers.

Whether earning a PhD. or another type of Doctoral degree, it should come as no surprise that much more additional work and academic study is involved than that required for obtaining bachelor’s or even Master’s degrees. The benefits of a Doctoral or PhD. degree are also much greater, though, as they prepare graduates for even higher-paying careers in higher-demand fields.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Doctoral degree holders is nearly four times less than the average for all workers. The average annual salary is also higher for those with these advanced degrees, with degree holders earning over twice the amount of all workers.

While these benefits are clear, experts state that in order to be successful in pursuit of a Doctoral degree, a student must exhibit a strong drive and a true passion for the subject matter they are studying. The average Doctoral degree consists of another 120 hours of college credits above the bachelor’s degree level. Most Doctoral programs also require students to compose a dissertation prior to earning a degree.

It makes sense that the fields that showed the highest rates of growth in career opportunities were also the fields that showed growth in Doctoral degrees awarded. The fields that topped the list in growth of Doctoral degrees were engineering, computer science, and health/biological sciences.

For PhD. degrees, the focus for graduates is on research. Most academic research is done at four-year universities, and these types of settings offer the greatest potential for promotion and gaining tenure, moving from positions such as assistant professor to associate professor, and finally to full professorship. The growth of subject fields mirrors that of Doctoral degrees, which logically follows, as students will want to earn degrees and perform research in fields that are in demand and where opportunities are likely to be more plentiful.

It is widely agreed that students must have the drive to succeed and the love for the subject matter being studied in order to enable them to put in the long hours of studying, reading, and writing that are necessary to complete your Doctorate degree program. For these long hours of difficult work, graduates with PhD. or other Doctoral degrees are well compensated; salaries are higher than those of the general population, and unemployment rates are far lower than the average. The fields in which those with the advanced degree are generally in high demand, and job satisfaction is high, as the love of the subject matter carries over from school into the job marketplace. Find additional details about courses online to speed your success.