Accelerated Online Doctoral and Ph.D. Programs

Are you considering pursuing a doctorate but hesitant about the time away from home and years of study? You may consider earning an accelerated online doctoral degree.

A doctoral degree — such as doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), doctor of education (Ed.D.), doctor of business administration (DBA), and other terminal degrees — is the highest degree you can earn from a university. It shows that you are an expert in your field.

With an accelerated online doctoral program, you can take all your courses online and complete them even faster than in a traditional program. The only requirements you typically need to fulfill in person are research and clinical experiences.

An accelerated doctoral program helps you earn your doctoral degree quicker than a traditional program. Often, doctoral programs take 5-7 years to complete, but you can finish your accelerated degree in almost half the time, often in three or fewer years.

You’ll take the same high-level academic courses in an accelerated doctoral program at a faster, more condensed pace.

Another key part of a doctoral program is research and clinical hours. You’ll become an expert in your niche within the field you’re studying, and you may need to work in a lab, complete a dissertation, or teach courses.

“Accelerated doctoral programs can be an excellent fit for highly motivated individuals who have a clear vision for how the degree aligns with their goals,” said Stephanie DeBord, a higher education practitioner. “That being said, they are a tremendous commitment, and the workload and rigor will be intense.”

Before you decide to enroll in an accelerated doctoral program, it’s important to see if you can balance the workload. A traditionally paced Ph.D. can be very demanding and time-consuming as it is, and condensing that in half may be more than you can manage.

A wide variety of universities offer accelerated doctoral degrees. We’ve compiled a list of some of the fastest doctoral programs from accredited nonprofit colleges and universities to help you start your search.

According to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data from 2019-20, an online doctoral program is, on average, about $10,000 cheaper than an in-person program.

While an online doctoral program costs $16,724 on average, you may pay less because of financial aid like grants and scholarships. On average, students paid more than $2,000 less for online doctoral programs after financial aid.

To see if you qualify for financial aid, submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and see if you are eligible for loans and grants, the latter of which you don’t have to pay back.

Unlike most undergraduate programs, you may qualify to be paid for the research you conduct or any classes you may teach. Reach out to your program advisors or professors to discover opportunities.

While a traditional doctoral program takes about 5-7 years to complete, an accelerated one reduces that time down to 2.5-3 years. However, the credit and research requirements stay the same.

Accelerated programs condense your classes into shorter semesters, meaning your classes will be much more work in a shorter period.

Credit requirements and program length will vary widely depending on your specific doctoral program and topic.

Whether an accelerated doctoral degree is worth it depends on what you value as a student.

You’ll earn your online accelerated doctorate faster than usual and get into the workforce or move up faster, but you’ll also be doing more work in a shorter amount of time within an already intense program.

However, the program will also cost less than usual since you’ll be in school for less time. If you come in with college credits, teach, or get paid for research while in school, that cost may be even lower.

“An accelerated doctorate often condenses years of rigorous work into a much shorter time frame — it’s doable, but it requires strong time management and a deep commitment,” said DeBord. “If you thrive in fast-paced environments and are ready to fully immerse yourself, an accelerated doctoral program could be a fantastic way to reach your goals more efficiently.”

It’s important to consider your schedule before enrolling in an accelerated program. Talk with your program advisor to gauge the workload and whether a job is possible while you’re in school.