8 Best 1 Year PhD Programs Online

Looking for a doctorate degree program you can complete online without disrupting your work? Then consider applying for one of the 1 year PhD programs online curated in this blog post.

Getting a PhD degree prepares you for managerial and leadership roles in an organization. Studying for the degree will equip you with advanced skills and knowledge, develop your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, and broaden your horizons thus bringing you bigger opportunities. In a nutshell, a PhD takes your career to the highest level.

If you are seeking for promotion in your workplace or want to earn a higher salary, then a doctorate degree related to your field is what you need to progress further in your career. However, getting a doctorate degree is easier said than done. It is a pathway that involves a long duration of studying, intense time commitment, and expenses. And these are the major reasons why a lot of people don’t usually go down this academic path.

For the aspect of cost, you can cut it down by applying for a fully-funded PhD program and there are also a handful of PhD scholarship you can win in Canada if you simply meet the requirements. There are also 20 universities offering free honorary doctorate degrees online.

Having said that, it typically takes between 3 to 7 years to complete a doctorate degree but there are accelerated tracks that take lesser time like the accelerated 2 year DPT programs that can be completed in as little as 24 months or less.

A traditional PhD program is very long coupled with work, family responsibilities, and personal life it becomes very tough to earn a doctorate degree. But there is good news.

Fortunately, not all doctoral programs take this long to complete. There are PhD programs that can be completed in 12 to 24 months but in this blog post, we are focused on the ones completed in as little as 12 months. And that’s not all.

To provide flexibility and help you have a great work, study, and life balance these 1 year PhD programs discussed here are offered online. So, this means that you can complete 1 year PhD program online which comes with many benefits.

Benefits of Online PhD Programs

If you haven’t seen reasons why you should do an online PhD program, these benefits will make you see otherwise. The merits that come with doing your PhD program online are:

1.     Flexibility

Online programs are designed to be flexible which means that you can still go to work, spend quality time with your family, and play a game of squash with your friends while completing your degree online. Flexibility also involves learning at your own pace and how it fits you best.

2.     Convenience

Getting your PhD degree online comes with great convenience. You could literally learn from anywhere and at any time. It could be from the comfort of your home, free time at work, or while sipping coffee at a café.

Unlike traditional programs where classes are in-person and taught in a brick-and-mortar setting which requires you to travel to and fro, online classes do not require this. You can sit anywhere that is convenient enough for you and take lessons.

3.     They are Affordable

Generally, online courses are cheaper than their traditional counterpart, and this is why you can easily find MOOCs and free online courses but there is nothing free offline courses. Likewise, completing your PhD degree online will be cheaper than the ones offered offline or in the traditional format.

Also, you get to save money on traveling to and from campus which could be from one state to another or one country to another to earn your degree.

4.     Faster to Complete

Online programs have been known to be completed faster compared to their traditional counterpart and it is because of the self-paced benefit that comes with online learning. Since it is self-paced, you can complete your program when you like and most people prefer to finish faster.

For instance, the transitional DPT programs – they are Doctor of Physical Therapy programs offered online – take 1-2 years to complete but the Doctor of Physical Therapy offered in traditional format takes 3 years to complete. Even accelerated programs are offered online.

5.     Earning Your PhD Degree Online Can Boost Your Profile

Yes, a PhD degree will boost your CV/resume whether it is gotten via the online or offline model. But the extra benefit with an online PhD degree is that you will get a soft copy of your degree which you can upload on your social media profile like LinkedIn. Doing this will boost your profile and attract like minds to your page and from there begin creating a network of professionals.

1 year PhD programs online

Best 1 Year PhD Programs Online

The following are the best 1 year PhD programs online:

  • Ethereal Doctor of Psychology in Grief Counseling
  • Doctor of Behavioral Health (D.B.H)
  • Online Doctor of Behavioral Health – Clinical
  • Online Doctor of Nursing Practice
  • Ethereal Doctor of Psychology in Grief Counseling
  • Online Doctor of Nursing Practice
  • Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree
  • Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) In Educational Leadership

1.     Ethereal Doctor of Psychology in Grief Counseling

This is a 1-year online PhD degree program offered by Breyer State Theology University. The program is designed for students who want to enter vocational fields and become ministers, social workers, and professors or who want to enter counseling, theology, and education.  

The degree is 100% online with no campus visitation required. It takes 12 months to complete and costs $4,500. To enter the program, you must have a master’s degree in Grief Counseling or a related field.

Link to Program

2.     Doctor of Behavioral Health (D.B.H)

 The Doctor of Behavioral Health is a 1 year PhD online program offered by Freed-Hardeman University. The program is 100% online, which means you do not have to set foot on campus during your learning period. Although you could come to campus when you graduate from the program to collect your degree.

Admission requirements for the program include a master’s degree in a health-related field from an accredited institution, official transcripts, 3 recommendation letters, a copy of licensure, 2 years of post-licensure clinical experience, a resume or CV, and a driver’s license or ID.

Link to Program

3.      Online Doctor of Behavioral Health – Clinical

This is one of the best 1 year PhD programs online offered by Arizona State University (ASU) Online. The degree is meant for those who have already licensed health practitioners seeking to advance their careers. This program is almost like the one above but the slight difference is that this one comes with a clinical concentration.

The Online Doctor of Behavioral Health with a clinical concentration covers both healthcare interventions and management strategies for integrated behavioral health programs. To apply, you must have your graduate and undergraduate transcripts, one letter of recommendation, CV or resume, supplemental application, graduate admission application, and application fee.

Link to Program

4.     Online Doctor of Nursing Practice

 This online PhD program is for nurses who want to take their careers to the highest level in the nursing field. Earning this degree prepares them for managerial and leadership roles across healthcare facilities. The program is fully online and takes 20 months or less to complete.

The flexible program allows professional nurses to keep working while studying for their degree. At the end of the degree, nurses gain expert skills, knowledge, and experience to become leaders in evidence-based practice, quality improvement, and systems leadership.

Link to Program

5.     Ethereal Doctor of Psychology in Grief Counseling

This is another 1-year online doctorate program from American International Theism University (AITU), one of the top 10 long-distance learning institutes in the US. The PhD program is designed for practicing counselors, psychologists, religious ministers, and laypersons in ministry. Students will gain skills and knowledge to help others cope with grief and loss.

The program is 100% online and can be completed in 24 months or less.

Link to Program

6.     Online Doctor of Nursing Practice

Chatham University invites practicing and licensed nurses who want to advance their careers to the highest level to enroll in its online DNP degree program. Nurses who enroll in this program will be equipped with the ability to develop advanced competencies in their own clinical specialty areas. The course is fully online with only make one brief on-campus residency at the end of the program.

27 credits and 500 practice experience hours are required to complete the program. It is a self-paced program, therefore you can choose to complete it in 12 months. The cost of the program is $1,126 per credit.

Link to Program

7.     Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree

This Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree is offered 100% online by Boston University. The program does not require a dissertation which makes it faster to complete in as little as 18 months or less. It is open to all students, both domestic and international students, with an accredited master’s degree. The program consists of 33-37 credits.

There are three entry points into the program per year; January, May, and September. Application requirements include a master’s or bachelor’s degree with a 3.0 GPA, unofficial transcripts, two recommendation letters, essays, a CV or resume, English language proficiency test scores for international applicants, and an application fee.

Link to Program

8.     Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) In Educational Leadership

Are you a school teacher, professor, or principal seeking to transition your career to the highest level? The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) Educational Leadership is a program that will take you there and equip you with the skills and knowledge required to efficiently carry out your job. The program is offered by the Abraham S. Fischler College of Education & School of Criminal Justice under Nova Southeastern University located in Florida.  

Classes are 100% online and to earn the degree, you must complete a minimum of 55 credits. Graduates from this program are equipped with expert skills in problem-solving, navigating education trends in a changing world, and discovering ways to book administrative competencies. The cost of the program is $1,505 per credit hour and it takes 18 months or less to complete.

Link to Program

1 Year PhD Programs Online – FAQs

Are online PhD programs valid in all countries?

Yes, online PhD programs are valid anywhere in the world and this is because the curriculum in the program is the same as the traditional track. Also, the degree does not specify whether it is gotten online or not, it simply bears the school’s symbol.

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