Question - Doing a Part-time PhD in the US 1

[jdawg]

Does anyone have experience with completing a part-time PhD in engineering in the United States? If so, I have a few questions:

1. How hard was it to find a program that allows part-time PhDs?

2. Was your employer supportive?

3. How long did it take you to complete your PhD?

4. Are there any programs that are known for graduating part-time PhDs?

Any advice you have in obtaining a PhD on a part-time basis would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[14159]

I doubt this would be feasible. A Ph.D. program is tremendously different than a MS program. The professors expect much more out of you and I doubt you can find any that will tolerate a part-time effort. I'll be interested to find out if others have different experience.

14159

 

[Slugger926]

YOu need a govt. job where they will pay you while they send you to school.

 

[MikeHalloran]

I haven't heard of anyone doing that, but I don't travel in circles where it would come up in conversation.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[QCE]

Why would you need a engineering PhD if you are working in industry. It is not very useful unless you are in some sort of advanced research. Most engineers with PhD's that I know are stuck working in universities as prof's or researchers. I don't think it is a good idea unless you really know why you would need it. Part time PhD sounds a bit dodgey.

 

[aggman]

I have known of two people getting a PhD while working and I considered it myself. We were all studying civil with structural focus. The two guys that I knew both worked for big bridge firms. The way it was laid out to me was that I could complete the course work while working. It would take about two to three years. While working on the course work I could be researching my dissertation. Once I actually got to the point where I would have to complete the research and dissertation then I would have to work full time on that if I had any hopes of completion in my lifetime. This is what the two guys did, but they were also being pushed by their respective firms to get their PhD's. They also had to spend some time getting published through the process. It took them about four years each to complete it. They each actually spent a year away from daily duties at the office. Funny thing is that the work didn't scare me off. What scared me was that I could work on the PhD for five years and if I didn't actually prove a new method or improve on an existing process then I wouldn't complete the degree. I think that if you talk to the professors at your favorite university you will probably find that they will gladly welcome you into the PhD program. They generally like the ones who bring the real world experience into the departments. It gives the professors a chance to expand their horizons as these people generally bring their own research ideas to the program and have practical experience applying what is already in the codes.

 

[Maui]

I earned my Ph.D. in the early 90's. I went straight through school from the BS to the MS to the Ph.D. I worked approximately 60 hours per work to earn it, and I have no idea how you could possibly finish the Ph.D. in less than 10 years while simultaneously holding down a full time job. And during that time span you would have no life. Ask yourself why you feel you need this degree, and if the reason is sufficient then I would consider returning to college full time to earn it.


Maui

Constants aren't; variables won't.

 

[Heckler]

JDawg,

When I worked at Lockheed Martin in Sunnyvale Ca. I had a coworker who was working on a PhD from Stanford. LM had an honors program in place for employees that wanted to earn MS/PhDs. LM was very flexible with his schedule and his research was centered around his job. I have no idea if he completed the degree

 

[ColourfulFigsnDiags]

Why would you need a engineering PhD if you are working in industry. It is not very useful unless you are in some sort of advanced research. Most engineers with PhD's that I know are stuck working in universities as prof's or researchers. I don't think it is a good idea unless you really know why you would need it. Part time PhD sounds a bit dodgey.

Speak for yourself! I have a PhD in Chemical Eng and have found it tremendously helpful in indutsry. The research work itself is not applicable, but the skills in analytical reasoning, research and lateral thinking help enormously!

jdawg, go for it mate! But you are going to struggle doing it part time ... it is a lot of work, but worth it.

 

[Rich2001]

Finding a part-time engineering graduate degree is an arduous task, take a look at an interdisciplinary doctorial degree program.

There is also the 2002, France Law # 20273, "la Validation des Acquis par l'Expérience (VAE)." Take your classes whenever and wherever you find them. Put a portfolio of everything you have done from the time you got your Masters together, learn French and submit it to a French University (Public) or 'Ecole Supérieure' (Private). (You need to know French for the jury will interview you.) I do grant that I don't know the acceptance rate of this method in academia in the USA. Industry seems to accept it, but the acceptance by the clerisy may be a different story.

If you find a program or school that you are interested in. Talk to the Professors; see if you can get a pre-doctorial fellowship, some pay handsomely while you work on your degree.

I, also, suggest that you obtain your PE licensed, that way you can legally startup a small consulting business while you work on you degree.

Though your free time will ebb away, and it does put great strain on your personnel well being, having a Doctorate is worth the effort.



Vita sine litteris mors est.

 

[biglinda]

At the University of Florida they now have an Engineer's Degree. It's basically the PHD minus all the research. It is 30 credits (10 classes) past the master's degree. I'm not sure what the degree is good for or if this is a growing trend in other schools but it's an option you could look into.

 

[jpankask]

I seriously doubt you will find a reputable PhD program that you can complete part time while working full time. EXCEPTIONS to this would be a few select programs that are affiliated with major corporations or government labs, in which case you would probably need to work there and live close to the university. In addition to the above mentioned Stanford/Lockheed, I believe that the University of Idaho has a program in conjunction with Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, there may be a few others.

I completed my MS part time while working full time and have casually looked into doctorate programs that can be completed the same way. So far I have found nothing like it. The PhD is extremely research oriented and that does not lend itself to part time study, especially since most (all?) programs require about 90 hours past a BS to earn a PhD.

Another option for you may be a Doctor of Engineering. This is basically a classwork-only doctorate, which would probably be more beneficial than a PhD if you plan to work in industry rather than university. Check out the program at the University of Missouri-Rolla (

http://www.umr.edu).

It can be completed part time and there is an intern-type working experience for a year that serves as your research time. A dissertation is prepared based on this year of experience. You do have to spend some time in residence at the Rolla campus for your classes but this is the closest I have come to what you are looking for. Good luck!