Earning a doctoral degree can be a challenge if you already live a busy life. It takes a sustained effort for years to earn a doctoral degree, and it can be hard to juggle the responsibilities of a PhD program with the responsibilities of working in your field or taking care of your family.
If you go to school for your doctorate online, you can take classes whenever it suits your schedule. But everyone isn’t cut out for online school. You have to be someone who values learning independently, and you have to be able to motivate yourself to learn. You need to be able to stay focused on your classes, and you need to be good at expressing yourself in writing and interacting online. You should be comfortable with technology, especially how to use the internet and communications technology, and you should be willing to ask for help when you need it.
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You Need Plenty of Discipline
You need self-discipline to succeed in any PhD program, but you probably need twice as much to succeed in an online program. You’ll have to be able to motivate yourself to sit down every day and do your classwork. You’ll have to learn how to manage your time so that you can leave yourself enough time to complete assignments. You won’t have the external motivation provided by regular class meetings and a professor supervising you in person. You’ll have to keep up with your reading, assignments, and exams on your own.
You Should Enjoy Working Independently
When you take classes in a classroom, you progress through the material at the pace set by the professor. But when you take an online course, you can learn at your own speed. If you’re someone who doesn’t like relying on others, earning a PhD in psychology online from a school like UAGC might be just the right choice for you. Most of your learning online will be self-directed and independent.
You Should Be Able to Keep Yourself Focused
If you’re someone who needs the distraction-free environment of the classroom to really take in lectures, then you may not thrive in online learning. There are often more distractions to deal with when you take learning from the classroom setting. You’ll have to tune out the sounds of your kids playing in the other room and your spouse watching TV, or the sounds of patrons in the coffee shop. You may be able to find some quiet at the library or in a distant back bedroom, but you may also need to get creative with white noise machines or noise-canceling headphones.
You Need to Be Good at Writing and Interacting Online
In an online PhD program, most, if not all, of your interactions with classmates and professors will take place online. Some programs do require students to meet for in-person seminars for a few weeks a year, but you’re still going to need to be very good at expressing yourself in writing and interacting with others online. Almost all of your communication with professors and classmates is going to be in writing over the internet.
You Should Be Comfortable with Technology
Of course, if you don’t know how to use the technology you need to access online doctoral courses, you aren’t going to succeed in the course. If you have experience with social media, video conferencing, discussion board forums, and group chats, you should be able to handle the communication demands of an online doctorate. You should also know how to use the internet, search engines, and email. You will need to know how to send attachments and how to upload and download things to and from the internet. If you have any experience with learning management systems, that will be a plus, but if you’re comfortable with technology, you should be able to figure it out.
You Should Be Willing to Ask for Help When You Need It
Just because you’re enrolled in an online program doesn’t mean you aren’t entitled to help when you need it. Don’t be afraid to come to your professor with questions when you don’t understand something or need help with an assignment. Your professors will hold virtual office hours, and they will be happy for you to drop in. You can also contact your professors to set up an appointment if you’re not available during the office hours.
Online courses can make it easier for anyone to earn a doctoral degree, but that doesn’t mean online learning doesn’t come with its fair share of challenges. Make sure you’re up to the task before you enroll in a program.