A choice of doctoral programs. Where will I end up?

[OldTimerStillLearning]

Hello everyone,

I just finished my MS in Data Analytics (3.83 GPA) from UMGC and the degree was conferred on 12/30. I find myself at a cross-roads in which doctorate I want to pursue. My choices are the following:

ALREADY ADMITTED

1. University of the Cumberlands PhD in Information Technology - This one has two advantages, the cost and the option to choose between two good matches for a concentration (Information Technology and Cybersecurity. I was a Information Security Analyst for a multinational bank in the early 2000s.). 

2. Baker College DBA - This one is more of a stretch and really was meant to be the absolute last resort. No longer needed.

APPLIED

1. Purdue University Doctorate in Information Technology - A good mix of data analytics and cyber, plus it's the most prestigious of the schools I'm applying to. Expensive, but I can afford the cost. 

2. Binghamton University PhD Systems Science - This is more of a data analytics degree, but it appears to be geared towards engineering. Possibly could get in with my GPA, age (55) and disability (autism). A NY State school, so the cost would be relatively low, but not as low as University of the Cumberlands.

3. Captiol Technology University  PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science - The main reason for this selection was the size of the school. I would be more than just a number here, but the tuition is relatively high.

NOT APPLIED, BUT LOOKED AT

1. Dakota State PhD in Information Technology - All of the advantages of the University of the Cumberlands plus a better cybersecurity concentration, data analytics not so much of a fit. Of course, the three recommendation letters would have to get in quickly. Possibly if things don't work out elsewhere, I can go back to this in Fall of 2023.

2. UMGC DBA -  At least one current professor in the bachelor's in  Data Analytics program got her doctorate from this program. There is at least one course that is data analytics oriented. I also already know the format.

So, the good news is that I know I will have a chance to start doctoral studies this year. I haven't decided on where I will officially end up, but I like what I am seeing. 

Round and round she goes and where she stops, nobody knows. Stay tuned for a winter and spring full of fun with this story.

[Ideas]

I hope you get into Purdue. Seems like the best fit for you.

[bjcheung77]

Awesome, I look forward to reading which you decide on... Whichever you decide, it'll be a great choice, as these programs are pretty similar in subject matter, it seems either Business or IT floats your boat (the same two subjects I am also researching for the DBA/PhD level). You may want to look into each course they provide and see which set of courses are more interesting for you. Just one question, are you looking for exclusively online or those who have short residencies?

[OldTimerStillLearning]

Awesome, I look forward to reading which you decide on... Whichever you decide, it'll be a great choice, as these programs are pretty similar in subject matter, it seems either Business or IT floats your boat (the same two subjects I am also researching for the DBA/PhD level).  You may want to look into each course they provide and see which set of courses are more interesting for you.  Just one question, are you looking for exclusively online or those who have short residencies?

I looked at each program carefully before making my choices. Purdue would be the ideal scenario as I would be given more of a data analytics / cybersecurity mix than the others, but I have no real objection to any of them. 

I also looked at UALR (would have had to retake the GRE within a few weeks to beat the fall deadline. They are the only school that seems to be a stickler for that) and the two for-profit schools that offer a PhD in Data Analytics, Grand Canyon and Capella. Grand Canyon has a track record of dragging out the program, and while Capella does offer both a Doctorate in Information Technology and a PhD in Information Technology, only the Doctorate has a tuition cap. The fact they had to go that route tells me more than I want to know about that school, although the head of the cybersecurity group at the University of the Cumberlands developed the cybersecurity program for Capella (he would be my advisor for the start of the program).  

I'm fine with short-term (long weekend or week-long) residencies. If I wasn't working full-time and could do in person classes, I would have several to look at since I live in NYC (NJIT, Stevens Tech, and Columbia all have solid programs.). If I get to have the final word on where I end up, it would look like this, but please note that I respect all PhD and doctoral programs as they are not easy to get into or complete:

1. Purdue
2. Binghamton
3. Capitol Tech
4. University of the Cumberlands

My wife has a PhD in Social Work from Fordham, so I got to see things up close and personal. In fact, a class she was taking on policy and the aging got me to go back to college for my bachelors. She asked me to look at an article she was having trouble understanding and recognized it as something I might see in a 200-level political science course. I thought "If they are teaching this on a doctoral level and I can understand it, I should be able to go back to to college and get my degree." I now have a BA and MA in Political Science to go along with the newly earned MS in Data Analytics.

[Pats20]

https://www.fau.edu/engineering/eecs/gra...ional-phd/

[OldTimerStillLearning]

Hello everyone,

I just finished my MS in Data Analytics (3.83 GPA) from UMGC and the degree was conferred on 12/30. I find myself at a cross-roads in which doctorate I want to pursue. My choices are the following:

ALREADY ADMITTED

1. University of the Cumberlands PhD in Information Technology - This one has two advantages, the cost and the option to choose between two good matches for a concentration (Information Technology and Cybersecurity. I was a Information Security Analyst for a multinational bank in the early 2000s.). 

2. Baker College DBA - This one is more of a stretch and really was meant to be the absolute last resort. No longer needed.

APPLIED

1. Purdue University Doctorate in Information Technology - A good mix of data analytics and cyber, plus it's the most prestigious of the schools I'm applying to. Expensive, but I can afford the cost. 

2. Binghamton University PhD Systems Science - This is more of a data analytics degree, but it appears to be geared towards engineering. Possibly could get in with my GPA, age (55) and disability (autism). A NY State school, so the cost would be relatively low, but not as low as University of the Cumberlands.

3. Captiol Technology University  PhD in Business Analytics and Data Science - The main reason for this selection was the size of the school. I would be more than just a number here, but the tuition is relatively high.

NOT APPLIED, BUT LOOKED AT

1. Dakota State PhD in Information Technology - All of the advantages of the University of the Cumberlands plus a better cybersecurity concentration, data analytics not so much of a fit. Of course, the three recommendation letters would have to get in quickly. Possibly if things don't work out elsewhere, I can go back to this in Fall of 2023.

2. UMGC DBA -  At least one current professor in the bachelor's in  Data Analytics program got her doctorate from this program. There is at least one course that is data analytics oriented. I also already know the format.

So, the good news is that I know I will have a chance to start doctoral studies this year. I haven't decided on where I will officially end up, but I like what I am seeing. 

Round and round she goes and where she stops, nobody knows. Stay tuned for a winter and spring full of fun with this story.

I have a follow-up about Baker College. They offer a $2,000 per semester (Summer included) scholarship to all of their DBA students. This would potentially knock the tuition down by $6,000 a year and the final total by more than $20,000. The final price would be under $40,000, assuming a three and a half year start to finish of the program. 

It doesn't change my mind, but it's nice to see this.

[OldTimerStillLearning]

Hello everyone,

It's been a few weeks, but I have decided to throw a major curve ball into this decision. I have been asking myself about how a person with two advanced degrees is not in at least a supervisory role in the corporate world. So, rather than get ticked off at the management and tilt windmills, I've looked into Organizational Leadership doctoral programs. So add these two to the ALREADY ACCEPTED list:

1. Indiana Tech - This is a Global Leadership Ph.D. course that embraces original research from a wide range of perspectives. The proposed thesis would be a first-of-its-kind research topic since it would look at a certain demographic in the US and UK. 

2. Franklin University - Same scenario, but it's an Ed.D. There is a business concentration, but I think this is a slightly easier approach than Indiana Tech. 

Folks, to be honest, I'm leaning towards Indiana Tech at this point, but Purdue and Binghamton still have a shot. The research topic in those cases would be an extension of my MSDA capstone, which would be fun, but it wouldn't allow me to advocate for the group of people that Indiana Tech or Franklin University would. I have time to decide.

[Pats20]

If mgmt is your goal , have you thought about an MBA ? You could complete that in probably half the time as a doctorate.
Or are you more interested in a doctorate for personal achievement?

[Flelm]

If mgmt is your goal , have you thought about an MBA ? You could complete that in probably half the time as a doctorate.
Or are you more interested in a doctorate for personal achievement?

I agree, what's the goal for the doctorate?

[Kab]

Traditionally PhD is for research. Do you want to do research?
If you want management maybe a DBA? Or even a MBA... Get that cheap and revaluate choices.
Another choice will be PhD and take a management or leadership topic linked to whatever you want to do. I do not know how much freedom you have in the topics.
My 5 cents...