Hybrid/online professional doctorates — JD, PharmD, PsyD, DPT

[Robson]

Professional doctorates that qualify you for licensure/practice in some field — that you can complete online/hybrid.

Juris Doctor

The ABA has a list of JD programs that are approved for fully online/hybrid study. The fully online programs belong to:

• ASU (ranked #45 nationally)
  
• Case Western Reserve (#107)
  
• Detroit Mercy
  
• Hawaii
  
• Ohio Northern
  
• St Mary's University
  
• Southwestern
  

The highest ranking law school that offers only hybrid options is Northeastern (#68).


Doctor of Pharmacy

Note: most programs need at least some campus visits, with clinical rotations being in-person.

Butler University
Creighton University
Duquesne University
LECOM
St John Fisher University
University of Colorado
Texas Tech University
West Coast University
University of Findlay

Doctor of Psychology

Fielding Graduate University - The only APA-accredited program with a low-residency/hybrid format.

Doctor of Physical Therapy

Multiple hybrid programs, including by top-ranked universities like Pitt, Tufts and USC. Note that the USC program has been phased out.

Other options include (but are not limited to):

Baylor
Bowling Green
South College
Arcadia
St Augustine
University of Colorado
Creighton University
University of Texas Medical Branch
Thomas Jefferson University

[Robson]

Parker University also offers the first four trimesters (of ten trimesters) of its Doctor of Chiropractic online: https://www.parker.edu/academics/doctor-...ee/#online

Online PhDs in exercise science are also eligible for state licensure, although I'm not sure the specifics: https://exsci.cuchicago.edu/is-an-online...n-in-2025/

[NotJoeBiden]

How do some of these programs account for the hands-on nature of the work? Im sure they have an internship or some practice later, but most typically have classes in person with very hands on training.

[ss20ts]

How do some of these programs account for the hands-on nature of the work? Im sure they have an internship or some practice later, but most typically have classes in person with very hands on training.

As someone who has gone through physical therapy as a patient I have so many questions about an online Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. I'm not sure I would be comfortable knowing my physical therapist got their degree online. I know they have a lot of clinical hours required throughout the degree program. My physical therapist has a student every semester so I ask a lot of questions and it's a very hands on program. At least it is at the university they attended (both attended the same university) and as I a patient I am thankful for that experience they earn.

[Sagan]

How do some of these programs account for the hands-on nature of the work? Im sure they have an internship or some practice later, but most typically have classes in person with very hands on training.

As someone who has gone through physical therapy as a patient I have so many questions about an online Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. I'm not sure I would be comfortable knowing my physical therapist got their degree online. I know they have a lot of clinical hours required throughout the degree program. My physical therapist has a student every semester so I ask a lot of questions and it's a very hands on program. At least it is at the university they attended (both attended the same university) and as I a patient I am thankful for that experience they earn.

These programs are a blend of didactic courses and clinical experience. The courses can be done in any delivery format, and the clinical experience is done in-person. At least, that's how I'm reading it.

[NotJoeBiden]

How do some of these programs account for the hands-on nature of the work? Im sure they have an internship or some practice later, but most typically have classes in person with very hands on training.

As someone who has gone through physical therapy as a patient I have so many questions about an online Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. I'm not sure I would be comfortable knowing my physical therapist got their degree online. I know they have a lot of clinical hours required throughout the degree program. My physical therapist has a student every semester so I ask a lot of questions and it's a very hands on program. At least it is at the university they attended (both attended the same university) and as I a patient I am thankful for that experience they earn.

These programs are a blend of didactic courses and clinical experience. The courses can be done in any delivery format, and the clinical experience is done in-person. At least, that's how I'm reading it.

Okay, that makes more sense. Still, isnt a part of these classes the labs where they have a hands-on component to know how to do it before going into a clinical setting?

[Hotdogman1]

I looked into a couple of the hybrid programs a while ago. It was like 50% online, 20% in person lab, and 30% clinical.