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+---- Thread: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University (/Thread-Fast-Cheap-PhD-Programs-at-Southeastern-University)
Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - sanantone - 06-19-2026
I have been seeing their ads on social media. SEU will be offering new PhD programs in psychology, classical education, and theology. The psychology and theology programs are 36 credits; the classical education program is 30 credits with three in-person intensives.
Note: This institution is not LGBTQ-friendly.
https://seu.edu/admission/campaigns/learn-more-phd-in-classical-education/
https://seu.edu/academics/programs/phd-in-psychology/
https://seu.edu/academics/programs/phd-in-theology/
Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - acamp - 06-19-2026
Wow - only 36 credits? Don’t doctorate programs need to be at least 64+ credits?
RE: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - Vle045 - 06-19-2026
The admissions requirements are quite lengthy as well. Some majors want a 2-3 page essay, or submit a research paper you did in your masters, letters of recommendation and an interview, etc.
RE: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - sanantone - 06-19-2026
(06-19-2026, 04:19 PM)Vle045 Wrote: The admissions requirements are quite lengthy as well. Some majors want a 2-3 page essay, or submit a research paper you did in your masters, letters of recommendation and an interview, etc.
It's not unheard of to be asked to submit a writing sample from a past course, and interviews aren't unusual. The only effort that goes into finding a past research paper is searching your files; it should be quick and easy to submit. My personal statements are usually at least two pages unless I'm asked to limit them to one. For some of SEU's doctoral programs, I think the admissions requirements are unusually sparse.
They're not requiring the GRE or GMAT, so there has to be other avenues for quality control. I also don't believe their online graduate programs have competitive admissions, except for the cohorts with limited seats.
RE: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - FireMedic_Philosopher - 06-19-2026
Interesting find...
SEU is kind of like the Pentecostal version of Liberty... for whatever that is worth.
The PhD in education appears to be a 30 hour PhD... THIRTY... (maybe an EdS is a pre-requisite?)
The psych degree is in Christian Counseling, without clinical licensure.
The "psych" and Theology degrees are 36 hours each... I can see a "light" doctorate in those fields given most MDivs and MSWs are well in excess of 36 credits. Kind of like healthcare doctorates for PAs or NPs.
The Education degree is heavily geared toward K-12 teachers at conservative/religious private schools.
The theology degree is Pentecostal and the program webpage admits they lack ATS accreditation.
All three appear to be SYNCHRONOUS and cohort based with regular live online classes... multiple visits to campus are also required.
The tuition page breaks things down by grade level and mode of instruction... Done online, tuition for these three doctorates appears to be 600 USD per credit.
https://seu.edu/admission/financial/tuition-fees/
The school has almost a dozen other doctorates already... but with much more credits required to complete.
RE: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - Jonathan Whatley - 06-20-2026
(06-19-2026, 10:16 PM)FireMedic_Philosopher Wrote: The psych degree is in Christian Counseling, without clinical licensure.
Yes the Southeastern PhD in Psychology would be appropriate as a related-field CV booster for an existing Christian counselor. Yes — big and important yes here — this degree is not a licensure program.
No this degree is not in Christian Counseling though. Here’s its entire course list:
PSYC7113 - FOUNDATIONS OF PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC7223 - INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH METHODS
PSYC7333 - QUANTITATIVE & QUALITATIVE METHODS
PSYC7443 - QUANTITATIVE & QUALITATIVE ANALYSES
PSYC8113 - ADVANCED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC8223 - ADVANCED MOTIVATION & EMOTION
PSYC8333 - ADVANCED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY
PSYC7553 - DISSERTATION PROPOSAL SEMINAR
PSYC9003 - DISSERTATION RESEARCH
This is a degree about the academic subject psychology.
Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - acamp - 06-20-2026
But does a 36 or so credit PHD have credibility? Will it be questioned due to the minimum amount of credits?
RE: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - TINASAM - 06-20-2026
36 credits for a doctorate seems ok if you go in with a masters. Many programs I've seen are like 70 credits, 40 with a incoming master degree, etc.
RE: Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - sanantone - 06-20-2026
The norm is 54 to 60 credits with a master's since 90 credits post-baccalaureate is the standard. So, 30 to 36 credits is highly unusual.
Fast, Cheap PhD Programs at Southeastern University - acamp - 06-20-2026
sanantone Wrote:The norm is 54 to 60 credits with a master's since 90 credits post-baccalaureate is the standard. So, 30 to 36 credits is highly unusual.
Exactly that’s what I was thinking. So even having a masters degree, graduating with a PHD that consists of only 30 or 36 credits, is that a mistake or will tarnish credibility?