PHD education

Level: Doctoral
Language: English

(14 reviews)



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Recent Reviews

Progam not conducive to busy professionals
April 3, 2012
The school is VERY expensive- $4,500 a quarter. Teachers are very inflexible and the coursework is not conducive to a working professional's schedule.

Capella University is phenomenal
January 14, 2011
As someone who has been on a doctoral committee at the Union Institute and University prior to my PhD at Capella University, I know that the quality of the phenomenal mentors, committee members, and professors at Capella is top notch. I have taught in the Biology Dept. at Syracuse University and I know that the PhD I received from Capella has been unbelievably worthwhile. You are treated like an adult and you are not micromanaged ...

Very disappointing
January 11, 2011
I enrolled in the directed studies programs at the doctoral level and the work was easy mainly because I was able to work at my own pace, develop my own course completion goals and objectives, and presenting thesis pertaining to my passions health policy and health services research. However, I felt sabotaged two years into the program. I suffered through mentor changes each year thereafter, frequent policy changes, and longer response times from faculty, and ...

Great Experience Thus Far...
December 28, 2010
This is my third semester with Capella and I must say that I am very pleased with the rigor and relevance of the assignments and classes. As a doctoral student I recognize that my assignments should be challenging and I should be able to work independently and that is exactly the opportunity I am given at Capella. Feedback is immediate and I am able to converse and learn from other professionals in my field. The ...

Excellent Education
August 14, 2010
I had an excellent experience at Capella University. The PhD program requires the learner to have a strong level of discipline and already enter the university with the appropriate skill set to analyze, synthesis, and write well. I have found that those who are easily frustrated with the program often do not have the skill set or the appropriate tools to be successful. This is a great program for learners who enjoy learning without constant ...

Questionable
June 18, 2010
As someone who once hailed Capella for its Masters program and personal conveniences, I absolutely kick myself for returning to the PhD program. Throughout this process I have received NO formative feedback and have been constrained by inflexible rules and people. I hope other learn from my mistakes.

IDOL - No Regrets from Me!!
December 24, 2009
I just finished my PhD in the IDOL - Instructional Design For Online Learners - program at Capella. Online worked for me because I have a full-time position and and live hours aways from a degree granting institution. Online is not for everyone. Go into it with your eyes open. If you want to be a PhD candidate, you should be an independent learner with some level of maturity and the knowledge of how to ...

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Aug. 3, 2010, 1:37 p.m.
0 votes/
Graduated Sep 2008 - PhD - Orgn & Mgt - Started and stopped due to business development and bad health but finally finished.  Also have been teaching part-time at different schools both in ground classes and online. 

Had the greatest mentor and only one professor I considered a bit less than great. And it was based on the 100 page report I submitted where he did not like reference to the historical development of the subject matter. Since this was such a minor issue in the overall scheme of my final degree and the steps involved getting to it I really cannot say he was bad or poor, he just did not like seeing the original development of the topic in a report. 

As a part-time instructor for over 25 years in 5 different schools I have seen a lot of students (and instructors) who should not be in the program. School is hard work and it takes a high level of commitment. As a former USAF Recruiting Service Operations Officer and Officer Training School (OTS) recruiter I would accept Capella graduates as qualified if their grades were good. However, having seen other schools and their programs I would have to be cautious even with the student having outstanding grades.  

The degree gets one into the interview and selected but the work output observed by the organization is going to be the deciding factor in whether the individual is retained. When I read both the positive and negative posts I consider the comments in relation to other school reviews and, for the most part, they are fairly consistent with the overall postings. Some people like Capella and some do not. Some people like vanilla ice cream while others prefer chocolate while others are willing to pay for strawberry and work for the money to buy it.

There were good times and bad times throughout the academic journey and if I had the extra cash available I would go for another degree just for the fun of learning. Instead, I teach part-time now and am developing a series of work books to help learners make the academic journey a bit easier trip.

Best of luck to all and as the judge said to the student who was suing me because I failed her in a course, "Education is hard work. Case dismissed!"
July 4, 2010, 1:53 a.m.
0 votes/
I attended Capella University for a Ph.D. in Education and completed the degree in 2005.  Previously, I attended an Ed.D. program at a traditional university for a year.

I found the instruction and professors at Capella University to be exceptional, and the dissertation process was explained well throughout the program. At my previous university, the dissertation process was a mystery during the coursework, and was only explained once the students acheived ABD (all but dissertation) status.

I was concerned how a degree earned online would be perceived. Ironically, my experience with distance learning as a student, positively impacted my employment prospects for university professor positions.  I accepted a university professor position in my hometown of San Diego, which is a competitive job market in higher education. I just completed my fifth year as a full faculty member at that same university.

Like any university, you get from it what you put into it. Although some people will put forth significantly more effort in their studies than others, because the program is rigorous, nobody will skate through it.  It is a program that will take significant effort and dedication to complete.  However, once you complete your degree from Capella, you will feel accomplished.

I thoroughly recommend Capella University.
March 7, 2010, 1:58 a.m.
0 votes/
After completing my B.S. M.S. and Ed.S. in traditional "brick 'n' mortar" programs at accredited universities, I researched my options and chose to pursue my Ph.D. online from Capella University so that I could be at home more versus leaving my child with more sitters while I pursue a higher education for the overall purpose of supporting him better. I could have attended a state-funded public school in my area for far less money, but that program, to be honest, has lackluster reviews at best from my colleagues who went there and offered only an Ed.D., no Ph.D.

It has taken me far longer to complete this degree than I ever imagined and the price tag is well beyond what I think anyone should have to pay. However, with the exception of ONE professor, my experience with Capella's faculty and advisors, overall, is quite positive. My dissertation chair, or "mentor," as Capella prefers to term him, is incredible. He is helpful, patience and has empathy. I am blessed to have him as a mentor. My committee also contains a "visiting scholar" from another university, on-ground school, that I was allowed to choose for his expertise in my particular area of study, journalism education.

I have had colleagues of mine, those I went through the Ed.S. program with, comment that the papers and coursework they have seen me complete during my time in Capella's Ph.D. in education program is far more rigorous than what they underwent at the aforementioned state school. They have said they only had to fill the seat at that school, not writer papers in each and every class they took--never mind that they did not do residencies, as I have done through Capella. Thus, on that front, I would put my academic program of student in this area and level up against any other. I know I have received a quality education, sans one particular instructor, and face it, every school, every field, has bad apples.

I do agree that it has taken longer than needed for some at Capella to provided feedback, which eats valuable time and is frustrating. In particular, during the dissertation process, the IRB's feedback has been costly in terms of time taken and this was my greatest source of distress overall. 
Another reviewer of this program termed her review as "Garbage in, garbage out," and I can relate to that. You will get from this degree what you get out of it. I can say that at this level of study, no one could honestly call Capella a "diploma mill," as I can say about some online schools, including one where I personally have served as a part-time faculty member (same reason I quit teaching there, too).

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