How to Choose the Right Part-Time PhD or Executive PhD?

A PhD program adds value to both your professional and personal life. If you are a working professional, you might be looking for options like part-time or executive PhD programs. Since the final results of these flexible programs are similar to regular PhD programs, some myths still need to be debunked.

A part-time PhD, when completed from a recognized university, gets you the same recognition in the industry as you expect from a regular one. Thus, by choosing the right part-time or executive PhD program, you can not only use a “Dr.” title to your name but also multiply your earnings by many folds.

In this post, you will learn about the benefits of pursuing an executive PhD program and key points that you must consider before enrolling in a part-time PhD program. Getting the right part-time PhD will help you easily attain a higher-level position in your firm. We will also discuss the similarities and differences of the part-time PhD programs offered at Indian universities and abroad.

Benefits of A Part-Time or Executive PhD Program

Learn While You Earn: A part-time PhD is specifically targeted at working professionals who cannot pause their professional life for a doctorate.
Flexible Research Timings: A part-time PhD allows you to perform your research on weekends and holidays.
Reduced Financial Burden: An executive PhD program or part-time PhD is way more affordable than a regular one.
Strong Professional Network: With a part-time PhD, you build a strong professional relationship with your mentors or supervisors and with your senior colleagues.
Career Advancement: After completion of the part-time PhD, senior leadership roles become easily accessible and translate into better pay roles at work.

Points To Consider For A Part-Time or Executive PhD Program Selection

Here are the 10 basic points that you must consider when choosing a part-time PhD program designed for working professionals.

Understand Your Career Objectives: Before you enroll in even a flexible PhD program, you must know whether it will align with your career goals or not. You can analyze this by connecting your seniors in the workplace.
Look for Better Research and Publication Opportunities: While you are enrolling in a part-time PhD program, you must ensure that the university you are applying to focuses on publishing your research papers in reputed journals. This factor impacts your research quality, which ultimately enhances your credibility at work.
Choose the One That Fits Your Pocket: Different universities offer part-time PhD programs with different perks, according to which their course fees change. So, choose one that gives you real-time support in your budget.
Evaluate the Flexibility of the Program: Since you have chosen a part-time PhD program due to time constraints, you must check for the level of flexibility you are getting in it before enrolling. In some cases, even part-time PhDs demand your physical appearance on weekends.
Look for the Supervisor’s Track Record: Pursuing a part-time PhD along with professional commitments is tough, especially when you do not get support from faculty members and supervisors. So, do review the track record of supervisors of your PhD program at your selected university.
Select the Right PhD Structure: There are a plethora of programs listed at different universities under the name of part-time or executive PhD. Choose the one that includes at least one dissertation or research paper along with other topics.
Check for Accreditation: Getting a PhD is not worth your time or money if it is not recognized in the industry. So, do check for accreditations for your PhD whether you are planning to pursue it in regular or part-time mode.
Selection of the Right University: In the present time, most universities, Indian and international, are offering executive or part-time PhD programs, but you need to choose the one that provides the desired flexibility and a globally recognized “Dr.” title.
Look For A University with Simple Admission Requirements: Choosing a part-time PhD would be meaningful only when it has entrance-free admission requirements. So, select a university that has no or a simple screening process for the executive PhD program.
Check the Network Opportunities: Building strong professional relationships is an integral part of a higher education program like a PhD. So, do look for the industry and academic partners of the university you are interested in for your part-time PhD program.

Part-time PhD In India

Several Indian universities like IIM, IGNOU, and JIIT offer part-time PhD programs or executive PhD programs designed especially for working professionals. These PhD programs last for around 3-6 years and are quite similar to the regular PhD programs. The major difference between a regular and part-time PhD program at these universities is that you spend less time researching, and also, there is flexibility to work on weekends or in the evenings in the part-time course. At some Indian universities, you are even asked to clear the entrance exams and submit a “No Objection Certificate” from your employer to enroll in their executive PhD program.

Part-time PhD Abroad

International universities have also come into the picture when it comes to a flexible PhD program for working professionals. Universities like Golden Gate, Rushford Business School, SSBM, and many others are offering part-time PhD in online mode. This flexibility of online studies in a higher education program like PhD has turned out as a golden opportunity for working professionals. In addition to this, a shorter duration of 3 years and globally recognized “Dr.” title have made these part-time PhD programs at international universities quite popular among the Indian workforce. Another highlight of part-time PhD abroad is their entrance-free admission process, which makes it a perfect fit for working professionals.

Conclusion

Before getting enrolled in a part-time PhD program, check out some of the basic points like course curriculum, accreditation, supervisor support, networking opportunities, flexibility, and so on. These points are crucial if you want to make this executive PhD degree worthy of your career. You can even look for international universities offering online part-time PhDs without any complicated admission requirements.