The Best Strategy to Get a Doctorate Degree Without a Dissertation

You no longer have to complete a dissertation in order to get a doctorate degree. Leading universities, both in and outside the U.S., offer programs where you can graduate with just a large research project – or even without one at all! Follow the steps below to navigate your easy way of becoming a PhD.

Choose a Knowledge Area

There are fields where getting a PhD without a dissertation is more common, including:

• Nursing and health practice.
• International or counselor education.
• Psychology and related studies.

Additionally, you can obtain doctorate degrees other than a PhD in leading universities, in particular:

• Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) at Marymount University – no dissertation needed, as the studies are mainly practically- and clinically-based.
• Doctor of Management (DM) at Colorado Technical University – you can write a series of publishable articles instead of a dissertation.
• Juris doctorates (J.D.) in most universities are granted on the bases of coursework and exam results only.

Check Available Programs

After you choose a field to major in, do an online search to find out what dissertation-free programs are currently available. Check the program duration, mode of study (online or not), and fees – these conditions may vary considerably across universities.

Look out for programs that require you to complete a “major research project” instead of a dissertation – you may have to put no less effort into it than an actual thesis.

Overcome Prejudice

Some people are suspicious towards doctorate programs that do not require dissertations because they consider their quality to be inferior. You have probably heard the opinion that doctorate grades obtained this way are not “real.” However, this belief is nothing but a stereotype if you think about the purpose behind dissertation writing.

The reason that you are required to write a thesis is to test your ability to conduct independent and scientifically valuable research. If you can demonstrate this ability in other ways, such as doing the coursework and taking exams, there is no actual need to write a dissertation.

Be an Expert

If you have had any of your previous research works published, especially in leading journals, escaping dissertation writing should be no trouble at all. Just show your published books, articles, or essays to your lecturer to make it clear right away that you are an expert in your coursework field and do not need a dissertation to prove it. If you pursue a doctorate degree in the same area of knowledge as your research background, your supervisor will surely be impressed.