How many credits are required by most doctorate degrees?
There are many choices that need to be made in the development and/or redesign of doctoral program. Among these choices are the usual questions including the following: How many credit hours post Master’s should it be? (usually 60) How long can a student take to complete? (usually 6 or 7 years, with a possible leave of absence and an extension of time for unusual circumstances such as the doctoral program disruption caused by Hurricane Katrina) Will students have a choice of courses to take? (Are the courses proscribed or can a student develop a program plan of courses selected from a menu of possible choices?) Is there are comprehensive examination? If so, what is the nature and content of it? Is it written, oral, or both? Does the dissertation have to use traditional research (i.e. quantitative or qualitative research methodologies) or can they do a non-traditional dissertation such as a cost/benefit analysis, a program evaluation study, or a program design? This is, of course, not a
