shortest phd ever

Researcher determines average length of theses and dissertations in Quebec

UQAM’s Jean-Hugues Roy analyzed theses and dissertations from the past 25 years to answer the age-old question: How long should it be?

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One very good question students ask themselves when setting out to write a doctoral dissertation or master’s thesis is: How long should it be?

Not finding a definitive answer, Jean-Hugues Roy, a former reporter for Radio-Canada and now a professor at Université du Québec à Montréal, decided to wade into the issue using data analysis. Inspired by University of Minnesota researcher Marcus Beck, who undertook a similar study confined to his alma mater, Mr. Roy embarked on a similar quest involving all Quebec universities.

Mr. Roy consulted the online repositories for theses and dissertations at Quebec’s 13 universities. In the process, he learned that some institutions are better than others at managing their data. “Concordia has great metadata, while Laval is a hodgepodge,” affirms Mr. Roy. “And McGill’s server is always crashing!”

To parse the data, he wrote several different Python scripts for each university. “It’s monks’ work,” he says, laughing.

Nevertheless, in just a few weeks he was able to index 55,000 papers, including 40,000 theses and 15,000 dissertations. “I must admit there are some gaps, and the numbers do not reflect every single paper out there. But I believe they account for 90 percent of the material written in Quebec over the past 25 years.”

From this mountain of information, he came up with an average. All disciplines combined,  the average master’s thesis is 133.33 pages, while doctoral dissertations are 251.3 pages on average.

But the bulk of the analysis had yet to be done, as Mr. Roy wanted to see how the numbers broke down by discipline. To do this, he began by standardizing the data based on the OECD Field of Science and Technology Classification .

The results vary greatly according to the field of expertise. For example, in law, some theses top out at over a thousand pages, while dissertations in statistics and mathematics tend to be only a few dozen pages long. “No surprises there,” he notes. “The world record for the shortest doctoral dissertation is held by a mathematician:   nine pages for a PhD obtained from MIT in 1966 .”

Mr. Roy also discovered that titles have become longer over time. “This would suggest that we are losing our capacity for abridgement,” he notes. At 378 characters , a 2012 thesis about maternal stress submitted to Laval University’s department of psychology had one of the longest titles. (That would be, “ Stress maternel prénatal et développement précoce : données de naissance, attention et sécrétion cortisolaire à trois mois. Association entre le stress maternel prénatal, l’âge gestationnel et le poids de naissance du bébé : une analyse d’études prospectives. Association entre le stress maternel prénatal, l’attention/éveil et la sécrétion cortisolaire de l’enfant à trois mois .”)

“There are some real treasures buried in there,” says Mr. Roy, who found himself engrossed for hours by some theses. He hopes to get people interested in dusting off these papers, mothballed all too quickly, and to raise public awareness of the knowledge that academia is producing – and perhaps to also encourage universities to work together to standardize their data. (All the  data collected by Roy  is available on his blog .)

“I hope others will be inspired to pick up the torch and carry it forward. It would be interesting to expand the project to include universities from the rest of Canada as well.”

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Speaker 1: How short can a PhD thesis be? My PhD thesis is over 250 pages long. Now the thing is, is that it can depend on the field, on the experiments you're doing, and what you want to prove. But here are the shortest PhD theses ever. The first one comes from a man we all know, and that's Albert Einstein. Albert Einstein produced this 17-page thesis all about a new determination of molecular dimensions. So if you imagine that you've got kind of things floating around in a solvent, and essentially this is a way of determining their size using statistical analysis and Brownian motion. So a really, really important contribution to the world. In fact, this thesis only has an introduction, it proposes the formula, it does a couple of experiments, and two references are cited, and that is it. Now this is an incredibly short thesis, but they get shorter. Stay around to the end because you'll see that academics will argue over almost anything. Our next thesis is only 16 pages long. Once again, it's in the mathematical field, and here we can see that it is Edmund Landau, and it's the proof of the equation. And what it does is it proposes a new method to solve a particular equation, and that's a very weird name, Diophantine, I think it is, equation. And this equation is where every sort of number must be a whole number, so no fractions. For example, X plus Y equals five. It could be two and three, or it could be five and zero, but it cannot be fractions like 2.5 and 2.5. And this thesis actually goes through a way of solving that using a method called continuous fractions. That is where you use fractions in place of unwhole numbers. Okay, so for example, the golden ratio can be represented as a continued fraction like this, where we have one plus one over, and then brackets, one plus one over, brackets, and it goes in and in and in until we get to the golden ratio. It is always an approximation, but it is a way of using whole numbers in place of fractions. The structure of this thesis is very simple. You've got the highlight of the problem, he proposes his method, he summarises solutions and shows why this method is better than the other solutions. And it only cites two references, and I think you can see those at the bottom here. That is a very short thesis. Let's look at an even shorter one. This thesis is 13 pages long, and it is the Milner K-theory, which is talking about the simplest part of algebraic K-theory. This is by Bert Totaro, and it's got a one-page introduction. It's got 1.5 pages of the statement theory and 11 items in the reference list. It is a very short thesis. The thesis essentially proved that in this study, the Milner K-theory is the most basic and simple part of the algebraic K-theory. The way you can think about this is like wooden toys in a box. Essentially, you have all of these very basic wooden toys, and the algebraic K-theory is like the most complicated wooden toy you can imagine. But by understanding the basic building blocks of the simple wooden toys, we can start to understand the larger, more complex wooden toy. I hope that makes sense. So essentially, it's about using the very basic building blocks of a certain theory to understand a much more complicated theory, and that is where my understanding stops. There is a nine-page thesis called An Unstable Atom Spectral Sequence. The thesis is by David Lee Rector, and the thesis is about topology and algebraic topology. That is essentially using algebra to understand the shape of things. A spectral sequence is like a computational tool that's used in advanced mathematics, and it's used to kind of solve complex puzzles. Now, this calculator doesn't just spit out an answer. It works in stages or layers. We can imagine these layers building up like a complex 3D puzzle, and then by adding each layer, we get a sort of like an idea of the actual solution at the end, and this thesis highlights that process. Now, how short can an actual PhD thesis get? Now, here's the thing, is that we academics will argue about that as well. I found this, which is from Tony Shaheen, who's from California State University, and essentially, look, a thesis has to be like this. No matter what size it is, it has to have like a story. It has to have what you're trying to do and proof that you actually did it, so someone argued that even in mathematical theses and proofs, you need to have two parts. You need to say, this is how I think we can do it, and this is how I've proved we can do it, and this guy said, no, in fact, we can tell that all in one sentence, and so they've come up with this fancy thing here, which is essentially just saying that if you're creative enough, you can put the discovery of the theorem in the title of the project, which would save you the whole sentence. That way, your project could technically just be one sentence long. Now, you can apparently have a mathematical thesis, therefore, that is only one sentence long. Let me know if you've seen anything that short out in the wild. So there we have it. There are the shortest theses ever produced, and in maths, it is very easy. Well, not easy, but it's easier to write a short thesis, unlike in material science where you've got to prove everything. Let me know in the comments if you've come across a really short thesis. I'd love to have a look at it. All right, then there are more ways that you can engage with me. The first way is to sign up to my newsletter. Head over to andystoughton, no, andrewstoughton.com.au forward slash newsletter. The link is in the description, and when you sign up, you'll get five emails over about two weeks, everything from the tools I've used, the podcast I've been on, How to Write the Perfect Abstract, and more. It's exclusive content available for free, so go sign up now, and also head over to academiainsider.com. That's my new project where I've got my eBooks, the Ultimate Academic Writing Toolkit, as well as the PhD Survival Guide. I've also got the resource pack for applying for grad school and a PhD there as well. I've got a blog and forum, and it's all there to make sure that academia works for you. All right, then, I'll see you in the next video.

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Shortest Doctoral Programs Online

• Online Degrees

In the ever-evolving landscape of higher education, the pursuit of doctoral degrees has become increasingly accessible through online platforms.

The year 2024 marks a significant leap in offering diverse and flexible doctoral programs online, catering to professionals seeking advanced degrees without the traditional time commitment.

This guide delves into the easiest and shortest online doctoral programs, including Ph.D. degrees, highlighting key features such as accelerated paths, reduced residency requirements, and flexible learning options.

Understanding Doctorate and Ph.D. Programs

Before exploring specific programs, it’s crucial to distinguish between a Doctorate Degree and a Ph.D. While both are esteemed achievements, they cater to different academic and professional pursuits. Ph.D. programs, or Doctor of Philosophy degrees, are heavily research-oriented, focusing on theoretical and abstract aspects of various fields. They are ideal for those interested in academic, research, or theoretical applications of their study area.

In contrast, Doctorate programs tend to be more practice-oriented, emphasizing the application of knowledge in professional settings. These programs are tailored for individuals aiming to advance to the forefront of their fields, often in more hands-on roles.

The programs listed below are all online phd programs for working professionals .

Easiest and Shortest Online Doctoral & Ph.D. Programs

1-year ph.d. programs online.

• Chatham University : Offers a 1-year online DNP program, designed for nurses aspiring for leadership roles.
• Breyer State Theology University : Provides a unique 1-year online Ph.D. in Grief Counseling.
• American International Theism University : Features accelerated doctoral degrees in various disciplines, all achievable within a year.

15-18 Month Doctorate Programs Without Dissertation

• Boston University : A Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree, completed in 18 months.
• Frontier Nursing University : Offers a Doctor of Nursing (DNP) program that spans 18 to 20 months.
• Maryville University: Provides various online doctoral degrees in fields like Nursing Practice and Health Administration, achievable within 18 months.

24 Month Doctorate Programs

• University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill : Offers a range of online doctoral programs including a Ph.D. in Nursing and a Transitional Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy.
• Grand Canyon Universit y: Features over a dozen online doctoral degrees in areas such as Organizational Leadership and K-12 Leadership.
• Liberty University : Offers a Doctor of Education degree program that can be completed in 30 months.

Ease of Ph.D. Programs

While no Ph.D. program can be deemed ‘easy,’ certain fields are considered more accessible than others, such as education, humanities, and social sciences. Factors like reduced residency requirements, credit transfers, and integrated dissertation colloquia can make some programs more attainable.

Financial Aspects of Online Doctoral Programs

The cost of pursuing an online doctoral degree varies widely among institutions. While online courses might be more affordable than on-campus ones, they still require a significant financial investment. Prospective students should consider tuition, materials, and other expenses while making their decision.

FAQs: Easiest PhD and Shortest Doctoral Programs Online 2024

Q1: What is the difference between a Ph.D. and a Doctorate Degree?

• A1: A Ph.D., or Doctor of Philosophy, focuses more on theoretical and abstract aspects of a field, emphasizing research and academic pursuits. In contrast, a Doctorate degree is often more practice-oriented, focusing on the application of knowledge in professional settings.

Q2: Can I complete a doctoral program online in one year?

• A2: Yes, there are institutions that offer 1-year doctoral programs online. For example, Chatham University offers a 1-year online DNP program for nurses, and Breyer State Theology University provides a 1-year online Ph.D. in Grief Counseling.

Q3: Are there doctoral programs available that do not require a dissertation?

• A3: Yes, some doctoral programs, like the Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy at Boston University, do not require a dissertation but may have other project requirements.

Q4: What are some examples of 24-month doctoral programs?

• A4: The University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill offers a Transitional Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy that can be completed in 24 months, and Grand Canyon University has various 24-month online doctoral degrees in areas like Organizational Leadership.

Q5: What fields are considered easier for pursuing a Ph.D.?

• A5: Generally, fields like education, humanities, and social sciences are considered easier for pursuing Ph.D. degrees, due to factors like reduced residency requirements and flexible coursework.

Q6: How much can an online doctoral program cost?

• A6: The cost varies widely among institutions. For reference, annual tuition rates can range from about $9,400 at public institutions to $37,600 at private not-for-profit institutions.

Q7: How do I choose an online doctoral program?

• A7: Consider factors such as the program’s marketability, cost, difficulty, your interest in the subject, and how well it aligns with your career goals. Research and compare different programs to find the best fit for you.

Q8: How long does it typically take to complete a Ph.D. program?

• A8: The length varies by country and program. In the U.S., it typically takes 5 to 6 years, while in the UK and many European countries, it takes about 3 to 4 years. Part-time programs may take longer.

Q9: Are there fully funded online Ph.D. programs available?

• A9: Yes, some institutions offer fully funded online Ph.D. programs. Examples include Brown University’s Ph.D. program in computer science and Emory University’s online Ph.D. program in economics.

Q10: What are some of the best Ph.D. programs in the U.S.?

• A10: According to Study.com, some of the best Ph.D. programs include those at Cornell University, Northwestern University, Stanford University, and the University of California in Berkeley.

The landscape of online doctoral programs in 2024 offers diverse and flexible options for professionals seeking advanced degrees. From accelerated Ph.D. programs to practical doctorates without dissertations, these online offerings cater to a range of academic and professional needs. As the demand for higher qualifications grows, these programs provide a viable path for many to achieve their academic and career aspirations.

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