online phd virginia

10 Best Online Doctoral Programs in Virginia (or DC)

With an increase in demand for specialized professionals in fields such as healthcare and nursing, business, education, plus the arts and sciences, earning a fully online doctoral degree is becoming a desirable path for students and professionals who wish to advance their careers to become leaders in their fields while maintaining a relatively low student loan debt and high degree of flexibility in learning. All institutions in this list are fully accredited and offer fully or hybrid doctoral degrees online.

1. Regent University

thirty-three fully online doctoral programs in a variety of disciplines including Communications, Education, Ministry and Divinity, Healthcare Leadership, Psychology, STEM, and fourteen programs with varied options in Business and Leadership. Through consistent and exponential growth as a global center for Christian thought and action, students from around the world now come to Regent in order to complete their doctoral programs in an online environment that supports flexibility in learning while fostering education and Christian leadership.

2. Liberty University

Liberty University Online prepare students for leadership roles in their fields through rigorous academics and accessible advisement and guidance from qualified professors. The university has twenty-three online doctoral programs in areas such as Business Administration, Nursing, Ministry, Worship, Education, and Philosophy. The Doctor of Business Administration includes eleven concentrations. Students serious about a career in Christian theology flock to the Doctor of Philosophy in Theology and Apologetics. All online programs at Liberty have the highest possible accreditation available through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Additionally the school is focused on affordability and has not increased the tuition costs for any online doctoral program in over three years.

3. Old Dominion University

Doctorate Programs offered at Old Dominion University are equally accredited and as competitive as the doctoral degree programs offered on campus. Instructors bring real world experiences to the virtual classroom through research opportunities. Students can choose from a PhD in Education for Instructional Design and Technology or Human Resources Training, or degrees in Nursing or Philosophy. There are a total of seven online doctoral degrees offered in all.

4. Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University online school offers a total of five degrees at the doctoral level offered in a variety of formats: synchronous, asynchronous, fully online and through video conference. All degrees are focused on healthcare including a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), a PhD in Nursing or Health Related Sciences, plus a Doctorate in Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP), which is one of the most prestigious and sought after careers for nurses seeking to specialize their practice.

5. George Washington University

George Washington University online to study the arts, engineering, law, education, medicine and health, and more. Online doctoral degrees can be earned in Nursing or Engineering, including a Doctor of Engineering in Engineering Management or a Doctor of Philosophy in Systems Engineering. The online university offers a total of five doctoral nursing degrees, including post-BSN or post-MSN opportunities in areas such as Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, and Executive Leadership.

6. Hampton University

Hampton University is today a progressive institution offering a wide range of degree programs from the undergraduate to graduate levels in areas from the arts to business to specialized doctorate degrees online and on campus. Located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, students from across the globe attend college at Hampton annually, both on campus and online. Web based programs are available for students who wish to advance their professional careers while attending school and maintaining freedom in scheduling and learning. Online doctoral degrees offered at Hampton include PhDs in Business Administration, Counselor Education and Supervisions, Educational Management, and Nursing. Students cna also earn their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) fully online at Hampton.

7. Shenandoah University

Shenandoah University online students can earn two fully online doctoral degrees in the education field for Administrative Leadership, or in the field of Pharmacy. The Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy (NTDP) degree provides practicing pharmacists with the opportunity to further their careers while still having the flexibility to continue work in such a competitive and ever changing field of work.

8. University of Virginia in Charlottesville

Instructional Science & Technology can be obtained fully online.

9. Radford University

Radford University is a comprehensive public university located in the breathtaking blue ridge mountains of Virginia. The institution prides itself in its history of sustainability and is recognized nationally for it’s efforts. Today the school embraces a healthy combination of innovation and tradition while educating students across disciplines from around the world. The online university at Radford offers a number of degrees at the post-baccalaureate levels, including one Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The research-based DNP degree can be attained both post-BSN or post-MSN and promotes flexibility while maintaining quality, and students benefit from 1,000 clinical hours each in addition to their coursework.

10. University of Fairfax

the Doctorate of Information Assurance (DIA) and students from across the nation come to learn from the most distinguished cybersecurity educators and leaders in the world. All coursework is project driven and can be accessed from any part of the world with an internet connection. Students benefit from flexible scheduling, one on one advisement, and opportunities to easily communicate with professors and other students through the online platform.

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Degrees and Programs

Our graduate programs, and the degrees each offers, are listed alphabetically below. We also list our non-degree granting interdisciplinary graduate education programs. All graduate students also must complete the graduate school's scholarly ethics and integrity requirement and the inclusion and diversity requirement. 

Degree-granting programs

Aerospace engineering (aoe).

The aerospace engineering curriculum includes the areas of aerodynamics, flight dynamics and controls, propulsion, and aerospace structures. The program culminates in a nationally recognized senior-level design sequence including analysis and design of aircraft, spacecraft, and their related technologies.

Home college: College of Engineering

Degrees: MS/ME, Ph.D.

Location: Blacksburg, online

Graduate Catalog page

Program page

Agricultural and Applied Economics (AAEC)

The Department offers graduate studies leading to a M.S. in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a Ph.D. in Economics. Graduate students will find several economic areas of study to pursue. At the master’s level, students can select between an applied economics focus and a focus on agribusiness. At the Ph.D. level, students can dive deeper into the fields of applied econometrics, environmental and natural resource economics, international development and trade, food and health economics, and rural and regional development.

Home college: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

(Ph.D. jointly with College of Science's Department of Economics)

Degrees: MS, Ph.D.

Location: Blacksburg

Agricultural and Life Sciences (ALS)

This program offers concentrations in the areas of education, environmental science, food safety and biosecurity, leadership studies, and plant science and pest management for agriculture professionals seeking a master's degree.

Home college: Agriculture and Life Sciences

Location: Online

Program webpage

Agriculture, Leadership, and Community Education (ALCE)

The Department of Agricultural, Leadership, and Community Education at Virginia Tech is committed to preparing students for success in professions that include formal and non-formal teaching and learning in agriculture, as well as skills for leading agricultural organizations and communities.

Degree: MS, Ph.D.

Program website

Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought (ASPT)

ASPECT is an innovative interdisciplinary and theoretical Ph.D. program located on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. ASPECT fosters a critical engagement between domains of inquiry in the humanities, the social sciences, and the arts.

Home college: College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Degree: Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary)

Animal and Poultry Sciences (APSC)

The Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences at Virginia Tech offers the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. Students may specialize in the areas of genetics, genomics, immunology, management, muscle biology, nutrition, physiology, and product quality assurance.

School: School of Animal Sciences

Architecture (ARCH)

Architecture enriches our lives by offering us environments that are sensibly compelling, thought provoking, and capable of lifting our spirits. In addition to being beautiful, architecture is, by ancient definition, functional and durable. Like art, architecture is permeated by dualities. It is stable and transitory, measurable and immeasurable, and capable of both being touched and touching us. Like science, architecture involves systematic study. Its methods are iterative, experimental, and rely on intense observation. 

Home college: College of Architecture, Arts, and Design

Degrees: MS, MArch

Locations: Blacksburg, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area

MArch program webpage , MS program webpage

Architecture and Design Research (ADR)

There are two major tracks within the Ph.D. in Architecture and Design Research degree program, each of which has topical areas. Both provide significant flexibility for each student to develop a plan of study consistent with his or her academic goals. The two tracks are  Architecture  and  Design Research . Home college: College of Architecture, Arts, and Design

Degree: Ph.D.

Location: Blacksburg, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area

Biochemistry (BCHM)

The Graduate Program in the Department of Biochemistry at Virginia Tech prepares students for careers as independent researchers in biochemistry, molecular and cellular biology, biotechnology, and related areas.

Degrees: MS, MSLFS, Ph.D.

Biological Sciences (BIOL)

Graduate students, in consultation with Major Advisors, design programs of study that include cutting edge research, courses that support their particular interests, and at least one semester of a teaching experience. Opportunities for research span the biological disciplines from molecular biology to ecosystems ecology and may include computational, experimental, empirical, theoretical, and/or applied approaches.

Home college: College of Science

Degrees offered: MS, Ph.D.

Biological Systems Engineering (BSE)

The mission of the Biological Systems Engineering Department is to develop and disseminate engineering knowledge and practices that protect natural resources and improve sustainable production, processing, and utilization of biological materials.

Home colleges: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, College of Engineering

Biomedical Engineering (BMES)

The Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering & Sciences (SBES) is a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional graduate program that bridges engineering, science and medicine.

Home: College of Engineering

Locations: Blacksburg, Roanoke, Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences (BMVS)

The goal of our program is to provide the students with a sound background in the basic and clinical sciences and to cultivate the ability to apply rigorous scientific thinking to advanced biomedical and veterinary sciences.

A basic philosophy of graduate education in biomedical and veterinary sciences is flexibility. Programs of study - courses, laboratory and field research, clinical experiences, and teaching opportunities - are tailored to meet the individual student's needs, depending on academic background, professional experience and career goals.

Home college: Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine

Locations: Blacksburg

Building Construction Science and Management (BC)

At the Master's degree level, the Building Construction curriculum prepares students with the professional capabilities to critically address present and evolving needs of the construction industry.

Business, Accounting and Information Systems (ACIS)

The Department offers a world class accounting and information systems education to our students.  Our Master of Accounting and Information Systems (MACIS) program prepares students for professional careers with specializations in accounting analytics, audit, financial services, information systems, and taxation. The Ph.D. in Business program with a major in Accounting and Information Systems helps the student prepare for a career in college and university teaching and research. 

Home college: Pamplin College of Business

Degrees: MACIS, PhD (business)

Business Administration (BUS)

Pamplin offers two MBA programs - Evening and Online MBA. Both are designed for working professionals. The college also offers a master of science in business administration degree with concentrations in business analytics, marketing, and hospitality and tourism management. In addition, there is an online master of information technology degree offered as an interdisciplinary degree program with the College of Engineering. 

Degree: MBA, MS

Locations: Richmond, Roanoke, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, Virtual

Business, Executive Business Research (BUS)

This degree concentration is designed to serve experienced executives seeking the advanced knowledge and skills needed to conduct high quality research on emerging business issues. Tailored for working professionals, this three-year part-time program provides students with an in-depth understanding of the scholarly literature in their chosen business discipline, training in relevant analytical research techniques, and experience in conducting original research embodied in a dissertation addressing a complex business problem.

Locations: Greater Washington, D.C. metro area

Business, Information Technology (BIT)

The program offers specialized study in information technology, business analytics, decision support systems, and operations and supply chain management. The program emphasizes the study of technologies used in the creation, storage, exchange, analysis, and use of information in its various forms, and also emphasizes the related disciplines of mathematical optimization, stochastic processes, computer simulation, artificial intelligence, and statistics. Study of these topics requires that the student have a strong background in mathematics and computing.

Degrees: Ph.D.

Business, Finance (FIN)

The master's degree program is designed for students who wish to undertake specialized training in finance. The doctoral program in finance is research-oriented and designed to prepare students for successful academic careers in research and teaching. 

Business, Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM)

The Ph.D. in Business with hospitality and tourism management focus emphasizes the research applications of business concepts and strategies to hospitality and tourism management, helping students develop the knowledge and research skills to address the critical challenges and problems faced by hospitality and tourism businesses.

The newly designed master of science in business administration, with a concentration in hospitality and tourism management is offered in the National Capital Region.

Degrees: MS, Ph.D. (business)

Location: Blacksburg, Greater Washington D.C. metro area

Business, Management (MGT)

The Ph.D. program in Business Administration with a major in Management dedicated to preparing students who will be among the next generation of research faculty at top academic institutions.

Our approach to doctoral education is unique. We emphasize preparation of students in ways that allow them to understand and address the whole organization, from the study of individuals and groups within organizations to how they operate strategically in the larger business environment.

Business, Marketing (MKTG)

We offer a focused Master of Science program with a concentration in advanced marketing research, and a Doctoral Program designed to develop graduates who assume positions as faculty members in research-oriented schools of business.

MS program webpage

Ph.D. program webpage

Chemical Engineering (CHE)

Graduate plans of study in chemical engineering are heavily oriented toward synthesis as well as analysis. There are strong threads of physics, chemistry, mathematics, biochemistry, and microbiology in much of the research in the department. Active research areas include polymer chemistry, polymer science and engineering, colloid and surface chemistry, solid state chemistry and physics, nanotechnology, applied thermodynamics, molecular modeling, biochemical and tissue engineering, biomaterials, nanomedicine, catalysis and surface science, design for sustainability, green engineering, computer-aided design, and supercritical fluid science and technology.

Chemistry (CHEM)

The Chemistry Department is consistently top-ranked among its peers in terms of degree production and research expenditures. Our 30 faculty members and 170 graduate students generate over 100 peer-reviewed publications per year and have earned numerous prestigious awards for research, teaching, and outreach. In addition to the major areas of chemistry (analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical), our polymer chemistry program has been ranked among the top 5, and we have highly developed programs in several interdisciplinary areas, including drug discovery, computational and theoretical chemistry, surface science, renewable energy, and chemical biology.

Civil Engineering (CEE)

The Charles E. Via, Jr. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, which is ranked in the top 10 accredited civil and environmental engineering departments by the US News and World Report, is one of the largest programs in the United States.

For the civil engineering graduate degrees, students may emphasize one or more of 10 discipline areas within the Department: civil engineering materials, civil infrastructure engineering, construction engineering and management, environmental engineering, geospatial engineering, geotechnical engineering, hydrosystems engineering, structural engineering, and transportation engineering.

Locations: Blacksburg, Hampton Roads, Roanoke, Richmond, Southwest Virginia, Online

Communication (COMM)

The M.A. in Communication prepares graduates to pursue communication doctoral studies, research positions in communication industries, and advanced teaching or professional careers. This thesis program blends social-scientific and humanistic research and communication theory in public advocacy (campaigns and strategic communication) and media effects, policy, and issues.

School: School of Communication

Degrees: MA

Computer Engineering (ECE)

As the fourth largest Electrical and Computer Engineering department in the United States, we offer strong education and research opportunities in diverse areas, including computers, control systems, communications, electronics, electromagnetics, and power. 

A collaborative atmosphere and interdisciplinary efforts are hallmarks of the department's research programs, and the 35+ research groups, centers, and laboratories grow in reputation each year.

Locations: Blacksburg, Hampton Roads, Greater Washington D.C. metro area, Roanoke, Richmond, Southwest Virginia, Online

Computer Science & Applications (CSA)

The graduate program in the Department of Computer Science at Virginia Tech is on its way to becoming one of the top programs in the country. The resources and facilities for research areas such as human-computer interaction, bioinformatics, and high-end computing are state of the art, and the growing list of specialized masters and doctoral degrees in a variety of areas provides opportunities for students to concentrate their research and study on the specific aspects of computer science in which they are most interested.

Degrees: MS, MEng, Ph.D.

Creative Technologies (CTEC)

The Master in Fine Arts in Creative Technologies is a terminal degree program that prepares students to use digital and new media technologies to create, present, communicate and shape information and imagery. The program addresses emerging trends in scientific and research arenas, art and design, and industrial/commercial contexts.

School: School of Visual Arts (SOVA)

Degrees: MFA

Creative Writing (CW)

The three-year MFA program offers tracks in poetry and fiction. We encourage cross-genre experimentation through workshops in new media creative writing, playwriting, and creative non-fiction. Students also gain extensive teaching experience. Home college College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences (CSS)

As a department with strong expertise in both environmental and agronomic (crops and soils) sciences, we are committed to improving present and future health and livelihoods through a deeper understanding of processes involving living organisms, soil, and water across a range of managed and degraded ecosystems. We focus strong expertise in agronomy, plant genetics and breeding, soil science, water quality, landscape restoration, and nutrient and waste management on the improvement of agroecosystem productivity, the discovery of important processes, the restoration of essential functions, and on improving management of ecosystem services in a wide variety of rural and urban landscapes.

Dairy Science (DASC)

Our graduate students have diverse backgrounds and research interests including genetics, reproduction, nutrition, immunology, management, and lactation. All have the opportunity to gain classroom teaching experience and to participate in extension education programs in addition to their involvement in research programs at the forefront of nutrition, management, physiology, infectious disease, immunology, and metabolic modeling.

Degrees:  MSLFS, Ph.D.

Data Analysis and Applied Statistics (DAAS)

The Master of Arts in Data Analysis and Applied Statistics is offered by Virginia Tech’s Department of Statistics. The degree is also sponsored by other programs and departments including the Education Research and Evaluation Program (EDRE), the Departments of Psychology, Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Geography, Economics, Human Development, Sociology, Psychology, Biological Sciences, and the Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology program.

The curriculum provides a broad variety of applied statistical tools to students, without the emphasis on statistical theory steeped in mathematics. The M.A. DAAS degree is structured so that certain courses that emphasize the fundamentals of statistics, are required. Electives in specialized topics in statistics are then be chosen by the student. Thus, the degree offers sufficient depth in the fundamentals of contemporary applied statistical methods and gives students an understanding of how these methods are applied indifferent fields.

College: Statistics

P rogram page

Economics (ECON)

The Department of Economics at Virginia Tech focuses on teaching, research and outreach in regard to economic issues at the state, national and international levels.

Home College: College of Science

Education, Career and Technical Education (EDCT)

The Career and Technical Education program is among the top programs in the United States. The program is designed to prepare individuals for careers in career and technical education and to enhance the professional development of current career and technical educators.

School: School of Education

Degrees: MSED, Ed.S.

Education, Counselor Education (EDCO)

The Virginia Tech Counselor Education Program prepares professional counselors, counselor educators, and leaders in the counseling field with a professional identity that incorporates the intentional use of strength-based approaches, reflective practice, innovative and evidence-based strategies, and ongoing research to support and enhance our schools and communities.

Home college: College of Arts and Human Sciences

Degrees: MAED, EDS, EDD, Ph.D.

Location: Blacksburg, Roanoke

Program webpage 

Education, Curriculum and Instruction (EDCI)

The Curriculum and Instruction graduate degrees are offered by 14 programs included in two departmental units in the School of Education. See below for links to the different programs.

Degrees: MAED, Ed.S., Ed.D., Ph.D.

Location: Blacksburg, Online.

Program webpages:

Career and Technical Education (Ed.D., Ph.D.)

Educational Psychology   (M.A.Ed., Ed.S., Ph.D.)

Elementary Education   (M.A.Ed.,Ed.S., Ed.D., Ph.D.)

English Education   (M.A.Ed., Ed.S., Ed.D., Ph.D.)

Foundations of Education  ( Ph.D.) 

History and Social Science Education   (M.A.Ed., Ph.D.)

Instructional Design and Technology   (M.A.Ed., Ed.S., Ph.D.)

Integrative STEM Education   (Ph.D., Ed.D., M.A.)

Mathematics Education   (M.A.Ed., Ed.S.,Ph.D.)

Music Education   (M.A.Ed., Ed.D.)

Reading Specialist / Literacy  (M.A.Ed., Ed.S.)

Science Education   (M.A.Ed., Ed.D., Ph.D.)

Education, Education Leadership and Policy Studies (EDLPS)

This is a graduate program developed by Virginia Tech to prepare educational administrators for leadership roles in school systems and related agencies.

Degrees: MAED, Ed.S., Ph.D., Ed.D.

Location: Blacksburg; Hampton Roads; Greater Washington, D.C. metro area; Richmond; Roanoke; Southwest Virginia; Virtual

Education, Education Research, Evaluation (EDRE)

The Educational Research and Evaluation program offers doctoral preparation in the areas of measurement, program evaluation, qualitative research methods, and statistics as they are applied in educational and other behavioral sciences.

Graduates of the program are prepared for academic positions as research methodologists, corporate positions in research and testing agencies, or government positions as researchers, evaluators, or administrators of research programs in education or other areas of the behavioral sciences.

This program is not accepting new students for the 2021-22 or 2022-23 academic years.

Education, Higher Education (HGED)

The  Higher Education and Student Affairs graduate degree programs focus on preparing leaders for postsecondary education who use and produce high-impact research as part of their practice and who are committed to service in both professional and personal contexts

Degrees: MAED, Ph.D.

Electrical Engineering (EE)

From pervasive computing to smart power systems, Virginia Tech Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) faculty and students delve into all major areas of electrical and computer engineering. As one of the country's larger ECE departments, we offer strong education and research opportunities in diverse areas, including computers, control systems, communications, electronics, electromagnetics, and power. 

Location: Blacksburg, Hampton Roads, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, Richmond, Roanoke, Southwest Virginia, and online

Engineering Education (ENGE)

We are one of the first departments in the country to offer graduate programs in Engineering Education. Our graduate program incorporates theory with real life application so our students are prepared to be teachers and scholars in the evolving field of Engineering Education.

Graduates of the program will be able to conduct and direct research in engineering education; develop, review, and critique effective research designs; effectively teach engineering subjects; design and assess engineering courses; and address critical issues facing engineering education.

Engineering Mechanics (ESM)

The Engineering Mechanics (EM) program provides a strong foundation and sturdy framework for the discovery, development, transfer, and implementation of new knowledge in the areas of mechanics of materials and material systems, fluid mechanics, dynamics and vibration, biomechanics, and computational and experimental methods.

English (ENGL)

The MA program is focused upon the theoretical and practical aspects of evaluating texts and analyzing language in all its aspects. Special attention is paid to the critique and production of digital discourse.

Entomology (ENT)

The Department of Entomology provides professional expertise concerning arthropods to the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

The department has three major focus areas: Biomedical Research, with emphasis on insect genomics and urban/public health, including mosquito biology and vector control as they affect urban and public health, and human and animal disease; Natural/Agro Ecosystems Research, with emphasis on IPM/Biological Control of pest problems, and environmental monitoring and protection; and Urban Entomology and Pesticide Safety Education.

Degrees: MSLFS, Ph.D.

Environmental Design and Planning (EDP)

The Environmental Design and Planning program prepares students with the professional and academic skills to address the challenges of creating and maintaining tomorrow's built environment. The degree offers the opportunity for advanced study and research in specialized areas relating to building design, construction, operations, and end-of-life-cycle, providing the basis to contribute to the construction field from positions in either industry or academia. Home college: College of Engineering

School: Myers-Lawson School of Construction

Environmental Engineering (CEEN)

The Environmental Engineering program goals are to educate and prepare engineers for careers in the various fields of environmental engineering design, water supply management, site remediation, environmental modeling, pollution control engineering, water resources engineering, and public health protection.

Environmental Sciences and Engineering (ESEN)

The Environmental Science and Engineering program is designed to prepare students with a science background to work with engineers in various fields, including water supply, wastewater management, public health, watershed management, stream protection, groundwater remediation, and air resource management

Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences (FIW)

The Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation offers one of the leading programs of its type. The comprehensive curriculum covers fisheries and wildlife biology and ecology, habitat analysis, and human dimensions of natural resource science and management.

Home college: College of Natural Resources and Environment

Food Science and Technology (FST)

Food science and technology is a fusion of chemistry, microbiology and engineering. Our researchers explore innovation in the areas of creating new, healthful food products, and ensuring a safe and tasty food supply.

Specific research emphases include: improving food nutrition, quality and flavor, developing novel functional food ingredients and products for promoting human health, packaging design and use of advanced technologies to identify and control food-borne disease causing organisms.

Individual graduate programs are customized with the advisor to emphasize food safety/microbiology, biochemistry, food chemistry, or packaging. Home college: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Foreign Languages, Cultures, and Literatures (FLCL)

This program is designed to meet the needs of students seeking academic and other professional careers in contexts that require intercultural competency as well as a specialized knowledge of Spanish and/or French.

Program pages:

French and Francophone Studies

Hispanic Studies

Multilingual Studies

Forest Products (Sustainable Biomaterials) (SBIO)

We provide educational and research opportunities in the areas of sustainable biomaterials, spanning the range from nanotechnology and the basic science of wood and other renewable materials, through processing, manufacturing, marketing, management, and competitiveness aspects of the various biomaterials industries.

Some of our research is done in concert with our faculty-directed research centers and is supported by these Centers and their external cooperators. General areas of degree specialization within our graduate program include: Forest Products Marketing, Non-Timber Forest Products, Packaging Science, Pallet and Container Design, Wood Engineering, Wood Performance in Structures, Composites, Adhesion, Wood Formation, Cell Wall Architecture, Bio-Materials, Lumber Drying and Processing, Lean Manufacturing, Wood Industry Management, Packaging for Modern Supply Chains, Packaging and Unit Load Design

Degrees: MS/MF, Ph.D.

Forestry (FOR)

The Department of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation is one of the leading programs in natural resource management in the United States. Our teaching and research focus on the latest applications to uncover the science needed to manage forests and other natural resources. Our programs are diverse and approach critical natural resource issues from many disciplinary perspectives.

Home college: Natural Resources and Environment

Degrees: MF/MS, Ph.D.

Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (GBCB)

The Genetics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology (GBCB) program was established in 2003. Its goal is to provide an educational environment that enables students to apply quantitative methods in computer science, mathematics, and statistics to all areas of the life sciences. To facilitate this experience, students choose one of the program tracks (life sciences, computer science, mathematics, statistics) as their primary track, with the other areas as secondary tracks.

Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program

Geography (GEOG)

The M.S. degree develops specialists for academic, agency, and industry positions through emphasis on geographic analysis, identifying debates and gaps in the current literature to define an original research question, and conducting research, collecting primary or secondary data, defending and presenting findings in publishable form. The interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis focuses on research involving Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Global Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, and imagery analysis. 

Geosciences (GEOS)

Virginia Tech's Department of Geosciences focuses on research, education, and outreach dealing with the nature of the earth. Our students and faculty investigate earth processes at scales that range from atomic to planetary.

Geospatial and Environmental Analysis (GEA)

The interdisciplinary doctoral program in Geospatial and Environmental Analysis focuses on the application of geospatial analysis for improving the science, management, and conservation of natural resources and the environment. Based in the College of Natural Resources and Environment, the program draws upon the expertise of faculty from the Departments of Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Geography, Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences, and Wood Science and Forest Products, as well as from those in departments in other colleges, including Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences, Civil and Environmental Engineering, and Biological Systems Engineering.

Government and International Affairs (GIA)

The analysis of government and international affairs during the 21st century clearly constitutes a complex and interdisciplinary set of challenges. To be effective, such study requires knowledge from all of the social sciences and humanities.

This program draws insights from these areas of learning into the multidimensional study of governance processes in all levels of society and international affairs.

School: School of Public and International Affairs

Degrees: MPIA

Location: Blacksburg; Greater Washington, D.C. metro area

History (HIST)

The program provides students with advanced training in the professional practice of historical research and pedagogy. The program serves three primary constituencies: students preparing for further graduate work at the doctoral level, those who wish to become secondary school educators, and those planning for careers in a range of public history fields.

Horticulture (HORT)

The Department of Horticulture has an active graduate program and also participates in multiple interdisciplinary graduate groups. Home college: College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Human Development (HD)

All graduate programs in the Department of Human Development and Family Science integrate research-based knowledge with human-based values.

We promote the quality of life of our society's most basic elements—individuals, families, and communities. We value collaboration, inclusion, equity, empowerment, passion, and celebration in our work.

Program option pages:

Adult Development and Aging

Child and Adolescent Development

Family Studies

Marriage and Family Therapy (Ph.D.)

Marriage and Family Therapy (M.S., at the Northern Virginia Center) 

Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise (HNFE)

We offer one of the few graduate programs in the country that combines nutrition, foods, and exercise and emphasizes translational research. Our mission is to discover, translate, and disseminate health-related advances in the nutrition, food, and exercise sciences.

The work of the faculty and graduate students in our department contributes significantly to scientific progress through molecular and clinical advances leading to prevention and improved treatment of obesity and chronic diseases; behavioral discoveries that lead to effective intervention programs for youth and adults; and interdisciplinary research teams who speed the translation of scientific discoveries to effective therapeutic and public health interventions that will benefit Virginians and the nation.

Degrees: MS, MSND, Ph.D.

Individual Interdisciplinary Ph.D. (IPHD)

The Individual Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program (iPhD) is designed to prepare exceptional graduate students who wish to pursue and attain an individually customized interdisciplinary doctoral degree. The purpose of the iPhD is to provide an option for highly qualified students whose educational goals are uniquely interdisciplinary and cannot be met by a single discipline from a degree granting academic unit at Virginia Tech. The iPhD offers a distinctive opportunity for students seeking a breadth of knowledge, in addition to disciplinary depth, not available within one discipline. The iPhD program is intended for doctoral training requiring participation, collaboration, and integration from two or more academic units representing different disciplines.

Home college: the Graduate School

Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE)

Industrial engineering is concerned with the design, development, improvement, implementation and evaluation of integrated work systems comprised of people, information and knowledge, equipment, energy, materials, and processes. The industrial and systems engineering department utilizes innovative and creative practices and technologies to achieve the highest quality of instruction and student learning.

Location: Blacksburg, Leesburg, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, Hampton Roads, Richmond, Roanoke, Southwest Virginia, online

Information Technology (IT)

Virginia Tech's Online Master of Information Technology program will put students in touch with the latest developments in information technology. This unique interdisciplinary program is offered jointly by the  Pamplin College of Business  and the  College of Engineering.  Designed for the working professional, the program’s flexible online format will help students juggle classes, professional, and family priorities.

Degrees: MIT

Location: online

Landscape Architecture (LAR)

The Landscape Architecture Program is committed to discovering, developing, and disseminating knowledge related to the discipline and profession of landscape architecture.

Our educational approach stresses discovery-based learning and research, wherein students assume a significant level of responsibility for directing and pursuing their own education and the development of their plan of study.

Degrees: MLA, Ph.D.

Life Sciences (LFSC)

This degree program has seven areas of concentration: 

• Location: Blacksburg, Virtual 

Home college : Agriculture and Life Sciences

Macromolecular Science and Engineering (MACR)

The Macromolecular Science and Engineering graduate programs are interdepartmental, intercollegiate graduate degrees focused on polymer science and engineering.

Material Culture & Public Humanities (MCP)

This cross-disciplinary degree with two interrelated emphases shares common intellectual issues and employment goals. Material culture is the study of material or physical objects, as well as the placement of those objects in critical, theoretical and historical perspectives as the products of distinct cultures. Public humanities bridges the divide between academia and the public by encouraging dialogue between scholars and communities on cultural and social issues. This program prepares graduates to interpret material culture and engage communities with humanities issues within informed historical/cultural frameworks, so they are prepared for a wide range of careers in museums, historical societies, and community and cultural organizations.

Material Science and Engineering (MSE)

The Materials Science and Engineering programs offer emphasize  teaching and research in metals, ceramics, polymers, electronic materials, biomaterials, and composites.

Mathematics (MATH)

The Department of Mathematics at Virginia Tech offers a range of degree programs intended to educate qualified students in the burgeoning world of advanced mathematics, and to prepare them for careers in its use and development. New mathematically related career paths continue to emerge as our technology-based economy evolves, while some traditional ones seem to be declining. Those pursuing careers in teaching will need to prepare their own students to meet the challenges of this changing world. We believe that the best way to prepare for the future is to develop a foundation from which graduates can build careers in many directions, gain some experience with how a specialty is built on those foundations, and learn to use the most up-to-date tools.

Program webpage  

Mechanical Engineering (ME)

The program seeks to engage outstanding graduate students and faculty researchers to expand the range of knowledge in the mechanical engineering discipline.

Location: Blacksburg, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, Hampton Roads

Mining Engineering (MINE)

The Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering offers advanced graduate degrees designed to educate students for high-level challenges in industry, academia, and government. Graduate work may be pursued in several areas of specialization, including rock mechanics, ground control, systems analysis, health and safety, mineral and coal processing, applied surface and colloid chemistry, conservation and the environment, mining ventilation, computer modeling/simulation, automation and control, and reservoir/natural gas/shale gas engineering. Home college: College of Engineering

Natural Resources (NR)

The Master of Natural Resources degree programs prepare students for employment and career opportunities in environmental conservation and sustainability development, especially new jobs emerging in an increasingly global, urban, and interconnected world. Home college: College of Natural Resources and the Environment

Degrees: MNR

Location: Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, online

Neuroscience (NEUR)

Our Ph.D. students will apply the fundamentals of brain functioning in states of health and disease to new neuroscience discovery. We aim to provide students with a deep understanding of the structure and function of the brain and nervous system, the brain in healthy and diseased states across the lifespan, and the most relevant neurotechnology approaches and tools needed to investigate the brain and nervous system. Our students will learn how to conduct neuroscience research, how that research applies to healthy brain development and functioning, and how these processes go awry in neurological disorders.

Nuclear Engineering (NE)

The nuclear engineering program at Virginia Tech is a multi-disciplinary program with activities in nuclear power, nuclear nonproliferation and security, radiation therapy and diagnostics, and nuclear policy. The program utilizes its main campus in Blacksburg, and campuses at the Virginia Tech Research Center in Arlington, Virginia, and the Center for Advanced Engineering in Lynchburg, Virginia, for offering education, research and outreach activities.

Location: Blacksburg, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, Hampton Roads, Richmond, Southwest Virginia

Ocean Engineering (OE)

Ocean engineering deals with the design of ships of all types. The field is often called naval architecture. It involves fluid mechanics, propulsion, structures, vehicle dynamics, and marine engineering. The curriculum culminates in an international award-winning design sequence in which students design a complete ship.

Philosophy (PHIL)

The Department of Philosophy's program is one of the top terminal master of arts degree programs in philosophy in the United States. We offer core graduate training in philosophy in the broadly analytic tradition, with particular strengths in the history and philosophy of science and in ethics, social and political philosophy. Home college: College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Physics (PHYS)

The Department of Physics offers program coursework and research leading to M.S. (thesis optional) and Ph.D. degrees. The Department has internationally recognized excellence in experimental and/or theoretical aspects of astronomical, biological, condensed matter, nuclear, and particle physics. 

Planning, Governance, and Globalization (PGG)

This doctoral program draws insights from the social sciences and humanities into the multidimensional study of governance processes in all levels of society and international affairs. The faculty and students work jointly to cultivate their experience, knowledge, and skill with regard to the governance practices, political institutions, social dynamics, cultural values, workplace conditions, spatial formations, historical trends, and ethical conflicts that intersect in the workings of government, business, and not-for-profit organizations.

Plant Pathology, Physiology, and Weed Science (PPWS)

The core mission of Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science is to optimize plant productivity and quality by limiting the impact of biotic and abiotic stresses on the profitability of crops and other plant enterprises, as well as the impact of these stresses on natural and agricultural ecosystems.

Political Science (PSCI)

We prepare students to understand domestic and international affairs. Our areas of focus include national security and foreign policy, legal studies, environmental affairs, world politics and policy, global development, and international business.

We offer an online or residential master's degree program, which provides students with a firm foundation in the discipline and research methods. We offer graduate certificates in environmental politics and policy, foundations of political analysis, security studies, and information, policy, and society. 

Psychology (PSYC)

Our department is dedicated to excellence, discovery, diversity of ideas and people, and the university’s motto of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve). Our outstanding faculty engage in interdisciplinary research collaborations that advance knowledge in several key areas, such as clinical science, developmental science, industrial and organizational psychology, and biological psychology. Our students immerse themselves in hands-on learning and research alongside our faculty to address a wide range of human behavior, mental processes, and societal challenges.

Public Administration and Public Affairs (PAPA)

This program prepares scholars for university faculty careers, and prepares scholars and administrators for policy-making and senior management positions and it engages practitioners and graduate students in research in a range of fields.

Degrees: MPA, Ph.D.

Location: Blacksburg, Greater Washington, D.C. metro area, Richmond

Public Health (PH)

The Master of Public Health (MPH) is a professional degree that prepares graduates to practice public health in local, state, regional, national, and global settings.

Degrees: MPH

Rhetoric and Writing (RW)

Our program focuses on rhetoric in society. We study language use and rhetorical activity in public, academic, corporate, and governmental settings in a collective effort to engage pressing social and cultural issues from the perspective of rhetoric and writing studies.

Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Science and Technology Studies (STS) is a growing field that draws on the full range of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities to examine the ways that science and technology shape, and are shaped by, our society, politics, and culture. We study contemporary controversies, historical transformations, policy dilemmas, and broad philosophical questions.

Science and Technology Studies  (Ph.D.)

Science and Technology in Society  (M.S.)

Sociology (SOC)

We focus on critical issues in the United States and the increasingly inter-connected world. A solid grounding in theory and methods constitute the core of our graduate programs. Under our broad umbrella of interests having to do with quality of life, inequality, and work and technology, students specialize in such areas as health, crime/deviance, gender, race, aging, sexuality, and culture. In addition, students may specialize in interdisciplinary Africana Studies or Women's and Gender Studies.

Africana Studies  (M.S.)

Africana Studies  (Ph.D.)

Sociology  (M.S.)

Sociology  (Ph.D.)

Women's and Gender Studies  (M.S.)

Women's and Gender Studies  (Ph.D.)

Statistics (STAT)

Our graduate programs specialize in training students in statistical theory balanced with extensive applications including practical experience via our collaboration and consulting program. The 18-month master's degree program is a model of the time-efficient education of statisticians while the doctoral program allows candidates to specialize in General Statistical Methodology and Theory; Statistics for Business, Government, and Industry; Biostatistics; Computational Statistics; or Environmental Statistics.

Theatre Arts (TA)

Grounded in artistic curiosity and experimentation, our Master of Fine Arts in Theatre is a three-year program providing professional training through a personalized tutorial-based curriculum. All accepted students receive an assistantship and a full tuition waiver.

School: School of Performing Arts)

Degree: MFA

Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health (TBMH)

Our research-intensive, multidisciplinary Ph.D. program in the biomedical and health sciences emphasizes the concept of “translational science” across multiple levels of inquiry. We bring together students from the life, behavioral, physical, engineering, and computational sciences to consider today’s major health challenges.

Through an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum, this program will prepare the next generation of scientific leaders to make and translate discoveries into preventions, diagnostics, treatments, cures and healthier behaviors. Interdisciplinary Academic Program

Urban and Regional Planning (URPL)

This program has a dual objective of training graduates for their first planning job, and more importantly instilling conceptual and critical thinking necessary for lifelong learning and career development.

Degrees: MURP

Accelerated Master's Degree Programs

Several degree-granting programs offer approved accelerated master's degree programs are for Virginia Tech undergraduate students who are interested in pursuing graduate studies at Virginia Tech. Visit the Accelerated Master's Degree Programs page to learn more.

Non-degree granting interdisciplinary graduate education research programs (IGEPS)

The following interdisciplinary programs promote and sustain interdisciplinary graduate education and research across programs and colleges. More than 300 graduate students participate in the programs annually. To learn more, visit the Interdisciplinary Graduate Education programs webpages .

Bio-inspired Buildings (BBD)

Also known as BioBuild, this doctoral interdisciplinary research program answers the pressing societal need for professionals with the interdisciplinary expertise necessary to develop buildings and communities that are, in fact, bio-inspired.

Students earn Ph.D. degrees in their home departments

Biological Transport

The Biological Transport program aims to prepare future leaders of industrial and academic research to think, collaborate, and solve problems at the intersection of the engineering and biological sciences.

The program is based on a systematic process of increasingly interdisciplinary coursework, student interaction, community development, and cross-disciplinary research experience, including ethics and professional development training.

Interdisicplinary Graduate Education Program

Computational Tissue Engineering (CTE)

The goal of this program is to define the field of Computational Tissue Engineering, wherein seamlessly intertwined computational and experimental models will drive the next generation of advances in tissue engineering. Our vision is that predictive computational models will drive novel experimental analyses of engineered tissues, while the demands of tissue engineering will inspire novel analysis frameworks in computational science.

Disaster Resilience (DRM)

The primary goal of our collaborative effort is to prepare graduate students to become thought leaders in promoting resilience concerns in a wide variety of disciplines.

Focusing on the trans-disciplinary paradigm, our effort leverages the strengths of several world-class academic units at Virginia Tech to produce a well-rounded understanding of the full complexity of disaster risk, resilience, and mitigation.

Our approach concentrates on investigating the main drivers of vulnerabilities, recognizing their complex interactions, and generating informed risk minimization strategies.

Students earn Ph.D. degrees in their home departments, which must be core participating departments for this program

Human Centered Design (HCD)

Human Centered Design is an approach to design charged with understanding the needs, wants, and limitations of end-users. This is accomplished through methodologies and practices where these considerations are integrated at every stage of the design process.

Our program creates novel learning and discovery opportunities that are needed to train the future professoriate, workforce, professionals and civic leaders.

Infectious Disease

The Interdisciplinary Graduate Education Program (IGEP) in Infectious Disease (ID), in collaboration with academic departments and programs, trains graduate students with a broad scientific perspective in infectious disease. 

Interfaces of Global Change (IGC)

The five greatest anthropogenic threats to global health and biodiversity include habitat loss, pollution, climate change, disease, and the introduction of non-native species.

The Interfaces of Global Change program addresses the multidimensional aspects of global change. Our goal is for each program Fellow to gain depth in their specific scientific area of expertise, while simultaneously gaining breadth in the multifaceted realm of global change and the science-policy interface.

Students receive their Ph.D. degree from their home department, but they focus on global change and the science-policy interface.

Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB)

The Molecular and Cellular Biology (MCB) program is an interdisciplinary program with faculty from six departments across the Virginia Tech campus as well as from the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute. Incoming students may choose research projects from four research areas: Cell Signaling and Cancer, Inflammation and Immunity, Microbiology, and Neurobiology. The vision of the MCB program is to develop and cultivate an inclusive environment that advances scientific curiosity, learning, and creativity; that values ethical conduct; that encourages community outreach and involvement; and that emboldens independent thinking and collaborations alike. Students earn Ph.D. degrees in their home departments

Regenerative Medicine (RM)

Regenerative medicine is a medical approach that seeks to restore both structure and function of tissues lost to injury, disease or congenital defects. This field incorporates use of stem cells, proteins that stimulate healing, and engineered biomaterials to help cure diseases from diabetes to osteoarthritis.

Regenerative strategies are modeled on mechanisms drawn from embryonic development and naturally-occurring examples of regeneration. This field represents a paradigm shift in biology, medicine and biomedical engineering.

Remote Sensing (RSS)

In today’s changing world, Earth system research, ranging from terrestrial ecosystem processes to ionosphere dynamics, requires an integrative and broad-scale perspective. We address this need through a Remote Sensing graduate program that prepares students not only in the science of the Earth system, but also in the engineering, data analytics, and social science perspectives required for the next generation of Ph.D. scientists to work at the cutting edge of scientific inquiry.

Sustainable Nanotechnology (SUN)

Sustainable Nanotechnology, or VT SuN, is a multi-department, interdisciplinary research center focused on advancing nanoscale science and engineering research and education with an emphasis on sustainability. We develop nanoscale technologies and leverage these technologies to help remedy global sustainability challenges in areas such as clean air and water, waste minimization, environmental remediation, food safety, and renewable energy.

Translational Obesity Research (TOR)

The Translational Obesity Research program brings together faculty and students from diverse disciplines to work together to address one of today’s most pressing public health problems: obesity prevention and treatment.

Our overarching goal is to train the next generation of obesity researchers to conduct innovative research that integrates and translates knowledge of the etiology, pathophysiology and management of obesity with behavioral, environmental, economic, and social contextual information to improve the health and well-being of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the nation.

Translational Plant Science (TPS)

Translational Plant Science is the process through which knowledge from basic research on plant genetics and genomics is used to improve agricultural productivity. The central goals of this program are to create a new training model to prepare molecular plant scientists to function along the bench-to-marketplace pipeline, and to catalyze interdisciplinary research to address challenges in food security, plants as biofactories, and biomass.

Water INTERface (WI)

This interdisciplinary group of faculty and graduate students is united by a central focus of "Water for Health", spanning from "pipes to people." Clean water is a common topic discussed in many classrooms and research laboratories, yet the complexity of societal issues related to water shortages, purity, and quality, which influence water consumption and its role in human health, highlights the need for increased interdisciplinary dialog and problem-solving capabilities. This program unites graduate students and faculty in addressing technical and societal challenges of transforming low-quality water resources into clean water for healthy living.

Location: Blacksburg, National Capital Region

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• Online Doctoral Programs

Online Doctoral Programs Discover what online doctoral programs Liberty has to offer!

Become a Leader in Your Field with an Online Doctoral Degree from Liberty University

If you’re considering an online doctoral degree, then your career goals probably include a role in leadership, research, or education. Doctoral, postgraduate, and specialist programs are all excellent ways for you to advance in your career and become a subject matter expert, a professor, or a professional researcher. With 100+ doctoral, postgraduate, and specialist degrees to choose from, Liberty can help make your aspirations a reality.

We offer each of our online PhD programs, professional doctorates, and postgraduate degrees in an online format, and most can be completed 100% online. This allows you to stay active in your career, with your family, and in your community while reaching the pinnacle of academic achievement. We also primarily offer courses in an 8-week format with 8 different start dates each year and no set login times, so you have the opportunity to complete your classes at your own pace and on your schedule.

Additionally, some programs may require on-campus intensives, so you can explore our campus while connecting in-person with your classmates and professors. Some degree programs also have required practicums or internships that allow you to gain hands-on experience in your own community.

At Liberty, our mission is to  Train Champions for Christ . We want to help prepare you to influence the world as a leader, educator, and expert. As you partner with us to reach your career goals, we’ll seek to provide you with the knowledge, tools, and resources you need to meet those goals.

Ranked in the Top 10% of Niche.com’s Best Online Schools in America

• What Sets Us Apart?
• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Available Doctoral Degrees Online

Aeronautics.

• Aviation (PhD)

Arts and Sciences

• History (PhD)

Behavioral Sciences

• Marriage and Family Counseling
• Pastoral Care and Counseling
• Traumatology
• Counselor Education and Supervision (PhD)
• Behavioral Health Leadership
• Developmental Psychology
• General Psychology
• Industrial/Organizational Psychology
• Social Psychology
• Entrepreneurship
• Executive Coaching
• Supply Chain and Logistics
• Healthcare Management
• Human Resources
• Information Systems
• International Business
• Nonprofit Leadership and Management
• Project Management
• Real Estate Development
• Strategic Management
• Strategic Media and Digital Content
• Supply Chain Management and Logistics
• Tourism Management
• Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)

Communication and the Arts

• Communication (PhD)
• Strategic Media (PhD)
• Applied Apologetics (PhD)
• Bible Exposition (PhD)
• Church Revitalization
• Digital Discipleship
• Faith-Based Consulting
• Ministry Leadership
• Next Generation Ministry
• Spiritual Formation
• Strategic Christian Ministry
• Biblical Studies
• Discipleship
• Evangelism and Church Planting
• Expository Preaching and Teaching
• Pastoral Counseling
• Theology and Apologetics
• Urban Ministry
• Christian Apologetics
• Church History
• Global Studies
• Practical Theology (PhD)
• Curriculum and Instruction
• Educational Leadership
• Instructional Design and Technology
• Special Education
• Administration and Supervision – Educational Leadership
• Curriculum and Instruction – Educational Psychology
• Curriculum and Instruction – Elementary Education
• Curriculum and Instruction – General
• Curriculum and Instruction – Instructional Design and Technology
• Curriculum and Instruction – Middle Grades Education
• Curriculum and Instruction – Online Teaching and Learning
• Curriculum and Instruction – Secondary Education
• Curriculum and Instruction – Special Education
• Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation
• Higher Education Administration – Educational Leadership
• Higher Education Administration – Organizational Leadership
• Higher Education Administration – Student Affairs
• Educational Law
• Organizational Leadership
• Educational Research
• Higher Education Administration
• Educational Leadership (PhD)
• Educational Research (PhD)
• Assessment and Evaluation
• Student Affairs
• Homeland Security
• Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP)
• Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)
• Public Administration (PhD)
• Chinese Affairs
• Economic Policy
• Education Policy
• Foreign Policy
• National Security Policy
• Social Policy

Health Sciences

• Leadership and Policy
• Exercise and Sport Science
• Healthcare Leadership
• Trauma-Informed Care
• Law and Policy (DLP)
• Christian Worship (PhD)
• Doctor of Music Education (DME)
• Ethnomusicology
• General (No Cognate)
• Music Education (PhD)
• Family Nurse Practitioner (Post-BSN)
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Post-BSN)
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Post-MSN)
• Nursing Education (PhD)

Benefits of Liberty’s Online Doctoral Programs

Here are just some of the benefits of choosing Liberty for your online degree:

• Affordability  | Your success is our success, which is why we’re committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years — and counting.
• Credibility  | Liberty University is regionally accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ) and holds some of the highest programmatic accreditation for the  School of Nursing  (CCNE),  School of Business  (ACBSP),  School of Music  (NASM),  Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools  (ATS), and  School of Behavioral Sciences  (CACREP).
• Flexibility  | Liberty’s online courses are mainly offered in a flexible, 8-week course format with 8 different start dates throughout the year.
• Expert Instructors  | Our faculty have years of experience in their fields, and they are committed to helping you thrive spiritually, academically, and professionally. With their guidance, you’ll receive real-world knowledge and experience in your virtual classroom.
• Student Support  | Academic advisors and a technical support team are here to assist you from day one. We’ll be available to you from the admission process through graduation.

Not sure what to choose?

Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.

Value of Degree

Earning a terminal degree is both an invaluable experience and a rewarding investment. Throughout your program, you can learn advanced techniques and knowledge within your field to help you excel professionally while leading others. Additionally, hands-on experience is available in most of our programs, and you’ll have the opportunity to complete independent research, making you a subject matter expert. Take a look below to find out why you should pursue your doctorate.

Return on Investment

What are the rewards? With a doctoral degree, you could receive a median  salary that’s higher  than your professional counterparts with only a master’s degree, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – learn more . What may initially feel like a sacrifice is actually a wise investment that could increase your potential for earning an advanced position, a leadership role, and/or a higher salary. PhD degrees online and other doctoral degrees are an investment of both time and money — but obtaining one can help enrich your life. While you spend time studying, researching, and writing throughout your degree, you can find great personal and professional satisfaction along the way.

Employment Opportunities

If the purpose of pursuing your doctoral degree is to gain new employment, you’re on the right track. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates an increase in entry-level positions  that require applicants to have a doctoral degree – learn more .** Plus, your doctoral degree can help make you a more qualified candidate than someone with a master’s. If you haven’t started yet, don’t worry. Liberty University offers 100+ online doctoral degrees in a variety of areas and career fields. Our doctoral programs are designed to help give you a professional edge — whatever your calling may be.

Convenience

Chances are you’re a working professional with a home, a family, and an active social life. What if you could pursue your degree while still working full time? Or take classes without moving your family across the country or the globe? By earning your doctorate online, you’ll have the opportunity to reap all the benefits of higher education, advanced training, and scholarly research without pausing your life. You can  complete classes on your own time and at your own pace  while maintaining your professional and social relationships.

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at  Earnings and unemployment rates by educational attainment, 2020  (viewed online Sept. 10, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

**Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at  Employment, wages, and projected change in employment by typical entry-level education  (viewed online Sept. 10, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Why Choose One of Liberty University’s Online PhD Programs, Professional Doctorates Online, or Postgraduate Degrees?

You believe in leadership excellence. So do we. That’s why at Liberty University, we can help you become an essential contributor to your field and the kind of leader who inspires others. By pursuing one of Liberty’s online doctoral programs, you can prepare to impact your profession as an innovative thinker, industry leader, and respected expert.

If you’ve already earned an accredited master’s degree and want to flourish at the top of your career field, then one of Liberty University’s online doctoral programs or postgraduate degrees may be right for you. You’ll find that an online PhD, EdD, DNP, DBA, or other advanced degree may not only increase your salary potential — it could also help boost your job performance. Whether you’re in academia or the private sector, Liberty offers numerous accredited online doctoral programs that can help you become a leader in your field.

As a university committed to both excellence and integrity, Liberty University is one of the premier colleges offering online degrees. We understand that life doesn’t stop when you go back to school, so our online doctoral programs vary in format, depending on your degree. Most of our doctoral and postgraduate degrees are 100% online, and only a few require on-campus visits.

Most of the on-campus requirements are completed through one or more intensives — week-long classes held on our beautiful Lynchburg, Va., campus — that supplement your online classes. Intensives are rich opportunities for you to network, connect with your professors and classmates, and enjoy all the benefits of being a Liberty University student on campus. Intensives are typically offered multiple times per year for your convenience.

Compare Liberty to the Competition

Liberty University’s award-winning, flexible, low-cost programs offer you great value for your time and money. Find out how Liberty compares to the competition today!

Information about Liberty’s Doctoral Degree Programs

Liberty University offers a diverse array of doctoral degree programs designed to help advance your expertise and career in various fields. These programs are crafted to help equip students with profound knowledge and practical skills through rigorous coursework, comprehensive research, and real-world application.

• The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years.* While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university.
• Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ).
• Our online PhD programs and other doctorates are primarily offered in 8-week courses with 8 different start dates each year and no set login times.
• Most of our doctoral programs are 100% online. Some programs also have required residential intensives, which provide opportunities for you to visit our beautiful campus, study in our state-of-the-art facilities, and build your professional network.

*Please note: Beginning Spring 2022, tuition for Liberty’s PMHNP programs will increase. Current students who have already matriculated may be eligible for grandfathered rates. For questions, please contact Academic Advising.

What Will You Study in Our Online Doctoral Programs?

By pursuing one of Liberty’s online PhD programs or doctoral degrees, you can learn how to solve problems and recognize potential growth opportunities in your field. Every postgraduate and doctoral program — from counseling and education to nursing and divinity — can help strengthen your skills in research, data analysis, writing, and the application of theory to real-world scenarios.

At Liberty, we strive to be one of the most affordable online colleges in the world, and our reputation for upholding rigorous academic standards is widely recognized. You’ll work hard for your doctorate degree — and be glad that you did.

What can an Online Doctoral Degree Program do for Your Career?

A doctoral degree is a terminal degree — the highest level of education for a particular area of study. Completing a PhD program or one of our other doctoral degrees can give you a level of discipline and specialized knowledge that can not only help equip you for a leadership position in fields like education, counseling, business, and ministry, but can also help make you an attractive hire to many employers.

In highly competitive fields, certain positions go exclusively to applicants with doctoral degrees. As more and more employers seek candidates with terminal degrees to fill top positions, the demand for quality, flexible education is growing. You no longer have to choose between becoming one of those candidates and maintaining your current work-life balance — you can start one of our doctoral programs without leaving home. Liberty’s online doctoral programs allow you to further your career without putting your life on hold.

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i get a doctoral degree online.

Yes! At Liberty University, we offer 100+ postgraduate degrees, professional doctorates, and PhD programs online. Most of these programs are available 100% online with no set login times. That means you can stay invested in your family, job, and community while working toward your degree. As long as your assignments are completed by their respective due dates, you can complete your coursework on your schedule — whenever it’s most convenient for you.

Liberty has been a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, so we know what it takes to create online degrees that blend flexibility, accessibility, and high-quality academics. Throughout your online doctoral program, you’ll have easy access to textbooks, syllabi, videos, and more as you complete your assignments. Our professors are also available to answer any questions you may have, and they are excited to partner with you as you take this next step in your academic journey.

While the majority of our doctorates are offered 100% online, some programs — such as our post-BSN DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and DNP in Family Nurse Practitioner — also have required  on-campus intensives . That means most of your courses will be completed online, and you’ll travel to our campus in Lynchburg, Va., for the remaining few courses.

Additionally, our PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision is an intensive-based program, which means many of the courses are on-campus intensives. Residential intensives give you the exciting opportunity to visit our campus and connect in-person with other professionals in your program.

At Liberty, we’re committed to providing degrees that meet your unique learning style. Whether you’re seeking a 100% online program or want to take some in-person courses, we have what you need!

Can I pursue a doctorate without a master’s?

Most of our doctoral degrees online require a master’s degree for admission to help ensure that you are ready for doctoral-level coursework. However, both our post-BSN DNP in Family Nurse Practitioner and our post-BSN DNP in Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner allow you to apply with only a bachelor’s degree! These 2 programs cover the foundational and advanced topics needed to help you seamlessly transition from an undergraduate program to a doctoral degree.

Are online doctoral programs credible?

If you’re like many students, you’re probably wondering whether an online doctoral degree program offers the same rigor and credibility as a residential degree. As long as you select a university and/or program that is accredited, you can be confident that your online doctorate will hold weight as a respected, advanced educational credential.

Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ) to award associate, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. Our faculty members are well-respected leaders in their fields who use their expertise to help further your proficiency in research, examination, and application of your knowledge. Whether you pursue an online PhD, EdD, DBA, DMin, or any of our other doctoral programs, you can gain valuable knowledge as you develop into a leader of distinction.

Additionally, many of our schools have achieved programmatic accreditation, including the following:

• Liberty University’s PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs ( CACREP ).
• Liberty University’s School of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs ( ACBSP ).
• Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity DMin, EdD, and ThM programs are accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of  ATS , the Association of Theological Schools.
• All of our School of Education initial and advanced licensure programs are accredited by the  Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation ( CAEP ) .
• Liberty University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Music ( NASM ).
• The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and the postgraduate APRN certificate program at Liberty University School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).

How many years is a doctoral degree?

One question you likely have as you research doctoral programs is “How long does it take to get a doctoral degree?” That depends on the exact program you choose. Our shortest doctoral program is the Doctor of Ministry (DMin), which only has 30 credit hours, and our longest doctorate is the DNP in Family Nurse Practitioner at 78 credit hours. Additionally, our postgraduate programs (the EdS and ThM) are 30 credit hours long.

In general, our online doctoral programs can be completed in 2-3 years while our postgraduate degrees can take as little as 1 year. You can also potentially transfer in up to 50% of your postgraduate or doctoral credits — so you can finish your degree even faster! Our carefully planned, suggested course sequences can help you maximize your time and keep your total tuition costs down while ensuring that you get the most out of your classes.

What types of doctoral degrees are available?

We offer 3 main types of degrees at the postgraduate and doctoral levels. Each is designed to help you gain the knowledge and skills that are most applicable to your career goals. Below you’ll find a list of these degrees and what they can offer you!

Postgraduate degrees  – Our Education Specialist (EdS) and Master of Theology (ThM) degrees are postgraduate programs, which means they are a step above a master’s and a step below a doctorate. These programs require a completed master’s degree for admission and are a great option if you’re not ready to pursue a full doctoral program.

In some cases, you may find that a postgraduate program provides the training and skills you need to pursue your career goals without requiring you to complete a full doctorate. Our postgraduate degrees can also set you on the fast track to acquiring new expertise while equipping you to pursue a doctoral degree later on down the road.

Professional doctorates  – We offer a wide variety of professional doctorates in many different subject areas — including business, government, divinity, nursing, and music. A professional doctorate is designed for working professionals who want to solve real-world problems in their field and gain new knowledge and skills that are directly applicable to their industry.

Professional doctoral programs still provide training in advanced research methods, but the focus is on how this research can be used to address practical challenges in a variety of settings. Some of the degrees that fall under this category include the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL), Doctor of Law and Policy (DLP), Doctor of Public Administration (DPA), Doctor of Ministry (DMin), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), and Doctor of Worship Studies (DWS).

Research/academic doctorates  – If you’re interested in a career as a researcher or university professor, an academic doctorate may be the best path forward for you. PhDs typically fall under this category. These research-focused, theory-based degrees are ideal for those seeking roles in the world of academia. By completing an academic doctorate, you’ll have the chance to contribute to high-level scholarship, address gaps in the current literature, and add to the existing body of research in your field. Liberty offers PhDs in a wide range of subjects, including education, criminal justice, heath sciences, Bible exposition, communication, history, psychology, and more!

What if I’m not ready to pursue a full doctoral degree?

Maybe you want to take doctoral-level courses but don’t yet have time to complete a full degree. If so, we have just what you need! We offer a variety of Executive Certificates that are only 21 credit hours long. Each certificate can stand on its own as a professional development credential while also helping you build credit toward a doctoral degree. You can roll your certificate credits into the corresponding doctorate, allowing you to start a full doctoral degree whenever you’re ready.

If you’re a military student, our Executive Certificates are an especially great option for you. When you pursue an Executive Certificate, you can receive our discounted  $300/credit hour  military rate both during the certificate and later during a doctoral degree.*

Check out a list of our  available Executive Certificates  to find the best program for you!

*In order to retain the $300/credit hour rate, the doctoral degree must be started within 2 years of completing the Executive Certificate.

Do online diplomas say “online”?

No — our diplomas do not indicate whether a degree was completed online or on campus. When you complete an online doctoral program, your diploma will simply state that you earned your degree from Liberty University. This helps emphasize the fact that our online programs hold the same credibility and value as our residential programs. By earning an online degree, you’ll have the flexibility to complete your coursework on your schedule while experiencing the same rigor as you would in a traditional, on-campus doctorate.

Additionally, when you graduate from a doctoral program online at Liberty, you’ll have the opportunity to participate in our  Commencement  ceremony and degree presentation ceremonies. That way, you can visit our campus and walk with the rest of your class as you receive your diploma!

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Doctor of Education in Leadership

Quick facts.

School: School of Education

Mode: Entirely Online

Next Start Date:

Total Classes:

Weeks Per Class:

Total Credit Hours: 48

The Ed.D. in leadership is a 48-hour, 36-month program which centers on  action-oriented  andragogy and curriculum, includes the application of theory and research, and focuses on addressing practitioners’ problems of practice, culminating in a  collaborative group Capstone study the final year in the program.

The Department of Educational Leadership is a member of the  Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate  (CPED)  which ascribes to six critical guiding principles for Ed.D. Programs.

The EdD online program offers engaging and collaborative learning designed to accommodate the lives of our students, who are working professionals leading in a variety of organizations. We do this via a choice of in-person learning or online learning comprised of interactive lessons students can complete within dedicated timeframes and synchronous discussions via online conferencing platforms.

To build relationships and support for success in the program, all EdD students attend three face-to-face, on campus Saturday sessions in their first summer and two face-to-face on campus Saturday sessions in the 2nd summer.

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The University of Virginia

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The University of Virginia graduate student experience couples the resources of a large state university, with the mentorship of a personalized program. With more than a hundred advanced degrees to choose from, our graduate students take advantage of one-on-one attention with world-class faculty, state-of-the art facilities and the highest caliber academics. 

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Master’s Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

Students in a Graduate or First-Professional Degree Program

A World of Opportunity

Taking a Hard Look at Rollovers

The University has always fostered close mentoring relationships between students and faculty. Today, we improve upon this longstanding approach by pairing it with meaningful opportunities for development, including career advising, internships, cross-disciplinary research initiatives and fellowships.

Doctor of Philosophy in Data Science

Developing future pioneers in data science

The School of Data Science at the University of Virginia is committed to educating the next generation of data science leaders. The Ph.D. in Data Science is designed to impart the skills and knowledge necessary to enable research and discovery in data science methods. Because the end goal is to extract knowledge and enable discovery from complex data, the program also boasts robust applied training that is geared toward interdisciplinary collaboration. Doctoral candidates will master the computational and mathematical foundations of data science, and develop competencies in data engineering, software development, data policy and ethics. 

Doctoral students in our program apprentice with faculty and pursue advanced research in an interdisciplinary, collaborative environment that is often focused on scientific discovery via data science methods. By serving as teaching assistants for the School’s undergraduate and graduate programs, they learn to be adroit educators and hone their critical thinking and communication skills.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Pursuing a Ph.D. in Data Science will prepare you to become an expert in the field and work at the cutting edge of a new discipline. According to LinkedIn’s most recent Emerging Jobs Report, data science is booming and data scientist is one of the top three fastest growing jobs. A Ph.D. in Data Science from the University of Virginia opens career paths in academia, industry or government. Graduates of our program will:

• Understand data as a generic concept, and how data encodes and captures information
• Be fluent in modern data engineering techniques, and work with complex and large data sets
• Recognize ethical and legal issues relevant to data analytics and their impact on society 
• Develop innovative computational algorithms and novel statistical methods that transform data into knowledge
• Collaborate with research teams from a wide array of scientific fields 
• Effectively communicate methods and results to a variety of audiences and stakeholders
• Recognize the broad applicability of data science methods and models 

Graduates of the Ph.D. in Data Science will have contributed novel methodological research to the field of data science, demonstrated their work has impactful interdisciplinary applications and defended their methods in an open forum.

A Week in the Life: First-Year Ph.D. Student

Ph.D. Student Profile: Jade Preston

Ph.D. Student Profile: Beau LeBlond

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Online Learning

Virginia Tech offers a variety of online or blended programs (graduate degrees and graduate certificates) to help you achieve your educational goals.

With online learning, you can advance your career through education, enjoy flexible scheduling and smaller classes taught by faculty experts, and learn in a setting that utilizes the latest technology to provide you with the support and resources to be successful.

Virginia Tech has participated in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements since January 2015. The university affirms its commitment to ensure that courses and programs offered through this initiative provide high-quality opportunities that can help students reach their goals.

The university also welcomes students of the Southern Regional Education Board's Electronic Campus.

Department of Psychology

College of humanities and sciences, ph.d. in clinical psychology.

The Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology offered by VCU is accredited by the American Psychological Association.

The program follows the scientist-practitioner model and operates within a biopsychosocial perspective. Our goal is to train clinical psychologists in scientific principles and evidence-based theoretical models to guide the study and treatment of psychopathology for diverse groups of individuals.

Students are admitted only for full-time study toward the doctoral degree. Requirements include coursework in clinical and basic psychology, statistics and research methods, an empirical master's thesis and dissertation, at least three years of clinical practicum, and an APA-approved pre-doctoral internship. Most students spend at least five years on campus and complete their internship in their sixth year.

Concentrations

Upon admission to the program, each student is assigned a faculty member who serves as academic mentor. This student-professor pairing is based on a student’s stated interests and a faculty member’s specialty areas. Each student also is aligned with one of the two concentrations:

Behavioral Medicine

This concentration emphasizes training in clinical health psychology, prevention, program development, consultation and health promotion.

Clinical Child

This concentration focuses on developmental psychopathology and treatment of underserved youth in schools and community settings.

Practicum and Internship

Students are required to participate in at least three years of clinical practicum, including supervision by clinical faculty in an in-house psychology clinic. Beginning in the fourth year of the program, students spend 12-20 hours per week at a practicum site in the greater Richmond community. One year of off-campus practicum is required, but students may choose to add an additional year. See recent practicum placements .

In the final year of the program, students participate in a year-long internship experience. Internship is designed to enhance students' clinical skills and prepare them for work as a psychologist. See recent internship placements .

History and Accreditation

In 1971, the State Council of Higher Education approved VCU's doctoral program and the Clinical Program subsequently graduated its first doctoral student in 1975. In the same year, the  APA Committee on Accreditation  granted full approval to the clinical doctoral program, and the program has maintained fully accredited status since that time. The program was admitted to the  Academy of Psychological Clinical Science  in 1995 and is a member of the  Council of Clinical Health Psychology Training Programs .

The clinical program presently has 50-55 students at various levels of training, which accounts for more than one third of the total departmental graduate student enrollment. Since 1975, we have graduated over 285 Ph.D.s in clinical psychology who have taken faculty, staff, administrative or practitioner positions in psychology programs housed in university departments and medical schools, community mental health centers, clinics, hospitals, prisons, private practice and state departments of mental health.

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Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Top 10

Grundlagen der Geschäftsstrategie

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Gestão de produtos digitais: Princípios básicos modernos

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Fundamentals of Project Planning and Management

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Coronary Angiography Principles And Catheters

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Learn Cardiology From The ECG

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Introduction And Basics Of Image Interpretation

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M.E. of Civil Engineering

Design Thinking for Innovation

Ultrasound Artifacts 3: Miscellaneous Sources Of Artifact

Thoracic Aorta 1: Aortic Cannulation And Aneurysms

Masters Degree in Engineering in Engineering Systems and Environment

Aortic Valve 4: Aortic Valve Surgery

Opioid Prescribing: Pain Management in a New Era

Vascular Access For Radial, Brachial, Internal Jugular, And Other Sites

Les bases de la stratégie d’entreprise

2021 Cancer Prevention Web-Based Activity (CE eligible)

Dementia and Acute Coronary Syndrome

Experiencing Design: Deepening Your Design Thinking Practice

Fractional Flow Reserve Measurement

Customer Value in Pricing Strategy

Sarcoid Heart Disease

Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction

Breastfeeding Friendly Performance Improvement

Cancer Prevention

Acute Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD)

Coronary Artery Anomalies, Basics

Waveform Interpretation: Left Atrial, Aortic, Peripheral Arteries, Left Ventricular

Introduction to Personal Branding

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Masses, Pericardial And Myocardial Disease 4: Myocardial Disease

Deep Learning: A Hands-On Approach

Diastolic Function 1: Diastolic Period Physiology

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Thoracic Aorta 2: Aortic Dissection

Pediatric ECG Basics

Cost and Economics in Pricing Strategy

Femoral Vascular Access Using Radiographic Landmarks

Masses, Pericardial And Myocardial Disease 1: General Approach

Pediatric ECG Reading Method

Foundations of Business Strategy

A Tortuous Path: Radial Artery Catheterization

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When Eosinophils Attack

Masses, Pericardial And Myocardial Disease 3: Pericardial Disease

Coronary Angiography: Views and Pitfalls

Civil Engineering

Prevention and Risk Reduction in Decreasing Cancer

Grow to Greatness: Smart Growth for Private Businesses, Part 1

Design Thinking para Inovação

Quality Improvement: The PDSA Cycle, Themes And Aims

Market and Competition in Pricing Strategy

Fetal Cardiology: Congenital Heart Disease Of The Left Heart

Left To Right Shunts: Ventricular Septal Defects

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Complications And Informed Consent

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Customer-Centric IT Strategy

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Right Ventricular Function 1: Geometry, Anatomy, And Physiology

Left To Right Shunts: Atrial Septal Defects (ASD)

Fetal Cardiomegaly

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Global History since 1910

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Cases in Nuclear Cardiology

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Subvalvular and Subvalvular Obstruction

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Bases de la planification et de la gestion de projet

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Coronary Angiography: A Primer

Critical Congenital Heart Disease, Part 2

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Wide Complex Tahycardia

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Agile Analytics

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Coronary Angiography

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Mitral Valve 2: Mitral Regurgitation

Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector

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Master's of Public Safety

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Congenital Heart Disease In Adults 3: Complex Defects

Pregnancy In The Woman With Congenital Heart Disease

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Applied Behavior Analysis Certificate

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Acute Aortic Dissection Top 10

Understanding Change in Health Care

The Pulmonic Valve And Artery

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Abdominal Ultrasound

Anomalous Coronary Origins

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Aortography And Ventriculography

Collaboration and Influence

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Quality Improvement: Analyzing The Test Of Change

Navigating the Path from Data to Policy

Coarctation Of The Aorta

Digital Transformation

Mechanical Complications Of MI: Right Ventricular Infarction

Masses, Pericardial And Myocardial Disease 2: Tumors

Syncope Top 10

Breastfeeding Friendly Consortium Certification Courses

Echo Exam 1: Guiding Principles

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Coding for Designers, Managers, & Entrepreneurs II

Quality Improvement: Identifying And Collecting Data

Approche agile et design thinking

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La transformation numérique

Left Ventricular Function & Geometry 1: LV Function

Age Friendly Health Systems

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Leading the Modern Day Business

M.E. of Electrical Engineering

Plagues, Witches, and War: The Worlds of Historical Fiction

Diagnosis Of Cardiac Tamponade

New Models of Business in Society

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Doctoral Programs

• Adult Development and Aging Concentration  (Ph.D. Degree in Human Development)
• Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought  (Ph.D.)
• Child and Adolescent Development Concentration  (Ph.D. degree in Human Development)
• Counselor Education and Supervision  (Ph.D.)
• Educational Leadership and Policy Studies  (Ph.D )
• Educational Leadership and Policy Studies  (Ed.D.)
• Educational Psychology ( Ph.D.   Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Elementary Education  (Ed.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Elementary Education  (Ph.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• English Education  (Ph.D.   Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Family Studies Concentration  (Ph.D. degree in Human Development)
• Foundations of Education ( Ph.D.   Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Higher Education  (Ph.D.)
• History and Social Science Education ( Ph.D.   Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Integrative STEM Education  (Ed.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Integrative STEM Education  (Ph.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Marriage and Family Therapy Concentration  (Ph.D. degree in Human Development)
• Mathematics Education  (Ph.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Mathematics, Education Option  (Ph.D.)
• Planning, Governance, and Globalization (Ph.D.)
• Public Administration and Public Affairs (Ph.D.)
• Rhetoric and Writing  (Ph.D.)
• Science Education  (Ph.D. Degree in Curriculum and Instruction)
• Science and Technology Studies  (Ph.D.)
• Sociology  (Ph.D.)

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The 100% online PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy (60 credits) is specially designed for people looking to expand their hearts and minds while developing skills to meet the challenges of 21st Century life. Research and study in counseling theories and practice are integrated with theological inquiry in this vibrant doctoral program.  

You may also be interested in: Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy .

Program Details

• Note: Internship placements will be in-person at a location near you.
• Additional credits required until the completion of dissertation; additional credits may also be required if interested in pursuing state license)
• Enrolling New Students: August (View application deadlines) .
• $28,800 total in tuition & fees for the full 60-credit program (2023-2024)
• Financial Aid: Explore our federal financial aid options that may be available to you.

100% Online. Flexible. Affordable.

• Integration of Psychology & Christianity : Students assess individuals, couples, families, and congregations from an integrated point of view, incorporating theological issues with Marriage and Family systems theory and pertinent psychological perspectives in pastoral or clinical settings.
• Broad Audience : Students demonstrate advanced counseling skills appropriate to meet the needs of individuals, couples, families, and congregations seeking mental health services and programs.
• Self-Reflection : Students practice in-depth self-reflection to enhance their ongoing personal and professional development.
• Significant Research Project: Students create and present a significant research project resulting in a dissertation that contributes to the field of marriage and family therapy.
• Enrichment Programs : Students create and deliver integrated psychological and spiritual enrichment programs.  Examples of previous enrichment programs created by Eastern doctoral students include workshops for individuals, couples, and families, as well as seminars offered on special topics in a clinical or church setting.

Brooke Wheeler, PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy ’25

Our Mission

The PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy trains students in professional mental health and pastoral counseling fields to be skilled scholar/practitioners in marriage and family therapy who apply their minds and hearts to promoting processes of change and growth in individuals, couples, families, and communities. This scholar/practitioner research program prepares students for leadership roles in academia, research, behavioral healthcare, and pastoral care.

State Authorizations

Please check the  State Authorizations page  to determine if Eastern University’s program fulfills your state credentialing requirements. Students who seek similar credentialing in states other than Pennsylvania are advised to contact the appropriate credentialing agency within their home state to seek information and additional guidance about credentialing in your state of residence. Additional state or local requirements may exist for field placements or practica in this state. Out-of-state student placements/practica cannot be guaranteed by the program or the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences. Students are responsible for following all state and local requirements and regulations for their field placement/practica coursework.

Learn More: PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy

• Admissions Requirements
• Course Descriptions
• Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy
• DMin in Contextual Leadership
• PhD in Organizational Leadership

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9 Best Colleges in Virginia – 2024

May 13, 2024

Back in 1819, when former President Thomas Jefferson founded the University of Virginia, Old Dominion was hardly a premier location for higher education. What a difference a couple of hundred years makes… The following list of the 9 best colleges in Virginia is meant to give you a sense of the bevy of wonderful higher education options in the state in the 21st century. The data in each profile card is intended to give you a better sense of the academic offerings and outcomes at each institution. If you happen to reside in Virginia, you have public and private options that will allow you to stay close to home for college without sacrificing a single ounce of quality.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges in Virginia. As you’ll see, some schools with spectacular (and deserved) reputations simply do not happen to fare well on metrics such as student-to-faculty ratio or spending per student. We understand that a list based solely on prestige/general reputation would look different than what you will find below.

Best Colleges in Virginia

Here’s a quick preview of the nine Virginia-based institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) University of Virginia

2) Washington and Lee University

3) University of Richmond

4) College of William and Mary

5) Virginia Tech

6) James Madison University

7) University of Mary Washington

8) George Mason University

9) Virginia Commonwealth University

All of the schools profiled below have a history of sending graduates to the most desirable employers and graduate schools in the country. College Transitions will provide you with—when available—each school’s:

• Cost of Attendance
• Acceptance Rate
• Median  SAT
• Median  ACT
• Retention Rate
• Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

• Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
• Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

University of Virginia

• Charlottesville, VA

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can study within one of seven colleges/schools, which all offer many small classes; 15% boast single-digit enrollment and 48% contain 19 or fewer students. The McIntire School of Commerce and the School of Engineering and Applied Science have glowing reputations. Other notable strengths include computer science, economics, and political philosophy, policy, and law. The most popular degree areas are liberal arts/general studies (22%), the social sciences (14%), engineering (11%), business/marketing (8%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes:  Upon receiving their degree, 95% of the Class of 2022 immediately joined the workforce–with an average starting salary of $90k–or headed directly to graduate school. The most popular industries were internet & software, higher education, and management consulting. Capital One (85), Deloitte (46), Amazon (38), and Bain & Co. (26) scooped up the greatest number of 2022 grads. UVA itself was the most popular grad school destination followed by Columbia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Johns Hopkins.

• Enrollment: 17,496 (undergraduate); 8,653 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $39,494-49,874 (in-state); $78,214-90,378 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1470
• Median ACT: 33
• Acceptance Rate: 19%
• Retention Rate: 97%
• Graduation Rate: 95%

Washington and Lee University

• Lexington, VA

Academic Highlights: The university offers 36 majors and 29 minors. With an exceptionally low 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio, over 80% of class sections contain 19 or fewer students. Instructors earn rave reviews. The renowned Williams School of Commerce, Politics, and Economics offers outstanding programs, as do the Journalism and Mass Communication, English, and History Departments. Altogether, business accounts for 23% of the degrees conferred; the social sciences (25%), biology (9%), and foreign language (6%) are also popular.

Professional Outcomes: Last year, 69% of recent graduates found employment within six months of leaving Lexington; the most frequently entered industries were financial services, economics/finance, education, consulting, and real estate. Companies presently employing more than two dozen Generals including EY, Wells Fargo, Goldman Sachs, PwC, JPMorgan, Capital One, and Morgan Stanley. Starting salaries are solid with the majority of the cohort being paid $55,000 or more while 18% brought home in excess of $75,000.

• Enrollment: 1,867 (undergraduate); 376 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $87,000
• Median SAT: 1480
• Median ACT: 34
• Acceptance Rate: 17%
• Graduation Rate: 94%

University of Richmond

• Richmond, VA

Academic Highlights: There are over sixty undergraduate majors and many standout programs, including the one-of-a-kind Jepson School of Leadership Studies and the highly regarded Robbins School of Business, which grants 37% of degrees conferred by the university. The international relations, political science, and history departments as well as pre-professional pathways have excellent reputations. 21% of classes have single-digit enrollment, 76% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 50% of students participate in an intensive research experience with a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: One year after graduation, 96% of Richmond grads who were seeking employment had found jobs, with an average salary range of $55,000-$59,000. The most popular sectors were financial services/insurance (17%), accounting (7%), consulting (6%), healthcare (6%), teaching (6%), and sales/business development (6%). Companies where you can find at least 50 Richmond alumni employed include Capital One, Deloitte, PwC, Wells Fargo, EY, Dominion Energy, and Morgan Stanley.  25% of recent alumni chose to enroll directly in a graduate or professional degree program.

• Enrollment: 3,054 (undergraduate); 722 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $84,930
• Median SAT: 1460
• Acceptance Rate: 23%
• Retention Rate: 93%
• Graduation Rate: 88%

College of William & Mary

• Williamsburg, VA

Academic Highlights: Forty undergraduate programs are available and William & Mary has a 13:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Class sizes are rarely tiny seminars, but 44% do enroll fewer than twenty students, and only 9% contain more than fifty. Among the college’s most notable academic programs are (1) government and (2) international relations, both of which serve as pipelines to Washington, DC, employers. The Mason School of Business is highly regarded in the corporate world. The social sciences (20%) and biology (11%) are also popular.

Professional Outcomes: 52% of the most cohort joined the workforce, and 36% entered graduate school within six months of graduation. Over 500 employers snatched up at least one member of the Tribe. Companies hiring at least four 2020 grads included Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, KPMG, and Deloitte. Many of those opting for immediate entry into graduate school stayed at their alma mater and the next most frequented universities included Columbia, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, and the University of Chicago.

• Enrollment: 6,797
• Cost of Attendance: $39,595 (In-State); $63,967 (Out-of-State)
• Acceptance Rate: 33%
• Retention Rate: 94%
• Graduation Rate: 91%

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Blacksburg, VA

Academic Highlights : Eight undergraduate colleges that offer 110+ distinct bachelor’s degrees are housed within Virginia Tech. 33% of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 21% of recent graduates report participating in some type of undergraduate research experience. Engineering is the area where the greatest number of degrees are conferred (23%), but business (20%) is a close second. Both disciplines are among the most respected at Tech, along with computer science. Other popular majors include the family and consumer sciences (8%), social sciences (8%), biology (8%), and agriculture (4%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 56% of the Class of 2022 were employed and 18% were in graduate school. One recent class sent large numbers to major corporations that included Deloitte (67), KPMG (44), Lockheed Martin (39), Capital One (30), EY (28), Booz Allen Hamilton (18), and Northrop Grumman (12). The median salary for 2022 graduates was $67,000. Among recent grads who decided to pursue an advanced degree, the greatest number stayed at VT, while others enrolled at Virginia Commonwealth University, George Mason University, William & Mary, Columbia, Duke, and Georgia Tech.

• Enrollment: 30,434 (undergraduate); 7,736 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $37,252 (in-state); $58,750 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1330
• Median ACT: 29
• Acceptance Rate: 57%
• Retention Rate: 91%
• Graduation Rate: 87%

James Madison University

• Harrisonburg, VA

Academic Highlights: JMU offers 75+ undergraduate degrees to a very happy student population; surveyed undergrads report a stunning 93% satisfaction rate. A 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio does not fully capture how generally modest class sizes tend to be at the university. Thirty-seven percent of sections enroll fewer than 19 students and the average class size is 25 students. 19% of all degrees awarded are in nursing. Next in popularity are business/marketing (15%), communication/journalism (9%), and the social sciences (8%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of 2022 grads had obtained full-time employment, 22% were continuing their education, and 4% were still figuring out their next step. More than 25 recent grads were hired by each of KPMG and Deloitte. Dukes found employment at 1,610 organizations around the world and the average starting salary was $57,615. Among the almost one-quarter of recent grads who matriculated directly into a graduate school program, the most popular location was JMU itself.

• Enrollment: 20,346
• Cost of Attendance: $32,248 (In-State); $49,482 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1240
• Median ACT: 26
• Acceptance Rate: 78%
• Retention Rate: 90%
• Graduation Rate: 81%

University of Mary Washington

• Fredericksburg, VA

Academic Highlights: At Mary Washington, over 60 majors, minors, and courses of study are offered. Popularity-wise, the most degrees are conferred in the social sciences (15%), business/management/marketing (13%), psychology (10%), biological sciences (10%), and computer science (6%). Undergraduates receive a high level of support—the student-to-faculty ratio is 13:1, and nearly 60% enroll fewer than 20 students. There is strong support for undergraduate research and creative, hands-on learning.

Professional Outcomes: 89% of a recent graduating class experienced positive outcomes, with 67% employed, 20% attending graduate school, and 2% volunteering. Top industries included healthcare (17%), scientific consulting (7%), retail (6%), government (6%), and internet & software (5%). Alumni headed to a wide array of companies and organizations such as Amazon, Booz Allen Hamilton, the FBI, Geico, Mary Washington Healthcare, the Peace Corps, and Yellowstone National Park. Graduate schools included Columbia, UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest, and WPI, among many others.

• Enrollment: 3,493 (undergraduates); 264 (graduate)
• Cost of Attendance: $32,900 (in-state); $46,170 (out-of-state)
• Median SAT: 1260
• Median ACT: 28
• Acceptance Rate: 86%
• Retention Rate: 83%
• Graduation Rate: 71%

George Mason University

• Fairfax, VA

Academic Highlights: Fifty-two percent of class sections at GMU enroll nineteen or fewer students, 13% have fifty or more students, and the remaining sections lie in between. The most popular program is business (20%) and is followed by computer and information sciences (13%), the social sciences (8%), health professions (8%), and homeland security (8%). The Volgenau College of Engineering, which houses a top-tier Information Technology Department, and the School of Business are both extremely reputable in the eyes of prospective employers

Professional Outcomes: Six months after receiving their degrees, 87% of the class of 2022 had accepted a job offer or started work in a graduate program. GMU grads flow into major consulting firms like Booz Allen Hamilton, Deloitte, and Accenture, financial institutions like Capital One and Freddie Mac, and engineering/tech firms like General Dynamics, IBM, and Microsoft. Mason graduates tend to pursue advanced degrees either at Mason itself or at other area schools including George Washington, American University, or the University of Maryland.

• Enrollment: 27,014
• Cost of Attendance: $28,963 (In-State); $53,127 (Out-of-state)
• Acceptance Rate: 90%
• Retention Rate: 85%
• Graduation Rate: 70%

Virginia Commonwealth University

Academic Highlights:  A large public institution with 200 academic offerings, VCU still manages to keep 48% of its class sections capped at an enrollment of 19 thanks to a manageable 16:1 student-to-faculty ratio. Popular majors include the visual and performing arts (12%), business (11%), psychology (10%), biology (9%), education (7%), and homeland security (7%). The university is highly rated for innovation, value, and its stellar nursing program.

Professional Outcomes:  After earning their diplomas, 48% quickly landed their first job and 22% entered an advanced degree program. The top industries were healthcare, internet & software, higher education, government, and retail. Overall, 87% of grads were satisfied with their employment outcome and 78% remained in the state of Virginia. Massive numbers of alumni can be found in the offices of Dominion Energy, VCU Health, Capital One, CarMax, Deloitte, and Apex Systems.

• Enrollment: 20,958
• Cost of Attendance: $29,516 (In-State); $52,100 (Out-of-State)
• Median SAT: 1160
• Acceptance Rate: 91%
• Graduation Rate: 65%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges in Virginia to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:

• AP Score Calculators 
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• ACT Score Calculator
• Best Summer Programs 
• College List Building Tool
• Best Colleges by State

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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Home > ETD > Doctoral > 5512

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A phenomenological study of the self-efficacy of elementary reading specialists to address the mental health needs of students.

Virginia McKinney Shank , Liberty University Follow

School of Education

Doctor of Philosophy in Education (PhD)

Lucinda Spaulding

achievement gaps, literacy specialists, student mental health, teacher self-efficacy, trauma

Disciplines

Recommended citation.

Shank, Virginia McKinney, "A Phenomenological Study of the Self-Efficacy of Elementary Reading Specialists to Address the Mental Health Needs of Students" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects . 5512. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5512

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the self-efficacy and lived experiences of reading specialists who teach struggling readers with mental health needs. The construct of self-efficacy and Bandura’s social cognitive theory provided the theoretical framework for the central research question and three sub-questions: (a) What are literacy specialists' lived experiences and self-efficacy in instructing elementary students with mental health needs? (b) What instructional experiences and strategies do literacy specialists describe as contributing to low feelings of self-efficacy for helping struggling readers with mental health needs? (c) What instructional experiences and strategies do literacy specialists describe as contributing to high feelings of self-efficacy for helping struggling readers with mental health needs? (d) What are the experiences of elementary literacy specialists who support and mentor general classroom teachers to effectively teach struggling readers with mental health needs? Data was collected through online surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups. Data was analyzed using Moustakas’s research design in which data is transcribed, coded, assigned themes, and grouped by theme. The findings from this study demonstrate that reading specialists noted an increase in mental health needs among elementary students and reported low self-efficacy to address both the emotional and academic needs of struggling readers. Participants shared that a lack of training, the pressure of a literacy specialist’s role, and students’ attitudes and behaviors contributed to feelings of ineffectiveness and low self-efficacy. In contrast, building relationships with students and setting high expectations for student progress led to feelings of high self-efficacy in their dual roles as instructors and mentors.

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Google wants judge, not jury, to decide upcoming antitrust case in Virginia

Google is asking that a federal judge, rather than a jury, decide whether it violated U.S. antitrust laws by building a monopoly on the technology that powers online advertising

Google on Thursday asked that a judge, rather than a jury, decide whether it violated U.S. antitrust laws by building a monopoly on the technology that powers online advertising.

To bolster its case, the tech giant wrote a multimillion-dollar check to the U.S. government that it says renders moot the government's best argument for demanding a jury trial.

The antitrust case set to go before a jury in Alexandria, Virginia, in September is one of two major lawsuits the Justice Department has brought against Google. While the Virginia case focuses on advertising technology, an ongoing case in the District of Columbia focuses on Google's dominance as a search engine.

Both sides in the D.C. case have presented evidence and made closing arguments. A judge there will decide whether Google violated the law.

Google wants a judge to decide the merits of the case in Virginia, as well. The company argues in court papers filed Thursday that it's unprecedented for a jury to decide a federal antitrust case brought by the government. It says that this case in particular involves "a complicated, intricate technology ecosystem, which DOJ has acknowledged to this Court is ‘highly technical, often abstract, and outside the everyday knowledge of most prospective jurors.’”

A Department of Justice spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Thursday evening.

Google, based in Mountain View, California, makes two primary arguments for striking the government's demand for a jury trial. For starters, Google argues that the constitutional right to a jury trial does not apply to a civil suit brought by the government.

The right to a jury trial, based in the Bill of Rights, “protects citizens against the federal government, not the other way around,” Google's lawyers write in their court filing.

The company acknowledges in the court papers, though, that the Justice Department has a stronger argument for demanding a jury in a case where it seeks monetary damages, as opposed to merely seeking equitable relief, like forcing Google to sell off parts of its advertising technology.

In the Virginia case, the Department of Justice seeks monetary damages on behalf of federal agencies, including the Army, that it says were harmed by Google's monopolistic practices and overpaid for online ads that they purchased.

In its court filing, Google contends that the damage claim was tacked on to the lawsuit at the last minute for the sole purpose of allowing them to seek a jury.

The Department of Justice “manufactured a damages claim at the last minute in an attempt to secure a jury trial in a case even they describe as ‘highly technical’ and ‘outside the everyday knowledge of most prospective jurors,” the company said in a written statement Thursday.

Google's filing Thursday said the company has cut a check to the government that is triple the amount of the losses the government can claim. The exact amount of the check is redacted, but in other court papers, Google said the maximum amount of damages the government was able to demonstrate during the discovery process was less than $1 million.

Because the law allows antitrust damages to be trebled, the check amount would be less than $3 million.

Google says it still disputes that the damages are legitimate, but says that paying the government's claimed damages eliminates the need for a jury to decide the damages question.

While Google says it's unprecedented for a jury to decide a government antitrust suit, Google has defended itself in front of a jury on antitrust cases brought by private companies.

Last year, a jury in San Francisco ruled in favor of Epic Games, the maker of the popular Fortnite game, in a case the company brought against Google over the Google Play store, which allows users of Android phones to download apps.

In that case, Google tried unsuccessfully at the last minute to switch the trial from a jury trial to a bench trial.

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Certificates & Licensures

Certificates provides credentialed expertise in a field of study, demonstrating to employers that you have in-demand skills.

Program director: Terra Hamblin | [email protected]   Application deadlines: Rolling; For Fall 2021, apply by August 1 Credits: 18 Program info:   Addiction Treatment website

Additional program-specific admission requirements:

• Undergraduate degree in a Social Science

Associate Dean for graduate programs:   Stephanie DeBoor |  [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall) | Oct 1 (Spring) Credits: 30 Program info:   Adult Gerontology Acute Care website

• Overall GPA 3.0 or better
• Must have graduated from a CCNE, NLN, or ACEN accredited MSN program
• Possess an unencumbered RN License and/or eligibility for licensure in Nevada
• 3 Ps (Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Physical/Health Assessment). The 3Ps will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and/or the specialty Track Leader. Students may have to repeat any or all of the 3Ps pending review.
• Letter of intent
• Curriculum Vitae/resume
• Three letters of recommendation

Associate Dean for graduate programs: Stephanie DeBoor | [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall) | Oct 1 (Spring) Credits: 15 Program info: Clinical Nurse Leader website

• Must have graduated from a CCNE or NLN accredited MSN program
• Possess an unencumbered RN License and eligible for licensure in Nevada

Program Director: Weston Morrow | [email protected] Application deadlines: July 15 (Fall) | Dec 15 (Spring) Credits: 18 Program info: Criminal Justice catalog listing

• A bachelor's degree from an accredited university with an overall GPA of 3.0

Program Contact: Shamik Sengupta | [email protected] Application deadlines: July 31 (Fall) | Dec 10 (Spring) Credits: 12 Program info: Cybersecurity website | Cybersecurity faculty

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited academic institution
• Transcripts (separate from the official transcripts required by the Graduate School)
• Curriculum Vitae
• Statement of purpose is recommended

Program Contact: Jennifer Mortensen | [email protected] Application deadlines: May 15 (Fall) Credits: 29 (21 if practical experience is applicable) Program info: Early Childhood Education Teacher Licensure website

• Undergraduate degree in Human Development and Family Science (or related field)
• Undergraduate pre-requisites: EDES 300, EDU 205, EDU 207, HDFS 201, HDFS 250, HDFS 431b, HDFS 435
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or better

Additional program-specific admission recommendations:

• Candidate Professional Behaviors and Dispositions Form
• Personal essay
• At least one letter of recommendation
• Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (CORE) Reading (score > 155), Writing (score > 161), and Mathematics (score > 149) score sheet (or California Basic Educational Skills score sheet).

Program director: Julie Pennington | [email protected] Application deadlines:  March 15 (Fall) | Oct 15 (Spring) Program info: College of Education  | COEHD Graduate Assistantships

• Education Disposition Statement
• Two letters of recommendation
• A one-page statement of purpose addressing the following question: How will the Reading Specialist Certificate enhance your ability to support the literacy development of K-12 students

To align with state requirements for Reading Specialist Endorsement, our Certificate Program also requires:

• A master’s degree completed, or in process
• Three years of verified teaching experience in state-approved schools
• A valid elementary or secondary teaching license

Program contact:  Jess Gallo | [email protected] Application deadlines: Aug 1 (Fall) | Oct 15 (Spring) Credits: 28-31 Program info: Secondary Education Licensure website

• Earned bachelor’s degree with and overall GPA of 2.75 or better
• Signed disposition sheet (NCATE set of beliefs in place in the College of Education)
• An essay of three to five pages
• Resume or curriculum vitae
• The candidates needs to meet pre-professional Praxis I testing requirements.

Program Contact: David Rondel | [email protected] Application deadlines: Rolling; For this coming Fall, apply by August 1 Credits: 12 Program info: Ethics, Law and Politics website

• Writing sample

Associate Dean for graduate programs: Stephanie DeBoor | [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall) | Oct 1 (Spring) Credits: 17-33 Program info: Family Nurse Practitioner website

• Possess an unencumbered RN license and be eligible for licensure in Nevada

Program Director:  Deborah Boehm |  [email protected] Application deadlines: May 1 (Fall) | Nov 1 (Spring) Credits: 12 Program info: Gender, Race and Identity Certificate website | GRI faculty

• Statement of purpose

A Certificate in Geographic Information Systems and Science (GIS) is offered through the Department of Geography. Students obtaining the GIS Certificate will learn the tools, methods, and software necessary to manage and analyze spatial data and information and conduct appropriate analysis. This certificate is recommended for students interested in employment in either the public or private sector as a GIS or Remote Sensing Analyst, Cartographer, Planner, or students interested in pursuing graduate studies in Geography or a related field where use of geospatial science and technologies are included.

• Undergraduate Certificate in Geographic Information Systems and Science (GIS), Course Catalog

Program Contact: Miles Greiner | [email protected] Application deadlines: Fall: Aug 16 | Spring: Jan 11 Credits: 9 Program info: Nuclear Packaging website

• An earned baccalaureate degree in mechanical, materials, nuclear or a closely-related engineering field, or a baccalaureate degree and background in project management related to packaging of nuclear and other radioactive materials.

Associate Dean for graduate programs: Stephanie DeBoor | [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall and Summer) | Oct 1 (Spring) Credits: 17 Program info: Nursing Education website

• Must have graduated from a CCNE or NLN accredited MSN program with a 3.0 or better

Associate Dean for graduate programs: Stephanie DeBoor | [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall and Summer) Credits: 15 Program info: Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

• Successful completion of a Master’s of Science in Nursing from a CCNE or NLN academic institution with a GPA of 3.0 or better
• Current unrestricted/unencumbered licensure as an RN in Nevada and be eligible for licensure in Nevada

Associate Dean for graduate programs: Stephanie DeBoor | [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall) Credits: 23-38 Program info: Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner website

• Must have graduated from a CCNE or NLN accredited BSN program with a GPA of 3.0 or better
• APRN Track only: Must have graduated from an accredited MSN program and hold national certification and licensure as an APRN
• Possess an unencumbered RN License and be eligible for licensure in Nevada
• An interview may be required

Epidemiology program director: Nilay Etiler |  [email protected] Application deadlines:   August 1 for Fall admittance and January 1 for Spring admittance Program info: Public Health website | Public Health faculty

Additional program-specific admission requirements

• Statement of purpose (500-word)

Program Contact:  Praveen Kumar Durgampudi|  [email protected] Application deadlines: Rolling Credits: 10 Program info: Public Health Management and Analysis catalog listing | Online public health certificates website

• A bachelor's degree

Program Contact:  Praveen Kumar Durgampudi | [email protected] Application deadlines: Rolling Credits: 10 Program info:   Public Health Management catalog listing | Online public health certificates website

Program Contact: Praveen Kumar Durgampudi |  [email protected] Application deadlines: Rolling Credits: 10 Program info: Public Health Program Development catalog listing | Online public health certificates website

Program Contact: Victor Vasquez | [email protected] Application deadlines: Aug 16 (Fall) | Jan 10 (Spring) Credits: 12 Program info: Renewable Energy website

• Undergraduate degree in engineering, business management, liberal arts or a related field
• Personal Statement

Program Contact: Jennifer Lanterman | [email protected] Application deadlines: March 1 (Fall) | Nov 1 (Spring) Credits: 12 Program info: Social Justice website

• Undergraduate degree

Program Director: Cary Groth  |  [email protected] Application deadlines: June 1 (Fall only) Program info: Sports Management Executive Certificate Website

• Undergraduate degree from an accredited institution (an official copy of the transcripts should be submitted to the Graduate School)
• Recommended Minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.75
• A copy of your current resume
• A letter of recommendation

Request more information about sports management

Program Contact: Edward (Ned) Schoolman | [email protected] Application deadlines: Rolling Credits: 12 Program info: Study of History website

• A Bachelor's degree in a humanities or social science; a bachelor's degree in Education; or Teaching Credential
• Students pursuing the graduate certificate of Studies in History must satisfy all of the graduate school requirements for admission as a Graduate Special
• Read the History department bulletin

Program Contact: Rod Case | [email protected] Application deadlines: Rolling Program info: TESOL website Credits: 15

• An overall undergraduate GPA of 2.75 or better on a 4-point scale
• Letters of recommendation from one professional qualified to judge your aptitude for teaching
• A statement of your personal goals related to TESOL
• Transcripts of previous college work
• Students already admitted to a graduate program at the University must also submit approval for admission to the GC-TESOL from the Chair of their Advisory/Examining Committee in lieu of the letter of recommendation.
• Candidates who graduated from a non-US university and whose native language is not English must have a TOEFL score of at least 550 or 79 on the Internet Based TOEFL
• International students must have a J-1 visa or be concurrently enrolled in another graduate degree program in order to participate in the GC-TESOL

Program Contact: Miles Greiner | [email protected] Application deadlines: Fall: Aug 16 | Spring: Jan 11 Credits: 9 Program info: Transportation Security and Safeguard website

• An earned baccalaureate degree in mechanical, materials, nuclear or a closely-related engineering field, or a baccalaureate degree and background in project management related to packaging of nuclear and other radioactive materials