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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.
Available Doctoral Degrees Online
Aeronautics
Arts and Sciences
Behavioral Sciences
Business
- Business Administration (PhD)
- Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
- Accounting
- Executive Coaching
- Finance
- Healthcare Management
- Human Resources
- Information Systems
- International Business
- Leadership
- Marketing
- Nonprofit Leadership and Management
- Project Management
- Real Estate Development
- Six Sigma
- Strategic Management
- Strategic Media and Digital Content
- Supply Chain Management and Logistics
- Tourism Management
- Doctor of Strategic Leadership (DSL)
- Organization and Management (PhD)
Communication and the Arts
Divinity
- Applied Apologetics (PhD)
- Bible Exposition (PhD)
- Christian Leadership (EdD)
- Christian Leadership (PhD)
- Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
- Biblical Studies
- Chaplaincy
- Church Revitalization
- Discipleship
- Educational Ministries
- Evangelism and Church Planting
- Expository Preaching and Teaching
- Ministry Leadership
- Next Generation Ministry
- Pastoral Counseling
- Spiritual Formation
- Strategic Christian Ministry
- Theology and Apologetics
- Urban Ministry
- Worship
- Master of Theology (ThM)
- Practical Theology (PhD)
Education
- Advanced Educational Studies (PhD)
- Doctor of Education (EdD)
- 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
- Educational Leadership
- Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation
- Higher Education Administration – Educational Leadership
- Higher Education Administration – Organizational Leadership
- Higher Education Administration – Student Affairs
- Instructional Design and Technology
- Special Education
- Education (PhD)
- Education Specialist (EdS)
- Administration and Supervision – Educational Leadership
- Curriculum and Instruction – Educational Psychology
- Curriculum and Instruction – Elementary Education
- Curriculum and Instruction – General
- Curriculum and Instruction – Middle Grades Education
- Curriculum and Instruction – Online Teaching and Learning
- Curriculum and Instruction – Secondary Education
- Curriculum and Instruction – Special Education
- Educational Leadership
- Educational Research
- Higher Education Administration
- Higher Education Administration – Assessment and Evaluation
- Higher Education Administration – Student Affairs
- Instructional Design and Technology
- Special Education
- Educational Leadership (PhD)
- Educational Research (PhD)
- Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Government
Health Sciences
- Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc)
- Health Sciences
Music
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 a 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.
Highlights
- 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.
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.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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!
Military
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.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
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