“How long does it take to complete a dissertation?”
My name is Dr. Russell Strickland.
I am a dissertation coach & data-analysis expert. Everyday, I talk with students hard at work on their dissertations but not really getting anywhere. Some have difficulty developing their topics. Others have trouble refining their topics into detailed research designs. And, still others simply don't understand what their committees want.
Whatever the issues they are facing, the conversation often turns to the question of how long the dissertation process should take. I’ve been asked this questions hundreds of times.
The answer depends on who you ask. The following as excerpts from a conversation on LinkedIn:
"It took me 29 months to
complete mine." -M.T.
"Hiring someone can help to
speed up the process." -V.K.
" Too Long! " - C.D.
"Mine is taking way too long" -J.J.
"I have a friend [who is now] in her third year of trying to get the proposal approved." -K.A.
"It took me 18 months to do my dissertation" - B.D.
"The program took 6 years for me." -L.K.
"It has taken 2 1/2 years." -D.G.
"It took me three years to finish my dissertation." -T.F.
"Working with a Coach often speeds up the process." - K.M.
I recently spoke with an administrator at a large online university who told me that their students typically take about two years to complete their dissertations…those of them who finish, that is!
Did you know that fully half of all students who begin a doctoral program never graduate? They take on tens of thousands of dollars in student loans; they complete the full curriculum of course work; and they eventually walk away without the “Dr.” designation to show for all their hard work. Half!
Why does this happen? Well, there are reasons and there are excuses, but they don’t change the fact that these people leave the program in little better professional position than when they started. The lucky ones who do graduate generally find that it took them far longer than they would have ever imagined. With dissertation-phase tuition costing $1000 – $1500 per month, how can you afford not to proactively manage your final charge up Mt. Academia?
Don’t let yourself succumb after months or years of treading water in Lake Dissertation. As an experienced dissertation coach, I can help you not only to beat the odds by graduating, but also to approach the entire dissertation process with confidence, effectiveness, and certainty, eliminating significant amounts of stress and saving months in time and tuition.
Think about walking across that stage in the full academic regalia of a Ph.D., DM, Ed.D., or DBA, silly hat and all! Think about friends, family, and colleagues calling you, “Doctor.” Think about the pride you’ll see in their faces — and in the mirror. Now stop thinking about it! Tell me a little about your study, and …
Chemical Engineering, University of California
Public Administration, Walden University
Healthcare Administration, Northcentral University
Public Policy and Administration, Walden University
Business Administration, Northcentral University
Counseling Psychology, Argosy University, DC Campus
Let’s get your dissertation done!
You're Not Alone!
You've spent years attending classes, earning high-school, undergraduate, and graduate degrees. Some of the course work was easy; some of it was hard; and some of it was only successfully completed by Divine Intervention! But, in each of those classes, there were other students sharing your triumphs and struggles.
And, then came the dissertation. No textbooks, no classroom instruction, and no classmates. You feel alone, confused, and frustrated. Days turn into weeks. Weeks turn into months. And, for many, months turn into years!
You need a topic. You need to know what to do next. But, most importantly, you need someone to talk to, to be there for you, to guide you.
I've worked with students at all of these universities and more!
American
Sentinel
University
Colorado
State
University
Nova
Southeastern
University
University
of
Houston
Argosy
University
Colorado
Technical
University
Nyack
College
University
of
Illinois
Arizona
State
University
Columbia
Southern
University
Seton
Hall
University
University of
Massachusetts -
Lowell
Auburn
University
Concordia
University
Chicago
St. John's
University
University
of
Phoenix
Avila
University
Fairleigh
Dickinson
University
SUNY,
Buffalo
University
of
Pittsburgh
Ball
State
University
Georgia
State
University
Texas A & M,
Commerce
Campus
University
of the
Rockies
Benedictine
University
Grand
Canyon
University
Trident
University
Virginia
Tech
Brandman
University -
Irvine Campus
Liberty
University
UNC-CH
Walden
University
California
Southern
University
Morgan
State
University
University
of
Alabama
Wellesley
College
Capella
University
Northcentral
University