Alternatives to the Traditional Doctoral Dissertation

Abstract

In response to increased criticism of the utility of the traditional doctoral dissertation, some institutions have incorporated additional options for students such as articles, portfolios, and industry-specific projects. This trend towards allowing alternatives for doctoral students coincides with the rise internationally of what are variously called professional, applied, or practitioner doctorates in various disciplines. The goal of this review of the relevant research literature and policy documents is to understand the evolution of professional doctoral degrees, and how rigor and quality are evaluated specifically with non-dissertation capstone projects. Findings suggest that universities, accrediting agencies, and professional associations recognize a need for new standards for alternatives to the traditional dissertation in order to make such options rigorous and relevant for the students.