7 Best 18-Month Doctorate Programs Without Dissertation 2025

Earning your doctoral degree enhances your professional potential, from a higher salary to leadership roles to greater flexibility in the job market. If you're considering this step and want to quickly get started, you may be curious about enrolling in a program that offers an 18-month doctorate without dissertation requirements.

In this article, we feature various online doctoral programs that can be completed at an accelerated pace. Keep reading to learn how you can advance your career through online learning while remaining a working professional.

Are There 18-Month Doctoral Programs?

Yes, there are 18-month doctoral programs. However, these programs typically take into account prior education and work experience to expedite the degree process. Doctoral students who already hold a master's degree in their chosen field can apply transfer credits to their doctoral degree and graduate in less time.

How Long Does a Doctoral Degree Program Take?

Doctoral degree programs vary according to your chosen school, degree specialization, and any applicable graduate-level credits or work experience. Generally speaking, doctorate programs take between three and eight years to complete.

If you want to accelerate your degree process, it's important to find a program that has a generous credit-transfer policy. Some colleges and universities will accept 50% or more transfer credits toward your degree. You will also need to attend on a full-time, not a part-time, basis.

Fields That Commonly Offer No-Dissertation Doctorates

The following doctoral degrees are those that often allow research or capstone projects, instead of doctoral dissertations, to culminate studies. Capstone projects require students to solve real-world challenges with practical, applied research.

• Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): DBA capstone project examples include developing strategic plans, leadership training techniques, and marketing solutions.
• Doctor of Education (EdD): EdD students work on capstone projects like developing new curricula, creating school safety plans, and implementing mentoring programs for teachers.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): DNP programs emphasize evidence-based projects like creating quality improvement plans and implementing new telehealth programs.
• Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA): DHA students finalize their doctoral studies with projects like plans for improving access to healthcare in communities and analyzing the impacts of healthcare policies.

Shortest Doctorate Programs Without Dissertation Requirements

These schools offer some of the shortest doctorate programs available; many programs enable you to earn an 18-month doctorate without a dissertation online.

1. South College

South College is a private school that offers a wide range of online degree options. Its online Doctor of Education program consists of 10 self-paced courses that cover topics in higher education leadership. Doctoral students who demonstrate competency in coursework can advance more quickly.

This online EdD program can be completed in 18 to 30 months. You can choose from specializations like organizational leadership, adult learning and development, and instructional design and technology.

• Estimated tuition cost: $6,000 per semester
• Program length: 18 to 30 months
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

2. Northern Kentucky University

Northern Kentucky University (NKU) is a mid-sized public school in Highland Heights, KY. NKU's online DNP program is 35 credit hours total and students can complete their coursework in 20 months. The program has multiple start dates each year, affording greater flexibility for working professionals.

NKU offers financial aid through grants, scholarships, loans, and military benefits. Students are encouraged to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine their aid eligibility.

• Estimated tuition cost: $23,185 total tuition
• Program length: 20 months
• Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)

3. Frontier Nursing University

Frontier Nursing University (FNU) has an online DNP program designed for nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives looking to earn their DNP. The 30-credit doctoral program can be completed in 18 months.

Coursework is conducted entirely online. Students will need to participate in hands-on clinical practices. DNP students design small-scale doctoral projects to be implemented at their designated clinical site.

• Estimated tuition cost: $705 per credit hour
• Program length: 18 months
• Accreditation: Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN)

4. Midwestern University

Midwestern University is a private school with campuses in Arizona and Illinois. Its online DNP program consists of 56 quarter credits and is designed to be completed in 18 months. Courses include economics and healthcare policy, organizational leadership, and preventive care initiatives.

Instead of traditional dissertation work, nursing students develop quality improvement projects in areas of their professional interest.

• Estimated tuition cost: $25,363 total tuition
• Program length: 18 months
• Accreditation: CCNE

5. Baker College

Located in Owosso, MI, Baker College offers a 52-credit online DBA program. Students can graduate from the program in as few as 18 months by transferring up to 27 graduate-level credits.

Baker College's online DBA program has two options: a dissertation track and a capstone project track. Doctoral students who choose the capstone project track apply research skills and practical methodologies to address real-world business issues.

• Estimated tuition cost: $705 per credit hour
• Program length: 18 months
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)

6. Walden University

Walden University's online Doctor of Healthcare Administration program emphasizes the development of communication and leadership skills. Online courses include advanced healthcare operations management, health analytics, and concepts in healthcare leadership.

You can accelerate your degree timeline by applying professional certifications and other prior experience toward course credits. If you already hold your Master of Public Health (MPH), you can graduate more quickly.

• Estimated tuition cost: $760 per credit hour
• Program length: 24 months
• Accreditation: HLC

7. Spalding University

Spalding University offers an online EdD program with a specialization in organizational leadership. Coursework for this program is entirely online, and there are no residency requirements. You can choose to take courses at an accelerated pace and earn your education degree in two years or fewer.

After taking courses like ethical leadership and educational technology, EdD students design a capstone project. For this final project, students combine research methods with practical skills to develop an original research plan.

• Estimated tuition cost:. $850 per credit hour
• Program length: 24 months
• Accreditation: SACSCOC

How We Rank Schools

We use the following criteria to rank our featured schools, from program requirements to accreditation status.

• Shortest program lengths: For this list, we highlight colleges and universities that offer some of the shortest doctoral programs available online.
• Accreditation: All of our featured schools are accredited by independent, reputable accrediting organizations.
• Program requirements: The listed doctoral programs must offer online coursework and have capstone or research project options, instead of dissertation work.

FAQs About No-Dissertation Doctoral Programs

This section answers frequently asked questions about no-dissertation PhD programs, from capstone projects to the shortest programs available.

What's the Difference Between a Dissertation and a Capstone Project?

Both capstone projects and dissertations are final projects, showcasing what students have learned and that they can contribute original thought to their chosen field. A capstone project emphasizes practical applications to real-world issues, synthesizing research and using data and experience to develop actionable plans to address problems.

Dissertations take a more theoretical approach. These are typically lengthy research papers that highlight original thought and in-depth analysis. Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) programs, including online PhD programs, generally require dissertations.

Is There a 1-Year Doctorate Program?

It is extremely rare to find a 1-year doctorate program offered by a reputable, accredited college or university. This includes any 1-year PhD programs online with no dissertation options.

The primary reason for this is that, no matter how much prior education or experience you might bring to your doctoral program, there is only so much coursework that can be condensed before quality begins to suffer. The nature of doctoral programs involves in-depth studies and developing relationships with experienced faculty members. A quality degree from an accredited institution typically cannot be earned in only one year.

Can I Get a Doctorate Without Doing Research?

It is not feasible to earn a doctorate without doing research. One of the main differences between a master's degree and a doctorate is the latter's emphasis on original thought; that is, earning your doctorate shows that not only can you learn the material, but you have mastered it well enough to add new elements to your chosen field. This skill is not properly developed without taking the time to do individual research.

Do Employers Respect No-Dissertation Doctoral Degrees?

Doctoral degrees with capstone projects or research projects instead of dissertations are just as respectable as those that require dissertations. What an employer prefers in potential candidates will depend on the job requirements; some employers may seek out candidates who have practical, applied experience, like that gained in a professional doctorate.

Whether your doctoral degree requires a capstone project or a dissertation project, your degree must come from a regionally accredited college or university.

Explore Online Doctoral Degrees

If you're ready to take your career to the next level, we invite you to explore the online doctoral programs offered by Learn.org's partner schools.