U.S. doctoral program completion rates have remained persistently low in the humanities and biomedical sciences despite educators' efforts. A variety of factors, including stress and dissitation advisor-related issues, were associated with high attrition rates and extended time-to-degree for PhD candidates. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine relationships among life stressors, advisor-related factors, and time-to-degree for a convenience sample of 74 online social sciences doctoral degree holders. Holmes and Rahe's work on stress and Tinto's framework for education program attrition provided the framework for the study. Linear regression and Pearson's correlation statistics were used to examine the relationships between Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) scores, Advisor-Related Factor scores, and time-to-degree after controlling for covariates of age, ethnicity, and gender. Key findings included: a) SRRS significantly (p < .01) predicted time-to-degree after controlling for age, ethnicity, and gender; and b) no significant relationship was found between advisor-related factors. By identifying at-risk students, early intervention could reduce the time need to complete a PhD program and reduce financial and university resources required to finish. Doctoral program administrators could provide closer supervision with PhD candidates and make adjustments based on an accumulation of extraordinary stressors to help PhD candidiates adjust and finish their programs.

Online education has changed the way education is delivered. Higher education has been the leader of providing online education. Currently, the fastest growing online degree program in higher education is a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. This demand is due to employees who are looking to move up in their career but who are not able to attend school full-time. Many accredited not-for-profit business schools as well as for-profit universities have launched their own online business degree programs to meet this demand. This report aims to review best practices for online business degree programs. It will describe the evolution of distance education as it pertains to higher education, the difference between campus, online and hybrid mode and the types of online learning. This report also identifies how higher education and business schools are providing online education and are competing with for-profit universities and explains why Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation is important. I will also discuss the benefits of delivering online business degree programs as well as proves the challenges that administration, students and faculty face in this process. Through analysis of existing research studies, the report will explain which best practices administration, faculty and students can adopt in order to offer and participate in a successful online business degree program. / text

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