A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) via distance learning is perfectly suited to the needs of adult learners, people with work and family commitments who are willing to pursue an alternative academic path. Terra Nova University is an independent private international university that helps adult learners around the world to achieve their academic goals.

Over the years, several surveys have shown that PhDs via distance learning can be as useful as those achieved through traditional academic systems, provided they are issued by reliable institutions. Terra Nova University is an important alternative to traditional studies, especially considering the global and digital age in which we live today.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - Philosophiae Doctor or Doctor Philosophiae in Latin - is the highest academic degree obtainable. It can usually cover any academic programs. As graduate researchers, PhD students are usually required to show competence, master their research topic and develop an original thesis, so as to foster new academic contributions in their knowledge field.

Unlike any other traditional campus-based program, Terra Nova University’s PhD by Research does not consist of any coursework, classes or lectures to attend, either on campus or online. Rather, it is based on independent and autonomous theoretical research on a specific academic area that the student has to implement in a final thesis within 24 months. After the enrollment, the student will be assigned a general supervisor who will not be an actual tutor, but rather an advisor that will guide the student with advice and suggestions throughout the whole program.

The student can use both textbooks and online resources for research purposes, besides having access to Terra Nova University’s and Britannica Academic online libraries. Working freely and independently on their research, students will grow highly specialized knowledge and specific expertise, which they will display in their doctoral thesis defense. The PhD is earned after successfully completing and defending the final doctoral thesis in the academic major that has been chosen.

The main requirement for a distance learning PhD by Research is to submit and defend the final thesis, which is required to have a minimum length of at least 90/100 pages. After the submission, it will be reviewed and evaluated by Terra Nova University’s academic committee.

Even if a Master's degree is usually sufficient for most professions, a PhD is a popular job requirement in many fields of work, both in developing countries and in highly developed areas of the planet. The PhD is increasingly in demand not only for highly skilled professions, but also for jobs in multinational corporations, NGOs and private companies. Professionals, managers, public and private executives are more and more required to have an academic certification above a master's degree, as a guarantee of their competence and experience.

In order to be eligible for Terra Nova University’s PhD by Research, students need to possess a Master's degree or equivalent title and be at least 30 years old. The program requires a minimum of 65 academic credits (approximately 1,000 hours of study) that will be achieved through autonomous research and final thesis evaluation.