On behalf of the University, I want thank you for your interest in our Doctoral degrees. The success of these programs is a testament to Capitol Technology University's commitment to educating leaders, and providing them with the skills and knowledge to lead local, national or global organizations.

Admissions requirements and criteria vary by school and program and admissions decisions are handled within the individual schools of study.  Throughout this process if you have any questions regarding your application, admission requirements or timelines please contact the graduate admissions office.

Dr. Ian McAndrew

Dean of Doctoral Programs

Doctoral Admissions Frequently Asked Questions

Transfer Credit

• Can I transfer in credits for my master's degree?  Yes.  For master's degree programs that are 36 credits or more, we can typically transfer up to 6 credits into most Ph.D. programs.  For transfer into the DSC in Cybersecurity or the Ph.D. in Business Analytics and Data Science, we have to match master-level courses with specific courses that have the same learning outcomes.
  
  
• At what point are "old" credits not accepted for transfer? Courses taken withing ten years of admissions will be considered for transfer, and course that were last taken more than ten years prior to admissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  
  
• Do you take credit for experience?  No, we can only give credit for academic coursework.
  
  
• Do you give credit for certificates I already have earned? No, we do not offer credit for industry certificates.

Finances

• What resources (financial) are available to me? 

We offer tuition discounts to these groups:

Capitol Tech Alumni- Individual with degree conferred from Capitol Tech

Hometown Heroes-Community College faculty and staff, High School teachers and administrators, Emergency Personnel (EMTs, paramedics, firefighters, and police)

Active-Duty Military-Currently on active duty

DOD employees- Federal employees; not contractors

Retired Military- Those who hold documentation that they have retired from the military

EdAssist Partner- Employees who work for a Bright Horizons/EdAssist organization

We participate in the Yellow Ribbon programs for US Military veterans, which offers significant financial assistance to those who qualify.

Capitol also offers a unique discount program to all students called the "Blue Ribbon," which offers discounts to students who complete their first three courses or who recruit other students into a Capitol degree program.

Additionally, we offer employer-specific discounts – Capitol has several employer-specific discounts.  Please contact us directly to see if your employer qualifies for a tuition discount.

You can view scholarship opportunities on the Financial Aid page at https://mycapitol.captechu.edu/ICS/College_Offices/Financial_Aid_Office/Outside_Scholarships.jnz

Application Process

• What is the application deadline?  Fall Semester Aug. 12, Spring Semester Dec. 15, and Summer Semester Apr. 15.
  
  
• I don't have an IT or cyber background but have a master's and want a DSC.  Is this possible? The DSC requires a master's degree in information assurance, computer science, information technology, or a related field and a minimum of three to five years of directly related work experience. There are also cybersecurity-related Ph.D. programs which broader degree requirements. If you do not have the DSC's matching academic background, you may qualify to enter one of the Ph.D. programs with a cybersecurity emphasis.
  
  
• What certifications do I need to qualify for the DSC?  CISSP, GSE, CGEIT, or CISM
  
  
• Can you elaborate on the essays? Students must provide a prospectus of at least 1,000 words that detail their expertise and preparation for success in conducting original research within Capitol Technology University's Ph.D. programs. The website includes specific guidelines on required essay content.
  
  
• Can you elaborate on reference/recommendation letters? Letter of recommendation should be from individuals in an academic or supervisory employment role.  You must submit two letters of recommendation.
  
  
• Does Capitol offer any teaching experience (i.e., being a TA, graduate assistant, adjunct, etc.?  Although we have many individuals who have completed degrees and teach at Capitol Tech, we do not offer TA or graduate assistantships.
  
  
• What GPA do I need to get into a master's or doctoral program? A minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required for admissions to the master's or doctoral programs.

• Application Fee- There is a $100 non-refundable application fee to submit this application.  We accept VISA, Master Card, Discover, and American Express. Payment is required to process your application.  

• SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS- Capitol Tech will accepted your application fee through PayPal Payment.  Simply direct your PayPal Payment to businessoffice@captechu.edu

Library

•  How robust is the library?   Does it have the resources for us to do the kind of research a Ph.D. requires? 

Definitely. We have subscriptions to virtual journal collections, including EBSCOhost, ProQuest, IEEE Xplore, the ACM Digital Library, and several others, which provide our patrons with access to tens of thousands of e-journals and hundreds of thousands of full-text articles suitable for Ph.D. research.   It is not necessary to come to the campus to access Ph.D. resources.

• Can I visit the campus or Campus Library? We are always happy to have visitors in the library. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, only students, staff, and faculty have access to the library. Visitors who are part of a guided tour are welcome as well. We ask that you contact us at doctorate@captechu.edu to schedule an appointment.

Additional Questions

• Do we have Ph.D. alumni teaching at major universities?  We have Ph.D. alumni that teach at Capitol and those that teach at other Universities as well.
  
  
• Tell me again how the European Model works.  How can you earn a degree without taking any courses?  You actually enroll in 10 courses, but not in a classroom with other students. Instead, the focus is on your original research.  As you move through your courses, you plan a large research project  overseen by your chair and committee. The chair and committee guide, lead, mentor, and teach.  You will review the literature, plan a methodology, collect data, analyze the data, and prepare your dissertation.  Some students do not do a dissertation but rather publish three peer-reviewed scholarly articles in recognized academic journals.
  
  

•  Is Capitol accredited, and by what accrediting body?
  Capitol Technology University is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.  Middle States is a Regional accreditation agency, which is the highest level of accreditation available to a university in the US. The State of Maryland authorizes the University to confer Associate's (AAS), Bachelor's (B.S.), Master's (MS, MBA, TMBA), and Doctoral (D.Sc., Ph.D., DBA) degrees.