Golden Gate University - San Francisco

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Finance (This Major's Salary over time)
I earned my doctorate at GGU and it was an incredibly rewarding experience. I was first drawn to the program because it was the only fully-accredited doctorate in finance in the Bay Area that could be pursued part-time by someone who also had a career. The experience proved to be so much more than that, however.. The full-time faculty who run the program are passionate about what they do, offering students the opportunity to engage in significant personal growth and deep learning. The faculty are also well suited to GGU's mission, combining, as they do, first class degrees with significant real world experience.

There are two distinct phases to doctoral study, and GGU's program delivers the best of both. The first phase is focused on core doctoral seminars that provide the tools and conceptual framework for understanding and conducting formal research. It was here that I came to fully appreciate the nature of the academic enterprise and begin to master the tools and techniques for its pursuit.

The second phase involves the development of a research question that will result (if you're sufficiently diligent) in the production of a formal dissertation. This is the apprenticeship phase, where you work closely with your dissertation committee and, most especially, your chair. My own committee chair was at once both guide and mentor, sending me back again-and-again to reexamine my sources, rewrite my proposals, and revisit the evidence. Each time, my dissertation got better. In the end, I was able to produce work that I believe will have a real impact on my profession.

The doctoral program is probably the smallest part of what GGU does, but it represents the best of the University's mission and values. Beyond that, I can heartily recommend GGU to anyone who seeks to improve their skills and advance their career through any any of the University's many degree and certificate programs.