On December 19, 2014 Darci Karr walked across the stage at UNL, graduating with a Ph. D.
“I was teaching at the college at the time and I wanted to promote at the college level. It was a thing for me to do if I was going to stay teaching at the college level,” Karr said.
Between switching jobs, going to night school, and some breaks here and there, it took Karr seven years to complete. The course work took approximately four years, and the dissertation, which is a lengthy, written essay, took around two years.
“The college had some things come up, so I couldn’t work on my research. I switched jobs so I had to put it on hold,” Karr said.
To get her doctorate Karr had to take many classes such as multiple research classes, internet education, instructional technology, and online learning.
“I took several classes on what makes a good online learning environment and what makes a good professor online vs. face-to-face teaching. Your Ph.D is a lot of research,” Karr said.
With many hours being put into her schooling and being a mother it became a little stressful for Karr, but for the most part there are no downsides of having her Ph.D.
“Working full time was hard work with late nights, but as far as having my doctorate now I don’t know of any negatives to having my Ph.D”, Karr said.
Karr had also said that having a Ph.D doesn’t only increase her pay but gives her the satisfaction that she completed something important.
“As I look back it’s kind of nice to know that I did it and that I can. I accomplished something I never thought I could do. It has given me that affirmation, I know something about my topic area and I can do it. It’s nice to know I can do it.”
