Thursday, May 31, 2012

The Top Online Ph.D. & Doctorate Programs | Online PhD

When online PhD and doctorate programs were first introduced, there was doubt about whether those degree programs would ever be perceived as legitimate as those from a traditional program at a brick-and-mortar university. Over time, the number of online degree programs, as well as the quality of the institutions offering them, has steadily increased, bringing legitimacy and acceptability to online PhD and doctorate programs overall. This is good news for students who wish to pursue higher degrees through online programs that provide flexibility and cost savings in many cases.

In 2006, the New York Times reported that employer attitudes towards online education were mostly mixed. While some employers did not differentiate much between online and traditional degrees, others did not view distance studies as particularly favorable. However, a report one year later in Diverse Issues in Higher Education cited results from a survey conducted by Eduventures? Continuing and Professional Education, which showed that of the 505 employers they surveyed, more than 62 percent had a favorable view of online degrees. A study published in the Online Distance Learning Journal in 2008 also found that community colleges were willing to hire faculty members with online PhD and doctorate degrees, further authenticating online education overall.

Types of Online PhDs and Doctorates

Students who wish to take their field of study to the next level, whether to gain prestige and respect in their field or to advance their career path, can find many options in online PhD and doctorate degree programs. Both research doctorate degrees and professional doctorates can be pursued through distance education options. In some cases, the studies can be completed fully online; others require some classroom time or field work to complete the program.

Both online PhDs and doctorate degrees can take anywhere from three to 10 years to complete, depending on the field of study and the amount of time the student has to commit to studies each semester. Many combine online work, classroom time and field experience, making the online degree a comprehensive ?blended? experience that fully prepares students for work in their chosen field. When classroom time is required, class size is often smaller than undergraduate programs, with no more than 20 students to a class. Final examinations and a dissertation are typically required to complete a doctorate or PhD program.

Methodology of the Rankings

The programs on this list are 30 of the top online programs available today. They are not ranked in order, since each PhD and doctorate program is unique in its own right, just as traditional graduate programs are distinct from one another. Comparing the departments to one another would be similar to comparing apples to oranges, and would not give prospective students a fair assessment of which program might best fit their needs. Instead, these programs were chosen based on their quality, as well as their unique offerings, so students have a diverse selection of online doctorate and PhD programs to learn about.

Schools were chosen based on rating scales for important factors like the quality of the program, accreditation for the school and unique features that make a specific program stand out from the rest. Reputation of the school, qualifications of professors and the school?s history were also taken into consideration. This list includes a wide range of disciplines as well, giving prospective students a broad spectrum of the online graduate programs currently available today.

Many resources are available to help students consider the authenticity of an online PhD or doctorate program, including statistics from government reports, comparison of similar programs and ratings of the school offering the program. These factors can be useful in comparing online programs, even when the programs themselves may be dramatically different in terms of curriculum and features. Students must weigh their options carefully, through lists like this one, to find a program that meets their unique academic and professional needs.

Bellevue University ? PhD in Human Capital Management

1. Department Page: Click here

2. Fast Facts about Bellevue University:

? ?? The school?s campus is located in Bellevue, Nebraska.
? ?? The school is currently ?home? to about 9,000 students worldwide.
? ?? The school offers 3-year bachelor degree programs in a wide range of studies, 15 master?s programs and one doctorate program.

3. Features of the Program:?The PhD in Human Capital Management teaches graduate students how to implement the latest in business practices to improve corporate performance. The flexible program allows students to complete four modules of study at their own pace including:

? ?? Strategic Human Capital Management and Productivity
? ?? Linking Human Capital to Organizational Outcomes
? ?? Human Capital Leadership and Introduction to Measurement
? ?? Measuring, Analyzing and Assessing Human Capital Effectiveness

Because Bellevue University emphasizes active learning, the PhD program is designed to allow students to incorporate classroom learning into real-world professional environments. Students will learn from faculty who have an interest in issues associated with human capital management, and will have the opportunity to interact with students and research partners that share that same passion.

4. School Accreditation:?Bellevue University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The School of Business is also accredited by the International Assembly of Collegiate Business Education.

5. Application Process:?Admissions requirements are found at http://www.bellevue.edu/graduate/phd-admissions.aspx.

Students must submit the online application, as well as the following:

? ?? Graduate degree from accredited college or university
? ?? One-time application fee
? ?? Official manuscripts (must have 3.0 undergraduate GPA and 3.2 graduate GPA)
? ?? 5 Years of professional experience (resume required)
? ?? Statement of interest
? ?? Nomination from employer
? ?? Recommendation from peer or personal reference

Brandman University ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

1. Department Page:?Click here

2. Fast Facts about Brandman University:
? ?? Brandman University is part of the Chapman University System, which was founded in 1958
? ?? The main campus is located in Orange, California
? ?? The school currently boasts around 4,000 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate students
? ?? More than 50 undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs are currently offered through the university

3. Features of the Program:?Brandman University offers a Doctorate of Nursing program, which can be earned through a combination of the following:

? ?? Immersion sessions at the Irvine campus lasting 2 to 4 days at a time
? ?? Internships at locations near to where students live; either clinics or hospitals or health centers
? ?? Online lectures, exercises and demonstrations students can participate in from home

The program consists of 33 credit hours, which can be earned in 18 months of part-time studies. Students can choose to prepare for work as a nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, nurse anesthetist or clinical nurse specialist. The extended education arm of Brandman University offers instruction in cutting-edge practices in health care focused both on professional and individual development.

4. School Accreditation:?Brandman University is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

5. Application Process:?The online application process for Brandman University can be found at http://www.brandman.edu/nursing/reqs_for_program.asp?code=UC.DNP.NURS. In addition to the online application, students are required to submit the following:

? ?? Official transcripts from school where undergraduate and graduate degrees were earned
? ?? Certification as an advanced practice nurse, and RN license
? ?? Current resume
? ?? Three references, including current or most recent employer
? ?? Possible phone interview may be requested

California Institute of Integral Studies ? PhD in Transformative Studies

Department Page:?Click here

Fast Facts about the California Institute of Integral Studies:
? ?? The Institute was first founded as the Cultural Integration Fellowship in 1951
? ?? The primary campus is located in San Francisco, California
? ?? Currently the school is home to more than 1,400 students, with most pursuing graduate degrees
? ?? The Institute offers a number of unique graduate programs, in addition to a bachelor?s completion program

Features of the Program:?The California Institute of Integral Studies offers an online PhD program in transformative studies. Students in this program will be responsible for the following:

? ?? Contribute to original transdisciplinary research in specific area of inquiry
? ?? Engage in a collaborative learning process with a community of learners
? ?? Apply research to real-life situations, by putting theory into practice
? ?? Engage in the process of personal and social transformation

The California Institute of Integral Studies is an institution of higher learning dedicated to incorporating intellect, wisdom and spirit into service to individuals, communities and the Earth as a whole. The school focuses on integration of fragmented aspects of current culture and thought into a meaningful big picture outlook. The Institute combines the values of both the East and the West to encompass traditions and perspectives from across the globe.

School Accreditation:?The California Institute of Integral Studies is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Application Process:?Application instructions for the California Institute of Integral Studies can be found at http://www.ciis.edu/Admissions_and_Financial_Aid/Applying_to_CIIS.html. In addition to the online application, students are required to submit the following:

Letter of recommendation
? ?? Writing sample
? ?? Autobiographical statement
? ?? Goal statement

Capella University ? Doctor of Business Administration

Department Page:?Click here?

Fast Facts about Capella University:
? ?? Capella University was founded in 1993 as the Graduate School of America
? ?? The school originally offered online master?s and doctoral programs in management, education and human services
? ?? Capella University is a strictly online university with its headquarters located in Minneapolis, Minnesota
? ?? Faculty members, like the students who attend Capella University, are located across the country

Features of the Program:?Capella University offers an online Doctor of Business Administration, which allows those already working in the professional capacity to take their careers to the next level. Some of the areas of focus incorporated into this program include:

? ?? Accounting and Finance
? ?? Business Intelligence
? ?? Global Operations and Supply Chain Management
? ?? Information Technology Management
? ?? Human Resource Management

The program includes an optional international trip to allow students the opportunity to see the effects of globalization on business firsthand.

School Accreditation:?Capella University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?The application process for Capella University begins at?https://portal.capella.edu/psp/pa89prd/CAPELLA/CU_PUBLIC/s/WEBLIB_IS_AW.ISCRIPT1.FieldFormula.IScript_AssemblePage?AWGroupID=CU_APPLY_TO_CAPELLA&AWPageID=CU_APPLY_TO_CAPELLA&AWObjName=CU_APPLY_TO_CAPELLA.

Students will be asked to provide the following when applying:

? ?? Completed online application
? ?? Transcripts
? ?? Application fee

Catholic University of America ? Doctor of Ministry

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Catholic University of America:
? ?? Catholic University of America officially opened its doors in 1889
? ?? The school is located in the heart of Washington D.C.
? ?? Currently, Catholic University of America is the school of choice for nearly 7,000 students
? ?? The university includes 12 different schools that offer a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs

Features of the Program:?Catholic University of America offers a Doctorate of Ministry that can be earned through a combination of residential and online components. The summer program includes three weeks at the Washington D.C. campus, with the online component available both before and after the residency period. The program offers three different areas of specialization for students to choose from:

? ?? Spiritual Formation
? ?? Catechesis
? ?? Pastoral Care

A total of 30 hours, plus a doctorate project are required for graduation from the program. The project encompasses an area of ministry within the student?s ministerial context.

School Accreditation:?Catholic University of America is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?The application process for Catholic University of America can begin online at http://admissions.cua.edu/graduate/apply/index.html. In addition to completing the online application, students will also be asked to submit the following:

? ?? Statement of purpose
? ?? Unofficial transcripts
? ?? Contact information for three references
? ?? Application fee
? ?? GRE or other test scores, when applicable

Clarke University ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Clarke University:
? ?? Clarke University was founded in 1843 by Mary Frances Clark
? ?? The school?s 55-acre campus is located in Dubuque, Iowa
? ?? In 2011, total enrollment in the school was 1,232
? ?? Clarke University offers associate, bachelor, master and doctor degrees in a wide range of subjects

Features of the Program:?The Doctor of Nursing Practice from Clarke University offers training and preparation for nursing professionals who want to take their career to the next level as a family nurse practitioner. The program is limited to 20 students per cohort, ensuring ample one-on-one time with Clarke faculty. Courses incorporate a hybrid delivery, which combines face-to-face with online instruction. Those who graduate from this program will have the necessary skills to:

? ?? Provide top-quality patient care
? ?? Apply ethical perspectives to their practice
? ?? Manage the business end of health care
? ?? Use technology and current research to support practice
? ?? Advocate health care access for all

The program is designed as a three-year graduate program that fully prepares students for a career as a nurse practitioner.

School Accreditation:?Clarke University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association and the National League for Nursing.

Application Process:?The requirement for admission to the Doctor of Nursing program at Clarke University can be found here http://www.clarke.edu/page.aspx?id=23606. In addition to the online application, students are required to submit the following:

? ?? Application fee ? unless student is Clarke graduate
? ?? Official academic transcripts
? ?? Current GRE score
? ?? Three recommendations
? ?? Statement of goals
? ?? Writing sample

Colorado State University Fort Collins -?PhD in Education and Human Resource Studies

Department Page: ?Click here?

Fast Facts about Colorado State University:
? ?? Colorado State University was founded in 1870 as the Agricultural College of Colorado
? ?? The school is located in Fort Collins, Colorado
? ?? Colorado State University has been ranked in the top tier by U.S. News and World Report ?s rankings of ?America?s Best Colleges and Universities?
? ?? Currently CSU is home to around 30,000 students, pursuing a broad range of undergraduate and graduate degrees

Features of the Program:?The Doctor of Philosophy from Colorado State University is designed to prepare graduates for leadership in institutions of higher education. Through this program, students will develop the following:

? ?? Research skills and knowledge
? ?? Commitment to institutional mission, diversity and open access
? ?? Knowledge of higher education systems and outcomes

The degree program incorporates both classroom time and online studies. Students are required to attend a single one-week session on campus each year, with the rest of the studies completed online. The program encompasses 30 hours of coursework that includes research, examinations, publication submission and a dissertation.

School Accreditation:?Colorado State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, ?a Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.

Application Process:?The program is currently not accepting new applications however deadlines will be set soon.

Edgewood College ? Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership

Department Page: Click here

Fast Facts about Edgewood College:
? ?? Edgewood College is a Catholic institution of higher education founded in 1927
? ?? The main campus of the school is located in Madison, Wisconsin
? ?? Edgewood College is currently home to approximately 2,650 students
? ?? The school offers more than 60 major and 40 minor fields of study

Features of the Program:?Edgewood College offers a Doctorate of Educational Leadership through its hybrid program that incorporates both class time and online studies. Throughout the program, students will delve into the following:

? ?? Meaningful research that is directed toward school improvement
? ?? Professional practice in real-world work situations
? ?? Ethical foundations of change to benefit teaching at all levels
? ?? Collaborative work with school districts and institutions

The online program requires students to meet once a year during the three-year program for a single day on the Edgewood College campus. The rest of the studies are completed online, unless special arrangements are made between students and faculty members.

School Accreditation:?Edgewood College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The School of Education is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Application Process:?To apply online for the Doctor of Education at Edgewood College, students can click on https://www.edgewood.edu/Apply/DoctorofEducation.aspx to access the online application.

Georgia Southern University ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Georgia Southern University:
? ?? Georgia Southern University was founded in 1906 in Savannah, Georgia
? ?? The current location for the main campus of Georgia Southern University is Statesboro
? ?? The school boasts a total student enrollment of more than 20,000
? ?? The school offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs, both on campus and online

Features of the Program:?Georgia Southern University offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice program that can be completed through online coursework. The program is a part of the College of Health and Human Sciences, and prepares students for the highest level of nursing care. Elements to be covered in this program include:

? ?? Direct care of individual patients
? ?? Health care management for both individuals and populations
? ?? Development and implementation of health policy
? ?? Administration of nursing systems

The online program is offered over the course of eight semesters, and is specifically designed with the working professional student in mind. Attendance at intensive workshops on campus is required, with workshops scheduled during the summer months. A total of 10 doctoral students are accepted to the program every fall semester.

School Accreditation:?Georgia Southern University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The nursing program is also accredited by the Georgia Board of Nursing.

Application Process:?The online application for the Doctor of Nursing from Georgia Southern University can be found at http://chhs.georgiasouthern.edu/nursing/Pages/grad/forms/DNP_Application.pdf. Students must submit the application before they can continue with the admission process.

Kansas State University ? PhD in Curriculum and Instruction

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Kansas State University:
? ?? Kansas State University was originally founded in 1858 as Bluemont Central College
? ?? The main campus of the school is located in Manhattan, Kansas
? ?? Kansas State University is currently home to approximately 23,800 students
? ?? The graduate school offers 65 master?s degrees and 45 doctoral degrees
? ?? Kansas State University has been recognized by the Princeton Review and U.S. News and World Report as one of the best colleges in the country

Features of the Program:?Kansas State University offers a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction designed for the working professional. This research-focused program is designed for professional educators who want to take their careers to the next level. Areas of study include:

? ?? High level instruction for students at undergraduate and graduate levels
? ?? Production and dissemination of constructive research and scholarship
? ?? Development of leadership and collaboration within the profession
? ?? Promotion and understanding of diversity

The program requires 90 hours of study, but 30 hours can be applied from a master?s program if applicable. The degree program is considered to be primarily academic in nature, because it is heavily based in research.

School Accreditation:?Kansas State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?To begin the application process for Kansas State University, prospective students can click on http://coe.k-state.edu/grad/download/phd_edd_edci.pdf ?to learn requirements and more about the process. In addition to the graduate application, students must submit the following:

? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Application fee
? ?? Statement of goals and professional experience
? ?? GRE test scores
? ?? Letters of recommendation
? ?? Writing sample
? ?? Resume

Keiser University Ft Lauderdale ? PhD in Educational Leadership

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Keiser University:
? ?? Keiser University was founded in 1977 as a private, not-for-profit career university
? ?? The school?s main campus is located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with satellite campuses throughout the state
? ?? Students at Keiser University take one four-week class at a time, including a final examination
? ?? The school currently serves a population of approximately 13,000 students

Features of the Program:?Keiser University offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership, which prepares professionals in the education realm for the next level in their careers. The program focuses on the following skills:

? ?? Application of leadership theory to schools and school systems
? ?? Evaluation of best teaching practices, emerging technologies and assessment techniques
? ?? Creation of a learning environment in regards to political, social, economic and legal environment
? ?? Response to divers learning community to foster a safe learning environment for all students

The program requires 60 hours of coursework, with a minimum of 54 hours completed at Keiser University. Students can complete the program online.

School Accreditation:?Keiser University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?The online application process for Keiser University begins at https://secure.ecollege.com/keiser/D1index.real?area=31&step=1. Students will be asked to submit the following along with their online application:

? ?? Unofficial transcripts
? ?? Two letters of recommendation
? ?? GRE test scores
? ?? Formal resume

Loyola University New Orleans ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Loyola University:
? ?? Loyola University is a Jesuit school that first opened its doors in 1904
? ?? The school?s campus is located in New Orleans, Louisiana
? ?? Currently the school boasts a student population of nearly 5,000 students
? ?? The school is home to five colleges, and offers 61 undergraduate and 12 graduate degree programs

Features of the Program:?Loyola University offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program that is a hybrid of online studies and yearly visits to campus. The program is designed for those already working in the field of nursing who want to take their careers to the next level. Some of the objectives of the nursing program at Loyola University include:

? ?? Analysis of system elements to provide the highest quality of medical care to patients
? ?? Design systems that will raise the bar of the delivery of health care to individuals and populations
? ?? Demonstration of leadership within the medical industry to improve the quality of health care systems
? ?? Provision of leadership that positively impacts health care from a financial, ethical and policy-making standpoint

The program offers two distinct tracks; one for students who are coming from a baccalaureate program and another for students who have already earned a master?s degree. Credit hour requirements will be determined by the track the student selects. All courses are offered online, but students are required to come to the school?s campus at the beginning of each year for orientation and at the end of the program to defend the capstone.

School Accreditation:?Loyola University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the National League for Nursing Accreditation Commission.

Application Process:?The online application process for Loyola University begins at http://css.loyno.edu/nursing/forms/dnp-app-post-baccalaureate-family-nurse-practitioner-track. Applicants are also required to submit the following:

? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Copy of current nursing license
? ?? Three letters of recommendation
? ?? Statement of goals

Michigan State University ? PhD in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Michigan State University:
? ?? Michigan State University was founded in 1855 and was the first school in the U.S. to teach scientific agriculture
? ?? The school?s main campus is located in East Lansing, Michigan
? ?? The school currently boasts a student population of nearly 48,000 students
? ?? Michigan State University offers more than 200 graduate, undergraduate and certificate programs

Features of the Program:?The PhD in Educational Psychology and Educational Technology is a hybrid program that combines online studies with work on the school?s campus. Students enrolled in this five-year program will achieve the following milestones throughout their coursework:

? ?? Formation of a guidance committee to collectively support the student?s development
? ?? A preliminary examination to assess the student?s ability to read and understand research
? ?? A research practicum and apprenticeship, which allows the student to carry out and write up their research plan
? ?? A comprehensive examination at the end of the program

Students primarily complete coursework online throughout the academic year, with a two-week, face-to-face meeting on campus during each summer session.

School Accreditation:?Michigan State University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?Students interested in the PhD program at Michigan State University can find information about admissions at http://education.msu.edu/cepse/epet/admissions-hybrid.asp. In addition to the online application, students are asked to submit the following:

? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Three letters of recommendation
? ?? GRE scores
? ?? Resume
? ?? Writing sample
? ?? Statement of research goals

Simmons College ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Simmons College:
? ?? Simmons was founded in 1899 as a women?s college
? ?? The school offers undergraduate programs for women today, as well as co-educational graduate studies
? ?? The school is located in Boston, Massachusetts
? ?? Currently the school is home to more than 1,900 undergraduate women and 3,000 men and women in graduate programs
? ?? The school offers more than 50 undergraduate programs, with a wide range of graduate programs as well

Features of the Program:?Simmons College offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice program for health care professionals ready to improve their careers. This program was designed around the following objectives:

? ?? Integration of nursing with other sciences, including biophysical, analytical and organizational sciences
? ?? Demonstration of leadership in bringing high quality health care to individuals and populations
? ?? Completion of practice-based research
? ?? Utilization of technology and informatics to improve health care quality and delivery
? ?? Collaboration with other industry professionals to raise the bar on patient care
? ?? Design and implementation of health care policy that positively impacts all aspects of the health care industry

The program is taught through a combination of online classes and two on-campus residencies each semester. Students are also required to complete a practice-based capstone project before graduating from the program.

School Accreditation:?Simmons College is accredited by the Commission for Institutions of Higher Education. The School of Nursing and Health Sciences is also accredited by the American Association of Colleges for Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Process:?To apply for the Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Simmons College, prospective students can begin at http://www.simmons.edu/snhs/programs/nursing/dnp/apply.php. In addition to the online application, students must supply the following:

? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Proof of board certification
? ?? Current nursing license
? ?? Resume showing minimum of two years professional experience

Texas Christian University ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Texas Christian University:
? ?? Texas Christian University was founded in 1873 as AddRan Male and Female College by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark
? ?? The school?s main campus is located in Fort Worth, Texas
? ?? Texas Christian University currently boasts a student population of approximately 9,500 students
? ?? The school is affiliated with the Disciples of Christ churches
? ?? The school offers 131 undergraduate and 69 graduate degree programs

Features of the Program:?The Doctor of Nursing Practice from Texas Christian University is offered completely online. The program focuses on the following:

? ?? Managing the complex health care environment of today
? ?? Using systematic tools in determining the best delivery of intervention
? ?? Developing expertise in translational research
? ?? Actively engaging in health care policy
? ?? Developing expertise in areas of technology and informatics

The program offers two different tracks; one to become a nurse practitioner and the other to become a nurse administrator. The online program may be completed in as little as two years.

School Accreditation:?Texas Christian University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The nursing program is also accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Process:?Students can apply for the online Doctor of Nursing Practice at TCU by visiting http://www.dnp.tcu.edu/prospectives.asp. In addition to the online application, students are required to submit the following:

? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Nursing license
? ?? Resume
? ?? Three professional references
? ?? Application fee
? ?? Writing sample with statement of goals

Texas Woman?s University -?PhD in Nursing Science

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Texas Women?s University:
? ?? Texas Women?s University was founded in 1901 as the Girls Industrial College
? ?? Men were not admitted to any of the school?s programs until 1972; by 1994, all undergraduate programs began admitting men
? ?? The university has three campuses in Denton, Houston and Dallas, Texas
? ?? The annual student population at the school has exceeded 14,000 for the past 10 years

Features of the Program:?The PhD in Nursing Science at Texas Women?s University is offered in two distinct formats:

? ?? The Denton campus offers the program fully online and has implemented the Quality Matters standard for their online program
? ?? The Houston campus offers a hybrid program that includes both online studies and classes at the campus, with research focusing primarily on women?s health issues

Both programs can be attended either full or part time, and allow students ultimate flexibility in achieving their goals of higher education while continuing to work in their profession.

School Accreditation:?Texas Women?s University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The College of Nursing is also accredited by the Texas Board of Nursing and the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Process:?Prospective students can find information about the admissions process at http://www.twu.edu/nursing/phd.asp#phd-how-to-apply. In addition to an online application, students will be asked to submit the following:

? ?? Two letters of recommendation
? ?? GRE scores
? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Statement of research goals
? ?? Professional resume

University of Alabama ? Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of Alabama:
? ?? The University of Alabama was founded in 1820 as the University of the State of Alabama
? ?? The main campus for the school is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
? ?? The University of Alabama currently boasts a student population of around 31,700 students
? ?? The school as a ?Capstone Creed,? which is recited by each incoming freshman class at the school?s convocation

Features of the Program:?The University of Alabama offers a doctorate in Higher Education Administration that is a hybrid program combining online studies and campus meetings. Material is presented through the following mediums:

? ?? Video courses
? ?? Videoconferencing
? ?? Weekend campus meetings
? ?? Independent study

In addition to coursework, students in the graduate program will be expected to conduct a directed doctoral study and produce a dissertation.

School Accreditation:?The University of Alabama is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the College of Education is accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Application Process:?Students interested in applying for the hybrid PhD program in Higher Education Administration can begin the application process at http://gadsden.ua.edu/degrees-programs/degrees/EdD%20Higher%20Education%20Administration/admission.html. In addition to the application, students are required to submit the following:

? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Three letters of recommendation
? ?? Statement of purpose
? ?? GRE scores
? ?? Professional resume

Trident University International ? PhD in Business Administration

Department Page: Click here

Fast Facts about Trident University:
? ?? Trident University International was founded in 1998 as an online university
? ?? The school is based in Cypress, California, but has a distinct international focus
? ?? Currently, the school offers bachelor, master and doctorate degree programs
? ?? More than 90 percent of the faculty at Trident University International hold PhDs

Features of the Program:?Trident University International offers an online PhD in Business Administration. The degree program prepares students for a wide range of career options in the area of business administration, including research and faculty positions. Concentrations in the program include:

? ?? Finance/Accounting
? ?? Information Systems/IT Management
? ?? Marketing
? ?? Management/Organizations

To complete the program, students are required to take core courses, as well as concentration courses in one of the concentrations listed above. A final examination and dissertation study are also included in the program.

School Accreditation:?Trident University International is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

Application Process:?Interested students can begin the online application process at https://trident.secure.force.com/applications. In addition to the applications, students must submit the following:

? ?? Official transcript
? ?? Sample of research writing
? ?? Curriculum Vita

University of Arkansas ? Doctor of Education in?Human Resource and Workforce Development Education

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of Arkansas:
? ?? The University of Arkansas was founded in 1862 as Arkansas Industrial University
? ?? The school?s main campus is located in Fayetteville, Arkansas
? ?? During the current academic year, the school had 23,199 students enrolled
? ?? The 412-acre campus offers more than 200 degree programs with a student to faculty ration of 19:1

Features of the Program:?The Doctor of Education in Human Resource and Workforce Development is a degree program that is mostly offered online, with some on-campus requirements. The program is designed to prepare students with the following skills:

? ?? Integrated training
? ?? Organizational development
? ?? Career planning
? ?? Counseling

Students will learn to use those skills to manage and evaluate programs in the workplace. The program includes 96 hours of online study and two classes that must be completed on campus.

School Accreditation:?The University of Arkansas is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. The College of Education and Health Professions is also accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Application Process:?The online application process for the University of Arkansas begins at http://wded.uark.edu/4484.php. In addition to the online application, students must submit the following:

? ?? GRE scores
? ?? Autobiographical submission
? ?? Professional resume

University of Illinois at Chicago ? Doctor of Public Health in Leadership

Department Page: Click here

Fast Facts about the University of Illinois at Chicago:
? ?? The University of Illinois system began in 1859, when the Chicago College of Pharmacy was founded
? ?? The University of Illinois at Chicago was formed in 1982, when the Medical Center campus and Chicago Circle campus were consolidated into one
? ?? The school is located in the Chicago area and encompasses 15 colleges, and more than 27,000 students
? ?? The school operates the state?s major public health center and serves as the principal institution for educating members of the Illinois health care system

Features of the Program:?The Doctor of Public Health available through the University of Illinois at Chicago is an online program that prepares student in the field of public health to take their mid-level careers to the next step. The comprehensive curriculum encompasses the following:

? ?? Conceptual foundations of public health
? ?? Applied research methodology
? ?? Leadership and management skills

In addition, students will be able to choose a field of specialization. The program is completely online, except for one session per year that lasts anywhere from three to five days.

School Accreditation:?The University of Illinois at Chicago is accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health.

Application Process:?Students interested in the Doctor of Public Health program through the University of Illinois at Chicago can start the application process at http://publichealth.uic.edu/admissions/howtoapply/graduatedegreeprograms/drph/. In addition to the online application, students are asked to submit the following:

? ?? Application fee
? ?? Personal statement
? ?? Resume
? ?? Three letters of recommendation
? ?? Official transcript

University of Massachusetts Amherst ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of Massachusetts Amherst:
? ?? The University of Massachusetts Amherst was founded in 1863 as a land-grant agricultural college
? ?? The school is the flagship institution of the five-school university system in Massachusetts
? ?? Currently the University of Massachusetts Amherst boasts a student population of around 24,000 students
? ?? The school is situated on 1,450 acres in the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts

Features of the Program:?The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers a Doctor of Nursing Practice program online. This program offers current professionals in the field of nursing the chance to advance their careers through courses like:

? ?? Informatics for Nursing Practice
? ?? Nursing Ethics, Health, Policy and Politics
? ?? Organizational Behavior
? ?? Biostatistics

The program encompasses 46 credits of core courses and 36 or 38 credits in specialty courses, depending on the specialty students select. Choices are Family Nurse Practitioner and Public Health Nurse Leader.

School Accreditation:?The University of Massachusetts Amherst is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The School of Nursing is also accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Process:?Instructions for applying to the Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Massachusetts Amherst can be found at http://www.umass.edu/gradschool/admissions. In addition to the online application, students will be asked to submit the following:

? ?? Application fee
? ?? Personal statement
? ?? Residency statement
? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Letters of recommendation
? ?? GRE scores

University of Massachusetts Boston ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of Massachusetts Boston:
? ?? The beginnings of the University of Massachusetts Boston began in 1852 with the founding of Girls? High School, which eventually became Boston State College
? ?? Boston State College merged with UMass Boston in 1982, creating the University of Massachusetts Boston
? ?? The school boasted a population of more than 15,000 students in 2010
? ?? The University of Massachusetts Boston currently offers 65 undergraduate programs and 52 graduate programs

Features of the Program:?The University of Massachusetts Boston offers an online program for students interested in the Doctor of Nursing Practice. This program includes the following areas of focus:

? ?? Improvement in the overall quality of health care
? ?? Application of health care theories to real-world situations
? ?? Increase health care access to individuals and communities

The program is primarily offered online with a limited number of campus visits required. Students enrolled in the program part-time should be able to graduate within three to four years.

School Accreditation:?The University of Massachusetts Boston is accredited by the Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

Application Process:?To apply for the online Doctor of Nursing Practice program, students can begin the process at http://www.umb.edu/admissions/grad/apply/. In addition to completing an online application, students are required to submit the following:

? ?? Application fee
? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? Graduate examination test scores
? ?? Three letters of recommendation
? ?? Statement of interest and intent

University of Missouri Kansas City ? PhD in Nursing

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of Missouri-Kansas City:
? ?? The University of Kansas City was first chartered in 1929 and includes the only dental school in the state
? ?? The school became a part of the University of Missouri System in 1963
? ?? The school is currently home to about 15,000 students, with 14,000 on ?campus
? ?? The University of Missouri-Kansas City offers more than 50 degree programs, with 125 academic areas to choose from

Features of the Program:?The University of Missouri-Kansas City offers a PhD in Nursing as a part of its distance education program. The graduates of this program will be prepared to:

? ?? Function as nurse scientists
? ?? Utilize body of knowledge in real-life nursing situations
? ?? Serve as leaders within the nursing profession

The program requires 49 pre-dissertation hours for students coming from a master?s program and 61 pre-dissertation hours for students entering with a bachelor?s degree.

School Accreditation:?The University of Missouri-Kansas City is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.?The School of Nursing is also accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Process:?Students interested in the online PhD in Nursing through the University of Missouri-Kansas City can find the online application at http://nursing.umkc.edu/documents/academic-programs/applications/phd-app.pdf. In addition to the application, students will be asked to submit:

? ?? Transcripts showing previous GPA
? ?? Research project focus statement
? ?? Three letters of reference

University of the Rockies ? PhD in Organizational Development and Leadership

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of the Rockies:
? ?? University of the Rockies was founded in 1998 as the Colorado School of Professional Psychology
? ?? The school is considered a leader in social and behavioral sciences
? ?? More than 40 percent of the students enrolled at the University of the Rockies belong to an underserved group
? ?? The school?s main campus is located in Colorado Springs, Colorado

Features of the Program:?The University of the Rockies offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Development and Leadership that can be earned online. Students in this graduate program will learn how to effectively assess organizations based on research and evidence. During this program, students will explore some of the following coursework:

? ?? Performance Management
? ?? Global Organizations
? ?? Executive Coaching
? ?? Teams in Organizations
? ?? Ethics

The program requires 68 hours of coursework and 180 hours of practicum. Online classes can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

School Accreditation:?The University of the Rockies is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association.

Application Process:?Instructions for the application process for the University of the Rockies can be found at http://www.rockies.edu/online_requirements.htm. In addition to the graduate application, students will be required to submit the following:

? ?? Official or unofficial transcripts
? ?? Copies of required entrance examinations
? ?? Proof that student has completed all prerequisite requirements

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee ? Doctor of Nursing Practice

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee:
? ?? The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is part of the University of Wisconsin System, which was created in 1971
? ?? The main campus is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, just five blocks from Lake Michigan
? ?? Currently, the school boasts a student population of more than 30,000 students
? ?? The university offers more than 180 undergraduate and graduate degree programs

Features of the Program:?The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee offers a number of online degree programs, including their online Doctor of Nursing Practice. This program is a good next step for professionals in the nursing field who want to advance their careers to the highest possible level. The two-year degree program includes courses like the following:

? ?? Biostatistics
? ?? Outcomes and Quality Management
? ?? Epidemiology
? ?? Information Systems for Clinical Decision Making
? ?? Leadership for Advanced Practice in Health Care

The program encompasses 28 credit hours over two years, as well as a four-credit clinical residency.

School Accreditation:?The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, the School of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Application Process:?To apply online for the Doctor of Nursing Practice at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, interested students can visit the website at http://www4.uwm.edu/nursing/graduate/doctoral/dnp/admission.cfm. In addition to the graduate application, students are asked to submit the following:

? ?? Scores from GRE
? ?? Transcripts
? ?? Personal statement
? ?? Application fee
? ?? Curriculum Vita
? ?? Letters of reference

Valdosta State University ? Doctor of Public Administration

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Valdosta State University:
? ?? Valdosta State University was founded in 1906 and is part of the University System of Georgia
? ?? The main campus for Valdosta State is located in Valdosta, Georgia
? ?? The school was named a regional university in 1993 and adopted the semester system in 1998
? ?? Valdosta State is home to about 13,000 students
? ?? The university encompasses five colleges, which offer 73 undergraduate and 59 graduate degrees

Features of the Program:?Valdosta State University offers a Doctor of Public Administration designed to give students the analytical and research skills they need to succeed in the public administration field. The degree program encompasses 50 hours of coursework, including 15 hours in an area of concentration approved by the DPA coordinator. Those who complete the DPA will have the following:

? ?? Comprehensive understanding of the field of public administration
? ?? Basic skills required of supervisors and managers
? ?? Strong written and oral communication skills
? ?? Sensitivity and understanding of diverse groups of people

The program is designed around residency orientations and online studies, intensive independent study and the writing of a capstone project.

School Accreditation:?Valdosta State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?Instructions for the application process for Valdosta State?s online programs can be found at https://secure.gacollege411.org/applications/USG_Common_App_MAT_MED/apply.html?application_id=3646. In addition to the online application, students are expected to submit the following:

? ?? Official test scores
? ?? Official transcript
? ?? Letter of recommendation

Virginia Commonwealth University ? PhD in Health Related Sciences

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Virginia Commonwealth University:
? ?? Virginia Commonwealth University was founded in 1838, as the Medical College of Virginia
? ?? The school currently boasts two campuses in Richmond, Virginia ? the Monroe Park campus and the MCV campus
? ?? The VCU Medical Center serves as the region?s only Level 1 Trauma Center
? ?? Virginia Commonwealth University is currently home to approximately 31,000 students

Features of the Program:?Virginia Commonwealth University offers a PhD in Health Related Sciences, which prepares professionals in the health care field to take their careers to the next level in terms of research, teaching and administration. The program is offered online, as a four-year course of study. Nine different areas of specialization under this degree umbrella include:

? ?? Clinical Lab Sciences
? ?? Health Administration
? ?? Patient Counseling
? ?? Occupational and Physical Therapy
? ?? Radiation Sciences

The program utilizes webcasts, power point presentations, discussion forums and other modes of technology to present material to students across the globe.

School Accreditation:?Virginia Commonwealth University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Application Process:?The online application process for Virginia Commonwealth University?s PhD program begins at http://www.graduate.vcu.edu/admission/prospective/apply.html. In addition to the graduate application, students applying for the PhD program are asked to submit the following:

? ?? Application fee
? ?? Official transcripts
? ?? GRE scores
? ?? Three letters of recommendation
? ?? Curriculum Vitae
? ?? Personal essay

Western Michigan University ? PhD in?Interdisciplinary Health Sciences

Department Page: Click here

Fast Facts about Western Michigan University:
? ?? Western Michigan University was founded in 1903
? ?? The school is home to about 25,000 graduate and undergraduate students each year
? ?? Western Michigan University is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and is the state?s fourth largest institution of higher education
? ?? The university currently offers 140 undergraduate programs, 67 master?s and 29 doctoral programs

Features of the Program:?One of the doctoral programs offered by Western Michigan University is a PhD in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, offered through the University?s College of Health and Human Services. This program offers training to develop student competence in three distinct areas:

? ?? Service
? ?? Research
? ?? Teaching

The program entails 63 credit hours, including 12 hours in dissertation credits. The program is primarily completed online, with a handful of intense on-campus weekend sessions each year.

School Accreditation:?Western Michigan University is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and the Higher Learning Commission.

Application Process:?Instructions for the admissions process at Western State University can be found at http://www.wmich.edu/apply/graduate/. In addition to the graduate application, students will be asked to submit the following:

? ?? Curriculum Vitae
? ?? Personal statement
? ?? Three letters of recommendation

Wilmington University ? Doctor of Business Administration

Department Page: Click here?

Fast Facts about Wilmington University:
? ?? Wilmington University first opened its doors in 1968 with a charter class of 194 students
? ?? The school has a number of campuses located in Maryland, Delaware and Southern New Jersey
? ?? Wilmington University primarily caters to commuting students, and those seeking higher education online
? ?? The university offers a wide range of career-focused undergraduate and graduate degree programs

Features of the Program:?Wilmington University offers a Doctor of Business Administration that is presented in a hybrid format. While students complete the majority of their studies online, they are also required to attend seven face-to-face classes of three hours each. Classes are available evenings and weekends to make it easy to work school around busy professional and family schedules. The Doctor of Business Administration delves into the following areas:

? ?? Leadership
? ?? Strategy
? ?? Finance
? ?? Ethics

Principles learned in this program can help students take their business careers to the next level, whether they work in a corporation, non-profit organization, health care facility, higher education or government office.

School Accreditation:?Wilmington University is accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association. In addition, the College of Business is accredited by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.

Application Process:?Admission requirements for the Doctor of Business Administration through Wilmington University can be found at http://www.wilmu.edu/business/dba_admission.aspx. In addition to the graduate application, students are required to submit the following:

? ?? Personal statement
? ?? Resume
? ?? Three recommendation forms
? ?? Official transcripts

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Chocolate 101 : Becoming a Chocolate Connoisseur!

At last!!?The day has arrived when we can finally learn the secrets to becoming a chocolate connoisseur. So far we have learned about the history of chocolate, how it is made, and about the different types of chocolate available.

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Click on these sites to review previous Chocolate 101 blogs.

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After learning the above about chocolate, we are now ready to judge chocolate. In the following paragraphs we will learn how to?discern the following: appearance, aroma, texture, and taste?of chocolate, along with?the?6 steps on how to eat chocolate. I can?t wait. Without further adieu, let?s begin!

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Appearance

-Most important in judging the appearance of fine chocolates is that it should have a satiny, smooth finish indicating that the cocoa butter has been properly tempered (crystallized). Keep in mind, however, that dark chocolate has a shinier appearance than does milk chocolate. This does not necessarily?mean that dark chocolate is of better quality, it just means that milk chocolate contains milk which clouds the finish.

-Examine the detail and care that has been put into the chocolate?s design. The edges should be clean and the molding should be clear.

-If the chocolate is too old, it will develop a hazy, white film called ?bloom?.? Also, the look of flour on chocolate may indicate that the manufacturer has used cocoa powder instead of cocoa beans. Cocoa powder is most commonly used in chocolate of lesser quality.

-Do not be swayed by color. The shade of color is influenced by many factors, such as bean type and roasting time, as well as milk content.

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  • Aroma
  • -Taste is 90% smell, so we consider aroma to be the most important feature?when judging chocolate. Practice makes perfect. If you know how to judge wine, you are ahead of the game and know the importance of being aware of your sense of smell.
  • -Treat chocolate like you would a fine glass of burgundy wine. Fine chocolate does have a bouquet of it?s own. To describe what you smell, refer to fruit, flowers, woodland, and spice. Consider these questions. Does the chocolate smell strong or is it subtle? Do you detect any other scents besides cocoa beans?? such as vanilla, any spices, or fruit flavors?
  • -If you?re having trouble detecting the scents, lightly rub your thumb against the chocolate to warm it up, and then try smelling the chocolate again. It takes practice to describe a chocolate?s ?nose?.
  • -To develop a nose for chocolate, become aware of your surroundings and the smells around you. After a rainfall, consider taking a walk in a nature-setting, take in the smells. When buying fruit at a fruit market, take note of the different aromas?created by the?fruit there. Smell the spices in your cabinet and the herbs in your garden. The biggest problem with smell now-a-days is that we are so bombarded by artificial smells that we have lost our memory recall for natural scents. Unfortunately, when many people smell a fine chocolate for the first time, they do not recognise it as chocolate, because for them, chocolate should smell of sugar and vanilla, or even worse, the smell of artificial flavoring which gives it a longer shelf life (thus making it less healthy). A bouquet of fine quality, bitter-sweet cocoa beans and fresh dairy should greet your senses.
  • ______________________

    Texture

    -Break your piece of chocolate in half and listen to the sound. High quality chocolate produces a sharp, crisp sound and has?a clean edge. With the exception of truffles, the outside coating of fine chocolates is often molded in a sleek, semi-hard shape that ?snaps? when you bite into it. The higher the cocoa quantity and the better the tempering, the louder the ?snap? of the chocolate. Professional chocolate-tasters can tell a great deal about the quality of chocolate just by this sound.

    -If it breaks easily and neatly without much effort, then you can assume that the balance between cocoa bean and butter is correct. If it?s brittle or soft, the chocolate may be either old or improperly stored. Due to the milk content in milk chocolate, dark chocolate will break more easily than milk.

    -The inside of a chocolate piece is called the center or filling, and in fine chocolates, it should be specifically intended to complement the outside coating in terms of flavor and texture.

    -When you actually have the chocolate in your mouth,?it should be velvety smooth without the graininess that comes from incomplete refinement.

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    Taste

    Think about what ingredients are present within the chocolate that make it unique.?As you?try to be?aware of the ingredients and characteristics of chocolate with your nose, try to discover the same with your taste-buds.??Is it salty or sweet? Fruity or nutty? What kind of fruits are contained within the chocolate? Is it earthy?

    -Notice the way in which the ingredients compliment each other and create harmony. Chocolates that are complex may start off with one flavour and then evolve into another. For example, the piece of chocolate you try may start out sweet and then turn salty or bitter. This quality of the flavour of chocolate evolving from one characteristic to another is when chocolatiers really work their magic in creating truly fantastic, interesting chocolate.

    -One note of caution, if you notice sugar as an ingredient, there is too much in the chocolate. Excess sugar is used to disguise poor quality cocoa beans. The manufacturer may be trying to disguise burnt, metallic, or mouldy flavour.

    -Look for the special ?finish? or pleasant aftertaste that lingers on the palate. When it comes to chocolate and it?s hypnotic power over man, this aspect of chocolate is probably what is most influential. This special ?finish? makes us feel sublime and we should revel in it.

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    How to eat chocolate

    1. Make sure that your chocolate is room temperature so that it will melt as soon as it hits your mouth. Do not refrigerate chocolate as cold chocolate does not release it?s flavors and aromas until it has warmed. If need be, rub your thumb gently over the chocolate to warm it up.

    2. Smell the chocolate and look for the bouquet. Describe the chocolate?s nose by referring to fruit, flowers, woodland and spice as described above.

    3. Bite into the chocolate. Notice the way in which the outside coating of the chocolate and the filling compliment each other. Look for the ?snap? when you bite into it.

    4. Never rush the experience. Let the chocolate melt against the roof of your mouth. Feel the texture. It should be velvety smooth.

    5. Roll the chocolate over your tongue allowing the flavors to permeate your mouth. As you did with smelling the chocolate, try to detect the ingredients that make that piece of chocolate unique. Try to note whether one flavor evolves into another.

    6. You should feel sublime after tasting a piece of chocolate. Look for that ?special finish? or pleasant aftertaste that lingers on the palate.

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    MMM. There is nothing in the world like a good piece of chocolate. It is believed that chocolate releases endorphins in the brain that give pleasure. Be aware of that as well. If you are tasting more than one chocolate at a sitting, be sure to cleanse your palate with room temperature water and unsalted crackers or bread. Also, be sure to eat your chocolates in proper order from lowest percentage of chocolate to highest.

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    Now you are on your way to becoming a chocolate connoisseur. It will take practice, but with a little self-awareness and appreciation for it?s attributes, you will learn to better appreciate chocolate. To be a chocolate connoisseur, one might think you should become a Buddhist or a monk. Really, though, to become more aware of your senses and being conscious of the simple pleasures in life is something we should?strive for?in everything we do. We are often too rushed, tending to the frivolous details of everyday life, to appreciate what the world has to offer. With chocolate, wine, cheese, nature, ahhh-hmmm, and other things, one should take the time to revel in the magic and beauty that is given to us in this world and see it as a gift.

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    Stay tuned for my next Chocolate 101 blog concerning what food and drink items best compliment chocolate (as in wine), and what the health benefits are along with other scientific facts. I?ll also share a list of chocolates that you may find at Herma?s Fine Foods and Gifts. As you know, she imports chocolate and has quite a lot to offer. I hope you better enjoy chocolate in being able to discern the different qualities that make chocolate special and unique. Until next time, this is Meredith signing off!

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    RECAP: Your chocolate should have a satiny, smooth appearance.?- ?Bloom? is a hazy, white film that indicates chocolate is too old. ? Practice detecting fruits, flowers, woodland, and spice scents in fine chocolate. ? Rub your thumb over chocolate to release aroma and flavor. Chocolate should be room temperature. ? Listen for the ?snap? when you break your chocolate. -?When tasting chocolate, it?should be velvety smooth without the graininess that comes from incomplete refinement- Concentrate on how the tastes compliment each other and note whether one flavor evolves into another. ? Look for that ?special finish? or aftertaste that lingers on your palate.

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    gus - Strategies To Enhance Your Online Internet Marketing Business

    ?

    By Martin Wray

    There are numerous tips on how to increase your existence through online promotion. For instance, if you wish to get a broad variety of visitors to your website, popular videos could help. Producing a random, but good, video and anticipating it to go viral in the internet world is not inconceivable particularly if you are determined enough. In occurrences like this your traffic will surge like nothing else, but, having a video to go viral does take something special.

    Succeeding in online marketing points to maximizing the developments that take place in various software. If your business doesn?t keep up with the advances, there would be a possibility that the customers could start to question you. On the other hand, staying in touch with the developments will project a better impression to your customers.

    It is significant for every company to be able to come up with an appealing motto and a good business logo whatever the scope of the venture is. With the help of these tools, possible consumers will recollect you. Developing taglines could also be beneficial in lodging your business in the minds of possible clients. When an individual who saw your business tagline, requires something that your business offers, then they certainly will differentiate you more importantly to other competitors.

    When creating a landing page for your website, see to it that you make a transparent objective. You should market your specific niche on this web page. Possible customers should immediately know whether they want what you offer the minute they see your page because they know what precisely you are promoting. If your visitors would find it tough to identify what you are striving to market, then they will most likely leave the page and be disappointed.

    Another idea would be to incorporate old and new goods at one reduced bundled price. You should not disguise any parts of the terms of releasing the products. Clients would truly acknowledge complete disclosure.

    As the statement goes, ?Keep your friends closer but your enemies closer?. This could also be used in managing a business using the internet. You should be aware what your rival is doing. Explore other websites and uncover what aspects you ought to develop. Having the ability to know the competitors weak spots might be of significant help. Utilize it to your benefit by growing this area in your websites.

    All things begin small. That is why when unveiling your website, start small in proposing what your business can provide. Search engines may well ignore a website with excessive index pages.

    Adding a subscription service would be beneficial as it will give the patrons the opportunity to enroll for a service when they are purchasing from you. Take for example, if someone would like to buy particular paper, you could present to them a nice discount for enrolling and they could continue to buy a package monthly.

    For clients who invest a particular sum of money, you might tempt them to engage more in your business. An example would be if a customer spends an amount greater than $200, you could give them a 20% markdown. Giving concessions can help to inspire customers to purchase more of the merchandise you are offering.

    Suggesting a variety of merchandise to grow your website could also be a possibility. Just ensure that you are doing it in an easy to use manner. Variety is attractive undoubtedly. Even so, make sure that the options are logical for the visitors.

    Learn to mix and connect with other online business owners. Through this, you can possibly make deals that would be beneficial for both parties. This sort of method can raise your turnover because you put several products into one deal.

    For products that require to be delivered, giving an extra no cost goodie or freebie would be excellent. Subscribers would be pleased to uncover these things and is a very good sign that they will shop with you repeatedly. This added surprise could really be enjoyed by your clients.

    Always keep in mind that you should revise your profile occasionally. No one would be intrigued in looking at the identical profile over and over again. Keeping your social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter fresh is indeed a must.

    You should also keep track of site visitors rather than the variety of purchases made. Look for a program so as to ascertain if your online marketing is working. Various tools could be located to serve in tracking your site stats from your overall traffic to your sales totals.

    Adopting these steps could be a major step towards the improvement of your company in regards to productiveness, sales made and profits. Increased sales would indeed be obtained with online internet marketing. Use these suggestions to attract more visitors to your site.

    Martin Wray is a popular internet marketer, providing a free publication ? Discovering The 5 Steps You Need To Start And Profit From Your Own Internet Business Today. Click Here to access it. Martins blog is at http://www.internetmarketingconfidence.com/, where you will find friendly and useful tips and tricks for your online business venture.

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    Wednesday, May 30, 2012

    Books: ?God?s Hotel? Book Review - An Account of Health Care Past

    [unable to retrieve full-text content]Dr. Victoria Sweet?s account of the Laguna Honda Hospital in San Francisco laments its transformation from an old-style chronic care facility into a modern center focused on efficiency and early discharge.

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    U.N. group urges release of American in Nicaragua

    (Reuters) - A United Nations group has called for the immediate release of a U.S. citizen serving a 22-year prison sentence in Nicaragua for drug trafficking and money laundering, concluding that he was wrongly convicted, his supporters said on Wednesday.

    Jason Puracal, 34, was detained by Nicaraguan authorities in November 2010 and found guilty by a trial judge nine months later along with 10 co-defendants, all of them Nicaraguan nationals.

    Those co-defendants testified that they had never met or worked with Puracal, and the prosecution's own witnesses said he was innocent, according to his legal team.

    Puracal's supporters said he came under suspicion due to his job as a real estate agent, which gave him control over large sums of money held in escrow for property transactions and drew the attention of Nicaraguan law enforcement authorities.

    In a May 24 opinion provided to Reuters by his legal team, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention found Puracal was arbitrarily imprisoned and recommended he be freed immediately. The report, given confidentially to the Nicaraguan government earlier this month, was released publicly by Puracal's supporters on Wednesday.

    Puracal has become a cause celebre for human rights activists in the United States and around the world, with U.S. lawmakers appealing to Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and a former high-ranking U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official launching a massive petition drive on Puracal's behalf.

    "There are thousands of American citizens who are detained around the world, and currently Jason Puracal is the only one who has the United Nations calling for him to be released," Eric Volz, founder of an international crisis resource organization called the David House Agency, told Reuters.

    Volz, whose agency has assisted family members in seeking Puracal's release, was himself convicted of murder in the same Nicaraguan courtroom in 2006, eventually serving 14 months of a 30-year sentence in the same prison, La Modela, in Tipitapa, just east of the capital city, Managua.

    A Nicaraguan appeals court overturned his conviction in December 2011, and Volz began advocating for those in similar situations. He has worked on behalf of Amanda Knox, the Seattle exchange student accused of murder in Italy, and the American hikers jailed in Iran after allegedly straying over the Iraq-Iran border.

    'HELL ON EARTH'

    Puracal has fared well in the maximum-security prison where he is incarcerated, supporters say. The same prison houses many violent offenders, some with ties to drug cartels, according to Volz.

    "It's just terrifying. That place is hell on Earth," Puracal's 33-year-old sister, Janis, told Reuters. "The prison is just loud and hostile, and there's so much violence around him."

    Puracal is suffering from malnutrition and an inflammatory condition caused by the prison's food and water, according to his sister, who has visited him at the facility.

    "The last time I was down there, he told me he was tired of dying in prison," Janis Puracal said. "That's really painful to hear, when it's your big brother who is saying that."

    Puracal, a U.S. citizen born in Washington state, became a resident of Nicaragua after serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2002, and he has married a Nicaraguan woman.

    He was working at a real estate office in the Nicaraguan city of San Juan del Sur, a surfing destination on the Pacific Coast, when National Police agents wearing face masks and carrying AK-47 rifles searched the office without a warrant, according to his legal team.

    Police then searched his home without a warrant before arresting him, his lawyers said. A judge later issued a retroactive authorization for his arrest.

    GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT

    The Nicaraguan government did not reply to the U.N. working group's requests for a report on Puracal's case, nor did it seek more time to respond, according to the group.

    Puracal is represented by a team of lawyers in Nicaragua and abroad. One of them is Jared Genser, a human rights lawyer who previously has worked on behalf of former Czech Republic President Vaclav Havel and Nobel Peace Prize laureates Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar and Desmond Tutu of South Africa.

    "Eighty to 90 percent of the time, governments typically respond (to U.N. queries) because they know failing to respond pretty much guarantees that they're going to lose," Genser told Reuters. "They chose to not even try to defend their actions."

    The Puracal case has steadily drawn greater international attention. Earlier this month, 43 members of the U.S. House of Representatives signed a letter to Ortega asking for an independent review of the case.

    In Washington, the U.S. State Department said on Wednesday it was aware of the U.N. group's opinion on the Puracal case.

    "We obviously are continuing to work assiduously on Mr. Puracal's behalf through diplomatic as well as through consular channels," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

    In April, the former head of DEA operations in Miami and the Caribbean who oversaw the case against late Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, Tom Cash, sponsored a petition asking the Nicaraguan ambassador to the United States to support an independent review of Puracal's case. Nearly 90,000 people have signed that petition.

    Even the California Innocence Project, which normally focuses on wrongfully convicted inmates in that state's prison system, has taken up his cause.

    "This has been an absolute nightmare for my family," Janis Puracal said. Her brother has a 5-year-old son with Down's syndrome who does not understand what has happened to his father, she added.

    "When you're sentenced to 22 years in a Nicaraguan prison, you're not going to last 22 years," she said. "That's what we're terrified of, that Jason is not going to live to get out of prison. It's been 18 months and he's already starving to death, and he's dying there."

    (Reporting by Mary Slosson in Sacramento, California; Additional reporting by Andrew Quinn in Washington; Editing by Steve Gorman and Eric Beech)

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    Hopes for US recovery, China stimulus help markets

    LONDON (AP) ? Global markets rose Tuesday on signs of improvement in the U.S. housing market and on hopes China will act to support growth in its economy, the world's second-largest.

    A survey by S&P/Case Shiller showed home prices rose in major U.S. cities in March for the first time in seven months. Combined with record low mortgage rates and a steady improvement in the labor market, the report suggested that the U.S. property market ? which was at the heart of the global financial crisis in 2008 ? is strengthening.

    "With the economic recovery now on firmer ground, we see no reason to alter our view that U.S. house prices have now found a floor," said Ed Stansfield, chief property economist at Capital Economics.

    The figures helped offset the impact of a more downbeat report showing U.S. consumer optimism fell in May to the lowest in eight months. The Conference Board said its Consumer Confidence Index fell to 64.9 points, below analyst expectations.

    In Europe, Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.4 percent to 5,376.42 while Germany's DAX rose 1.1 percent to 6,393.20. The CAC-40 in Paris rose 1.1 percent to 3,076.35. The euro was up marginally at $1.2547.

    Wall Street opened higher after a three-day weekend for Memorial Day holiday, with the Dow and S&P 500 both rising 1.1 percent, to 12,584.93 and 1,331.97, respectively.

    Earlier, markets had been unsettled by concerns that Spain's ailing banking sector might worsen the European debt crisis.

    The country's banks are sitting on massive amounts of soured real estate investments. That has led to the recent nationalization of Bankia, the country's fourth-largest lender, which revealed last week it needed more money than expected ? ?19 billion ($23.8 billion) ? in state aid to shore itself up.

    Investors fear that the Spanish government, which is already under pressure to lower its debts at a time of recession and record-high unemployment, will be overwhelmed by the cost of saving the country's banking sector.

    Those concerns kept pressure on Spain's Ibex, which was down 2.1 percent, with shares in Bankia dropping another 13.6 percent.

    The latest bad news to hit the country was a report showing retail sales were down 9.8 percent in April in year-on-year terms, more than double the 3.8 percent fall posted in March.

    The figures underlined the brutal impact that government austerity cuts and economic uncertainty are having on households. They also bolster the case for Europe to find new ways to bolster economic growth, though leaders disagree over how to achieve that.

    Years of financial and economic uncertainty ? first in the global credit crunch and now in the debt crisis ? have hammered public confidence in the future of European integration, according to a survey by Pew Research across eight European Union countries, including five that use the euro.

    "This crisis of confidence is evident in the economy, in the future, in the benefits of European economic integration, in EU membership, in the euro and in the free market system," Pew said in a statement accompanying its survey.

    Despite those headwinds, Pew found there was no desire for those countries that use the euro to abandon the single currency.

    Europe's debt crisis will remain a dominant theme for markets for weeks to come as investors gauge the likelihood that Greece might leave the eurozone after elections on June 17. If Greeks vote for parties that support the country's bailout terms, ensuring a continued flow of rescue loans, the country will hope to stay in the eurozone.

    The pro-bailout parties hold a narrow lead, according to the latest polls, but uncertainty over the ultimate outcome of the elections will keep market sentiment fragile and prone to swings in mood.

    Earlier in Asia, stock indexes rose on hopes that China will relax monetary policy and announce fiscal stimulus measures to offset slowing economic growth.

    "This has been a predominant theme since Premier Wen Jiabao's comments showing commitment to keep China's growth from stalling," said Stan Shamu, market strategist at IG Markets.

    Japan's Nikkei 225 index rose 0.7 percent to close at 8,657.08 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 1.4 percent to 19,055.46. South Korea's Kospi climbed 1.4 percent after being closed Monday for a public holiday while China's benchmark Shanghai Composite Index rose 1.2 percent.

    Benchmark oil for July delivery was up 80 cents to $91.66 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

    ___

    Pamela Sampson in Bangkok and Fu Ting in Shanghai contributed to this report.

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    Can fungi clean up a Superfund site?

    Between the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens is a broad creek tainted by 150 years of pollution. It has received toxins from the petrochemical plants, fertilizer factories and other industries that once flourished along its banks. Oil seeps into it from a 50-acre underground spill nearby. And when heavy rains flood the city's sewer system, raw sewage pours into the water.

    The Environmental Protection Agency designated the creek a Superfund site in 2010, triggering a lengthy evaluation and cleanup process.

    In the meantime, however, a local group has begun experimenting with an innovative technique to break down contaminants in the water. The key: a fungus more widely known to taste good in stir fry.

    On a Sunday afternoon in early May, Jan Mun, the artist in residence with the Newtown Creek Alliance, presented to community members a circular floating platform of straw-filled burlap intended to house the fine, interwoven filaments of oyster mushroom fungi. [ Gallery: Floating Fungus Enters Polluted Creek ]

    "We are still at the testing stage, but the idea is that if we can keep them (fungal filaments) alive, they can actually clean the water at the molecular level," Mun said as the concentric rings of soggy burlap, designed to echo the "fairy ring" patterns some fungi create in the ground, floated behind her in the creek.

    Mun intended her design to evoke the fantasy spaces associated with fairy rings in folklore, and so incite people to reimagine the creek. But the fairy-ring design drew some critics who said a simpler configuration would better enable fungi to do their work. Even so, this effort reflects the growing interest in trying to employ fungi, members of nature's own cleanup crew, to get rid of pollution. ??

    How nature can clean up after us
    Filter feeders such as oysters can remove contaminants from water; plants like poplar trees can sequester them in their tissues. Microbes can neutralize harmful molecules by breaking them into pieces, a process the EPA calls bioremediation.?

    Some fungi, including the oyster mushroom fungus, have been shown to do something similar, attacking contaminants with the same chemical equipment they use to decompose organic matter.?

    Fungi have a wide repertoire of enzymes that can be effective against contaminants, and they are particularly good at attacking large molecules, said Matthew Grossman, president of BioSage, an environmental and biotechnology consulting company that does remediation with bacteria and fungi.

    But the industry favors bacteria, which can be easier to grow and to work with, Grossman said.

    Successfully applying fungal remediation can be tricky, because a project's design must ensure the fungi can do their work, a condition that is often not met, said Eugene Bernat, vice president and owner of Fisherville Redevelopment Corp., which is beginning a cleanup using fungi among other organisms at a Massachusetts Superfund site. ?

    "This is an emerging science that was invented millions of years ago," Bernaut said.

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    ??

    The secret of mycoremediation
    A number of fungi, including the oyster mushroom, produce enzymes capable of breaking down the tough fiber in wood. Because petroleum products such as oil and diesel contain hydrogen-carbon bonds similar to those found in wood, they, too, are vulnerable to enzymes produced by the fungi's thin filaments, called mycelium, mycologist Paul Stamets writes in his book "Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World" (Ten Speed Press, 2005). Stamets was not involved with the Newtown Creek project, but his work on mycoremediation, using fungi to clean up contaminants, inspired it.

    Fungi offer other cleaning services, too. The fruiting bodies of fungi, the mushrooms, can absorb metals? ? ??oyster mushrooms can take up mercury and cadmium, he writes. Stamets also has used the mycelium networks to filter harmful microbes out of water. [6 (Or So) Reasons Fungi Can Help Humanity]

    The contaminants the EPA has found in creek sediments include metals and remnants of the petroleum industry. Oil is still leaking in from an underground spill, and raw sewages pours in with heavy rain. So, the fungi would seem to have their work cut out for them. ?

    A tricky process
    But while the creek might seem to hold a lot of potential for a technique he promotes, Stamets was concerned about how the project would fare.

    "I applaud everyone's interested and effort in this," Stamets said. "This is good science and it is applied environmental science, but when you take this from the lab out into nature, it's a gigantic step," he said.

    Through his company Fungi Perfecti, Stamets offers two-day seminars that cover mycoremediation (all are currently sold out). One of the Newtown Creek Alliance bioremediation group members behind the project, Damion Lawyer, said he attended this seminar last summer. Lawyer stressed that the Newtown project was exploratory.

    "He made it very clear in the seminar: He said you are not going to be able to go home and do this. There is going to be a lot of trial and error," Lawyer said of Stamets.

    During the group's first trial ? which resulted in the floating platform in the creek ? the group used "spawn," or starter mycelium grown, in rye berries to colonize the hay-and-burlap float before putting it in the water. Being able to accomplish this outdoors, outside of a lab, was an important step, said Lawyer, who works as an environmental field technician. "I was very happy about it; that was our main goal."

    Things didn't go so well once the fairy-ring float went into the salty water; nearly all of the white growth on it disappeared.

    Lawyer said the group is still learning; if the concept continues to show promise mycoremediation on the creek will probably look quite different than this test. For example, it is conceivable the fungal floats, called mycobooms, could be used to filter water coming into the creek, helping to replace long-lost wetlands, he said.

    Superfund cleanups can last years, even decades, so the cleanup and restoring of Newtown Creek is just beginning.

    You can follow LiveScience senior writer Wynne Parry on Twitter @Wynne_Parry. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience? and on Facebook.

    ? 2012 LiveScience.com. All rights reserved.

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