What type of individual pursues a nontraditional doctoral degree? Although answering this question is the main purpose of this chapter, there is an underlying story that provides context for how and why these individuals came to pursue a doctoral degree. The tremendous growth in the number of doctoral students and doctoral degree-granting institutions over the last fifty years signals a significant change in the nature of the degree and those who pursue it. Historically, the doctoral degree and the power that comes with it were available only to a few privileged, primarily white men. Today, access to doctoral programs has opened up and doctoral degrees are increasingly being earned by women and people of color. This shift has enriched individuals, society, and the world of work.

Institutional commitment is essential to developing and sustaining successful distance-education programs. This article begins by placing the discussion of institutional commitment within the context of today's distance-education or online environment and argues for the role of regional accrediting bodies in implementing best practices and quality assurance in distance education. It then explains why broad-based institutional commitment is necessary and recommends strategies for obtaining it. The author delineates different strategies for various institutional stakeholders such as students, faculty, administrators, and alumni. The author concludes by drawing on his personal observation and experience in developing a collaborative distance education degree program, noting the success of these different strategies with multiple stakeholders.