What is Doctorate degree: Definition and 33 Discussions

A doctorate (from Latin docere, "to teach") or doctor's degree (from Latin doctor, "teacher") or doctoral degree is an academic degree awarded by universities, derived from the ancient formalism licentia docendi ("licence to teach"). In most countries, a research degree qualifies the holder to teach at university level in the degree's field or work in a specific profession. There are a number of doctoral degrees; the most common is the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), awarded in many different fields, ranging from the humanities to scientific disciplines.
In the United States and some other countries, there are also some types of technical or professional degrees that include doctors in their name and are classified as doctorate in some of those countries. Professional doctorates historically came about to meet the needs of practitioners in a variety of disciplines.
Many universities also award honorary doctorates to individuals deemed worthy of special recognition, either for scholarly work or other contributions to the university or society.

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  1. E

    Programs Two bachelor of science degrees, or a master’s degree?

    As I’m doing more research and talking to my college advisor I learned that I don’t need a master’s degree to get into grad school and earn a doctorate, and that my field of study (Biomedical Physics) has various common classes with the Advanced Physics major. Would it be worth more to take an...
  2. S

    Deviation after completion of the doctorate

    At the moment I'm in the final stages of my doctorate in mathematics. (My background is a BS in physics and an MS in mathematics.) My focus and interest have been in applied functional analysis in general and various kinds of abstract and concrete delay equations in particular. These are...
  3. I

    Programs Starting a Physics PhD years after undergraduate degree?

    I’m graduating with a Physics degree next year but for various reasons I cannot go straight to grad school and get a PhD. I probably won’t be back to school for some time (I’m projecting 10-15 years). Will it be hard to start a Physics PhD after so long? Is there ageism in academia? Thanks
  4. U

    PhD MUST be on same area as masters degree?

    I'm still an undergraduate but I was wondering about the future and all that. I do like love physics as a whole, but I don't think there is a subfield which I REALLY like or REALLY dislike. I also like "versatility" as a way of life. So I was wondering: "can I move to and from subfields as I...
  5. J

    Schools Getting all three degrees (B.Sc., Masters and PhD)from same University

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  6. M

    Programs Biomaterials engineering PhD programs with a physics degree

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  7. R

    Programs PhD application after a year and half out of Master's degree

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  8. N

    Programs Doing a Physics PhD without a Physics Undergrad Degree?

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  9. D

    When should I start working on my Master degree and PhD

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  10. J

    Programs Is an MD/PhD Dual Degree Program Right for You?

    Has anyone in this forum started or finished this kind of program. If so, how did you get in? I imagine it requires perfect GPA and MCAT score, but is there other factors like what your major is or research done as an undergrad?
  11. P

    Programs Can I apply as phd with all requirements but without actual degree?

    I'm scrambling to complete my dissertation before the end of the semester but I'm not sure if I'll make it in time (deadline is May 6th). I feel like if I had an additional month or so I could definitely complete all the requirements (defense, revisions, etc), but then my degree would not be...
  12. K

    Programs Degree in Physics to PhD in Computer Science

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  13. K

    Is PhD the highest degree you can earn?

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  14. Rolen

    Programs Phd without the need of a master degree

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  15. P

    Programs I'm a phD-BA, I want to get a phD-physics degree

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  16. K

    Programs Can I PhD in astronomy with an electronics engg degree?

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  17. F

    Admissions Is a master's degree harmful for a us student applying for phd programs?

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  18. S

    Programs Does one commonly get a masters degree before a phd

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  19. M

    Where can I get full scientific papers (degree-PhD level) for free?

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  20. N

    Programs Physics PhD in USA with a Master's Degree?

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  21. S

    Programs Physics BS and other MS/PhD degrees

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  22. C

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  23. E

    Programs Can You Pursue a PhD Without a Master's Degree?

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  24. E

    Programs Reasonable Degree Timeline for Undergraduate/Masters/PhD?

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  25. D

    Programs Grad funding -math or physics masters degree or phd

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  26. M

    Programs PhD in Cosmology with a 2nd Class Degree

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  27. N

    Schools Masters degree and PhD restrictions for a specific college degree.

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  28. X

    Programs At what age did you complete your undergrad and grad degrees and phD?

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  29. T

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  30. C

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  31. Link

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  32. T

    Programs Is a Master's Degree a Good Stepping Stone for a PhD in Physics?

    Hi, I would like to get into a good physics graduate program but my undergraduate background is probably not good enough to achieve that. So, I was wondering if it is advisable to get a terminal masters degree at a middle tier school as a stepping stone for getting into a better school's PhD...
  33. Math Is Hard

    Programs Master's Degree before they get a PhD?

    Do people always get a Master's Degree before they get a PhD? I have noticed that some people will list in their credentials 1) the university where they got their undergraduate degree, and then 2) the university where they got their PhD, but there is nothing listed for the M.A. or M.S. I always...
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