The difference between PhD and doctorate is usually ambiguous to most people. We all know they represent a high level of study, and gaining one means you become an expert in a specific field of study. But when it comes to choosing your future path, it is important to figure out the difference between the two to avoid making an uninformed decision. Digging more with us in this article to get everything about PhD vs doctorate!
PhD vs Doctorate: Key Insights
Before you get to more details about doctorate vs PhD, let’s first check some key highlights to come to the point as quickly as possible:
- A doctorate is the highest level of degree awarded by a graduate school or other approved educational organisation.
- Doctoral degrees have two major types: research/academic doctorate (research-focused to generate new knowledge) and professional/applied (practical-oriented to solve real-world problems) doctorate.
- A PhD is a type of research doctorate that focuses on generating new knowledge and understanding in a field of study.
- All PhDs are doctorates, but not all doctorates are PhDs.
What Is a PhD?
A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is one of the highest levels of academic degrees for graduates who study in many fields. The term ‘philosophy’ originated from the Greek, which means ‘love of wisdom’. Thus, a Doctor of Philosophy is not limited to the study of philosophy, but concerns a lot of subjects with emphasis on the pursuit and understanding of knowledge. A PhD is a type of doctorate degree that is characterised by:
- Research Focus: The academic goal of a PhD is to create new knowledge through scientific research. Students need to produce original research achievements that can contribute new findings or understanding in their field of study.
- Rigorous Study: PhD programs require in-depth study and research on a specific subject with extreme emphasis on methodological rigour, much more demanding than other levels of study.
- Duration: A PhD degree will take 3 to 7 years of study to acquire, with an average length being around 5 to 6 years for a full-time program.
- Program Nature: PhD programs are usually fully funded. Students will enjoy a tuition waiver and a living stipend in exchange for being a Teaching Assistant (TA) or Research Assistant (RA).
- Dissertation: After years of study, PhD students need to convert their original research into a written document to describe in detail what they have contributed to their field of study. A dissertation defence will also be required, where students will take a formal oral examination by a panel of experts.
- Career Path: PhD programs are designed to train the next generation of academic researchers and university professors. The core career goal is to secure a tenure-track faculty position at a university and continue a life of research, publishing, and teaching.
What Is a Doctorate?
A doctorate is the umbrella term for the highest level of academic degree, referring to the most advanced degree students can earn in an academic discipline at a university. Obtaining a doctorate means you have been an expert in your field of study, which requires several years of specialised research and substantial achievements. The accurate definition may differ, but doctorate degrees usually have the following in common:
- Highest Level Degree: The fundamental feature of doctorate degrees is that they represent the terminal and highest level of degree that can be awarded in a given field.
- Original Contribution: The core requirement for all candidates is that they must come up with a significant and original contribution to their specific discipline. For a PhD, this kind of contribution is often theoretical. For a professional doctorate, it is usually practical to solve a real-world problem.
- Final Output: A traditional dissertation to describe the methodology, findings, and significance of your original research is the standard requirement for PhDs. An applied doctoral project is common in professional doctorates, which will lead to either a written document, a portfolio, a new process, or a policy proposal. An oral defence follows both of them.
- Intensive Research: Doctoral programs provide deep training in research methods, which is designed to transform a student from a learner into a self-sufficient expert and scholar. Candidates will take years to complete advanced coursework to build a foundation of knowledge, and then more years to begin their dissertation or project. Therefore, usually 5-6 years is required to get the degree.
- Diverse Field of Study: A doctorate is awarded in a variety of disciplines, from humanities and business to engineering and natural sciences.
Difference Between PhD and Doctorate
The definition of a doctorate is the highest degree awarded by a graduate school or other approved educational organisation. It represents the terminal degree that candidates can earn in university, which usually requires 3-7 years of rigorous study, extensive research, significant output, and the completion of and defence of a dissertation or thesis.
PhD is the abbreviation of Doctor of Philosophy, but it is not limited to the field of philosophy. It is a research-focused doctorate and the most common type of award in almost all subjects at universities.
In brief, a PhD is a type of doctorate. Is a doctorate the same as a PhD? No. All PhDs are doctorates, but not all doctorates are PhDs.
Difference Between PhD and Professional Doctorate
Now you have understood that a PhD is a kind of doctorate degree. More specifically, a PhD is a research doctorate degree, which is mainly different from professional or applied doctorate degrees. Here are the key differences between doctorate vs PhD:
| Doctorate vs PhD | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feature | PhD (A Type of Doctorate) | Professional/Applied Doctorate (Another Type) |
| Primary Focus | Theoretical Research & creating new knowledge. | Practical Application of knowledge in a professional field. |
| Goal | To produce academic researchers and university professors. | To produce top-level practitioners and leaders in a specific industry. |
| Final Project | Dissertation: A lengthy, original research contribution. | Often a Doctoral Project or Applied Dissertation that solves a real-world problem. Sometimes also a traditional dissertation. |
| Career Path | Professor, Academic Researcher, Think Tank, R&D Lab. | High-level professional practice (e.g., Psychologist, Administrator, Healthcare Executive). |
| Examples | PhD in English, Physics, Psychology, History, Biology. | Doctor of Medicine (MD), Juris Doctor (JD), Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). |
For students choosing between a PhD and a professional doctoral degree. You just need to keep in mind that a PhD is research-focused, aiming to produce new knowledge of the discipline. While a professional doctorate is practical-oriented, it is designed to solve real-world problems. Thus, if you dream of working with books in universities, getting a PhD degree will be perfect. But if you love to work with your hands to make a difference in the real world, you may be suitable to study an applied doctorate degree.
Types of Doctorate Degrees
As stated before, doctorate degrees are divided into two categories: research/academic doctorate (research-focused to generate new knowledge) and professional/applied (practical-oriented to solve real-world problems) doctorate. Here are the major types of these doctoral degrees:
Academic Doctorate
Acedemic doctorates are primarily focused on conducting original research, formulating theories, and adding new knowledge to an academic field.
PhD (Doctor of Philosophy): The most common type of doctoral degree. Despite its name, it is not limited to philosophy study but concerns a wide range of fields, including PhD in Physics, PhD in English Literature, PhD in Psychology, and PhD in History.
Doctorates with Specialised Names: Although equivalent to a PhD, some specific fields have their own name for their research doctoral degree, such as EdD (Doctor of Education), DFA (Doctor of Fine Arts), DDes (Doctor of DDes), Th.D. (Doctor of Theology), etc.
Professional Doctorate
Professional doctorates focus on applying existing research to solve complex, real-world problems. The most common types of degrees include:
| Type | For Whom | Top Universities |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) | For experienced business professionals | University of Florida, Harvard Business School |
| Doctor of Medicine (MD) | For physicians | Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Stanford |
| Doctor of Optometry (OD) | For optometrists | UCB, Indiana University, the University of Houston |
| Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) | For pharmacists | University of North Carolinal, University of California |
| Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) | Focused on clinical practice and therapy | George Washington University, Liberty University |
| Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) | The required professional degree for physical therapists | Washington University, University of Delaware |
| Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) | The highest level of clinical practice for nurses, focused on advanced patient care, leadership, and evidence-based practice. | Johns Hopkins University, Duke University |
How to Choose a PhD or Doctoral Degree?
Getting a PhD or other doctoral degree will transform you into an expert in one field of study. Accordingly, it requires years of rigorous study and extensive research, which can be demanding for most candidates. If you’re determined to conquer this journey, then it will be crucial to choose a PhD or doctoral program that is suitable for you. Before entering into so many choices of degrees, think about the following first:
- Why do you want to get a PhD degree? For a planned career path, for intellectual fulfilment, or just not sure what to do after getting a master’s degree?
- What’s your end goal? If you want to be a professor in college, a PhD will be ideal. If you plan to be a licensed practitioner, a professional doctorate is the choice.
- Are you a theorist or practitioner? Do you get energised by abstract ideas, unanswered questions, and long-term research projects (leaning toward a PhD)? Or do you prefer solving immediate, practical problems and applying knowledge (leaning toward Applied Doctorate)?
- Doctoral work requires immense personal discipline, so you need to be a self-motivated person who is capable of working independently for years on a large, complex project.
- Your advisor will be the most important in the following years of study. Make sure you do thorough research about the person.
- Every detail about the program, including structure, duration, coursework, funding, and reputation, should be collected to make a well-informed decision.
- Collecting reviews from previous students, your professors, or other related scholars will be very helpful to get to know the real life after entry.
How to Earn a Doctoratal Degree?
Earning a doctoral degree requires a previous academic background, research and application to your interested programs, completing coursework, conducting original research, writing a dissertation and going through a defence. The entire doctoral program will take three to seven years, and some universities will also offer online programs.
- Completing a bachelor’s degree in a field of study related to your desired doctoral degree is the foundation.
- A master’s degree is also required for many doctoral programs as a prerequisite, but it is not a must in every country and university. For example, it is also common to enter a doctoral program directly after a bachelor’s degree in the USA.
- Applying to doctoral programs that you’re interested in is the next step. Research in advance to ensure the program content, structure, leader, and future career path are what you want. Figure out the entry requirements of each program when applying.
- Complete all coursework and exams after entering the program. Doctoral programs will provide extensive training and exams to ensure you gain enough related knowledge before you conduct research.
- Conduct original research with a specific topic within your discipline, usually with the help of an advisor or your tutor.
- The last step is dthe issertation and ddefence You need to output a written document to state your methodology and achievement, reviewed by a panel of experts, and answer their related questions.
Final Thougts on PhD vs Doctorate
In summary, a PhD is a kind of research-focused doctoral degree, and there are also professional postgraduate degrees in contrast. Understanding the difference between a PhD and a doctorate is essential if you want to pursue the highest level of study. Before you choose a doctoral program, think about your needs clearly and conduct enough research to ensure you can go through several years of rigorous study and extensive research.
If you have chosen the program or university, uhomes.com will make your future university life easy with the best student accommodation. We have a wide selection of housing near top universities like the University of Cambridge, Stanford University, Harvard University, and more. Enjoy exceptional service and exclusive offers with us to start your perfect student life!
FAQs on PhD vs Doctorate
What is the difference between a doctorate and a PhD?
A doctorate is the highest level of academic degree, serving as an umbrella term. A PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is a specific type of research-focused doctorate, emphasizing original research. Other doctorates (e.g., MD, EdD) are professional or applied degrees focused on practical expertise.
Is doctorate the same as PhD?
No. A doctorate is the highest academic degree level. A PhD is a specific type of doctorate, focused on original research and theory. Other doctorates, like an MD or EdD, are professional degrees emphasizing applied practice in a specific field.
Can anyone with a PhD be called Dr.?
Yes. Anyone who has earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree or any other professional doctoral degree (like an MD, EdD, or DBA) has the right to use the title “Dr.” as it denotes their attainment of the highest academic qualification in their field.
Which takes longer, PhD or doctorate?
The terms are often used interchangeably, but technically, a PhD is a type of doctorate. A PhD typically takes 4-6 years. Other doctorates, like an MD or JD, may take less time in school but often require additional training like residencies or articling, making comparisons difficult.
What is a professional doctorate?
A professional doctorate is an applied degree focused on using existing knowledge for advanced practice in a specific field, like education (EdD) or business (DBA). It prepares experienced professionals for leadership roles, often culminating in a project that solves a real-world problem.
How do I choose the right doctoral program?
To choose the right doctoral program, first clarify your career goals (academia vs. industry). Research programs with faculty whose expertise aligns with your interests. Prioritize funded programs and consider their structure, support resources, and placement record for graduates. Speak to current students for honest insights.
