Doctorate Degree from the US

A doctorate degree or PhD is the highest academic degree, which is awarded to the students for undertaking academic research. It demonstrates expertise in a particular subject and indicates that the earner is able to conduct and present research of a scholarly nature. The doctorate program can be taken up after the Masters degree.

Masters degree prior to doctorate degree is preferred because a Masters’ degree holder comprehends the subject quite well than a student who is going for a Doctorate degree straight after undergraduate degree. Some doctorates prepare graduates for work in a particular field, such as a Doctor of Education or Doctor of Musical Arts. These degrees may not involve as much original research, though they still require a sound thesis. It usually takes 3 to 6 years to complete a doctorate program.

Doctorate degree is of three types:

• Research Doctorate-Research doctorates are awarded in recognition of academic research that is (at least in principle) publishable in a peer-refereed academic journal. In United States, earning a research doctorate also requires successful completion of a regimen of coursework beyond the masters level.
• Professional Doctorate-Professional doctorates are awarded in certain fields where scholarly research is closely aligned with a particular profession, such as law, medicine, or psychology.
• Honorary Doctorate-When a university wishes to formally recognize an individual's contributions to a particular field or philanthropic efforts, it may choose to grant a doctoral degree, the university waiving the usual formal requirements for bestowal of the degree.

Some of the broad subject areas that one can opt, for pursuing a doctorate degree are:

• Applied Management
• Business & Management
• Education
• Health & Medical
• Human Services
• Leadership
• Psychology & Counseling
• Public Health
• Public Policy
  
• STEM