Ph. D.
Highest academic credential
Ph.D. is the highest academic degree in most fields, short for Latin *philosophiae doctor* (doctor of philosophy).
The "philosophy" is historical—Ph.D.s are awarded across disciplines from physics to literature.
Earning one typically requires years of original research culminating in a dissertation: She's pursuing a Ph.D. in neuroscience.
Someone with this degree may be addressed as "Doctor."
- dissertationExtended academic treatise
- dissertation committeePanel supervising doctoral research
- postgraduateScholar past undergraduate level
- universityHigher education institution
- vivaAcclaim meaning "live"
qualifying exam · comprehensive exams · thesis · candidate · ABD · grad school · academia · ivory tower · scholarship · supervisor · hooding · cap and gown · committee · research · physics · peer review · publish or perish · Dr.
Ph. D.high school dropout
One who quit secondary education
high school diploma · GED · dropout · uneducated · elementary education
Ph. D.layperson
Non-specialist or unordained person
ignoramus · unschooled · uneducated · dropout · novice
Ph. D.apprenticeship
Learning trade through employment
on-the-job training · school of hard knocks · professional license · autodidact · self-taught
philosophy, philosopher, philosophical, philosophically, philosophize, doctor, doctoral, doctorate, doctored