PhD holder
Dissertation defense survivor
A PhD holder is someone who has earned a doctorate, the highest academic degree awarded by universities.
The term emphasizes possession of the credential rather than active scholarship: As a PhD holder, she qualified for the research position.
Often used in job requirements or demographic descriptions where the degree itself matters more than the field of study.
- terminal degreeHighest degree in field
- scholarLearned, studious person
- academicRelating to education or theory
- dissertationExtended academic treatise
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
professor · researcher · expert · graduate · defense · university · tenure · tenure track · publish or perish · postdoc · mentor · published · research grant · specialist · intellectual · credentials · gown · advisor
PhD holderhigh school dropout
One who quit secondary education
dropout · illiterate · high school graduate · unschooled · undergraduate
PhD holderlayperson
Non-specialist or unordained person
autodidact · amateur · novice · uncredentialed · dilettante
PhD holderundergraduate
Degree-seeking college student
freshman · doctoral student · master's student · applicant · undergraduate student
PhD, holder, hold, holds, held, holding, holdings, beholder, behold