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Doctoral Degrees - Online Doctoral Degrees

Doctoral degrees are the highest academic degrees offered. Doctoral degrees are not offered in every field, but in the fields in which they're offered, they represent advanced study, bringing the students to the level of the faculty in the field.

They typically require at least three years to complete, often many more. In addition to coursework, doctoral degree programs also typically require a significant contribution to the field in terms of research and work of publishable quality.
The final written representation of the work completed in a doctoral degree program is usually called a dissertation.

Doctoral degrees are offered in most academic fields, like literature and the sciences, but they're also offered in a number of professional fields. For instance, law degrees, or J.D.'s are doctoral degrees (J.D. stands for Juris Doctor).

The most common abbreviation for a doctoral degree is Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy), and Ph.D.'s are offered in fields from computer science to music, but depending on the field, the doctoral degree can have other names. In education, for example, the highest degree is the E.d.D. (doctor of education).

Why go for a Doctoral degree

Doctoral degree programs require a serious investment of time, but the rewards can be tremendous.
In some fields, like academia, a doctoral degree is required for advancement beyond all but the most basic levels.

In other fields, like engineering, a doctoral degree may not be required for advancement, but many top positions go to individuals with the highest levels of education. Whatever the area in which you complete a doctoral degree, a doctoral degree demonstrates dedication and high-level work – plusses in any field.