Doctorate

A doctorate or a doctoral degree is the highest academic degree that can be earned. In the United States, a research doctorate is usually required to teach at a university, though there are, of course, exceptions in specialized faculties. Doctorate derives from the Latin doctor ("teacher"), which is in turned derived from the verb doceo, docere, docui, doctus ("to teach, show, or point out").

The United States has a simplified and disorganized doctoral hierarchy, as compared to the universities of Europe. Where distinctions are observed, they are usually nuanced. In any case, the hierarchy described below is adhered to in both the United States and Europe.

Research Doctorate

A research doctorate is a degree that required significant original research and new discoveries in the field of one's specialty. It requires specialized coursework, followed by several years of research culminating in the successful presentation and defense of a dissertation. While research doctorates can, in theory, be conferred in any field ("Doctor of Architecture", "Doctor of Environment Design", "Doctor of Forestry", etc.) and all are held to be equivalent by the US Department of Education, in practice, Columbia's graduate faculty, as is the case at most American universities, often chooses to confer the PhD degree (Philosophiae doctor or "Doctor of Philosophy") as its sole research doctorate.

This can lead to some absurdities. For example, doctoral candidates studying business or engineering may opt for a Doctorate in Philosophy. In addition, graduate students at SEAS can choose a Doctor of Engineering Science (Eng. Sc. D.), although this is very rarely granted, since conventional procedure is to opt for a PhD which is offered by GSAS. At Columbia Law School, research doctorate candidates can choose a Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) degree.

First Professional Degree / Professional Doctorate

A first professional degree, sometimes referred to as a professional doctorate is a degree that is required to practice in a given field. It requires significant coursework, and while research may play some element, it does not require in-depth research or dissertation work. In addition, they are distinguished from the PhD in that in almost all cases, all work is completed within a set period of time (PhD work can last from 4 years to a decade or more). Examples include the MD, JD, and the PD.

Professional degrees are complicated. None of them are considered research doctorates, but they are required for professional practice. In some cases, such as the Doctor of Medicine (MD), holders are entitled to be addressed as "Doctor". In others, such as the Doctor of Law (JD), holders are usually not addressed as such in the United States, which stems from the previous practice of law schools to instead award bachelor of laws (LLB) degrees, as is still customary in the UK. In continental Europe, practicing lawyers often take the title of "doctor".

Higher Doctorates

In continental Europe, a system of "higher" doctorates is often found. A higher doctorate is not earned through coursework. It is only awarded to a holder of a research doctorate who has contributed extensively and significantly to his or her chosen field -- and has been recognized as such by a panel of independent experts.

Higher doctorates include Litt. D. (Litterae doctor or "Doctor of Letters"), L.L. D. (Legum doctor or "Doctor of Laws", as opposed to "Doctor of Law"; yes it's that complicated), Sc. D. (Scientiae doctor, or "Doctor of Science", though it should be noted that the Massachusetts Institute of Technology awards the Sc. D. as a research doctorate).

Columbia and other American universities do award higher doctorates. However, they are usually awarded solely honoris causa (as honorary degrees).

Teaching Qualification

Traditionally, once a candidate for a research doctorate has successfully defended his dissertation, he is considered an academic peer of the faculty of the university and may presumably lecture at that university. Therefore, a research doctorate is usually required to be on the faculty of a university. Rare exceptions in the arts and sciences do exist. Anthon Professor of Latin Alan Cameron of the Department of Classics, for example, does not hold a doctorate at all. His qualification stems exclusively from his scholarship.

In the professional faculties, very commonly, a research doctorate is not required at all to teach. Many doctors on the Faculty of Medicine, for example, hold MDs, but not PhDs. Most law professors likewise hold JDs, but not JSDs or PhDs. In the Faculty of Business, due to the practical nature of the curriculum, many instructors are from industry and hold little, if any, post-graduate research education.