phd bachelor

• Top University in USA
• Top University in Canada
• Top University in Ireland
• Top Universities in UK
• Top Universities in Australia
• Best MBA Colleges in Abroad
• Business Management Studies Colleges

Top Countries

• Study in USA
• Study in UK
• Study in Canada
• Study in Australia
• Study in Ireland
• Study in Germany
• Study in China
• Study in Europe

Student Visas

• Student Visa Canada
• Student Visa UK
• Student Visa USA
• Student Visa Australia
• Student Visa Germany
• Student Visa New Zealand
• Student Visa Ireland
• JEE Main 2024
• MHT CET 2024
• JEE Advanced 2024
• BITSAT 2024
• View All Engineering Exams
• Colleges Accepting B.Tech Applications
• Top Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in India
• Engineering Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main
• Top IITs in India
• Top NITs in India
• Top IIITs in India
• JEE Main College Predictor
• JEE Main Rank Predictor
• MHT CET College Predictor
• AP EAMCET College Predictor
• GATE College Predictor
• KCET College Predictor
• JEE Advanced College Predictor
• View All College Predictors
• JEE Advanced Cutoff
• JEE Main Cutoff
• MHT CET Result 2024
• JEE Advanced Result
• Download E-Books and Sample Papers
• Compare Colleges
• B.Tech College Applications
• AP EAMCET Result 2024
• MAH MBA CET Exam
• View All Management Exams

Colleges & Courses

• MBA College Admissions
• MBA Colleges in India
• Top IIMs Colleges in India
• Top Online MBA Colleges in India
• MBA Colleges Accepting XAT Score
• BBA Colleges in India
• XAT College Predictor 2024
• SNAP College Predictor
• NMAT College Predictor
• MAT College Predictor 2024
• CMAT College Predictor 2024
• CAT Percentile Predictor 2024
• CAT 2024 College Predictor
• Top MBA Entrance Exams 2024
• AP ICET Counselling 2024
• GD Topics for MBA
• CAT Exam Date 2024
• Download Helpful Ebooks
• List of Popular Branches
• QnA - Get answers to your doubts
• IIM Fees Structure
• AIIMS Nursing
• Top Medical Colleges in India
• Top Medical Colleges in India accepting NEET Score
• Medical Colleges accepting NEET
• List of Medical Colleges in India
• List of AIIMS Colleges In India
• Medical Colleges in Maharashtra
• Medical Colleges in India Accepting NEET PG
• NEET College Predictor
• NEET PG College Predictor
• NEET MDS College Predictor
• NEET Rank Predictor
• DNB PDCET College Predictor
• NEET Result 2024
• NEET Asnwer Key 2024
• NEET Cut off
• NEET Online Preparation
• Download Helpful E-books
• Colleges Accepting Admissions
• Top Law Colleges in India
• Law College Accepting CLAT Score
• List of Law Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Delhi
• Top NLUs Colleges in India
• Top Law Colleges in Chandigarh
• Top Law Collages in Lucknow

Predictors & E-Books

• CLAT College Predictor
• MHCET Law ( 5 Year L.L.B) College Predictor
• AILET College Predictor
• Sample Papers
• Compare Law Collages
• Careers360 Youtube Channel
• CLAT Syllabus 2025
• CLAT Previous Year Question Paper
• NID DAT Exam
• Pearl Academy Exam

Predictors & Articles

• NIFT College Predictor
• UCEED College Predictor
• NID DAT College Predictor
• NID DAT Syllabus 2025
• NID DAT 2025
• Design Colleges in India
• Top NIFT Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in India
• Top Interior Design Colleges in India
• Top Graphic Designing Colleges in India
• Fashion Design Colleges in Delhi
• Fashion Design Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Interior Design Colleges in Bangalore
• NIFT Result 2024
• NIFT Fees Structure
• NIFT Syllabus 2025
• Free Sample Papers
• Free Design E-books
• List of Branches
• Careers360 Youtube channel
• IPU CET BJMC
• JMI Mass Communication Entrance Exam
• IIMC Entrance Exam
• Media & Journalism colleges in Delhi
• Media & Journalism colleges in Bangalore
• Media & Journalism colleges in Mumbai
• List of Media & Journalism Colleges in India
• Free Ebooks
• CA Intermediate
• CA Foundation
• CS Executive
• CS Professional
• Difference between CA and CS
• Difference between CA and CMA
• CA Full form
• CMA Full form
• CS Full form
• CA Salary In India

Top Courses & Careers

• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
• Master of Commerce (M.Com)
• Company Secretary
• Cost Accountant
• Charted Accountant
• Credit Manager
• Financial Advisor
• Top Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Government Commerce Colleges in India
• Top Private Commerce Colleges in India
• Top M.Com Colleges in Mumbai
• Top B.Com Colleges in India
• IT Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• IT Colleges in Uttar Pradesh
• MCA Colleges in India
• BCA Colleges in India

Quick Links

• Information Technology Courses
• Programming Courses
• Web Development Courses
• Data Analytics Courses
• Big Data Analytics Courses
• RUHS Pharmacy Admission Test
• Top Pharmacy Colleges in India
• Pharmacy Colleges in Pune
• Pharmacy Colleges in Mumbai
• Colleges Accepting GPAT Score
• Pharmacy Colleges in Lucknow
• List of Pharmacy Colleges in Nagpur
• GPAT Result
• GPAT 2024 Admit Card
• GPAT Question Papers
• NCHMCT JEE 2024
• Mah BHMCT CET
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Delhi
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Hyderabad
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Mumbai
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Tamil Nadu
• Top Hotel Management Colleges in Maharashtra
• B.Sc Hotel Management
• Hotel Management
• Diploma in Hotel Management and Catering Technology

Diploma Colleges

• Top Diploma Colleges in Maharashtra
• UPSC IAS 2024
• SSC CGL 2024
• IBPS RRB 2024
• Previous Year Sample Papers
• Free Competition E-books
• Sarkari Result
• QnA- Get your doubts answered
• UPSC Previous Year Sample Papers
• CTET Previous Year Sample Papers
• SBI Clerk Previous Year Sample Papers
• NDA Previous Year Sample Papers

Upcoming Events

• NDA Application Form 2024
• UPSC IAS Application Form 2024
• CDS Application Form 2024
• CTET Admit card 2024
• HP TET Result 2023
• SSC GD Constable Admit Card 2024
• UPTET Notification 2024
• SBI Clerk Result 2024

Other Exams

• SSC CHSL 2024
• UP PCS 2024
• UGC NET 2024
• RRB NTPC 2024
• IBPS PO 2024
• IBPS Clerk 2024
• IBPS SO 2024
• CBSE Class 10th
• CBSE Class 12th
• UP Board 10th
• UP Board 12th
• Bihar Board 10th
• Bihar Board 12th
• Top Schools in India
• Top Schools in Delhi
• Top Schools in Mumbai
• Top Schools in Chennai
• Top Schools in Hyderabad
• Top Schools in Kolkata
• Top Schools in Pune
• Top Schools in Bangalore

Products & Resources

• JEE Main Knockout April
• NCERT Notes
• NCERT Syllabus
• NCERT Books
• RD Sharma Solutions
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Admission 2024-25
• NCERT Solutions
• NCERT Solutions for Class 12
• NCERT Solutions for Class 11
• NCERT solutions for Class 10
• NCERT solutions for Class 9
• NCERT solutions for Class 8
• NCERT Solutions for Class 7
• CUET PG 2024
• IGNOU B.Ed Admission 2024
• DU Admission 2024
• UP B.Ed JEE 2024
• LPU NEST 2024
• IIT JAM 2024
• IGNOU Online Admission 2024
• Universities in India
• Top Universities in India 2024
• Top Colleges in India
• Top Universities in Uttar Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Bihar
• Top Universities in Madhya Pradesh 2024
• Top Universities in Tamil Nadu 2024
• Central Universities in India
• CUET DU Cut off 2024
• IGNOU Date Sheet
• CUET DU CSAS Portal 2024
• CUET Response Sheet 2024
• CUET Result 2024
• CUET Participating Universities 2024
• CUET Previous Year Question Paper
• CUET Syllabus 2024 for Science Students
• E-Books and Sample Papers
• CUET Exam Pattern 2024
• CUET Exam Date 2024
• CUET Cut Off 2024
• CUET Exam Analysis 2024
• IGNOU Exam Form 2024
• CUET PG Counselling 2024
• CUET Answer Key 2024

Engineering Preparation

• Knockout JEE Main 2024
• Test Series JEE Main 2024
• JEE Main 2024 Rank Booster

Medical Preparation

• Knockout NEET 2024
• Test Series NEET 2024
• Rank Booster NEET 2024

Online Courses

• JEE Main One Month Course
• NEET One Month Course
• IBSAT Free Mock Tests
• IIT JEE Foundation Course
• Knockout BITSAT 2024
• Career Guidance Tool

Top Streams

• IT & Software Certification Courses
• Engineering and Architecture Certification Courses
• Programming And Development Certification Courses
• Business and Management Certification Courses
• Marketing Certification Courses
• Health and Fitness Certification Courses
• Design Certification Courses
• Specializations
• Digital Marketing Certification Courses
• Cyber Security Certification Courses
• Artificial Intelligence Certification Courses
• Business Analytics Certification Courses
• Data Science Certification Courses
• Cloud Computing Certification Courses
• Machine Learning Certification Courses
• View All Certification Courses
• UG Degree Courses
• PG Degree Courses
• Short Term Courses
• Free Courses
• Online Degrees and Diplomas
• Compare Courses

Top Providers

• Coursera Courses
• Udemy Courses
• Edx Courses
• Swayam Courses
• upGrad Courses
• Simplilearn Courses
• Great Learning Courses

How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors?

How to Apply for PhD after Bachelor's: USA continues to maintain its stronghold as the most preferred study abroad destination as numerous students from across the world apply to various programs in its universities every year. Universities for Ph.D. in USA for Indian students or any other international students offer a wide scope for research in their subject of interest. USA attracts a large number of foreign students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. in USA, as the country invests a lot in research and development. This is why international students prefer to study in the USA , especially for a Ph.D. after their bachelor’s degree. The USA holds an edge over several countries in a way that its universities offer PhD programs to students wishing to pursue PhD in USA soon after their Bachelor's degree. What's more, many of these universities offer students a master's degree en route to a Ph.D. degree. But how to apply for PhD directly after bachelor's? Read the full article to know how to apply for PhD abroad after bachelor's in USA. TOP EXAMS: IELTS | TOEFL | GRE | G MAT Country Guide: UK | Ireland | Australi a | Canada

Can students apply for a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s in USA?

What is a combined ms and ph.d. degree.

• How to apply for Ph.D. after a bachelor's degree?

Top Reasons to Pursue PhD after Bachelors

List of countries offering phd after bachelor’s.

While it is not the norm, there are quite a few universities in USA that allow students to opt for a Ph.D. after bachelor’s. However, while knowing how to apply for PhD after bachelors, the candidates must know that some of these universities do not let students skip their master's degree altogether. In fact, in most cases, the master’s program is clubbed with the Ph.D.

While some universities in USA let students apply for a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s, it is, however, a combined master's and Ph.D. program. Therefore, a student gets a master's degree on his way to a Ph.D. degree. The master's program goes on for 2-3 years and thereafter the student can continue with his Ph.D. studies. Interestingly, some universities automatically confer a master's degree upon admission while some others may require the aspirant to take a few extra credits of coursework to lead to the master's degree. The below table also mentions the details like how many years for Ph.D. after bachelor's.

Shortlist best ranked universities & get expert guidance

Want to study in Ireland? Explore Universities & Courses

Top universities in the US for PhD after bachelor’s degree

(Not all the programs offered by the US universities cover combined MS and PhD. Check the individual sites of the universities for more information)

In case students want to do a PhD in America after their bachelor’s degree, remember that there is no definite list of universities in USA that offer a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s degree. But the good news is many universities do not insist on a master's degree to apply for a Ph.D. program. However the admission for Ph.D. requirements in USA for international students requirements varies between universities and even departments, so they will need to check the requirements before they apply. When applying for a Ph.D. degree after a bachelor’s degree, ensure that they have a strong application because they will be competing for a place in a Ph.D. program with candidates who may have a master's degree.

Know about study in abroad countries:

How to apply for Ph.D. after a bachelor's degree?

The application process of how to apply for PhD is similar to applying for any other degree in the university. The application can be sent online through the university website but before checking about how to apply for PhD, the candidates need to check a few requirements for PhD.

Requirements to pursue PhD after Bachelors

The entry requirements for a combined MS and Ph.D. program are similar to that of a doctorate, as most applicants for the combined program would not have an advanced degree or journal publications. Admission to a combined degree can also be very competitive with most universities accepting just 3-4 candidates in a session.

1. Strong GPA - Candidates must have an excellent grade point average (GPA) to qualify for the programs. Students from other boards can find the equivalent of the GPA to assess their eligibility.

2. Standardized test scores - Candidates have to score very high points in the standardized scores. Here the student will be asked to submit test scores.

GRE: GRE is mandatory for almost all Ph.D. programs, including management studies, after a bachelor’s in the USA. In the case of doctoral programs, most students are required to present GRE subject scores of the course as well.

GMAT: GMAT is taken for admission to management studies. Business schools offering Ph.Ds in business management accept GMAT scores for admission into a wide range of Ph.D. programs in management.

TOEFL: TOEFL is an English proficiency test for students from non-native English-speaking countries. For international students, a high TOEFL score is a must for admission to Ph.D. courses.

IELTS: IELTS is also accepted for international students' admission to Ph.D. programs. Like TOEFL, it is also an English proficiency test for students from non-native English-speaking countries. The IELTS test measures a candidate’s English language command in four different parameters- Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

3. Letter of Recommendation (LOR) - One of the most important elements for admission to direct PhD programmes is a letter of recommendation . The letter of recommendation is an independent assessment of a candidate's potential. Most universities require at least two to three recommendation letters. It is advisable for students to have letters of recommendation written by either their professors or employees

4. Statement of Purpose (SOP) - The statement of purpose is another important element of the application package for admission to direct Ph.D. programs in the USA. It reflects the student's commitment to the Ph.D. program and goals in his life.

5. Resume - At the Ph.D. level, many universities would require the student to submit a resume along with the application. The resume should contain the candidate's basic information like date of birth, academic qualifications, achievements and details of any previous work in his area of interest.

6. Research projects - It is always helpful if the aspirant has the Ph.D. as an elective subject in the final year of their bachelor’s. Also, one can get additional points if the application is accompanied by any research or journal publications or any projects in the related field.

7. Interview - Most of the universities for PhD in the USA offering direct PhD hold a separate interview round for the aspirants. As in most cases, the Ph.D. interviews are conducted by invitation only. The questions are general as well as specific to the subject the candidate wants to pursue.

• Saves Time - Pursuing a PhD is a long time-consuming process and commitment for years. So combining a master's with PhD does not totally skip the master's duration but enables to study without a break period.
• Early chance for Teaching - While continuing this PhD, students can work as assistant professor lecturers at a young age. Candidates can enjoy the benefits of teaching and learning at the same time.
• Expertise in the Field - Rather than focusing time only on the theoretical learning of masters, the candidates get an early chance to research and get experts in their chosen field.

For students who are looking forward to pursuing PhD after bachelors, there are many abroad countries that accept admissions. The process of how to apply for PhD more or less remains the same.

• Netherlands

Manipal University Online MBA

Apply for Online MBA from Manipal University

Even though these countries provide courses for PhD after bachelors, every university has its own course specifications and eligibility. The candidates have to look up each university's PhD requirements individually before applying.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

The cost of a PhD program varies between universities. The average cost can be between 12,000 to 150,000 USD per year depending on the program or the university. In addition living expenses can be anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 USD per year.

International students have access to numerous scholarship options when pursuing a PhD program in the USA. They can also apply for assistantships, financial aid and work while studying to reduce their tuition cost for a PhD program.

The average length of a PhD program is between 4 to 6 years. This includes coursework, research projects and dissertation.

Many PhD courses in top universities will be provided with fully-funded scholarships in USA. Few of the PhD programs in USA which are fully funded are: PhD in Business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD in Anthropology at the University of Chicago, PhD in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University, etc. 

To apply for a PhD, the candidates must have completed a bachelor's or master's degree, along with good GRE scores and English proficiency test scores.

Based on the course program the PhD duration after bachelors will be varying from 5 years to 7 years.

Yes, there are many universities abroad that accept PhD admissions on the bachelor's education qualification. This criterion can change depending on the university and course so it is suggested the candidate to check the admission requirements of each course they wish to apply for. However, most of these courses integrate the PhD along with a master's. Here the candidate will complete both the master's and PhD in one go.

The integrated PhD courses that can be applied after completion of a bachelor's, have a course duration of 4 to 7 years. However, these courses also include the master's for 1  to 2 years in the initial phase of their degree.

It is possible to pursue a PhD without obtaining a Master’s degree. However, it depends upon several factors such as your individual background, the field of study you wish to pursue, the duration of the PhD program, and the geographical location. It is to be noted that the specific requirements for admission may differ from country to country.

It usually requires several years of focused study and research to obtain a PhD, usually lasting from 4 to 7 years or even longer. Nevertheless, there exist accelerated programs that enable exceptional students to finish their PhD in a shorter duration, usually within 1-2 years. Such programs usually require students to have already accomplished a substantial amount of pertinent coursework and research at the undergraduate and/or master's level.

The average annual salary for a PhD holder in India is approximately Rs. 24 lakhs. Nevertheless, this figure may vary depending on the employer, industry, and location of work.

Students who have successfully completed their eighth semester of their Bachelor's degree program (or are awaiting their results) and have achieved a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10 or an equivalent percentage are eligible to apply for direct admission to the Ph.D. program.

• Latest Articles

Upcoming Studyabroad Exams

Medical college admission test.

Others : 11 July,2024 - 11 July,2024

Certifications By Top Providers

• Most Viewed

Explore Top Universities Across Globe

• Universities
• Popular Articles

Related E-books & Sample Papers

Ace ielts speaking: expert conversations & top tips for 8+ bands.

58 + Downloads

IELTS Exam Guide

19832 + Downloads

ACT Mock Test

504 + Downloads

ACT Syllabus

187 + Downloads

ACT Practice Test Science

111 + Downloads

ACT Practice Test Maths

73 + Downloads

IELTS 2024 Listening Section - Study Material PDF

2059 + Downloads

GRE Psychology Practice Test

189 + Downloads

GRE Physics Practice Test

108 + Downloads

GRE Maths Practice Test

121 + Downloads

GRE Syllabus for Psychology

106 + Downloads

GRE Syllabus for Physics

124 + Downloads

Applications for Admissions are open.

TOEFL ® Registrations 2024

Accepted by more than 11,000 universities in over 150 countries worldwide

GRE ® Registrations 2024

Apply for GRE® Test now & save 10% with ApplyShop Gift Card | World's most used Admission Test for Graduate & Professional Schools

PTE Exam 2024 Registrations

Register now for PTE & Save 5% on English Proficiency Tests with ApplyShop Gift Cards

Explore Universities, Courses & Subjects | Work while study

Apply for upcoming intake & plan your journey

MET Institute of International Studies BBA Admissions 2024

B.Sc (Hons)/BA (Hons) Business Administration, is an International BBA programme offered at MET Institute of International Studies, Mumbai

Stay up-to date with News

Explore on careers360.

• Explore Top Study Abroad Exams
• Study Destinations and Visa
• TOEFL Syllabus
• TOEFL Exam Pattern
• TOEFL Eligibility
• TOEFL Registration
• TOEFL Result
• LSAT Eligibility
• LSAT Scores
• LSAT Test Dates
• LSAT Test Centres
• LSAT Eligibility Criteria
• LSAT Sample Papers
• LSAT Exam Pattern
• LSAT Preparation Tips
• LSAT Syllabus
• LSAT Selection Process
• IELTS Application Form
• MCAT Test Dates
• IELTS Cut Off
• MCAT Exam Pattern
• IELTS Eligibility Criteria
• MCAT Syllabus
• IELTS Preparation Books And Study Materials
• MCAT Registration
• IELTS Preparation Tips
• MCAT Eligibility
• GRE Test Syllabus
• GRE Sample Paper
• GRE Eligibility Criteria
• GRE Registration
• GRE Test Pattern
• GRE Test Dates
• GRE Test Centres
• GRE Preparation Tips
• GRE Selection Procedure
• SAT Preparation Tips
• SAT Syllabus
• SAT Test Centres
• SAT Exam Pattern
• SAT Test Eligibility
• SAT Registration
• SAT Exam Dates
• SAT Sample Papers
• USMLE Exam Dates
• USMLE Test Centres
• USMLE Scores
• USMLE Application Form
• USMLE Eligibility Criteria
• ACT Test Dates
• ACT Registration
• ACT Eligibility Criteria
• ACT Exam Pattern
• ACT Test Centres
• GMAT Test Dates
• GMAT Exam Pattern
• GMAT Syllabus
• GMAT Registration
• GMAT Eligibility
• GMAT Scores

Popular Study Abroad Countries

• Study in Singapore
• Student Visa For Canada
• Student Visa For UK
• Student Visa For USA
• Student Visa For Australia
• Germany Student Visa
• New Zealand Student Visa
• Student Visa For Ireland

Download Careers360 App's

Regular exam updates, QnA, Predictors, College Applications & E-books now on your Mobile

Certifications

We Appeared in

What is a PhD Degree? [2024 Guide]

As you’re taking a look at potential grad school programs, you might be asking yourself, “What is a PhD degree?”

Understanding what a PhD is and what’s involved in earning one can help you decide whether to enroll in this type of doctoral program. You might decide that a PhD is a strategic step for you to take to further your career.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

If you choose to pursue a PhD, you’ll be glad to know that you can also earn this type of degree online through an accredited university.

What Is a PhD Degree?

After earning a bachelors degree and a masters degree, you may be considering taking your education even further.

The next step for you might be a Doctor of Philosophy degree, better known as a PhD. As a terminal degree, a PhD can set you apart as an expert in your field. Earning a doctoral degree is not a small undertaking. The process includes multiple steps and can last for several years.

Components of a Ph.D. degree program often include:

• Advanced courses in your chosen field
• Classes in research methods, data analysis, and scholarly writing
• Examination of current literature and studies related to your field
• Oral or written comprehensive exams
• Original research project—includes writing and defending a major paper about your research

The dissertation, sometimes known as a thesis, is usually the part of a PhD program that takes the longest. During the dissertation process, you’ll work under the supervision of a faculty advisor, often someone whose research interests correlate with yours. You’ll design a research project, carry it out, and write about your findings. This project is meant to contribute new ideas to your field.

A PhD is particularly suitable for students who love school settings and want to pursue academic careers. For instance, professors often have PhDs. It’s also common for scientists and other researchers to hold this type of degree. Outside of  academia, a PhD could set you apart as a knowledgeable leader in your field.

Benefits of a PhD Degree

Getting your PhD can be an incredible personal goal worth achieving. Plus, a degree at this level can offer many professional benefits, such as:

• Career advancement . As a person with a PhD, you may be considered an expert in your field. That could help qualify you for a variety of top roles within your line of work.
• Higher earnings . A job promotion or a new employer might offer you a higher salary.
• Networking . You can meet new people and build professional connections as you work toward a PhD.
• Preparation for becoming a professor . Universities typically prefer to hire faculty members who hold PhDs in their area of expertise.
• Research opportunities . Before you can earn your PhD, it’s necessary to complete an original research project called a dissertation. After completing your degree, you may have additional opportunities to contribute research to your field.

If you’re willing to put in the work, then getting your PhD could be worth the effort.

How to Know If a PhD Is Right for Me

Before you sign up for a PhD program, it’s helpful to carefully weigh the decision and make sure it’s the right choice for you. You might ask yourself the following questions:

• Am I willing to commit years to the process ? PhDs take at least 3 years, and most take longer than that.
• Do I want to carry out original research ? This is a research-focused degree, and the purpose is to contribute new ideas or theories to your field.
• Does an academic career interest me ? Many people get PhDs because they want to work in higher education as teachers or researchers. Those who plan to remain as practitioners often consider professional doctorates instead.

It can also be helpful to speak with faculty members and current students to get a feel for what you can expect from PhD studies.

Applying for a Ph.D: Education Requirements

It’s necessary to put in years of study before you can apply for a PhD program. Most students need to hold at least two degrees already. But, in some cases, one may be sufficient.

• Bachelor’s degree . All graduate programs require students to have earned a four-year undergraduate degree before enrolling in advanced studies. Most PhD programs don’t specify that your bachelors degree must be in the same field as your hoped-for doctoral studies, but it can help you move through a graduate-level program with more ease.
• Master’s degree . Colleges often expect students to have earned a master’s degree before applying for PhD studies, but some programs do allow students straight out of bachelor’s degree programs. Doing a master’s degree first can provide strong preparation for the advanced coursework, research, and writing that are required in doctoral programs.

It is often required that the degrees you have be from accredited colleges. It may also be necessary to meet a minimum GPA requirement, such as a score of 3.0 or higher. Some colleges prefer PhD applicants who have graduated from previous programs with honors.

Doctor of Philosophy: Admissions Requirements

Doctoral programs can be quite selective about whom they admit because they’re looking for capable students who can keep up with the demands of the program and contribute valuable new research to the field.

In addition to meeting the education requirements, you’ll also be required to turn in records that demonstrate your academic potential. Here are some common admissions requirements:

• College transcripts and professional resume
• Letters of recommendation from people who know you academically or professionally
• Statement about relevant background, research interests, or professional goals
• Proposal that presents the original research project you’d be interested in doing
• Scores from the GRE or GMAT (not always required)

You might also connect with the department’s faculty members and find someone who would be willing to serve as your academic supervisor for your dissertation. It’s beneficial for this person’s research interests to align with your own.

Some schools have you do this before admission, and others connect admitted students to supervisors later in the enrollment process.

What Does PhD Stand For?

PhD stands for “Doctor of Philosophy.” It doesn’t mean that you’ve studied philosophy at the highest levels. Rather, the word “philosophy” in the name refers back to ancient Greek. It implies that you are someone who loves and seeks wisdom and knowledge.

You can get a PhD in many different subject areas—such as a Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics or a Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology. PhD students explore their chosen field of study in great depth. They also learn how to conduct original research, and they undertake major research projects. By graduation, they are considered experts in their fields.

What Do You Learn in a Doctoral Degree?

In a PhD program, you’ll learn about your chosen area of study, such as biology or sociology. You will also study a niche area within that field in great depth.

Research is a significant topic in any PhD program. Your courses might include topics on:

• Advanced statistics
• Dissertation preparation
• Literature review
• Quantitative and qualitative methods
• Research methodology

These research-focused classes may be tailored to your particular area of study, such as research methodology in the social sciences or advanced statistics in criminal justice research.

What Can You Do with a PhD Degree?

Many people earn PhD degrees because they want to teach at the college level. This degree is often required for tenured faculty positions at universities.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that most postsecondary teachers earn between $46,690 and $172,130 each year. Research scientists often hold PhDs as well. Examples include medical scientists, biochemists, and physicists.

Additionally, there are some career paths that require a doctorate for licensure. For instance, clinical and counseling psychologists usually need to receive training at the doctoral level before they can practice independently.

Do You Need a Masters to Get a PhD?

Whether you’ll need a masters before you can begin the PhD process will depend on the program you choose.

Many PhD programs require a master’s degree as an admissions requirement. Completing a master’s program can provide a strong research and writing foundation that can help you during this advanced program. Other programs, though, let students enroll with only a bachelors degree.

There might be additional classes required to prepare you for working at the graduate level, so it may take a bit longer to complete your studies. For more information on whether you need a master’s to get a PhD , you can consult the admissions requirements of each program you’re considering.

Can You Get a PhD Online?

There are many online PhD programs available for aspiring students looking for flexibility. Some PhD programs are offered entirely online. You can take all of your classes online, and you can also receive guidance from your faculty advisor and defend your dissertation from afar.

Other programs are mostly online but require some in-person experiences. You might be asked to come to campus for a week or two of intensive study. Also, you may be asked to show up in person for your dissertation defense. Either way, online PhD studies are often more accessible for working professionals than fully on-campus programs.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD?

Students often spend 3 to 5 years completing a PhD program. Online programs sometimes include features like year-round classes and short course terms that encourage quick completion.

The shortest PhD programs typically do not involve writing a dissertation. There may be a different final assignment, such as a capstone project, instead. You might be able to finish one of those programs in about 3 years. Not all students finish within 5 years. Some spend around a decade on this massive undertaking. Some PhD programs set an upper limit for completion, such as 7 or 8 years.

Is a PhD a Doctor?

People with PhDs are considered experts in their fields, and the degree includes “Doctor” in its name. For that reason, PhD holders often use the title “Doctor.” A college professor, for example, might go by Dr. Smith.

Even still, there’s a difference between MD vs. PhD. A person who holds a PhD is not a medical doctor. Medical doctors earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree before becoming licensed to practice medicine. In most contexts, though, people refer to professionals with PhDs as “doctors.”

What Jobs Can You Get with a PhD?

People with doctorate degrees work in both academia and professional practice. Being a college professor is quite popular among people who hold PhDs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that a PhD can also be helpful for obtaining jobs in higher education administration, particularly as a dean or a provost.

PhD graduates may work in research as well. Research jobs are available with colleges, government agencies, and private institutions. Researchers are needed in many different fields, including biology, mathematics, computer science, and economics. PhDs also help people rise to the top in their industries, perhaps as chief executives.

How Much Does a PhD Cost?

Some graduate schools charge just $300 to $400 per credit hour. Others may charge $2,000 per credit hour or more.

Per-credit-hour rates between $600 and $1,000 are quite common. It’s helpful to keep in mind that state universities often charge less for in-state residents than nonresidents. Your total number of credit hours may depend on how many years you spend working on your dissertation.

Some universities offer tuition-free PhD programs for qualifying participants. The students may even receive a stipend in exchange for research or teaching assistance. This arrangement is more common for on-campus programs than online ones.

What’s the Difference Between a Doctorate vs. PhD Degrees?

Is a PhD a doctorate degree ? For your terminal degree, you may have the choice between a PhD degree and a professional doctorate. While they are both doctoral degrees, they do have some differences.

Professional doctorates are sometimes a year or two quicker than PhDs, but that’s not always the case.

Is a PhD Worth It?

Yes, a PhD is worth it for many students. For one thing, holding a PhD could be the key to fulfilling your professional dreams.

If you want to be a professor, for instance, there’s a good chance that you’ll be required to have this advanced degree. Even if that’s not your ultimate goal, a PhD could be beneficial. The more education you have, the more your job security usually increases.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there’s an inverse relationship between education and unemployment. As education increases, unemployment rates decrease.

Getting Your PhD Degree Online

An exciting future as an expert in your field may await. You can earn a PhD to increase your knowledge, prove your capability, and contribute new ideas to your area of study. Getting this degree is an impressive accomplishment, and it may open new doors for your career. For convenience and accessibility, you might take a look at online PhD studies.

Many accredited colleges offer robust online PhD programs. You’ll get to take advanced courses and work with respected professors. An online program can also offer opportunities for completing a thesis or a doctoral project. You could graduate prepared to make a difference in your field.

Why not start exploring your options today?

Smart. Open. Grounded. Inventive. Read our Ideas Made to Matter.

Which program is right for you?

Through intellectual rigor and experiential learning, this full-time, two-year MBA program develops leaders who make a difference in the world.

A rigorous, hands-on program that prepares adaptive problem solvers for premier finance careers.

A 12-month program focused on applying the tools of modern data science, optimization and machine learning to solve real-world business problems.

Earn your MBA and SM in engineering with this transformative two-year program.

Combine an international MBA with a deep dive into management science. A special opportunity for partner and affiliate schools only.

A doctoral program that produces outstanding scholars who are leading in their fields of research.

Bring a business perspective to your technical and quantitative expertise with a bachelor’s degree in management, business analytics, or finance.

A joint program for mid-career professionals that integrates engineering and systems thinking. Earn your master’s degree in engineering and management.

An interdisciplinary program that combines engineering, management, and design, leading to a master’s degree in engineering and management.

Executive Programs

A full-time MBA program for mid-career leaders eager to dedicate one year of discovery for a lifetime of impact.

This 20-month MBA program equips experienced executives to enhance their impact on their organizations and the world.

Non-degree programs for senior executives and high-potential managers.

A non-degree, customizable program for mid-career professionals.

PhD Program

Program overview.

Now Reading 1 of 4

Rigorous, discipline-based research is the hallmark of the MIT Sloan PhD Program. The program is committed to educating scholars who will lead in their fields of research—those with outstanding intellectual skills who will carry forward productive research on the complex organizational, financial, and technological issues that characterize an increasingly competitive and challenging business world.

Start here.

Learn more about the program, how to apply, and find answers to common questions.

Admissions Events

Check out our event schedule, and learn when you can chat with us in person or online.

Start Your Application

Visit this section to find important admissions deadlines, along with a link to our application.

Click here for answers to many of the most frequently asked questions.

PhD studies at MIT Sloan are intense and individual in nature, demanding a great deal of time, initiative, and discipline from every candidate. But the rewards of such rigor are tremendous:  MIT Sloan PhD graduates go on to teach and conduct research at the world's most prestigious universities.

PhD Program curriculum at MIT Sloan is organized under the following three academic areas: Behavior & Policy Sciences; Economics, Finance & Accounting; and Management Science. Our nine research groups correspond with one of the academic areas, as noted below.

MIT Sloan PhD Research Groups

Behavioral & policy sciences.

Economic Sociology

Institute for Work & Employment Research

Organization Studies

Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Strategic Management

Economics, Finance & Accounting

Accounting  

Management Science

Information Technology

System Dynamics  

Those interested in a PhD in Operations Research should visit the Operations Research Center .  

PhD Program Structure

Additional information including coursework and thesis requirements.

MIT Sloan Predoctoral Opportunities

MIT Sloan is eager to provide a diverse group of talented students with early-career exposure to research techniques as well as support in considering research career paths.

Rising Scholars Conference

The fourth annual Rising Scholars Conference on October 25 and 26 gathers diverse PhD students from across the country to present their research.

Now Reading 2 of 4

The goal of the MIT Sloan PhD Program's admissions process is to select a small number of people who are most likely to successfully complete our rigorous and demanding program and then thrive in academic research careers. The admission selection process is highly competitive; we aim for a class size of nineteen students, admitted from a pool of hundreds of applicants.

What We Seek

• Outstanding intellectual ability
• Excellent academic records
• Previous work in disciplines related to the intended area of concentration
• Strong commitment to a career in research

MIT Sloan PhD Program Admissions Requirements Common Questions

Dates and Deadlines

Admissions for 2024 is closed. The next opportunity to apply will be for 2025 admission. The 2025 application will open in September 2024. 

More information on program requirements and application components

Students in good academic standing in our program receive a funding package that includes tuition, medical insurance, and a fellowship stipend and/or TA/RA salary. We also provide a new laptop computer and a conference travel/research budget.

Funding Information

Throughout the year, we organize events that give you a chance to learn more about the program and determine if a PhD in Management is right for you.

PhD Program Events

June phd program overview.

During this webinar, you will hear from the PhD Program team and have the chance to ask questions about the application and admissions process.

July PhD Program Overview

August phd program overview, september 12 phd program overview.

Complete PhD Admissions Event Calendar

Unlike formulaic approaches to training scholars, the PhD Program at MIT Sloan allows students to choose their own adventure and develop a unique scholarly identity. This can be daunting, but students are given a wide range of support along the way - most notably having access to world class faculty and coursework both at MIT and in the broader academic community around Boston.

Now Reading 3 of 4

Profiles of our current students

MIT Sloan produces top-notch PhDs in management. Immersed in MIT Sloan's distinctive culture, upcoming graduates are poised to innovate in management research and education.

Academic Job Market

Doctoral candidates on the current academic market

Academic Placements

Graduates of the MIT Sloan PhD Program are researching and teaching at top schools around the world.

view recent placements 

MIT Sloan Experience

Now Reading 4 of 4

The PhD Program is integral to the research of MIT Sloan's world-class faculty. With a reputation as risk-takers who are unafraid to embrace the unconventional, they are engaged in exciting disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that often includes PhD students as key team members.

Research centers across MIT Sloan and MIT provide a rich setting for collaboration and exploration. In addition to exposure to the faculty, PhD students also learn from one another in a creative, supportive research community.

Throughout MIT Sloan's history, our professors have devised theories and fields of study that have had a profound impact on management theory and practice.

From Douglas McGregor's Theory X/Theory Y distinction to Nobel-recognized breakthroughs in finance by Franco Modigliani and in option pricing by Robert Merton and Myron Scholes, MIT Sloan's faculty have been unmatched innovators.

This legacy of innovative thinking and dedication to research impacts every faculty member and filters down to the students who work beside them.

Faculty Links

• Accounting Faculty
• Economic Sociology Faculty
• Finance Faculty
• Information Technology Faculty
• Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER) Faculty
• Marketing Faculty
• Organization Studies Faculty
• System Dynamics Faculty
• Technological Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Strategic Management (TIES) Faculty

Student Research

“MIT Sloan PhD training is a transformative experience. The heart of the process is the student’s transition from being a consumer of knowledge to being a producer of knowledge. This involves learning to ask precise, tractable questions and addressing them with creativity and rigor. Hard work is required, but the reward is the incomparable exhilaration one feels from having solved a puzzle that had bedeviled the sharpest minds in the world!” -Ezra Zuckerman Sivan Alvin J. Siteman (1948) Professor of Entrepreneurship

Sample Dissertation Abstracts - These sample Dissertation Abstracts provide examples of the work that our students have chosen to study while in the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

We believe that our doctoral program is the heart of MIT Sloan's research community and that it develops some of the best management researchers in the world. At our annual Doctoral Research Forum, we celebrate the great research that our doctoral students do, and the research community that supports that development process.

The videos of their presentations below showcase the work of our students and will give you insight into the topics they choose to research in the program.

Attention To Retention: The Informativeness of Insiders’ Decision to Retain Shares

2024 PhD Doctoral Research Forum Winner - Gabriel Voelcker

Watch more MIT Sloan PhD Program  Doctoral Forum Videos

• [email protected]

Keep Exploring

Ask a question or register your interest

Faculty Directory

Meet our faculty.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Applying to graduate school
• Master’s vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Master's vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences

Published on November 27, 2020 by Lauren Thomas . Revised on May 10, 2024.

The two most common types of graduate degrees are master’s and doctoral degrees:

• A master’s is a 1–2 year degree that can prepare you for a multitude of careers.
• A PhD, or doctoral degree, takes 3–7 years to complete (depending on the country) and prepares you for a career in academic research.

A master’s is also the necessary first step to a PhD. In the US, the master’s is built into PhD programs, while in most other countries, a separate master’s degree is required before applying for PhDs.

Master’s are far more common than PhDs. In the US, 24 million people have master’s or professional degrees, whereas only 4.5 million have doctorates.

Table of contents

Master’s vs phd at a glance, which is right for you, length of time required, career prospects, costs and salaries, application process, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about master's and phd degrees.

The table below shows the key differences between the two.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

A PhD is right for you if:

• Your goal is to become a professor at a university or some other type of professional researcher.
• You love research and are passionate about discovering the answer to a particular question.
• You are willing to spend years pursuing your research even if you have to put up with a lot of dead ends and roadblocks.

A master’s degree is the better choice if any of the following apply:

• You want to continue studies in your field, but you’re not committed to a career as a professional researcher.
• You want to develop professional skills for a specific career.
• You are willing to pay a higher upfront cost if it means finishing with your degree (and thus being able to work) much faster.
• You want the option to study part-time while working.

The length of time required to complete a PhD or master’s degree varies. Unsurprisingly, PhDs take much longer, usually between 3–7 years. Master’s degrees are usually only 1–2 years.

Length of a master’s

Master’s degrees are usually 2 years, although 1-year master’s degrees also exist, mainly in the UK.

Most of the degree consists of classes and coursework, although many master’s programs include an intensive, semester-long master’s thesis or capstone project in which students bring together all they’ve learned to produce an original piece of work.

Length of a PhD

In the US, a PhD usually takes between 5 and 7 years to complete. The first 2 years are spent on coursework. Students, even those who choose to leave without finishing the program, usually receive a master’s degree at this point.

The next 3–5 years are spent preparing a dissertation —a lengthy piece of writing based on independent research, which aims to make a significant original contribution to one’s field.

Master’s degrees tend to prepare you for a career outside of academia, while PhDs are designed to lead to a career in research.

Careers for master’s graduates

There are two types of master’s degrees: terminal and research-intensive. The career prospects are different for each.

Terminal master’s degrees are intended to prepare students for careers outside of academia. Some degrees, known as professional degrees, specifically prepare students for particular professions; these include the Master of Public Policy (MPP), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT), Master of Fine Arts (MFA), and Master of Public Health (MPH) degrees.

Other master’s degrees, usually Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Sciences (MS or MSc) degrees, do not necessarily lead to a specific career, but are intended to be a final degree. Examples include an MS in Communications or MS in Data Analytics.

In research-intensive master’s programs, students take coursework intended to prepare them for writing an original piece of research known as the master’s thesis . Such programs are usually intended to prepare for further study in a doctoral program.

Careers for PhD graduates

As research degrees, PhDs are usually intended to lead to an academic career. A PhD can be thought of like an apprenticeship, where students learn from professional researchers (academics) how to produce their own research.

Most students aspire to become a university professor upon the completion of their degree. However, careers in academia are highly competitive, and the skills learned in a doctoral program often lend themselves well to other types of careers.

Some graduates who find they prefer teaching to producing research go on to be teachers at liberal arts colleges or even secondary schools. Others work in research-intensive careers in the government, private sector, or at think tanks.

Below are a few examples of specific fields and non-academic careers that are common destinations of graduates of those fields.

• Computer Science
• Lab Sciences

Many government jobs, including economists at a country’s central bank, are research-intensive and require a PhD. Think tanks also hire economists to carry out independent research.

In the private sector, economic consulting and technology firms frequently hire PhDs to solve real-world problems that require complex mathematical modeling.

Graduate students from the humanities are sometimes hired by museums, who can make use of their research and writing skills to curate exhibits and run public outreach.

Humanities PhDs are often well-suited to research and grant-writing roles at nonprofits. Since so much of research is funded by grants, PhD students often gain a lot of experience applying for them, which is a useful skill in the nonprofit sector.

There are a wide range of non-academic research jobs for lab scientists with doctorates in subjects like chemistry, biology, ecology and physics.

Many PhD graduates are hired by pharmaceutical companies that need to perform research to create and test their products. Government agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), also hire lab scientists to work on research projects.

Job prospects after graduation vary widely based on the field. In fields like management, computer science, statistics, and economics, there’s little underemployment—even graduates from less well-known programs can easily find jobs that pay well and use the skills they’ve gained from the PhD.

However, in other fields, particularly in the humanities, many PhD graduates have difficulty in the job market. Unfortunately, there are far more PhD graduates than assistant professor roles, so many instead take on part-time and low-paid roles as adjunct instructors. Even non-academic careers can sometimes be difficult for PhDs to move into, as they may be seen as “overqualified”  or as lacking in relevant professional experience.

Because career options post-PhD vary so much, you should take the time to figure out what the career prospects are in your field. Doctoral programs often have detailed “placement” records online in which they list the career outcomes of their graduates immediately upon leaving the program. If you can’t find these records, contact the program and ask for them—placement information should play an important role in your choice of PhD program.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Although PhDs take far longer to complete, students often receive a living stipend in exchange for being a teaching or research assistant. Master’s degrees are shorter but less likely to be funded.

Both master’s degrees and PhDs lead to increased salaries upon graduation. While PhDs usually earn a bit more than those with a master’s degree, in some fields, the wages are identical, meaning that no financial benefit is gained from going on to a PhD.

Cost of a master’s

The upfront cost of a master’s degree is usually higher than a doctoral degree due to the lower amount of financial aid available. However, increased salaries also arrive faster than with a doctoral degree, because people graduate much earlier from a master’s program.

Some master’s students do receive stipends for their degrees, usually as compensation for being a teaching or research assistant. In addition, many people complete master’s degrees part time while working full-time, which allows them to fund their living costs as well as tuition.

The cost varies significantly by school and program. Public schools are usually cheaper than private ones. Some master’s degrees, such as MBAs, are notoriously expensive, but also result in much higher wages afterwards that make up for the high cost.

The master’s wage premium , or the extra amount that someone with a master’s degree makes than someone with just a high school diploma, is 23% on average. Many universities provide detailed statistics on the career and salary outcomes of their students. If they do not have this online, you should feel free to contact an administrator of the program and ask.

Cost of a PhD

PhDs, particularly outside the humanities, are usually (though not always) funded, meaning that tuition fees are fully waived and students receive a small living stipend. During the last 3–5 years of a PhD, after finishing their coursework (and sometimes before), students are usually expected to work as graduate instructors or research assistants in exchange for the stipend.

Sometimes students can apply for a fellowship (such as the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Program in the United States) that relieves them of any obligations to be a teaching or research assistant. Doctoral programs in the US tend to be better funded than in the rest of the world.

Sometimes, PhD degrees can be completed part-time, but this is rare. Students are usually expected to devote at least 40 hours a week to their research and work as teaching or research assistants.

The main cost of doctoral programs comes in the form of opportunity cost—all the years that students could be working a regular, full-time job, which usually pays much better than a graduate school stipend.

The average wage premium for PhDs is 26%, which is not much higher than the master’s degree premium.

In the US, the application process is similar for master’s and PhD programs. Both will generally ask for:

• At least one application essay, often called a personal statement or statement of purpose .
• Letters of recommendation .
• A resume or CV .
• Transcripts.
• Writing samples.

Applications for both types of programs also often require a standardized test. PhDs usually require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which tries to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative, critical thinking , and analytical writing skills. Many master’s programs require this test as well.

Applying for a master’s

Master’s degrees programs will often ask you to respond to specific essay prompts that may ask you to reflect upon not just your academic background, but also your personal character and future career ambitions.

Northwestern University’s Kellogg Business School requires Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) applicants write two essays, one about a recent time they demonstrated leadership and the second about their personal values.

Who you should ask for your letters of recommendation varies by program. If you are applying to a research-intensive master’s program, then you should choose former professors or research supervisors. For other programs, particularly business school, current work supervisors may be a better choice.

Some professional master’s programs require a specific test. For example, to apply to law school, you must take the Law School Admissions Test, or LSAT. For business school, you must take either the GRE or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Applying for a PhD

When applying for a PhD, your resume should focus more on your research background—you should especially emphasize any publications you’ve authored or presentations that you’ve given.

Similarly, your statement of purpose should discuss research that you’ve participated in, whether as an assistant or the lead author. You should detail what exactly you did in projects you’ve contributed to, whether that’s conducting a literature review, coding regressions, or writing an entire article.

Your letters of recommendations should be from former professors or supervisors who can speak to your abilities and potential as a researcher. A good rule of thumb is to avoid asking for recommendations from anyone who does not themselves have a PhD.

If you want to know more about college essays , academic writing , and AI tools , make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.

College essays

• College essay examples
• College essay format
• College essay style
• College essay length
• Diversity essays
• Scholarship essays

Academic writing

• Writing process
• Avoiding repetition
• Literature review
• Conceptual framework
• Dissertation outline
• Thesis acknowledgements
• Burned or burnt
• Canceled or cancelled
• Dreamt or dreamed
• Gray or grey
• Theater vs theatre

A master’s is a 1- or 2-year graduate degree that can prepare you for a variety of careers.

All master’s involve graduate-level coursework. Some are research-intensive and intend to prepare students for further study in a PhD; these usually require their students to write a master’s thesis . Others focus on professional training for a specific career.

A PhD, which is short for philosophiae doctor (doctor of philosophy in Latin), is the highest university degree that can be obtained. In a PhD, students spend 3–5 years writing a dissertation , which aims to make a significant, original contribution to current knowledge.

A PhD is intended to prepare students for a career as a researcher, whether that be in academia, the public sector, or the private sector.

This depends on the country. In the United States, you can generally go directly to a PhD  with only a bachelor’s degree, as a master’s program is included as part of the doctoral program.

Elsewhere, you generally need to graduate from a research-intensive master’s degree before continuing to the PhD.

This varies by country. In the United States, PhDs usually take between 5–7 years: 2 years of coursework followed by 3–5 years of independent research work to produce a dissertation.

In the rest of the world, students normally have a master’s degree before beginning the PhD, so they proceed directly to the research stage and complete a PhD in 3–5 years.

A master’s degree usually has a higher upfront cost, but it also allows you to start earning a higher salary more quickly. The exact cost depends on the country and the school: private universities usually cost more than public ones, and European degrees usually cost less than North American ones. There are limited possibilities for financial aid.

PhDs often waive tuition fees and offer a living stipend in exchange for a teaching or research assistantship. However, they take many years to complete, during which time you earn very little.

In the US, the graduate school application process is similar whether you’re applying for a master’s or a PhD . Both require letters of recommendation , a statement of purpose or personal statement , a resume or CV , and transcripts. Programs in the US and Canada usually also require a certain type of standardized test—often the GRE.

Outside the US, PhD programs usually also require applicants to write a research proposal , because students are expected to begin dissertation research in the first year of their PhD.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Thomas, L. (2024, May 09). Master's vs PhD | A Complete Guide to the Differences. Scribbr. Retrieved June 24, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/graduate-school/masters-vs-phd/

Is this article helpful?

Lauren Thomas

Other students also liked, when to apply for graduate school | month-by-month timeline, how to write a statement of purpose | example, how to write a graduate school resume | template & example, get unlimited documents corrected.

✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts

• Masters vs PhD – Differences Explained
• Types of Doctorates

The decision of whether or not to pursue a Masters or PhD (or both) after you complete your undergraduate studies is not necessarily a straightforward one. Both are postgraduate degrees but are different in terms of the academic experience and the career paths taken afterwards.

In short, a Masters degree involves a year of study, primarily through taught lectures and a final dissertation research project, whilst a PhD (also referred to as a doctorate degree) is a three-year commitment of independent research on a specific subject.

There’s more to it than that, however – read on for more information.

What Is a Masters Degree?

A Masters degree is the next level of education after the completion of an undergraduate degree, commonly known as a Bachelors.

These degree levels are often referred to in terms of cycles so that a Bachelor’s is a first-cycle degree, a Masters is a second-cycle and finally, a PhD is the third-cycle of higher education (and the highest).

Masters degrees demand an intense period of study, usually centred around a core series of lectures and taught modules, coupled with coursework assignments and exams, followed by the completion of a contained research project usually taking students 3-4 months to complete.

These types of degrees are attractive to recent graduates who want to delve deeper into their specific field of study, gaining some research experience and more specialised knowledge beyond what an undergraduate degree can offer.

Equally, some pursue a Masters degree program in a subject that is only tangentially related to their Bachelors degree, helping them gain a broader depth of knowledge.

These degrees also serve as a significant stepping stone for those already in employment who want to progress their current career development and earn a higher salary. They can also be an excellent method for helping in changing careers completely by learning new skills and subject knowledge.

What Is a PhD Degree?

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest academic degree that can be awarded and is the third and final cycle in the progression of higher education.

A doctoral degree is earned on the basis of producing a significant, independent and novel body of work (a Thesis) that contributes new knowledge to a particular research topic.

These are research degrees that are a significant investment of a candidate’s time, resources and energy and are all but a pre-requisite for anyone considering a career in academia, such as eventually becoming a professor.

There are some exceptions to this, such as those with a medical background who may earn an MD (Doctor of Medicine), which is the equivalent of a PhD.

Doctoral degrees can also have a significant positive impact on career development outside of academia, especially in fields such as engineering, business and finance that have a high demand for highly qualified and capable people.

A graduate student engaged in PhD study is commonly known as a PhD student, PhD candidate or doctoral student.

What are the Benefits of a Masters Degree?

There are several reasons one might consider doing a Masters degree rather than a PhD in their graduate education. These include:

• It takes approximately a third of the time to do compared to a doctorate degree and costs less too.
• It’s a good way to differentiate yourself from those that hold only an undergraduate degree without having to commit to a substantial research degree.
• The end goal is more career-focused as opposed to research-focused. For example, it is practically an ‘easier’ route to changing or progressing your career if that aligns with your professional goals.

What are the Benefits of Doing a PhD?

You may continue on into a doctoral program after a Masters or you may even dive straight in after completing your undergraduate studies. So, what are the advantages of completing this third-cycle?

• You’ll have developed a wealth of transferable skills at graduate school, such as effective communication of complex concepts, multi-tasking time-management and the ability to adapt to and solve unexpected problems.
• A doctorate helps to establish you as an expert within your chosen subject area; your work will hopefully have furthered the knowledge in this.
• It will open up career paths and teaching positions within academia that may otherwise be very difficult to get a hold in (although these career paths will still be very competitive).
• You can add the title ‘Dr’ in front of your name!

Which Degree Is More Impactful: A Masters or a PhD?

On paper, the answer should be clear: A doctorate degree is the highest degree you can earn, so has more impact than a Masters, which in turn has more impact than a Bachelors.

The reality is that the size of the impact (if any) really depends on the subject area and the career path you choose (if the measure of impact is how it positively improves your career prospects, that is).

For someone with aspirations of becoming a professor, a PhD will be of greater value than a Masters alone.

Equally, it’s also possible that someone with a PhD entering a different field or one that doesn’t require a PhD may find that their degree has no bearing on their career or in some cases may even be seen as a ‘negative’ with a concern of the person being ‘over-qualified’ for a position. There are many scenarios in which professional experience would be more valuable to an employer than a doctorate degree.

Check out the links below to our interviews with Prof. Debby Cotton and Dr Nikolay Nikolov to read their experiences of when a going through a PhD program has had a clear benefit (Prof. Cotton) and when it hasn’t been helpful (Dr Nikolov).

Do You Need to Have a Masters to do a PhD?

This really depends on the university, department and sometimes even the project and supervisor.

From a purely application process perspective, some institutions may formally require you to hold a Masters degree relevant to the subject of the PhD project before you can enter their doctoral program.

In another scenario, most universities are unlikely to accept candidates that were awarded below a 2:1 (in the UK) in their undergraduate degree but may consider someone who has ‘made up’ for this with a high-grade Masters.

Lastly, some universities now offer PhD programmes that incorporate an additional year of study in which you would complete a Masters degree before carrying directly on into a PhD project. As you’d expect, even if a university doesn’t formally require you to hold one, a Masters degree can help separate you from other applicants in being accepted on the project.

Check out our detailed guide to doing a PhD without a Master’s .

Why Do a Masters before Your PhD?

Even if you don’t need to have one, it could still be beneficial to begin your postgraduate study by doing a Masters first before you embark on your doctorate journey.

As mentioned previously it’ll help you stand out from applicants that don’t have one, but beyond that, it’ll give you a taster of what research life could be like, especially if you stay at the same university and department for your PhD.

The one-year commitment (in the UK at least) of carrying out a Masters first, and in particular your research project, will help you better understand if this is truly something you want to commit the next three or more years to.

You’ll learn some of the skills of independent research, from performing detailed literature searches to more complex, analytical writing.

At the end of it, you should be in a stronger position to consider your options and decide about whether to continue into a PhD at graduate school.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Masters Degree?

In the UK, a full-time Masters degrees take students one calendar year to complete: The programme of study usually starts in September, the final research project the following April and final project viva around August. Part-time degrees are usually double the time.

How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD?

In the UK, most PhD projects take 3-4 years to complete , as reflected by the majority of funded projects offering stipends to cover living expenses of about 3.5 years.

For many reasons, projects may end up taking longer to complete, however. This might be because of difficulties in collecting enough data, or if the project is being done part-time.

Which One is More Expensive to Do?

As you’d expect, as a PhD takes three times as long to complete as a Masters degree, it will cost you more to do as far as university fees are concerned.

Another thing to consider is that many PhD projects come with some level of funding equivalent to a low salary, which may cover the cost of tuition fees and living expenses, whilst it is usually more difficult to obtain funding for Masters study.

Conversely, a Masters graduate may progress into a higher (versus PhD funding) salary sooner whilst a PhD student will endure three years of a comparatively low income.

A Masters vs a PhD: Conclusion

If you’re considering continue further graduate study after your undergraduate degree, the question of doing a Masters vs a PhD is likely to come up. They are both considered an advanced degree, each with their own advantages.

There are benefits to doing either of these graduate programs or even both of them; your decision here can be easier if you have an idea of the career you want to follow or if you know you have a love for research!

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD – Explained in Pictures

Ever wondered what is the difference between Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD?

This the the Best damn good explanation of What is PhD and while explaining that, you will know the difference in Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD. I have I have come across.

Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD

With a bachelor’s degree, you gain a specialty:

A master’s degree deepens that specialty:

Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge:

Once you’re at the boundary, you focus:

You push at the boundary for a few years:

Until one day, the boundary gives way:

Of course, the world looks different to you now:

So, don’t forget the bigger picture:

Now you know “ What is PhD ” and understood the major difference between Bachelors vs Masters vs PhD.

Are you ready to push the boundaries of human knowledge?

You might be undecided about studying PhD. Maybe this article inspired you to push the knowledge boundary.

If not read the following 2 articles.

• 5 Years, 20 Countries and 25 Universities to get into PhD
• Internship at Large Hadron Collider, PhD and Researcher in US Army

Next, you have to understand timeline and steps to get a PhD degree .

Remember – You need passion and time commitment to do PhD. Don’t apply for PhD because you can earn more money.

Similar Posts

How financial aid eligibility is awarded.

Have you ever wondered how College Financial Aid Eligibility is determined? Well, the secret is out. Watch the interview with Mr. Bill Schilling, University Director of Student Financial Aid at the University of Pennsylvania, (one of the eight Ivy League schools).   College Financial Aid Secrets You can find answers to following questions with time on…

Sridhar Shares his B.S. and M.S. Experience at University of New Orleans [ Video]

I’m excited to welcome Sridhar Rao Takkallapalli for another edition of Video Interview and Podcast. He’s the first guest in video interview series to talk about Bachelors Degree in USA.  He applied for Bachelors Degree back in 2006 and he’s been residing in New Orleans since then. Guess what? He’s actually staying with his parents…

Civil and Environmental Engineering Rankings : Colleges and Universities

List of universities in USA that offer Civil and Environmental Engineering programs (Masters and PhD) based on NRC rankings. Click here to see additional US University Rankings and difference between S and R Ranks. Civil and Environmental Engineering Rankings No University R-Rank S-Rank 1 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-BERKELEY [1-3] [3-16] 2 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN…

How to Send High School Marksheets (transcripts)

I am just beginning the process of preparing applications for graduate schools. I understand we have to submit an official transcripts from undergraduate institutions. What about high schools? Do they accept photocopy of high school marksheet. If someone can answer this, I will be very thankful. High school transcripts (or mark sheets) are not mandatory documents….

10 Criteria for Writing Effective Recommendation Letters

Recently, I have been reviewing a few drafts of recommendation letters. I noticed that students tend to get confused when composing drafts of recommendation letter, usually forgetting to inform the reference letter provider to highlight the student’s important skills. All Recommendation Letters Must be Positive I read a comment from one of the professors who…

I’m From Middle Class Family and My Dream of Studying in USA is Fades

I’m doing bachelors in mechanical engineering. Hopefully I’ll graduate in year 2013. I want to do masters from USA . That’s my ultimate dream . I’ve read all articles on your website. It’s a great help indeed. I’m planning to do GRE & TOEFL test in Dec. But what thing is hitting my mind is…

40 Comments

Well put and easy to understand and above all challenging.

The teaching of linear thinking as we have seen for centuries focusing in on one item of interest while many topics of research are related. In order for a person to find solutions to problems understanding matrices of related subjects leads to many doors of possibilities to finding solutions instead of satisfying a theory. Great diagram. While you see a circle, we should be visualising a globe. Life is not flat! Thinking should not be shallow nor linear.

When one takes a phd one wants to laser focus that research topic.

I’m just a 12 year old ensuring my future by knowing all of these stuff before I need to know it

I m pursuing 2 yr MBBS and i want to know whether to focus on csir ugc net for doing PhD or ms or MD which one has a good payscale

hiii every one i completed my btech in 2011 with 59.09% for these completing i spend 6 years 5months to complete it … … After that i started Mtech with in 2 years i have completed and i have a 3. 4 years of experience as a developer ….. now i want to do job in USA what was salary i can get for this profile …….. OR i need to study MS

Do you have the talent with the Node.js and the Mongo DB? Is you have proven track record of doing needful? Do you have doctorate?

Very good example, made me think better of where I need to be.

This is brilliant! To its creators and the admins of this website…thank you! 🙂

remember, even PhD, its look like an acne from a knowledge face

Sorry. I would have to disagree. I only have my masters. But I have encountered so many doctorate individuals who know far less than me. Sorry to disappoint you and contradict your article.

I think the big differnce, is that with masters you’ll only know more and more about more topics but not further than the human knowledge at the time. A PHD will mark you as someone that introduced something new to human knowledge that didn’t exist before, and that doesn’t imply the person knowing more or less, but that they pushed those boundaries.

does buisness schools accept GRE scores?what if i give GRE and then apply in the universities?any possibility?

Yes! Business schools do accept GRE scores. Here is the current list of business schools accepting official GRE scores for MBA admissions. Have a look. http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/mba/programs

I always thought it was “BS” for “Bull Shit”, “MS” for “More Shit” and “PhD” for “Piled Higher and Deeper”. Ah well…learn something new every day….

hi…. i am presently doing m.tech in gitam university. b.tech-74.21 m.tech-9(cgpa) up to first year i am taking gre on october… i dont have publications is there any chance to get the phd admission or can i apply for ms program only… help me

im get ready to do for phd in abroad. so what is essential factors my btech 58% and mtech 72%

Accurate admission requirements are to be found on university websites, not on public forums such as these. If you can’t find it, contact the admissions department of the university you want to apply to. Masters degrees are not always a requirement for PhD programmes, but sometimes they are.

Essential factors for PhD admissions: Again, check the websites. Research skills, vision and motivation are really important. You’ll need a research proposal.

Hi Krishna!

It’s good to hear that you are interested to pursue Ph.D program. In vast majority of cases, prior academic publications are not required for Ph.D admissions in case if you are applying for Ph.D programs after completing of masters or bachelors degree program. Although after joining in Ph.D program, a student produces ‘n’ number of academic publications. So producing a publication prior to Ph.D admission is not so mandatory.

I am working as asst professor in engineering college of india.

hello, I am working as asst. professor chemical engineering, want to do PhD in chemical engineering field , how would i get admission in UK/USA universities and what is the chances to get admission there and how much investment I need ? Please give full information regarding it.

Full information is generally available on the websites of the specific universities. Admissions requirements, application processes and programme cost (I assume this is what you mean by “investment”) are all found on the websites of the respective universities. Chances of admission vary from university to university and not all universities put those statistics on their website, but if you put in some effort to go looking for it yourself, I think you should be able to find it.

I have 16+ Years and completed my DECE in 97, Btech (CMJU) in 2012 and Masters (Middlesex,UK) in 2013. I am looking for Phd opportunities in US for telecom field.

Can you provide me some details of the good consultants in India who is good in helping such cases. Also what are all the other preparation I should take care.

Hello,is medical degree a bsc or masters?thanks

Neither. BSc is bachelor of science. Medical degrees are bachelor of medicine and surgery (MBBS, MBChB, BMBS, MBBCh etc depending on how you abbreviate Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae). You generally carry the title of “doctor” afterwards, though, even without a PhD.

this one some what explainable…but good.

Thank you.. Raghu ram. This info has helped me allot to know about ph.d in Abroad..

I like to read more about it.

This is a most innovative way to describe “what is PhD ?” and I am indeed lucky to be associated with Dr. Matt Might.

I am working as Asst Prof. In India with Highest qualification of Masters in Engineering. Masters in engineering is the course which does not belive only on semester patern but gives lot of exposour to research work. Now I am very interested doing research in the domain of Image Processing . What are the different job aportunities ( Excluding Education Industries) after PhD form USA in Computer Engineering ( specifically in Image Processing Domain) u can suggest???

You will find most of the opportunities in research laboratories. After completing a doctoral program, it is very obvious that you would be involved in full time research. In fact many students go ahead for a post doctoral program as well and take up teaching jobs at the respective Universities.

I am working as Asst Prof. In India with Highest qualification of Masters in Engineering. Masters in engineering is the course which does not belive only on semester patern but gives lot of exposour to research work. Now I am very interested doing research in the domain of Image Processing . What are the different job aportunities ( Excluding Education Industries) after PhD in Computer Engineering ( specifically in Image Processing Domain) u can suggest???

very interesting and so true! !!

A nice explanation… Cleared all doubts…

This is one of the best way to visually understand the difference between BS, MS and PhD.

well, tat was Awesome !!

Amazing post! I don’t know like such a supportive and motivational article in my life.

Amazing post! Even though I don’t think I will pursue a Ph.D. , I really want to come close to making that dent in my life.

WOW, this is an amazing and innovative way HSB. The post deserves more comments and appreciation. Keep it up 🙂

Very nice I hope to read more like this.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Guide to Graduate Studies

The PhD Program The Ph.D. program of the Harvard Department of Mathematics is designed to help motivated students develop their understanding and enjoyment of mathematics. Enjoyment and understanding of the subject, as well as enthusiasm in teaching it, are greater when one is actively thinking about mathematics in one’s own way. For this reason, a Ph.D. dissertation involving some original research is a fundamental part of the program. The stages in this program may be described as follows:

• Acquiring a broad basic knowledge of mathematics on which to build a future mathematical culture and more detailed knowledge of a field of specialization.
• Choosing a field of specialization within mathematics and obtaining enough knowledge of this specialized field to arrive at the point of current thinking.
• Making a first original contribution to mathematics within this chosen special area.

Students are expected to take the initiative in pacing themselves through the Ph.D. program. In theory, a future research mathematician should be able to go through all three stages with the help of only a good library. In practice, many of the more subtle aspects of mathematics, such as a sense of taste or relative importance and feeling for a particular subject, are primarily communicated by personal contact. In addition, it is not at all trivial to find one’s way through the ever-burgeoning literature of mathematics, and one can go through the stages outlined above with much less lost motion if one has some access to a group of older and more experienced mathematicians who can guide one’s reading, supplement it with seminars and courses, and evaluate one’s first attempts at research. The presence of other graduate students of comparable ability and level of enthusiasm is also very helpful.

University Requirements

The University requires a minimum of two years of academic residence (16 half-courses) for the Ph.D. degree. On the other hand, five years in residence is the maximum usually allowed by the department. Most students complete the Ph.D. in four or five years. Please review the program requirements timeline .

There is no prescribed set of course requirements, but students are required to register and enroll in four courses each term to maintain full-time status with the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

Qualifying Exam

The department gives the qualifying examination at the beginning of the fall and spring terms. The qualifying examination covers algebra, algebraic geometry, algebraic topology, complex analysis, differential geometry, and real analysis. Students are required to take the exam at the beginning of the first term. More details about the qualifying exams can be found here .

Students are expected to pass the qualifying exam before the end of their second year. After passing the qualifying exam students are expected to find a Ph.D. dissertation advisor.

Minor Thesis

The minor thesis is complementary to the qualifying exam. In the course of mathematical research, students will inevitably encounter areas in which they have gaps in knowledge. The minor thesis is an exercise in confronting those gaps to learn what is necessary to understand a specific area of math. Students choose a topic outside their area of expertise and, working independently, learns it well and produces a written exposition of the subject.

The topic is selected in consultation with a faculty member, other than the student’s Ph.D. dissertation advisor, chosen by the student. The topic should not be in the area of the student’s Ph.D. dissertation. For example, students working in number theory might do a minor thesis in analysis or geometry. At the end of three weeks time (four if teaching), students submit to the faculty member a written account of the subject and are prepared to answer questions on the topic.

The minor thesis must be completed before the start of the third year in residence.

Language Exam

Mathematics is an international subject in which the principal languages are English, French, German, and Russian. Almost all important work is published in one of these four languages. Accordingly, students are required to demonstrate the ability to read mathematics in French, German, or Russian by passing a two-hour, written language examination. Students are asked to translate one page of mathematics into English with the help of a dictionary. Students may request to substitute the Italian language exam if it is relevant to their area of mathematics. The language requirement should be fulfilled by the end of the second year. For more information on the graduate program requirements, a timeline can be viewed at here .

Non-native English speakers who have received a Bachelor’s degree in mathematics from an institution where classes are taught in a language other than English may request to waive the language requirement.

Upon completion of the language exam and eight upper-level math courses, students can apply for a continuing Master’s Degree.

Teaching Requirement

Most research mathematicians are also university teachers. In preparation for this role, all students are required to participate in the department’s teaching apprenticeship program and to complete two semesters of classroom teaching experience, usually as a teaching fellow. During the teaching apprenticeship, students are paired with a member of the department’s teaching staff. Students attend some of the advisor’s classes and then prepare (with help) and present their own class, which will be videotaped. Apprentices will receive feedback both from the advisor and from members of the class.

Teaching fellows are responsible for teaching calculus to a class of about 25 undergraduates. They meet with their class three hours a week. They have a course assistant (an advanced undergraduate) to grade homework and to take a weekly problem session. Usually, there are several classes following the same syllabus and with common exams. A course head (a member of the department teaching staff) coordinates the various classes following the same syllabus and is available to advise teaching fellows. Other teaching options are available: graduate course assistantships for advanced math courses and tutorials for advanced undergraduate math concentrators.

Final Stages

How students proceed through the second and third stages of the program varies considerably among individuals. While preparing for the qualifying examination or immediately after, students should begin taking more advanced courses to help with choosing a field of specialization. Unless prepared to work independently, students should choose a field that falls within the interests of a member of the faculty who is willing to serve as dissertation advisor. Members of the faculty vary in the way that they go about dissertation supervision; some faculty members expect more initiative and independence than others and some variation in how busy they are with current advisees. Students should consider their own advising needs as well as the faculty member’s field when choosing an advisor. Students must take the initiative to ask a professor if she or he will act as a dissertation advisor. Students having difficulty deciding under whom to work, may want to spend a term reading under the direction of two or more faculty members simultaneously. The sooner students choose an advisor, the sooner they can begin research. Students should have a provisional advisor by the second year.

It is important to keep in mind that there is no technique for teaching students to have ideas. All that faculty can do is to provide an ambiance in which one’s nascent abilities and insights can blossom. Ph.D. dissertations vary enormously in quality, from hard exercises to highly original advances. Many good research mathematicians begin very slowly, and their dissertations and first few papers could be of minor interest. The ideal attitude is: (1) a love of the subject for its own sake, accompanied by inquisitiveness about things which aren’t known; and (2) a somewhat fatalistic attitude concerning “creative ability” and recognition that hard work is, in the end, much more important.

Graduate School

Ph.d. requirements.

• Academics & Research
• Programs & Requirements

Brown University awards more than 200 doctor of philosophy degrees annually.

The Brown Ph.D. is primarily a research degree. Teaching is an important part of many doctoral programs, and many departments require candidates for the Ph.D. to have teaching experience.

Brown University offers substantial financial support to doctoral students. All incoming doctoral students are guaranteed five years of support, which includes a stipend, full tuition remission, health-services fee, and a health-insurance subsidy. Doctoral students in the Humanities and Social Sciences are guaranteed six years of support. All promises of student support are subject to students making satisfactory academic progress, as determined by their programs of study. Please see related links for additional details regarding the University's commitment to doctoral education.

Ph.D. Funding

Funding guarantee, four general requirements for the doctor of philosophy.

The candidate must be formally admitted to his or her degree program.

The normal residency requirement is the equivalent of three Academic Years of full-time study beyond the bachelor's degree. Students who enter a PhD program at Brown already holding a master’s degree in a related field have a residency requirement equivalent to two Academic Years of full-time study upon entering the PhD program at Brown. Use of a previously earned master’s degree to reduce PhD residency requirements is contingent upon approval of the program Director of Graduate Study. Graduate work done at other institutions and not used in fulfillment of the requirements for any doctoral degree elsewhere may, on the approval of the program Director of Graduate Study, be counted in fulfillment of up to, but not exceeding, one year of the residency requirement. A student who desires credit for work done elsewhere should file a timely application with the program Director of Graduate Study; transfer credit forms are available through the  Office of the Registrar .

A student is advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. when he or she has completed satisfactorily all the requirements, departmental and general, requisite to beginning work on the dissertation. Candidacy is determined by the department or program of study and certified by the Registrar. Most departments require a preliminary examination before advancing any student to candidacy. Most departments also require a final examination or defense. The examination is conducted by professors in the department and by such other members of the faculty as may be appointed.

The candidate must present a dissertation on a topic related to his or her area of specialization that presents the results of original research and gives evidence of excellent scholarship. The dissertation must be approved by the professor or committee under whose direction it is written and by the Graduate Council. All requirements for the Ph.D. must be completed within five years after advancement to candidacy.

Faculty Member Leaves Brown

If a faculty member working with a doctoral student leaves Brown for any reason before that student has completed his or her degree requirements, it may not always be possible for that faculty member to continue working with the student as an advisor. In such cases, departments will work with students to help them locate a new advisor.

Additional Requirements

Individual departments and programs may have additional requirements regarding the number of courses to be taken, proficiency in foreign languages, special examinations, and theses. The department should be consulted for specific information.

• Harvard Business School →
• Doctoral Programs →

PhD Programs

• Accounting & Management
• Business Economics
• Health Policy (Management)
• Organizational Behavior
• Technology & Operations Management

Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has five areas of study: Accounting and Management , Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , management  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

Is it possible to get a PhD position with only a Bachelor's degree?

I have done a Bachelor's (4 years) and my GPA is quite low. But I have research experiences (more than 3 years) and few publications in some good journals. I want to do a Ph.D. in biology or a related field. Is it possible to get a position (e.g. in the USA or Europe) when research experience is the only strong point? Or should I go for a Master's first?

• graduate-admissions
• career-path

• 5 What about just finding an advisor and stapling those good papers of yours to a cumulative thesis? –  Oleg Lobachev Commented May 23, 2020 at 20:31
• 1 It may be more helpful for you to mention which countries you are considering, so you can get more specific answers about how likely it is to be accepted to a PhD only with a Bachelor's degree. –  DimP Commented May 24, 2020 at 23:36
• @DimP: ...and a low GPA... –  Bob Jarvis - Слава Україні Commented May 25, 2020 at 12:45
• @OlegLobachev I think it's a bit disingenuous to refer to a ~5 year long PhD process as "just stapling those papers to a thesis". –  Stack Tracer Commented May 25, 2020 at 21:11
• @StackTracer: The key question is if OP wants to obtain a PhD as fast as possible or to acquire the grad student experience. Judging from the question, OP already has a few journal publications. If those papers have a common idea/research direction beihind them, they are stapl'ble into a staple thesis. If those assumptions are correct, OP already has those papers. No more than a few papers are needed for a thesis material. Writing an introduction is not much work. The details will be told by an advisor, if OP finds some. In total, this sounds like a fast track to a defence, just what I said. –  Oleg Lobachev Commented May 26, 2020 at 20:47

7 Answers 7

In the UK a PhD (or DPhil) typically starts after a 4-year undergrad program: so yes, it's normal to do a PhD right after your undergrad.

At a top-level research institution in the USA (at least in the sciences, and biology is what you said you want to pursue) a Masters is something that you would normally only get if you dropped out of a PhD program: so yes it's normal to do a PhD right after your undergrad.

In Canada, for some reason the majority of the people think they have to do a Masters before a PhD, but there is no university in Canada that requires a Masters to do a PhD in biology. In fact NSERC funding for your PhD will last only 3 years if you have a Masters, and 4 years if you do not: so yes, there is a way for you to start your PhD right after your undergrad .

People have mentioned that it's normal in Denmark and Australia too.

Some European universities (for example some, but not all, universities in Germany) you might require a Masters.

Now for some advice:

But I have research experiences (more than 3 years) and few publications in some good journals. I want to do a Ph.D. in biology or a related field. ... should I go for a Master's first?

You have more publication experience than some people have after their first post-doctoral position. A "few publications in some good journals" is what PhD students aim towards for graduation.

Masters programs can take 1 to 3 years (longer if your experiments don't work out). Why not instead do a 3-year PhD program in UK or most of Europe, or a 4-year "direct" PhD program in USA or Canada, and get Doctor beside your name for the rest of your life?

If you're going to do research for the next 6 years, would you rather:

• Earn a Masters salary (e.g. ~$25,000/year in Canada) for 2 years, then a PhD salary (e.g. ~$35,000/year in Canada) for 4 years, or
• Earn a PhD salary (e.g. ~$35,000/year in Canada) for 3-4 years, then a post-doc salary (e.g. $40,000-$70,000/year in Canada) for the remaining 2-3 years?

These days, it is getting harder and harder to get a stable job while our bodies are still in their prime condition for raising a family (or doing whatever else we enjoy). There still are PhDs getting permanent or tenure-track jobs in their 20s, but it's becoming common for people to reach 40 by the time this happens, because there's more humans to compete with than any time in our history. Do you really want to delay your life by 2-3 years by getting a Masters, when your goal is to get a PHD?

I am of course not listing the advantages of doing a Masters rather than a PhD, since you said you want to do a PhD eventually, and you seem to be a very strong candidate for a PhD position, so with no other information, I am certainly happy to encourage you to go straight to a PhD position. If you do want to know the reasons why one would choose a Masters rather than a PhD, the reasons do exist, but to explain them might double the size of this answer, and I would only do it if there was some reason why you were still considering a Masters even though you now know that it's not abnormal to go straight to a PhD: perhaps in that case you could describe what you want and the reasons for it, in a separate question).

• The University of Ottawa requires a MSc to be admitted for a doctorate in biology catalogue.uottawa.ca/en/graduate/doctorate-philosophy-biology/… . . McMaster also requires a MSc for admission to PhD program in biology gs.mcmaster.ca/program/biology Are you sure no university in Canada requires a MSc to do a PhD? –  Cell Commented May 26, 2020 at 1:09
• @Cell the McMaster URL you provided does not say what you say it does. The UOttawa site does say that a Masters is required for PhD, but if you scroll further down it says that there's a "fast-track PhD program" in which you don't have to finish the Masters to move into the PhD program. Based on the information we have available, OP has enough publications that they could find a supervisor willing to take them as a PhD student, except formally they have to apply to the Masters program and then "transfer" to the PhD program after a year, if they're in good standing. Direct PhD can be like that. –  Nik Commented May 26, 2020 at 1:16
• "UK ... typically starts after a 4-year undergrad program" -- but doesn't that 4-year undergrad program typically award you a Masters, not a Bachelor's? If so, you just need to check whether or not a 4-year US Bachelor's degree is valid in place of the local 4-year undergrad MSc, which frequently will be more specialised than a typical US 4-year undergrad program. My 4-year MMath degree was all mathematics courses, all the time, as you'd expect in the UK. No minor subject, no Spanish 101, as you might get in a US undergrad degree ;-) –  Steve Jessop Commented May 26, 2020 at 1:19
• @SteveJessop You're right about everything, except I started a DPhil at Oxford directly after my 4-year undergrad in Canada. –  Nik Commented May 26, 2020 at 1:20
• 1 Perfect. It's basically either they accept the application or they don't, and if they did for you it sounds like it's allowed... –  Steve Jessop Commented May 26, 2020 at 1:25

It's certainly possible -- in fact, in the USA it's more common to start a PhD directly after a Bachelor's than after a Master's. In Europe, having a Master's first is a more typical requirement, but I have known some people to start PhDs straight after their Bachelor's (in physics, in the UK). Having significant research experience and published papers will certainly help your application a lot.

Why not apply for PhD and Master's positions at the same time? That way, you may get accepted to a PhD, in which case great, if not then you will likely have the Master's to fall back on.

• 4 And some programs allow you to be considered for both (with preference for PhD) in the same application. –  GoodDeeds Commented May 23, 2020 at 11:37
• 13 In Germany, I think you need a masters to apply for a doctoral position. In general, anyway, if not universal. –  Buffy Commented May 23, 2020 at 11:43
• 2 @Buffy: that's true for those who did their Bachelor/Master in Germany - but for foreign students there may be exceptions decided on a case-to-case basis. I had a colleague who came with a BSc from Southeast Asia to do a PhD in Germany. She had to take some exams to show that she's up to the requirements. (The same may happen if you apply for a PhD in a field that is totally unrelated to your MSc). –  cbeleites unhappy with SX Commented May 23, 2020 at 19:55
• I thought this was more true outside the USA. On this site if a PhD student talks about taking classes they're normally studying in the USA. In Australia you go straight from a 4 year bachelor's to a PhD. –  curiousdannii Commented May 25, 2020 at 6:02
• 3 @Buffy: In Germany, my university cooperated with a British university to get a PhD with a Bachelor... It's not that it's not possible in Germany, but only "real" universities may grant them, and I studied at a "Hochschule", which is translated to university in English as well, but is more practice-oriented. Therefore, "real" university professors are being overrun by students wanting a PhD in Germany. So the very first challenge here is not to PhD, but to find a German "doctor father", which is made even harder if it's only a Bachelor's degree. You really have to have a name to get there. –  Jessica Commented May 25, 2020 at 6:28

I'm starting a PhD program in January. I won't have technically finished my Bachelor's at that point as due to some scheduling issues I'll still have one module left.

If you get the grades and can persuade the supervisor you'll be a good fit for the role, anything is possible.

I'm in the UK.

In Denmark, at least at the University of Copenhagen, they have a 3+5 and 4+4 PhD programs :

In the 3+5 system, you start on an integrated Masters and PhD process straight after graduating with your Bachelors.

It exists at the Aarhus University as well, see section "I'm doing/have a Bachelor's degree". The other Danish universities may have something similar, you can google.

Some programs that don't accept people without a master's degree into their PhD program have a "bypass" mechanism where you can essentially decide after completing the first part of your program that you want to treat your completed work as the first part of your PhD program rather than completing the requirements for the Master's degree. (For example, here's the description from the University of Alberta nursing programme .) You usually need to have performed up to some standard and have the agreement of your supervisor, but the requirements are generally not onerous. ( This web page says this is a Canadian thing; it existed at my previous institution (a top research university in the US) when I was there 15 years ago, but seems to have disappeared since then.)

Why not? In Australia, only Bachelor is officially required for PhD. There is no such thing as a master degree requirement in the country.

I have done exactly that, I had a Bachelor from Switzerland and did a PhD in the UK. I think it is more common in the US than in Europe. In Europe you might be more successful in getting a PhD position in a field where your research experience is relevant. I ended up with a PhD position in a group I had previously collaborated with. They had to invest a lot less time into my training and I got a PhD out of it, so it worked out for everyone.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged phd graduate-admissions career-path ..

• Featured on Meta
• Upcoming sign-up experiments related to tags

Hot Network Questions

• Did James Madison say or write that the 10 Commandments are critical to the US nation?
• How to find your contract and employee handbook in the UK?
• Is it legal to initialize an array via a functor which takes the array itself as a parameter by reference?
• A chess engine in Java: generating white pawn moves
• Idiom for a situation where a problem has two simultaneous but unrelated causes?
• Why do many philosophers consider a past-eternal universe to be self-explanatory but not a universe that began with no cause?
• Fancy bibliography items
• SEPIC DC-DC converter
• Does "my grades suffered" mean "my grades became worse" or "my grades were bad"?
• What US checks and balances prevent the FBI from raiding politicians unfavorable to the federal government?
• Output the Steiner system S(5,8,24)
• Reconstructing Euro results
• Is this professor being unnecessarily harsh or did I actually make a mistake?
• Lines of intersections in a parabola
• What is the translation of lawfare in French?
• Exception handling: is one exception type sufficient?
• Should mail addresses for logins be stored hashed to minimize impact of data loss?
• What is the difference between a Blockchain link (Blink) and an Action?
• How can I take apart a bookshelf?
• Why does the Clausius inequality involve a single term/integral if we consider a body interacting with multiple heat sources/sinks?
• Why did Geordi have his visor replaced with ocular implants between Generations and First Contact?
• Simple Container Class
• Why can't I conserve mass instead of moles and apply ratio in this problem?
• How do Blok and the other astronaut do a spacewalk to repair the ship? Didn’t they already land?

Explore programs available at Harvard

BA, BSc, MA, MSc, PhD - what do they all mean?

BA, BSc, MA, MSc, PhD (and more) are abbreviations of British degrees.

They reflect the specific level and discipline of a qualification achieved at university.

While most courses are conducted on a full-time basis, there are options for part-time, distance learning and other flexible learning arrangements.

Here is a breakdown of some of the most common qualifications and ones that Aberystwyth University offers.

• BA = Bachelor of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences;
• BSc = Bachelor of Sciences;
• BENG = Bachelor of Engineering (Software, Robotics and Physics);
• LLB = Bachelor of Law.

Achieved after 3 to 4 years of study. The extra year (for a 4 year course) can be from a year studying abroad or a year working in industry.

Integrated-Masters:

• MARTS = Masters of Arts;
• MBIOL = Masters of Biology;
• MCOMP = Masters of Computer Science;
• MENG = Masters of Engineering;
• MMATH = Masters of Mathematics;
• MPHYS = Masters of Physics;
• MSCI = Masters of Sciences and Humanities.

4 years course (3-year Bachelors, 1 year Masters) that enables you to secure a loan for the full duration rather than having to fund a Masters degree separately.

• MA = Masters of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences;
• MSc = Masters of Sciences;
• MBA = Masters of Business Administration;
• MPhil = Masters of Philosophy: Advanced research Masters degree;
• MRes = Masters of Research: Contains some taught and research elements;
• LLM = Masters of Law.

Achieved after graduation from Bachelors level, usually 1-2 years duration.

• PhD = Doctor of Philosophy: for a range of disciplines.

Achieved after graduating from Masters level, usually 3-8 years duration.

A wide range of Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Further-Research courses – across the Arts and Sciences – are available at Aberystwyth.

Getting Into College , Tips for Online Students , Tips for Students

The 8 Best PhD Programs To Pursue In 2021

Updated: June 19, 2024

Published: June 24, 2021

Pursuing a PhD is a major life choice for most people, but one that nearly always pays off in the form of better career opportunities. After earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees, some choose to continue on to a PhD program to broaden their knowledge, earn a higher salary, and/or work in a more specific niche.

There are various reasons for getting a PhD. Some people might want to work in research or academia, where a PhD is required, and others simply enjoy learning a subject in depth. Whatever the reason is, getting a PhD is sure to open a lot of doors. 

There are some areas of study where a PhD is more expected than others. It’s good to get a general idea of the most common PhD programs to understand if you’ll need to take one and if it’s right for you. Keep reading to learn more about PhDs, if you should take one, and what are the best programs. 

Photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash

What is a PhD?

PhD is short for Doctor of Philosophy. 

Essentially, a PhD is the highest level of schooling and degree a student can get, so after completing a PhD, you’re often considered a top expert in your field.

Most of the time, this degree qualifies someone to teach the subject they studied at a university level, so if you want to work as a professor, then you’ll need to earn a PhD. 

Most PhD programs last three to four years, but this can vary depending on where you’re studying and the topic and scope of your research. 

At the end of the degree, you’ll often have to present original research or a dissertation that you conducted in the duration of your studies. Some places require you to defend your research in an oral defense in order to receive your doctorate degree. 

Why Should You Get a PhD?

Many people wonder whether or not a PhD is right for them . The truth is, there are a lot of reasons people opt to continue their education with a PhD. Working in academia is just one reason to do a PhD, but there are a number of other things to take into consideration when choosing to do a doctorate degree, like gaining a huge advantage in the job market.  

PhD students often have large aspirations to do work that allows them to achieve significant breakthroughs. Especially in the fields of science and technology, a PhD gives you the tools to understand your field on a deeper level, which can help push your research to new levels.

It’s also common for PhD students to be interested in discovery. During your PhD, you work closely with other experts, so the chances of discovering or learning something totally new are much higher than in your bachelor’s or master’s degree. 

Overall, PhD students have an insatiable sense of curiosity that drives them to pursue the highest levels of education.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Best PhD Programs

There are many different PhD programs out there, and the one you choose will depend on the degrees you’ve earned up until now as well as your personal preferences. 

Here are just a few of the best PhD programs you can study to increase your employability and deepen your knowledge and expertise.

Accounting and Finance

With a PhD in Accounting and Finance, you’ll be able to get more knowledge in financial research methods and theory. During your PhD studies, you’ll acquire both critical and analytical skills and you’ll learn how to assemble high-level financial reports. 

With this degree, you’ll be able to work in any financial institution or corporate environment. Some of the positions you can get include account manager or chief financial officer.

Applied Mathematics

Since math applies to so many things, with this degree, you’ll be able to work in a number of fields, including technology, engineering, business, and more. With a PhD in Applied Mathematics, you’ll acquire a more fine-tuned understanding of topics and concepts like problem-solving, communication skills, analytical thinking and reasoning, and a lot more. 

This degree is ideal if numbers and equations are your passion and you want to work with them on a high level of research. 

Biomedical Engineering

Biomedical Engineering is becoming an increasingly popular area of study since it’s such an important part of modern medicine and science. In this degree, you’ll research topics in fields such as computer engineering, life sciences, mathematics, and more. 

The goal of this program is to understand how to use modern technology in practice and in research. Common jobs after graduation include becoming a research scientist or biomedical engineer. 

Business Administration

As one of the most popular degrees at any level, a PhD in this field will be sure to land you a job in a business leadership position. During your degree, you’ll enhance your analytical and reasoning skills in order to understand how to make better business decisions. You’ll also improve your management skills, paving the way for a role in leading companies of any size. 

Typically, graduates with a PhD in Business Administration can expect to work as a Chief Executive Officer, business professor, or operations manager.

With a PhD in Statistics, you’ll likely end up working as a statistician. In this position, you can work with various businesses to help them analyze data and solve issues. During your studies, you’ll further your collaborative skills and study advanced methods of computation, formulations, as well as advanced equations, and how to solve problems. 

Many industries hire statisticians, such as governments, healthcare, financial institutions, as well as scientific institutions. 

Computer Science

In a PhD in Computer Science , you’ll work on mastering a specific area of computer science and developing and designing creative projects that are relevant to your subject. You’ll likely work on an independent project as part of your studies. 

Graduates from this degree don’t only work in academic settings, but they’re also likely to become computer research scientists. Other possible roles with this PhD degree include computer hardware engineer, robotics, programming, and more. 

If you’re looking to conduct studies or research in this field, then you’ll need a PhD in Economics. As part of this degree, you’ll conduct a research project and you’ll learn how to conduct advanced scholarly research. 

Many people who graduate with a PhD in Economics go on to work as economics professors, economists, work with governments, or as other types of specialists in this field.

Organic Chemistry

It’s common for people who pursue a higher degree in organic chemistry to have a background in chemical engineering, so if this sounds like you, then this PhD can be a good option. During your PhD, you’ll conduct research and work with other experts. 

Most graduates with a degree in organic chemistry find jobs teaching at the university level or leading advanced research and study teams.

Should You Get a PhD Online?

As studying online becomes more popular, it’s not uncommon for students to seek out online PhD programs. Since a lot of the work in a PhD is independent study and research anyways, it’s not difficult to make the jump to an online program. 

With an online PhD program, you’ll get flexibility in terms of when you want to do your coursework, you’ll find it convenient to study from anywhere, and the online PhD programs are usually more affordable since you don’t need to factor in moving or being on campus to complete your degree. 

Best Online PhD Programs

While the offered PhD programs will depend on the university, here’s a short list of great schools in the US to consider for an online PhD. These schools are affordable and offer online courses, seminars, exam preparation, and more. 

• Concordia University-Chicago , River Forest, IL
• University of the Cumberlands , Williamsburg, KY
• Winona State University , Winona, MN
• Otterbein University , Westerville, OH
• Union University , Jackson, TN 
• University of South Dakota , Vermillion, SD
• Texas Tech University , Lubbock, TX
• Clemson University, Clemson, SC
• University of Florida , Gainesville, FL
• Endicott College , Beverly, MA

Choosing to get a PhD is not a decision most make lightly, so it’s important to get a good idea of the different PhD programs out there and find one that really fits your academic and professional goals. 

If you’re still in the earlier stages of your higher education, you might want to consider taking your undergraduate or graduate degree online as well. University of the People offers multiple great online BA and MA programs in majors like computer science , health science , and business administration . The best part? All the programs are tuition-free. 

At UoPeople, our blog writers are thinkers, researchers, and experts dedicated to curating articles relevant to our mission: making higher education accessible to everyone.

Related Articles

Degrees & Programs

FIU offers a wide range of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree options, including top-ranked online options. Find your future.

For course information visit the course catalog .

Visit Professional Licensure or Certification  for state licensure information related to an FIU program that leads to professional licensure or certification.

We couldn't find any degrees like that. Try searching again or using different filters to find what you're looking for. You can also find degrees in the course catalog .

Selected filters:

Accounting (BACC)

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Business

Accounting (MACC)

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Business

Adult Education and Human Resource Development (EdD)

Degree type: Graduate College: Arts, Sciences & Education

Adult Education and Human Resource Development (MS)

African and African Diaspora Studies (MA)

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs

Anthropology/Sociology (BA) - Anthropology

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs

Anthropology/Sociology (BA) - Sociology

Architecture (MA)

Degree type: Graduate College: Communication, Architecture + The Arts

Architecture (MArch)

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Communication, Architecture + The Arts

Art (BFA) - Digital Arts

Art (BFA) - Graphic Design

Art (BFA) - Studio

Art Education (BS)

Art Education (MAT)

Art Education (MS)

Art History (BA)

Asian Studies (BA)

Asian Studies (MA)

Degree type: Graduate College: Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs

Athletic Training (MS)

Degree type: Graduate College: Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Behavioral Neuroscience (BS)

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Arts, Sciences & Education

Biochemistry (BS)

Biochemistry (PhD)

Biological Sciences (BS)

Biological Sciences (BS) - Biology Education

Biological Sciences (BS) - Quantifying Biology in the Classroom

Biology (MS)

Biology (PhD)

Biomedical Engineering (BS)

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Engineering & Computing

Biomedical Engineering (MS)

Degree type: Graduate College: Engineering & Computing

Biomedical Engineering (PhD)

Biomedical Sciences (PhD)

Degree type: Graduate College: Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Business Administration (PhD)

Degree type: Graduate College: Business

Business Analytics (BBA)

Business Analytics (MBA)

Chemical Education (BA)

Chemistry (BA)

Chemistry (BA) - Biochemistry

Chemistry (BA) - Environmental Chemistry

Chemistry (BA) - Forensic Chemistry

Chemistry (BS)

Chemistry (MS)

Chemistry (PhD)

Civil Engineering (BS)

Civil Engineering (MS)

Civil Engineering (PhD)

Communication (BS) - Digital Broadcasting

Communication (BS) - Digital Journalism

Communication Arts (BA) - Art and Performance

Communication Arts (BA) - Design Studies

Communication Arts (BA) - Organizational Communication Studies

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Communication, Architecture + The Arts

Computer Engineering (BS)

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Engineering & Computing

Computer Engineering (MS)

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Engineering & Computing

Computer Science (BA)

Computer Science (BS)

Computer Science (MS)

Computer Science (PhD)

Construction Management (BS)

Construction Management (MS)

Counselor Education (MS)

Creative Writing (MFA)

Crime Science (BS)

Criminal Justice (BS)

Criminal Justice (MS)

Curriculum & Instruction (EdD)

Curriculum & Instruction (EdS)

Curriculum & Instruction (MS)

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Arts, Sciences & Education

Curriculum & Instruction (PhD)

Cybersecurity (MS)

Cybersecurity Risk Management (MBA)

Data Science (MS)

Dietetics and Nutrition (BS)

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Dietetics and Nutrition (MS)

Degree type: Graduate College: Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Dietetics and Nutrition (PhD)

Digital Communication and Media (BS)

Disaster Management (BA)

Disaster Management (MA)

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Early Childhood Education (BS)

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Arts, Sciences & Education

Early Childhood Education (MS)

Earth Sciences (BA)

Earth Systems Science (PhD)

Economics (BA)

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs

Economics (MA)

Economics (PhD)

Educational Leadership (EdS)

Educational Leadership (MS)

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies (EdD)

Electrical and Computer Engineering (PhD)

Electrical Engineering (BS)

Electrical Engineering (MS)

Elementary Education (BS)

Engineering and Computing Education (PhD)

Engineering Management (MS)

English (BA)

English (MA)

Environmental Engineering (BS)

Environmental Engineering (MS)

Environmental Policy and Management (PSM)

Environmental Studies (BS)

Environmental Studies (MS)

Exceptional Student Education (EdD)

Exceptional Student Education - ESOL and Reading Endorsement (BS)

Exceptional Student Education - Special Education, Educational Foundations, and Policy (BS)

Executive (MBA)

Finance (BBA)

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Business

Finance (MS)

Foreign Language Education (MS)

Forensic Science (MS)

Forensic Science (PSM)

French (BA)

Geography (BA)

Geosciences (BS)

Geosciences (MS)

Global Affairs (MA)

Global and Sociocultural Studies (MA)

Global and Sociocultural Studies (PhD)

Global Sustainable Tourism (BA)

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Healthcare (MBA)

Health Informatics and Analytics (MS)

Health Services Administration (BHSA)

Degree type: Undergraduate Online Available Online College: Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Health Services Administration (MHSA)

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Higher Education (PhD)

Higher Education Administration (MS)

History (BA)

History (MA)

History (PhD)

Hospitality Management (BS)

Hospitality Management (BS) - Beverage Management

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Hospitality Management (BS) - Entertainment Management

Hospitality Management (BS) - Event Management

Hospitality Management (BS) – Food Innovations & Entrepreneurship

Hospitality Management (BS) - Hotel/Lodging Management

Hospitality Management (BS) - Leadership

Hospitality Management (BS) - Restaurant & Culinary

Hospitality Management (BS) - Spirits Management

Hospitality Management (BS) - Travel and Tourism Management

Hospitality Management (MS)

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management

Hospitality Management (MS) – Cruise Line Operations (online only)

Hospitality Management (MS) - Executive (online only)

Hospitality Management (MS) - Mega Events

Hospitality Management (MS) - Real Estate Development

Hospitality Management (MS) - Revenue Management (online only)

Human Resource Management (BBA)

Human Resource Management (MS)

Information Systems (MS)

Information Technology (BA)

Information Technology (BS)

Information Technology (MS)

Interdisciplinary Engineering (BS)

Interdisciplinary Studies (BA)

Interior Architecture (MA)

Interior Architecture (MIA)

International (MBA)

International and Intercultural Education (MS)

International Business (BBA)

International Business (MIB)

International Crime and Justice (PhD)

International Real Estate (MS)

International Relations (BA)

International Relations (MA)

International Relations (PhD)

Internet of Things (MS)

Juris Doctor (JD)

Degree type: Graduate College: Law

Juris Master (JM)

Kinesiology and Exercise Science (MS)

Landscape Architecture (MLA)

Latin American & Caribbean Studies (BA)

Latin American & Caribbean Studies (MA)

Liberal Studies (BA) - Health and Human Concerns

Liberal Studies (BA) - Humanities and Cultural Traditions

Liberal Studies (BA) - Law, Business and Society

Liberal Studies (BA) - Local and Global Environment

Linguistics (MA)

Logistics and Supply Chain Management (BBA)

Logistics and Supply Chain Management (MS)

Logistics Engineering (MS)

Management (BBA)

Management Information Systems (BBA)

Marine Biology (BS)

Marketing (BBA)

Marketing (MS)

Mass Communication (MS) - Global Strategic Communications

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Communication, Architecture + The Arts

Mass Communication (MS) - Spanish Language Journalism

Master of Laws (LLM)

Materials Science and Engineering (MS)

Materials Science and Engineering (PhD)

Mathematical Sciences (BS) - Applied Math

Mathematical Sciences (BS) - Biology

Mathematical Sciences (BS) - Chemistry

Mathematical Sciences (BS) - Comprehensive Math

Mathematical Sciences (BS) - Computer Science

Mathematical Sciences (BS) - Economics

Mathematical Sciences (MS)

Mathematics (BA) - Mathematics Education

Mechanical Engineering (BS)

Mechanical Engineering (MS)

Mechanical Engineering (PhD)

Music Education (MS)

Nursing (BSN) - Accelerated Option

Degree type: Undergraduate College: Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences

Nursing (BSN) - Generic

Nursing (BSN) - Veterans Medic to Nurse

Nursing (MSN) - Advanced Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner

Nursing (MSN) - Advanced Child Nurse Practitioner

Nursing (MSN) - Advanced Family Nurse Practitioner

Nursing (MSN) - Advanced Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner

Nursing (MSN) - Nurse Executive

Nursing (PhD)

Nursing Practice (DNP)

Occupational Therapy (MS)

Philosophy (BA)

Physical Education - K-12 (BS)

Physical Education - Sports and Fitness (BS)

Physical Therapy (DPT)

Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS)

Physics (BA) - Biophysics

Physics (BA) - Business

Physics (BA) - Entrepreneurship

Physics (BA) - Physics Education

Physics (BS)

Physics (MS)

Physics (PhD)

Political Science (BA)

Political Science (MA)

Political Science (PhD)

Portuguese (BA)

Professional (BBA)

Professional (MBA) Downtown

Professional (MBA) Flex

Professional (MBA) Jamaica

Professional (MBA) Online

Professional (MBA) Online in Sports Management

Professional (MBA) Weekend

Psychology (BA)

Psychology (MS) - Organizational Sciences

Psychology (MS) - Professional Counseling Psychology

Psychology (PhD) - Child and Adolescent Psychology

Psychology (PhD) - Cognitive Neuroscience

Psychology (PhD) - Developmental Science

Psychology (PhD) - Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Psychology (PhD) - Legal Psychology

Public Administration (MPA)

Public Affairs (PhD)

Public Health (MPH)

Public Health (MPH) - Biostatistics

Public Health (MPH) - Environmental Health Sciences

Public Health (MPH) - Epidemiology

Public Health (MPH) - Health Policy and Management

Public Health (MPH) - Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Public Health (MPH) Online Generalist

Degree type: Graduate Online Available Online College: Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work

Public Health (PhD)

Public Health (PhD) - Environmental Health Sciences

Public Health (PhD) - Epidemiology

Public Health (PhD) - Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

Public Health (PhD) - Health Systems Research

Public Policy and Service (BPPS)

Public Relations Advertising and Applied Communications (BS)

Reading Education (MS)

Real Estate (BBA)

Recreation and Sport Management (BS)

Recreation and Sport Management (MS)

Recreation and Sport Management (MS) - Recreational Therapy

Rehabilitation and Recreational Therapy (BS)

Religious Studies (BA)

Religious Studies (MA)

School Psychology (EdS)

Social Welfare (PhD)

Social Work (BS)

Social Work (MSW)

Spanish (BA)

Spanish (MA)

Spanish (PhD)

Special Education (MS)

Speech Language Pathology (MS)

Statistics (BS)

Statistics (MS)

Sustainability and the Environment (BA)

Telecommunications and Networking (MS)

Theatre (BA)

Theatre (BFA)

Urban Design (MA)

Urban Education (MS)

Visual Arts (MFA) - Studio

Women's and Gender Studies (BA)

• Campus Safety
• (866) 825-5426

How to Get a PhD in Psychology (10 Steps)

A PhD in Psychology is the ultimate degree—a symbol of your commitment to the discipline and a representation of your knowledge and skills. Held by top-tier researchers, instructors in higher education, and clinical practitioners alike, a clinical psychology PhD may help you and the people and organizations you might one day serve. 1

While the benefits of a PhD in Psychology may be clear to you, how to go about earning this doctorate degree might feel confusing—until now.

Here’s how to get a PhD in Psychology, what to expect in a doctoral degree program, and what you might gain from obtaining one.

Start Your Journey

Step 1: Understand the PhD Path

A PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, in Psychology is one of two of the highest degrees in the field of psychology. (The other is a PsyD , or Doctor of Psychology, a doctorate degree created in the 1970s to prepare students specifically for the rigors of working in clinical settings.) 2 A clinical psychology PhD may enable you to work in a variety of environments and a range of roles.

As such, earning this degree is an involved, immersive, and often exciting process that’s composed of: 3

• Statistics and methods
• Assessments 
• Clinical treatments

Coursework in a PhD program now frequently integrates discussions on psychology and technology , examining how digital advancements are transforming therapeutic methods and research techniques.

• Research – Research makes up the majority of the work you’ll do as a PhD student. Typically under the guidance of your mentor/dissertation advisor, you’ll delve into a topic of your choosing within the field. Examples of clinical psychology research topics include examining the effects of social media on teen suicide rates or the influence of childhood trauma on adult substance use disorder. Along the way, you’ll refine specific research skills: collecting and analyzing data, working with subjects/participating, and demonstrating your results.
• Clinical practicum and internships – Earning a PhD in Psychology also entails hands-on training in clinical practicums and/or internships. Generally speaking, you’ll perform an unpaid practicum for two years, followed by a one-year paid, clinical internship. 5 Precisely how you will fulfill this will depend on the program you choose, the opportunities within your community, and your concentration. A few examples include observing a clinical psychologist at a private practice, working with students at a university center, or conducting intakes at a substance abuse facility.
• Dissertation – Your dissertation is among the most important elements of your PhD program and the key to completing your degree. It serves several purposes: it illustrates your fluency in conducting research, demonstrates the knowledge you’ve gained in your PhD program, and adds an original contribution to existing psychology literature. 6

Step 2: Research Potential Programs

Finding the right PhD in Psychology program is paramount to your success. Researching potential programs is also one of the more thrilling aspects of pursuing a doctorate, but it needs to be approached strategically and mindfully. To that end, search for programs that, like the doctoral programs in psychology at Alliant International University, have received accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA). 7

Accreditation essentially serves as a seal of approval and demonstrates to future employers, the general public, and licensing boards that you have the scientific knowledge required to work in the world of psychology.

Additionally, you may want to zero in on programs that:

• Feature faculty members who are at the top of their field and whose research interests reflect your own 8
• Offer the area of specialization you want to focus on, whether it’s clinical health psychology, multicultural community-clinical psychology, or family/child and couple psychology
• Promote work-life balance through online instruction, or a hybrid of online and in-person instruction and training
• Have a high attrition rate

Further, if you do opt for a program that demands in-person attendance and training, be sure that it’s geographically feasible for you. The cost of living in the area should also be factored into your decision. Lastly, if you’re an undergrad or just finishing up your master’s, consider asking the professors you trust and admire for program recommendations. 9

Step 3: Prepare Your Application

Application and admission requirements vary by institution. That said, most programs ask for: 10

• A completed application (along with the application fee)
• Official transcripts from your bachelor’s and/or master’s program with required credits
• CV or resume
• Letters of recommendation

Depending on the program you’ve selected, you may also need to submit GRE scores. Importantly, nearly all programs require a personal statement—a topic we’ll look at in more depth below. While a PhD equips you for high-level research and academic positions, you might wonder if you can be a clinical psychologist with a master's . Although possible, a PhD significantly broadens your professional scope.

Step 4: Gain Relevant Experience

Not only will obtaining relevant experience help strengthen your application package but it will also help you gain invaluable insights into the industry. It might also assist you in choosing a specialization, such as working one-on-one with trauma survivors or dedicating your professional life to neuropsychology research.

Fortunately, there are dozens of ways to get the type of experience that will help your application stand out from the competition: 11

• Research assistantships
• Volunteering at a mental health clinic
• Shadowing a clinical psychologist or substance abuse counselor
• Working for a crisis hotline

Keep in mind that some PhD in Psychology programs require a minimum amount of relevant experience before you can apply. In fact, the Association for Psychological Science (APS) asserts that doctoral applicants usually accrue two to three years of research experience before applying to graduate school. 12 All of this emphasizes the importance of conducting thorough research on your schools of interest.

Step 5: Submit Strong Letters of Recommendation

Letters of recommendation are a crucial component of your doctoral application. In fact, some state that your letters of recommendation are more important to the decision process than grades. 13

Usually, they’re written by former professors and/or former employers or psychology professionals you’ve interned for or shadowed.

Be sure to request letters of recommendation from those with whom you have a visible track record. In addition, request letters well ahead of your application deadline, even as much as a year in advance of when you think you’ll start applying for your doctoral program.

Talk to Our Advisors

Step 6: Craft a Compelling Personal Statement

Almost every doctorate in psychology program requires a personal statement. As one of the most critical elements of your application (some indicate that it’s more important than your GRE scores and GPA), it should describe, in detail, your: 14

• Interest in the particular program you’re applying to and why
• Academic and research objectives
• Research and field experience and how they align with the particular program
• Intended area of specialization

Experts consulted by the APA also advise against using three things in your personal statement: humor, hyperbole, and “hard luck,” such as describing the obstacles you’ve overcome.

Step 7: Ace the Interview

Happen to receive an interview offer? Congratulations—your application clearly stood out!

The interview process may start with what’s known as a pre-interview, or a brief conversation to evaluate your fit with the program and department. 15 This may be followed by an on-campus interview that asks basic questions, such as the impact you hope your PhD project has and why you believe you’re the right candidate, as well as more precise questions prompted by your specific experience. 16

One of the best ways to make a solid, lasting impression is to create a bulleted list of your research interests. Practicing answers to the questions you anticipate ahead of time can also help ensure a smoother dialogue. And remember: you’ll be interviewing for the program, too.

Step 8: Consider Funding Options

The financial assistance you may receive will likely be an enormous determining factor in the program you choose. As discussed, funding may arrive in the form of:

• Grants 
• Scholarships
• Tuition remission
• Employer tuition reimbursement

Alliant International University, for example, has several forms of funding options available to doctoral candidates—those listed above, as well as fellowship assistantships .

Step 9: Plan Your Coursework and Dissertation

Once you’re accepted into a program, you should select your area of specialization, plot out your coursework, and choose your dissertation topic.

The APA notes that doctoral candidates should ideally land on a dissertation topic within the first year or two of their program. 17 Why? Because it will give your program enhanced focus and a guiding theme.

To jumpstart your thinking:

• Consult with instructors who are active in cutting-edge psychology research 
• Assess your topic’s viability and manageability (and if it will serve as an original contribution to existing research)
• Pinpoint the problems and questions you foresee and how you will approach them

Above all, be sure to choose a topic that will sustain your interest and excitement throughout the duration of your program. Earning a PhD in Psychology is a time-intensive commitment. Four to six years is about how long it takes to get a psychology PhD, but it varies by person based on how they balance their personal schedules with coursework, research, and clinical training.

Step 10: Engage in Professional Development Opportunities

One of the biggest benefits of obtaining a PhD in Psychology? The connections you may be able to make, such as through your internship and clinical practicum, as well as psychology conferences and seminars.

Yet, some of the strongest relationships you build might be right inside your program. And this brings us to our final piece of advice: consider choosing a program that features a warm and supportive faculty and a diverse collection of students who will motivate you throughout your academic journey—and beyond.

Your Path Begins Here

At Alliant International University, our PhD in Clinical Psychology program features a faculty that will challenge you in the best possible way alongside a nurturing, engaging learning environment.

Enrich your knowledge and prepare to make a lasting difference in the field of psychology. Apply today and start your journey.

Sources: 

• “What Can You Do with a Doctorate in Psychology?” Psychology.org | Psychology’s Comprehensive Online Resource, March 18, 2024. https://www.psychology.org/resources/jobs-with-a-doctorate-in-psycholog… ;
• Cherry, Kendra. “PsyD vs. Phd in Psychology: Which Is Right for You?” Verywell Mind, October 27, 2023. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-a-psyd-2795135.  
• “Psychology Doctorate Phd Defined: Explore Academic, Internship and Research Requirements for a Psychology Phd.” Psychologist, March 24, 2021. https://www.psychologist-license.com/types-of-psychologists/psychologist-doctorate-phd/.  
• “Daily Activities of a Clinical Psychology Phd Student.” Simply Mental Health, November 13, 2022. https://simplymentalhealth.ca/2022/11/13/daily-activities-of-a-clinical-psychology-phd-student/.  
• “Internships and Practicums.” Psychology.org | Psychology’s Comprehensive Online Resource, April 10, 2024. https://www.psychology.org/resources/internships-and-practicums/.  
• Herbert, Robyn S, Spencer C Evans, Jessy Guler, and Michael C Roberts. “Predictors of Dissertation Publication in Clinical and Counseling Psychology.” Training and education in professional psychology, November 2022. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9635593 .
•  “APA-Accredited Programs.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://accreditation.apa.org/accredited-programs#.  
• “Choosing a Graduate Program.” Association for Psychological Science - APS. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/members/apssc/undergraduate_update/summer-2011/choosing-a-graduate-program.  
• “Clinch Your Graduate School Acceptance.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2007/11/cover-acceptance.  
• “Best Doctorate in Psychology Degree Programs of 2024.” Intelligent, April 3, 2024. https://www.intelligent.com/best-doctorate-in-psychology-programs/.  
• 14 ways to get clinical psychology work experience | indeed.com UK. Accessed April 18, 2024. https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/clinical-psychology-work-experience.  
• “Rockin’ Recommendations.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/features/2009/recommendation.  
• “Preparing Your Personal Statement for Graduate School Applications.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/ed/precollege/psn/2016/09/graduate-school-applications.  
• To ace your interview for doctoral psychology admission. Accessed April 22, 2024. https://mitch.web.unc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4922/2021/12/PsiChiI… ;
• Top 10 common Phd interview questions and answers. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/common-phd-interview-questions.  
• “Starting the Dissertation.” American Psychological Association. Accessed April 21, 2024. https://www.apa.org/gradpsych/2005/01/starting.&nbsp ;

David Stewart

Dean, California School of Professional Psychology

David G. Stewart, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified clinical child and adolescent psychologist and Dean of the California School of...

Other Categories

University announcements, featured news, nursing and health sciences, start on your path to succeed on purpose, request information.

• 1 Current Select Interests
• 2 Provide Information

You might also like

7 psychology specializations: which is right for you.

By examining the link between brain function and human behavior, psychology can positively influence collective outcomes and...

Social Worker vs. Psychologist: 6 Key Differences

If you’re contemplating a career in psychology or human services, you might be both thrilled and overwhelmed by the number of...

How Long Does it Take to Get a Psychology PhD?

Obtaining a PhD in psychology comes with a number of benefits, from the freedom to start your private practice to the chance to...

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in English

Learn more about lu.

By submitting contact information through this form, I agree that Liberty University and its affiliates may call and/or text me about its offerings by any phone number I have provided and may provide in the future, including any wireless number, using automated technology.

Message and data rates may apply. For additional information, text HELP to 49595 or 49596. You may opt-out at any time by sending STOP to 49595 or 49596. Visit for Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy .

15 colleges and schools

350+ degrees on-campus

600+ degrees online

20 NCAA Div. 1 Sports

Enhance Your Knowledge of Literary Theory, Research, and Writing with Liberty’s Ph.D. in English

Are you looking to deepen your understanding of literature, textual analysis, and the English language? Liberty University’s online Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in English is designed to help you do just that. This program gives you the chance to engage with complex texts, develop original research, and contribute to scholarly discussions in English studies.

Our online doctorate in English offers a comprehensive exploration of literature and major authors from a variety of time periods as well as the historical development of the English language. Throughout the program, you can hone your analytical skills and prepare to contribute innovative research to the existing body of academic knowledge, potentially influencing both scholarly and public discourse.

This program may be a great fit if you aspire to teach English, literature, or related subjects at the collegiate level. You can not only enrich your own understanding of important texts but also become equipped to guide the next generation of college students through studies in literary theory, writing, and more.

What Will You Learn in Liberty University’s Doctorate in English Online?

• American and British literature
• Christian literary tradition and major Christian authors
• Literary theory and advanced textual analysis
• Methods and materials of research
• Origin and evolution of English

In addition to taking core English classes, you’ll have the ability to customize your education through elective courses. That way, you can pursue specialized interests and topics that align with your academic and career goals. Your studies will culminate in the completion of a dissertation, where you will conduct research and work to contribute new knowledge to the field of English. The dissertation process gives you an opportunity to showcase your expertise and lay a strong foundation for your future academic or professional endeavors.

Potential Careers for Graduates of Our Ph.D. in English Online Program

• Literary agent

Benefits of Pursuing Your Doctorate in English Online with Liberty University

As a leader in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create a flexible and affordable education for busy people. Since we have been investing in distance and online learning for decades, our experience has taught us how to streamline our degree options so you can focus on what really matters to you. While many schools offer online degrees, we believe Liberty stands out.

Here’s what sets us apart:

• We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility . Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America . Earning your online degree from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
• The majority of tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs has not increased in 9 years. While many other online colleges have raised tuition, Liberty has been able to keep costs low as a nonprofit university.
• Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
• We want to provide you with the freedom to balance your studies with personal and professional commitments, which is why our Ph.D. in English is offered 100% online.

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want — at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Here’s how:

• If you’re earning or have earned a master’s degree through Liberty, you automatically qualify for the low price (when you begin within 2 years of your master’s completion).
• If you haven’t earned a graduate degree through Liberty, our Executive Certificate program allows you to pay only $300/credit hour for a postgraduate certificate that can stand alone or potentially count as the first 21 hours of a related doctoral degree. Then pay just $300/credit hour for your doctorate. Learn more!

Credit Hours

Available Online

100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer Credits

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Next Start Date

Aug 19, 2024

Accreditation

Liberty University is accredited by SACSCOC

Areas of Interest

Choose your area of Interest:

Training Champions for Christ

Liberty’s promise to you is an education that expertly brings knowledge and faith together. Here, education is designed around you. It connects you to people and opportunities that help you develop the skills and confidence you’re looking for. At Liberty, you’ll find the knowledge, experience, and mentorship you want to make your career — and life — a fulfilling one.

Why Liberty

Liberty University is not just another school. It is the realization of a dream, the product of thousands of prayers. It was built to invite students into a bigger, better story. Discover the Liberty difference for yourself.

Scholarships

When it comes to choosing a college, finances make a difference. That’s why at Liberty, we believe in offering you a top-notch education — that’s also affordable. Discover how Liberty can help you keep your college costs down.

For residential students

Online Discounts

At Liberty University, we believe everyone should have an equal opportunity to pursue higher education, and it's our job to keep private education affordable. Explore the many ways a Liberty education can be an affordable one.

For online students

Academic Excellence

Liberty University is institutionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, and certain programs have earned additional field-specific accreditation as well.

Trump says foreigners who graduate from US colleges should get green cards

• Medium Text

UKRAINE, ABORTION

Sign up here.

Reporting by Alexandra Ulmer and Gram Slattery; additional reporting by Kristina Cooke and Ted Hesson; Editing by Anthony Esposito, Diane Craft and Nick Zieminski

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. New Tab , opens new tab

Thomson Reuters

Alexandra covers the 2024 U.S. presidential race, with a focus on Republicans, donors and AI. Previously, she spent four years in Venezuela reporting on the humanitarian crisis and investigating corruption. She has also worked in India, Chile and Argentina. Alexandra was Reuters' Reporter of the Year and has won an Overseas Press Club award.

Washington-based correspondent covering campaigns and Congress. Previously posted in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Santiago, Chile, and has reported extensively throughout Latin America. Co-winner of the 2021 Reuters Journalist of the Year Award in the business coverage category for a series on corruption and fraud in the oil industry. He was born in Massachusetts and graduated from Harvard College.

World Chevron

Mexico's president-elect picks close ally for energy minister

Mexican President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum named close ally and former Mexico City finance chief Luz Elena Gonzalez as incoming energy minister, tasking her with revitalizing a struggling state oil company and increasing the use of renewables.

• Future Students
• Current Students
• Faculty/Staff

News and Media

• News & Media Home
• Research Stories
• School's In
• In the Media

You are here

Lifelong learning: stanford gse student collects her master’s degree after 80 years in education.

It’s been a minute since Virginia “Ginger” Hislop was a student at Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE).

When she started at the GSE in 1936 — then the Stanford University School of Education — her plan was to get her bachelor’s of education, which she did in 1940, and obtain her master’s of education so she could teach, which she started directly after.

The goal: to help grow and provide opportunities for young minds by following in the footsteps of her grandmother, who taught in Kansas before the Civil War, and her Aunt Nora, who was the principal of a school in West Los Angeles, and pursue the field of education.

However, just after completing her coursework and just before turning in her final thesis, her then-boyfriend George Hislop AB ’41, a GSE student in Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC), got called in to serve during World War II, prompting the pair to get married and Virginia Hislop to leave campus before graduating.

“I thought it was one of the things I could pick up along the way if I needed it and I always enjoyed studying, so that wasn’t really a great concern to me — and getting married was,” said Hislop, who was born in Palo Alto and resides in Yakima, Washington.

Now, 83 years after leaving campus and living in service to learning, Hislop returned to Stanford  to finish what she started and receive her graduate degree.

“A fierce advocate for equity and the opportunity to learn … today we are proud to confer the master of arts in education to our 105 year-old graduate,” GSE Dean Daniel Schwartz said in a speech at the beginning of the GSE’s commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 16.

Virginia Hislop (right) accepts her diploma for her master of arts in education at the GSE’s 2024 commencement ceremony from Dean Dan Schwartz. She collects her degree after more than 80 years doing education work in schools and on school boards in Yakima, Washington. (Photo: Charles Russo)

Family ties to Stanford 

In many ways, Hislop’s work in education after leaving Stanford began with her children.

When her daughter Anne started first grade in Washington, Hislop advocated on her behalf so that she could take advanced English, rather than a home economics course being suggested by the school.

“I felt that she could learn to cook at home and it was more important that she learn more academic skills at school,” said Hislop, whose daughter Anne Hislop Jensen MA ’68 and son-in-law Doug Jensen, MA ’68, also graduated from the GSE.

After that first encounter, Hislop was moved to join the school board to have more of a say in what children were being taught, to help set them up for success.

“I felt that all the kids should have an opportunity to develop their potential as best they could, and that everybody should have a crack at higher education if they wanted,” said Hislop,  who stayed on the school board for 13 years before moving her involvement to the city, county and state level in Washington state.

Some of her roles included chairing the Yakima School Board of Directors; becoming a founding member of the board of directors for Yakima Community College, and helping to start Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington, where she served on the board for 20 years.

“I’ve been doing this work for years and it’s nice to be recognized with this degree,” she said.

Leadership and longevity in learning

Nowadays, Hislop spends most of her time doing community work, reading, socializing and working in her garden — a routine she says has kept her sharp.

“The biggest lesson I’ve taken from her is that you never really stop learning,” said Doug Jensen, “She’s a voracious reader, and at 105 she’s still actively moving and shaking. No moss grows under her feet.”

Looking back on her career, Hislop credits her time at Stanford and the things she’s learned from community partners along the way for her ability to impact students.

“I think I did good things for our local school system and I helped broaden it out,” she said. “For me, this degree is an appreciation of the many years I’ve put in working for the schools in the Yakima area and on different boards.”

At the GSE Diploma ceremony, Schwartz concurred, saying Hislop “led a life of tremendous educational accomplishment.” Her fellow graduates and their families gave her a standing ovation. 

When Hislop rose from her seat, donned in cap and gown, to walk across the stage and receive her master’s hood, the applause roared once again. She greeted Schwartz on stage and was handed her diploma. She smiled for the cameras. Her grandkids and great-grandkids waved and cheered. 

“My goodness,” Hislop said. “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

More GSE News

⟵ Go to all GSE News

Get the Educator

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

Stanford Graduate School of Education

482 Galvez Mall Stanford, CA 94305-3096 Tel: (650) 723-2109

• Contact Admissions
• GSE Leadership
• Site Feedback
• Web Accessibility
• Career Resources
• Faculty Open Positions
• Explore Courses
• Academic Calendar
• Office of the Registrar
• Cubberley Library
• StanfordWho
• StanfordYou

Improving lives through learning

• Stanford Home
• Maps & Directions
• Search Stanford
• Emergency Info
• Terms of Use
• Non-Discrimination
• Accessibility

© Stanford University , Stanford , California 94305 .

Mobile Menu Overlay

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

FACT SHEET: President   Biden Announces New Actions to Keep Families   Together

Since his first day in office, President Biden has called on Congress to secure our border and address our broken immigration system. As Congressional Republicans have continued to put partisan politics ahead of national security – twice voting against the toughest and fairest set of reforms in decades – the President and his Administration have taken actions to secure the border, including:

• Implementing executive actions to bar migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum when encounters are high;
• Deploying record numbers of law enforcement personnel, infrastructure, and technology to the Southern border;
• Seizing record amounts of fentanyl at our ports of entry;
• Revoking the visas of CEOs and government officials outside the U.S. who profit from migrants coming to the U.S. unlawfully; and
• Expanding efforts to dismantle human smuggling networks and prosecuting individuals who violate immigration laws.

President Biden believes that securing the border is essential. He also believes in expanding lawful pathways and keeping families together, and that immigrants who have been in the United States for decades, paying taxes and contributing to their communities, are part of the social fabric of our country. The Day One immigration reform plan that the President sent to Congress reflects both the need for a secure border and protections for the long-term undocumented. While Congress has failed to act on these reforms, the Biden-Harris Administration has worked to strengthen our lawful immigration system. In addition to vigorously defending the DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood arrivals) policy, the Administration has extended Affordable Care Act coverage to DACA recipients and streamlined, expanded, and instituted new reunification programs so that families can stay together while they complete the immigration process.  Still, there is more that we can do to bring peace of mind and stability to Americans living in mixed-status families as well as young people educated in this country, including Dreamers. That is why today, President Biden announced new actions for people who have been here many years to keep American families together and allow more young people to contribute to our economy.   Keeping American Families Together

• Today, President Biden is announcing that the Department of Homeland Security will take action to ensure that U.S. citizens with noncitizen spouses and children can keep their families together.
• This new process will help certain noncitizen spouses and children apply for lawful permanent residence – status that they are already eligible for – without leaving the country.
• These actions will promote family unity and strengthen our economy, providing a significant benefit to the country and helping U.S. citizens and their noncitizen family members stay together.
• In order to be eligible, noncitizens must – as of June 17, 2024 – have resided in the United States for 10 or more years and be legally married to a U.S. citizen, while satisfying all applicable legal requirements. On average, those who are eligible for this process have resided in the U.S. for 23 years.
• Those who are approved after DHS’s case-by-case assessment of their application will be afforded a three-year period to apply for permanent residency. They will be allowed to remain with their families in the United States and be eligible for work authorization for up to three years. This will apply to all married couples who are eligible.  
• This action will protect approximately half a million spouses of U.S. citizens, and approximately 50,000 noncitizen children under the age of 21 whose parent is married to a U.S. citizen.

Easing the Visa Process for U.S. College Graduates, Including Dreamers

• President Obama and then-Vice President Biden established the DACA policy to allow young people who were brought here as children to come out of the shadows and contribute to our country in significant ways. Twelve years later, DACA recipients who started as high school and college students are now building successful careers and establishing families of their own.
• Today’s announcement will allow individuals, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers, who have earned a degree at an accredited U.S. institution of higher education in the United States, and who have received an offer of employment from a U.S. employer in a field related to their degree, to more quickly receive work visas.
• Recognizing that it is in our national interest to ensure that individuals who are educated in the U.S. are able to use their skills and education to benefit our country, the Administration is taking action to facilitate the employment visa process for those who have graduated from college and have a high-skilled job offer, including DACA recipients and other Dreamers. 

Stay Connected

We'll be in touch with the latest information on how President Biden and his administration are working for the American people, as well as ways you can get involved and help our country build back better.

Opt in to send and receive text messages from President Biden.