The Structure Of The Doctors Degree In The United States
Degrees of Postgraduate Education
Degrees of Postgraduate Education
Postgraduate education is the education for those students who want to continue their education and to receive one of two degrees: The Masters degree and the Doctors degree.
The First Doctors Degree
The first Doctors degree in the United States was awarded in 1861. Its name was the Doctor of Philosophy. And it is understandable because many disciplines of that period were considered to be components of the Philosophy discipline. And only in the twentieth century they became independent ones.
The Acceptance of the Doctors degree in the United States
This type of degree takes its roots in Germany. Until 50s of the twentieth century it was difficult to say whether the degree was adopted or not in the system of postgraduate education. Many scholars did not understand the reasons for acceptance of the Doctors degree. They thought it was unnecessary.
The Duration of Study for the Doctors Degree
Some educational establishments award students with this degree even if they were not awarded with the Masters degree. It should be noted that the duration of education for the Doctors degree is about seven years. The sphere of education plays no role. Consequently, the majority of students find this period of study too long. Nevertheless, the postgraduate students are encouraged by the government which provides them with financial support.
The Conditions for the Doctors Degree
In order to obtain the degree of the Doctor of Philosophy a student must complete successfully the course, pass all necessary exams, and, finally, defense his/her dissertation. As it has been mentioned before, some educational establishments do not have the Masters degree as an obligatory condition to obtain the Doctors degree. But in fact, students who have not been awarded with the Masters degree must study the course which is required for the Masters degree.