What is a Doctorate Degree?

A Doctorate or Doctoral degree is an academic degree of the highest level awarded by universities and colleges in the United States. The certificate was intended to signify the presence of intellectual interest and the acknowledgment of superior qualities of mind in a chosen field. The term was derived from the Latin word doctor, meaning "teacher." Originally the terms "master" and "doctor" were the same, but over time the doctorate came to be regarded as a higher qualification than the Master's degree. The most recognizable types of doctorates are first-professional (US only), research, and honorary. Today a doctorate is typically the prerequisite for pursuing an academic career, although everyone who receives a research doctorate does not necessarily become a member of a university. There are also "honorary doctorates" that universities reward to individuals who have been given special acknowledgment, either for some sort of contribution or scholarly work to a society or university.

Benefits of Earning a Doctorate Degree Online

Some online universities take into account your previous educational and professional experience. Thus, the qualified student saves money as well as valuable time not having to repeat some basic course work. Earning an online Doctorate degree is an easy choice for people who want to reap the benefits of an advanced-level college education, but who may have to balance a professional and family life as well. An online Doctorate degree in most cases can be earned in 2 - 3 years if continually worked on. A big advantage of earning your Doctoral degree can be a substantial increase in salary. Someone holding a Doctorate degree can earn up to three times more than someone with only a high school diploma, 71% more than someone holding a Bachelors degree and 43% more than someone holding a Masters degree! Also, a Doctorate degree will carry significant value in a career advancement decision.

Types of Doctorate Degrees Online

Not all Doctorate degrees can be earned through online course work. Some training must be received by medical doctors, and is highly supervised. However, many other Doctorate degrees can be earned via the Internet. Some of the most common online Doctoral degrees include: Doctor of Public Health (DPH), Doctor of Psychology (PhD), Doctor of Education (EdD), and Doctor of Business Administration (DBA). Most online Doctorate degree programs require students to spend time taking classes or attending lectures on an actual campus. Some online programs require residency for a limited time or require the students to attend some lectures or meetings on the weekends. Other programs, however, may require a year or more of on-campus residency. The most common examples of these degrees are as follows:

Doctor of Divinity/Divinitatis Doctor (D.D.)
Doctor of Civil Law (D.C.L.)
Doctor of Laws/Legum Doctor (LL.D.)
Doctor of Medicine/Medicin? Doctor (D.M., M.D.)
Doctor of Music/Music? Doctor (D.Mus., Mus.D.)
Doctor of Letters/Litterarum Doctor (D.Litt., Litt.D.)
Doctor of Science/Scienti? Doctor (D.Sc., Sc.D.)
Doctor of Engineering (D.Eng.)
Doctor of Technology (D.Tech.)
Doctor of Governance (D.Gov.)

doctorate degrees | online doctorate degrees | doctoral degree | doctorate degree online | doctorate degree programs | online doctoral degrees | doctoral degree programs | what is a doctorate degree | distance learning doctoral degrees | colleges that offer doctorate degrees | types of doctoral degrees | earning a doctorate degree | doctoral degree requirements | accredited doctorate degrees