Doctoral Degree vs PhD: Types of Doctorates, How Long They Take and Which to Choose

A PhD is one type of doctoral degree, not something different from it. "Doctoral degree" (or doctorate) is the umbrella term for the highest level of university qualification, and it covers three families: research doctorates such as the PhD, professional doctorates such as the EdD or DBA, and, in the United States, professional practice doctorates such as the MD and JD that lead to a licence. In the US, research doctorate recipients in 2024 took a median of 5.7 years from starting their doctoral programme, according to the National Science Foundation's Survey of Earned Doctorates.

Which one fits depends on what you want the degree to do: train you as a researcher, deepen a career you already have, or qualify you for a regulated profession. This guide uses the official definitions from the US Department of Education, the UK's Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), Germany's DAAD and India's UGC, all checked in October 2026.

Is a PhD a doctoral degree?

Yes. The PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the most common doctoral degree, and in most countries it is the standard research doctorate. The QAA's Doctoral Degree Characteristics Statement calls subject specialist doctorates such as the PhD (or DPhil, "used interchangeably") "by far the most common form of doctorate in the UK".

So "doctoral degree vs PhD" is really a question about which kind of doctorate you are looking at. Every PhD is a doctoral degree; not every doctoral degree is a PhD.

The types of doctoral degrees, using official definitions

Universities name their doctorates in many ways, but the official classifications sort them into a few groups.

Research doctorates (PhD, DPhil and similar)

The US Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), run by the National Center for Education Statistics, defines a doctor's degree - research/scholarship as "a Ph.D. or other doctor's degree that requires advanced work beyond the master's level, including the preparation and defense of a dissertation based on original research". It lists the EdD, DMA, DBA, DSc, DA and DM as examples that can also fall in this group, depending on the institution.

The core output is a thesis (dissertation) that makes an original contribution to knowledge, defended in an oral examination. In the UK this exam is called the viva.

Professional and practice-based doctorates (EdD, DBA, EngD, DClinPsy)

These doctorates were built for people working in a profession. QAA explains that they began with the Doctor of Education (EdD) for "employed professionals returning mid-career" and differ from the PhD by including "intensive taught modules at the beginning of the programme". QAA's list of UK titles includes the DBA (business administration), DClinPsy (clinical psychology), EngD (engineering), DrPH (public health) and MD (medicine), among others.

They are still doctorates at the same level as a PhD. The difference is the focus: research applied to professional practice, often with the aim of changing how an organisation or profession works.

Professional practice doctorates in the US (MD, JD, PharmD, DPT)

The US has a separate group that many other countries do not. IPEDS defines a doctor's degree - professional practice as a degree that gives "the knowledge and skills for the recognition, credential, or license required for professional practice", where the total time to the degree, including pre-professional study, is at least six full-time academic years. Its examples are dentistry (DDS or DMD), law (JD), medicine (MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), pharmacy (PharmD), podiatry (DPM) and veterinary medicine (DVM).

These are entry qualifications for a profession, not research training. Our guide on what a professional degree is explains how the US federal definition works and how these fields are studied in other countries.

Higher and honorary doctorates (DSc, DLitt)

QAA describes higher doctorates, typically the Doctor of Science (DSc) and Doctor of Letters (DLitt), as "a higher level of award" than the PhD. They are awarded for "a substantial body of published original research of distinction over a significant period", usually to established researchers, or as an honorary degree that recognises someone's contribution to a field. You do not enrol in a higher doctorate as a student.

Photo: Ben Mills, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Doctoral degree vs PhD: the differences side by side

Comparing a PhD with a professional doctorate (EdD, DBA, EngD) and a US professional practice doctorate (MD, JD, PharmD):

• Main purpose. PhD: train an independent researcher. Professional doctorate: apply research to your profession. Professional practice doctorate: qualify you for a licence to practise.
• Typical applicant. PhD: a graduate with a master's (or a strong bachelor's in some systems). Professional doctorate: someone already working in the field. Professional practice doctorate: a bachelor's graduate entering the profession.
• Structure. PhD: mostly independent research with a supervisor, sometimes with training courses. Professional doctorate: taught modules first, then research. Professional practice doctorate: coursework and clinical or practical training.
• Final assessment. PhD and professional doctorate: a thesis or portfolio plus an oral examination. Professional practice doctorate: course exams, then the profession's own licensing exams.
• Level. In the UK, PhDs and professional doctorates sit at the same level: level 8 of the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications (level 12 in Scotland). Higher doctorates rank above them.

Is a PhD higher than a doctoral degree?

No. A PhD is a doctoral degree, so neither is higher. A PhD and a professional doctorate such as an EdD or DBA are the same academic level. QAA notes that where credit is counted, a UK doctorate is normally 540 credits, with a minimum of 360 at level 8 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The only doctorates QAA places above the PhD are higher doctorates such as the DSc and DLitt.

Is a JD or an MD a doctoral degree?

In the US, yes. IPEDS classifies both the JD and the MD as a doctor's degree in the professional practice category. They are not research doctorates, though: IPEDS counts them separately from the PhD.

The same letters can mean something else abroad. In the UK, QAA lists the MD among clinical practice-based doctorates, where research "is likely to draw on clinical work involving clinical trials or other work with patients". That is a research degree for qualified doctors, not the first medical degree. If you are comparing medical routes, check what the title means in each country.

How long does a doctoral degree take?

It depends on the country and the type of doctorate. Here is what the official sources say:

Note the gap in the US figures: the median is 5.7 years from entering the doctoral programme but 7.3 years from entering graduate school, so time spent on a master's first adds to the total. If you are still choosing a master's that could lead to a German doctorate, see our guide to master's degrees in Germany.

PhD admission rules in India: what the UGC 2022 regulations say

Indian students comparing a PhD at home with one abroad should know the national rules. The UGC (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of Ph.D. Degree) Regulations, 2022, published in the Gazette of India, allow admission after:

• a master's degree with at least 55% marks in aggregate (or an equivalent grade), or
• a four-year (eight-semester) bachelor's degree with at least 75% marks in aggregate (or an equivalent grade).

A 5% relaxation applies to SC/ST/OBC (non-creamy layer), EWS, differently-abled and other categories that the Commission decides. Many news reports quoted a CGPA of 7.5 for four-year graduates; the final gazetted text states 75% marks or the equivalent grade. A degree from a foreign institution counts if the institution is accredited by a recognised quality agency in its home country.

Which doctoral degree should you choose?

Use these questions to narrow it down:

1. Do you want to work as a researcher or university academic? Choose a PhD (or the research doctorate your country uses). It is the standard qualification for an academic career.
2. Are you already working and want to improve practice in your field? A professional doctorate (EdD, DBA, EngD, DrPH) fits better; QAA describes these as designed for employed professionals.
3. Do you need a licence to practise in the US (law, medicine, pharmacy, physical therapy)? You need the professional practice doctorate for that field, plus the licensing exams.
4. How will you pay for it? Funding differs by country and programme: some doctorates come with a scholarship or a paid research post, others are self-funded. Check each programme's funding page before you apply.
5. How do you work best? DAAD describes Germany's individual doctorate as working with one supervising professor you find yourself, while structured programmes give "regular and intense supervision by a team of advisors".

Where to do a doctorate abroad

If you are choosing a university for a PhD, start with the supervisors and research groups in your field, then the university. Among the universities on Stuudy with high EduRank world positions are the University of Oxford (#3) and the University of Cambridge (#6) in the UK, Heidelberg University (#49) in Germany and ETH Zurich (#52) in Switzerland. To compare more options, see the best universities in Europe and the best universities in the United Kingdom on EduRank.

Doctoral programmes listed on Stuudy, for example at Hacettepe University in Turkey:

Interesting programmes for you

Translation and Interpretation (in English) (Doctorate)

Doctor of Philosophy · Full-time · On Campus

Hacettepe University

Turkey

British Cultural Studies (Doctorate)

Doctor of Philosophy · Full-time · On Campus

Hacettepe University

Turkey

English Language and Literature (Doctorate)

Doctorate · Full-time · On Campus

Hacettepe University

Turkey

Next step

Once you know which doctorate fits, the next question is usually money. Browse scholarships for international students to see which funding you can apply for, and check entry rules on each university's doctoral admissions page before you contact a supervisor.

Explore more on Stuudy

Country

United Kingdom

Country

Germany

Country

United States

University

University of Oxford

University

University of Cambridge

University

Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg

University

ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology

Discipline

Medicine

Discipline

Law