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| Doctorate Degrees | Others obtainable include the Doctor of Laws (LLD) and Doctor of Letters (DLitt). Most doctorates are completed by research and candidates are usually required to produce considerable dissertation, which must make a specific contribution to human knowledge.
Numerous colleges require students to defend their work in front of a panel of experts, a process known as viva voce. At the same time as most people receive such degrees because their career ambitions require it, others do so to raise their earning potential or improve their chances for promotions.
In the United States the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) and the Doctor of Education (D.Ed.) are the highest degrees awarded by universities. Capped by a student doctoral thesis, his or her doctorate represents mastery of his or her area of study and his or her personal contribution to academia.
As a doctoral candidate, a student is expected to become a specialist in a particular field within his or her discipline. In the natural sciences, this knowledge is acquired primarily through wide-ranging laboratory work. In other disciplines, it may be achieved with the help of advanced seminars and independent study.
When a student has finished the essential work towards his or her specialization, his or her knowledge are tested by means of a comprehensive test or an oral examination. After passing this test and meeting all program requirements, the formal class work ends and a student begins his or her work on the thesis.
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