phd latin origin

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Which was the first doctor, M.D. or Ph.D.?

For which title was the term "doctor" first given? Was it originally meant for the medical doctor, or for just anyone holding a doctoral degree?

Also: When did the later usage become common, and why?

4 Answers 4

Doctor is a Latin word, and it was borrowed from Latin already formed, with a meaning, namely 'teacher' . The word is formed exactly the way teacher is:

• a verb root (English teach- , Latin doc- ), plus
• an agentive suffix (English -er , Latin -tor ).

Doctor was in use for many centuries before there were universities, or degrees. It was used to refer to an especially learned person, one who was authorized and qualified to teach a particular subject. Which might be medicine, philosophy, theology, law, logic, history, etc.

It wasn't until the Twelfth Century AD in Europe that the modern Western universities were invented. The first universities were Guilds, of Masters or Students, and the Masters were Doctors, i.e, authorized teachers. Gradually the Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctor's degrees evolved from a guild structure of Apprentice, Journeyman, and Master.

For details, consult Haskins' classic The Renaissance of the Twelfth Century

• Thank you for the interesting information. Could you elaborate on how "doctor" came into common use to particularly describe medical practitioners? –  Iszi Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 0:45
• But which of Ph.D. or M.D. was first referred to as a doctor? Are you saying that at the year such degree titles/letters started to be conferred, those people were already referred to as 'doctor'? And if so, then the answer boils down to which of PhD or MD was the first to be conferred? –  Mitch Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 0:51
• That depends entirely on what you want to mean by "PhD", "MD", and "degree", all of which are much later inventions than Doctor . And all of which vary a great deal from place to place and period to period. There is no single answer because there is no single question. –  John Lawler Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 1:16
• 1 I think he's saying that "Doctor" referred to any learned person of any subject at that time. Therefore, both their equivalents of medical doctors and doctors of philosopy were referred to as doctors starting around the same time. –  Andrew Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 2:57
• 3 Yeah, that'll do. Certainly there's no way to solve the status war between Medical Doctors and other Doctors. Let'em fight it out. –  John Lawler Commented Feb 8, 2012 at 3:11

As noted in etymonline and in previous answer, the word doctor has been in use in English since ca. 1300. Regarding the abbreviations you ask about, etymonline says:

• M.D. , "1755, abbreviation of Latin Medicinæ Doctor "doctor of medicine."
• Ph.D , "attested from 1869; abbreviation of L. Philosophiae Doctor 'Doctor of Philosophy.'"

The answer to "Which of Ph.D. or M.D. was first referred to as a doctor?" is that neither was first, as both D.D. and L.L.D. are earlier.

It seems that doctor for both PhD and MD came about the same time: late 14c ... slowly besteading the OE word for a physician: leech.

From Etymology Online:

doctor (n.) c.1300, "Church father", from O.Fr. doctour, from M.L. doctor "religious teacher, adviser, scholar", in classical L. "teacher", agent noun from docere "to show, teach, cause to know", originally "make to appear right," causative of decere "be seemly, fitting" (see decent). Meaning "holder of highest degree in university" is first found late 14c.; as is that of "medical professional" ( replacing native leech ), though this was not common till late 16c. The transitional stage is exemplified in Chaucer’s Doctor of phesike (Latin physica came to be used extensively in M.L. for medicina). Similar usage of the equivalent of doctor is colloquial in most European languages ...

In OE and ME, a doctor was a leech (lǣce in OE) which gave us many other words: leechbook — book of prescriptions leechcraft — art of healing; medicament, remedy, prescription leechcraftig (leechcrafty) — skilled in medicine leechchest — medicine chest leechdom — medicament, medicine; salvation leechdomlic — salutary, beneficial, health-giving leechdomness — cataplasm, poultice leechfee — doctor's fee leechfinger — fourth finger leechhouse — sick room, hospital leechiren — surgeon's knife, lancet leechsalve — medicinal ointment leechseax — lancet leechwyrt (leechwort) — medicinal herb, drug

The word doctor originally came from the word docket. It has a lot to do with maritime law, when a ship Entered a canal it was just like giving birth. Once a ship exit the canal it is given a docket number like a mother is given a birth certificate with a number. The doctor “docket “ received the baby from the mothers birth canal “water” just like a ship. Research Maritime law.

• 1 etymonline.com/word/doctor –  Mari-Lou A Commented May 29, 2019 at 7:40
• It is derived from the Latin verb "docere" (to show, teach) which in Italian became "docente" (teacher) –  Mari-Lou A Commented May 29, 2019 at 7:43

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attested from 1869; abbreviation of Latin Philosophiae Doctor "Doctor of Philosophy."

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updated on September 28, 2017

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Why might "Philosophiae Doctor" (the source of "Ph.D.") have been preferred over "Doctor Philosophiae"?

The English abbreviation Ph.D. comes from the Latin for Doctor of Philosophy , which I understand would be either Philosophiae Doctor or Doctor Philosophiae .

I know word order is flexible in Latin, but I thought that the general rule was "noun + modifier." If so, Doctor Philosophiae would be the preferred form. And yet the widespread usage of Ph.D. suggests that the opposite order, Philosophiae Doctor , prevailed. Is there a grammatical reason that the latter option became the source of the Ph.D. abbreviation?

Related question on ELU.SE: Why PhD, and not DPh

• abbreviations
• academic-latin

• I was always under the impression that it was Philosophical Doctor, not Doctor of Philosophy (which, though it makes little sense in English, might be fine in Latin) –  anon Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 0:11
• 1 In the German-speaking countries, the usual form is Dr. phil. (and Dr. med. , Dr. iur. etc.). –  chirlu Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 1:16
• 3 Isn't this question about English rather than Latin? As far as I know, Ph.D. is an English phrase, not a Latin phrase. It's based on Latin words, but these words were assembled to fit English speakers, not by Latin speakers. –  Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 1:29
• 1 @Gilles I see it as a Latin word order question that later has an impact on English. Why does "Philosophiae Doctor" exist in the first place? There's nothing "more English" about Ph.D. than D.Ph. or D.P., so where did it come from? –  Nathaniel is protesting Commented Feb 24, 2016 at 2:01
• 1 @Nathaniel I'll keep looking for the exact dates these came into being. Also, note that in Oxford and other places, M.Phil. and D.Phil. are standard, not unlike the German abbreviation. –  cmw ♦ Commented Feb 29, 2016 at 21:18

There is no significance to the word order, and both are perfectly acceptable in Latin. In fact, it is only in English translation that there is a difference felt. The genitive in Latin is perfectly at home come before or after the noun. For example, Lucretius wrote De Rerum Natura while Cicero wrote De Natura Deorum . The choice is stylistic.

And Ph.D. isn't so standard after all. While it's the most popular abbreviation in the American system, in the UK you can get a D.Phil. in Oxford , and in Germany the abbreviation begins with Dr.

So there's no grammatical reason for adopting one or the other.

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abbreviation or noun

Definition of phd, examples of phd in a sentence.

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'PhD.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

New Latin philosophiae doctor

1839, in the meaning defined above

Dictionary Entries Near PhD

Cite this entry.

“PhD.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/PhD. Accessed 9 Sep. 2024.

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• 1.1 Alternative forms
• 1.2 Etymology
• 1.3 Pronunciation
• 1.4.1 Usage notes
• 1.4.2 Synonyms
• 1.4.3 Coordinate terms
• 1.4.4 Related terms
• 1.5 Further reading
• 1.6 Anagrams
• 2.1.1 Related terms
• 2.2 See also

Alternative forms

• Ph. D. , Ph.D , PhD

Borrowed from New Latin Ph.D. , an abbreviation of Philosophiae Doctor ( “ Doctor of Philosophy ” ) .

Pronunciation

• IPA ( key ) : /ˈpiːˌeɪ̯t͡ʃˈdiː/

Ph.D. ( plural Ph.D's or Ph.D.'s or Ph.D.s )

• 1971 May 27, “24 Local Students Among ‘U’ Graduates”, in The Daily Herald , 98th year, number 214 , Provo, Utah, page 6 : Ph.D’s will go to Kirk G. Rasmussen and Val Hicks.
• 1982 August 20, “Business schools take action to alleviate teacher shortages”, in Southern Illinoisan , volume 90 , number 195 , Carbondale, Ill., page A-4 : The shortage of holders of Ph.D’s in business school subjects has grown so severe in recent years that a panel was set up in 1980 by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business to study the problem. [ … ] However, it has already led to modification of accrediting standards such as the suggested use of nonbusiness Ph.D’s with doctorates in psychology, mathematics and economics. [ … ] Still another question raised in the report centered on how to encourage more educational institutions to turn out more Ph.D.’s in business. [ … ] He suggests a national contest for undergraduates to encourage them to work for Ph.D.’s in accounting.
• 1961 February 26, “Doctorates Are Received by Six”, in Sunday Journal and Star , 94th year, number 9, Lincoln, Neb., page 3B : There are 12 Ph.D’s in the Concordia faculty of 62, according to Dr. P. A. Zimmerman, President, with others nearing the completion of doctorate requirements.
• 1971 January 14, “Ph.D’s Finding Job Prospects Depressing”, in The Pensacola News ‎ [1] , Pensacola, Fla.: The uncertainty of the job market has a new meaning for Ph.D’s these days: Prospects Highly Depressing.
• 1988 September 1, Cecilia Bush, “Flying high, firmly grounded”, in The Catholic Advance , volume CXXII, number 34 , Wichita, Kan., page 1 , columns 1–2 : He also directs a post-doctoral program in behavioral medicine in which Ph.D’s receive training for very special kinds of treatment.
• 2004 , Lucy Chronic, Halka Chronic, Pages of Stone , 2nd edition, The Mountaineers Books, →ISBN , end material: About the Authors, page 174 : Growing up the daughter of two Ph.D.s in geology, young Lucy Chronic was more likely to hear discussions of plate tectonics than the prospects of the local ball team's chance of winning the pennant.

Usage notes

• Not to be used generically to refer to all doctoral degrees . There are many other doctoral designations .

Coordinate terms

Related terms, further reading.

• D.P.H. , DHP , HPD

Ph.D.   m   sg ( indeclinable )

• Abbreviation of Philosophiae Doctor .
• Dr. rer. nat.

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Definition of PhD noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• to do/have/be a PhD
• Anne Thomas, PhD
• acquire/​get/​lack (an) education/​training/ (British English) (some) qualifications
• receive/​provide somebody with training/​tuition
• develop/​design/​plan a curriculum/ (especially British English) course/ (North American English) program/​syllabus
• give/​go to/​attend a class/​lesson/​lecture/​seminar
• hold/​run/​conduct a class/​seminar/​workshop
• sign up for/​take a course/​classes/​lessons
• go to/​start preschool/​kindergarten/​nursery school
• be in (North American English) the first, second, etc. grade/ (British English) year 1, 2. etc. (at school)
• study/​take/​drop history/​chemistry/​German, etc.
• (British English) leave/​finish/​drop out of/ (North American English) quit school
• (North American English) graduate high school/​college
• be the victim/​target of bullying
• (British English) play truant from/ (both British English, informal) bunk off/​skive off school (= not go to school when you should)
• (both especially North American English) skip/​cut class/​school
• (British English) cheat in/ (North American English) cheat on an exam/​a test
• get/​be given a detention (for doing something)
• be expelled from/​be suspended from school
• do your homework/ (British English) revision/​a project on something
• work on/​write/​do/​submit an essay/​a dissertation/​a thesis/​an assignment/ (North American English) a paper
• finish/​complete your dissertation/​thesis/​studies/​coursework
• hand in/ (North American English) turn in your homework/​essay/​assignment/​paper
• study/​prepare/ (British English) revise/ (North American English) review/ (North American English, informal) cram for a test/​an exam
• take/ (both British English) do/​sit a test/​an exam
• (especially British English) mark/ (especially North American English) grade homework/​a test
• (British English) do well in/ (North American English) do well on/ (especially North American English, informal) ace a test/​an exam
• pass/​fail/ (especially North American English, informal) flunk a test/​an exam/​a class/​a course/​a subject
• apply to/​get into/​go to/​start college/ (British English) university
• leave/​graduate from law school/​college/ (British English) university (with a degree in computer science)
• study for/​take/ (British English) do/​complete a law degree/​a degree in physics
• (both North American English) major/​minor in biology/​philosophy
• earn/​receive/​be awarded/​get/​have/​hold a master’s degree/​a bachelor’s degree/​a PhD in economics
• dissertation

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The Etymology of PhD and Its Essence

How many of you know what does PhD stand for? It is a word with a Latin origination “Philosophiae Doctor”. Some wonder why PhD in any stream is explained as Philosophy. The answer here is tricky and may not be known to many. The use of the word philosophy here is not connected to the branch of science but rather to the original Greek meaning which says “Love of Wisdom”. It is a degree that highlights that the scholar has contributed to existing knowledge with his hard work and wisdom.

The only way one can find out how to do a PhD is to do one!!

In light of the above statement and the etymology of PhD that has been explained, I wonder how relevant would all tips and advices be? But we still do not refrain from giving them. I suppose there isn’t any harm also, as long as we pick up ways to simplify a journey that otherwise would be herculean for many.

As much as we dream to celebrate the end of our PhD journey, I say the beginning needs to be celebrated as well. With plenty of novel experiences and opportunities coming way, it may be over whelming. A great percentage of people quit from their PhD half way because they cannot adapt to the requirements and challenges. Even if it isn’t rosy, I say do not quit. There are good reasons for not doing so.

The requirements and challenges of PhD are distinct for each country while keeping in mind the core essence of the degree. In countries like the US and Canada they call for a specific course work before starting pure research work. In the UK things are changing, there is focus on other activities such as contribution towards teaching and other activities. The conclusion or as we say the culmination of a PhD requires to submit the original contribution to research in the form of a thesis. It has to be of standard to be reviewed published in journals of repute. To maintain the worthiness of the degree it does not end here, in the end the candidate is expected to defend work in front of a panel of experts which is called as VIVA. The word VIVA has been taken from the Latin word “Viva Voice “meaning “Live voice”. Only once the panel is satisfied with the work and the defence given by the candidate do they finally allow to award the degree and the person may get the word Doctor Prefixed to his name.

At the end, it isn’t the end. In fact a PhD is a beginning of one’s professional journey that will require you to use not just the academic skills you have mastered through the course but also the patience, determination, tolerance and capacity to hard work to move along to lead you to your path to success.

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PHD Meaning: Here’s What It Means and How to Use It?

You’ve likely seen the abbreviation PHD — but what is the meaning of PHD? We’ll tell you. Read on as we explore this common acronym.

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There are several ways to abbreviate words in the English language — hence why there are so many acronyms and abbreviations found in the dictionary today. 

While some terms are pretty self-explanatory, like “Feb,” which stands for “February,” there are some acronyms that could use a bit of explaining — such as Ph.D.

Although Ph.D is an abbreviation with more than one meaning, it commonly refers to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D): spelled with a capitalized “P,” lowercase “h,” and uppercase “D.”  

Interested in learning more? We can help. Read on as we explore the abbreviation Ph.D to uncover its meaning, origin, and more. Are you ready? Let’s dive in.

What Does PhD Mean?

Ph.D — aka Doctor of Philosophy — is defined by Dictionary.com as the highest degree awarded by a school in a field of academic study. A doctorate is typically awarded to an individual who has completed three or more years of graduate study and a dissertation approved by a committee of professors. 

Common abbreviations used for the doctor of philosophy include: 

• Ph.D. 

After completing the Ph.D degree or dissertation, a graduate can use Dr. or Ph.D. For example:

• Dr. Suzie Johnson or
• Suzie Johnson (Ph.D) or
• Dr. Suzie Johnson (Ph.D) 

What Is the Origin of Ph.D?

Abbreviated from the Latin term philosophiae doctor meaning “doctor of philosophy,” the Ph.D is the highest degree in most fields, with the notable exceptions of medicine and law that have their own doctorates. The degree originated in 19th century Germany when the word “philosophy” had the much broader meaning of “love of wisdom.”

Though universities have existed in Europe long before the 19th century, the degrees that medieval universities awarded to students had more in common with the MD than with the Ph.D, as they required mastery of already existing knowledge. 

In 1861, Yale University became the first institution of higher education in the United States to award the degree, conferring it on three recipients; Arthur W, Wright, James M. Whiton, and Eugene Schuyler. A few decades later, Canada accepted Ph.D as their highest level of honor, and in 1917, the doctoral of philosophy was introduced in all disciplines of the subjects.  

How Can I Use Ph.D in a Sentence?

Now that you understand what Ph.D means, let’s take a look at some examples of this acronym in a sentence:

“After telling him I earned an academic degree, he bragged for the rest of the night about having a Ph.D .”

“I can’t decide what academic field to get my Ph.D in.”

“Tom can’t work full-time because he is a Ph.D student and has to work on his thesis.”

“My mom is thinking about going back to school to complete a Ph.D program in psychology.”

“I am in the second year of my Ph.D program.”

“Whether you like physics, chemistry, or psychology, you can find a Ph.D program on campus,”

“Look, I understand that you’re my supervisor, but I am looking to get my Ph.D degree and ultimately become a doctor of medicine; in other words, I have to study and can’t pick up more than one shift per week.” 

“Have you taken the exams yet to get your Ph.D ?”

“Did you know that some Ph.D programs accept a portfolio of published papers?”

“To get a Ph.D , it’s important to study hard and get good grades.”

“Gosh, I didn’t realize how many seminars and workshops I’d have to attend to get a Ph.D !”

“A Ph.D comes with a pretty hefty fee, so be sure to apply for scholarships.”

What Is a Doctorate?

Simply put, a doctorate is any qualification that awards a doctoral degree. To qualify for one, you need to produce work at a high level that makes a significant new contribution to knowledge in your academic field. Doing so earns you the title “Doctor.”

Many people believe a doctorate and a Ph.D are the same. However, this is not the case, as a Ph.D is a type of doctorate, such as a Doctor of Philosophy. Other doctoral degrees or types of doctorate include:

• Doctor of Education
• Doctor of Theology
• Doctor of Medicine
• Doctor of Musical Arts
• Doctor of Literature
• Doctor of Divinity
• Doctor of Civil Law
• Doctor of Science

According to the American Psychological Association, the Ph.D is intended for students interested in gaining new knowledge through scientific research, or teaching experience. 

Does PHD Stand For Anything Else?

Although the abbreviation PHD is most commonly associated with the Doctorate of Philosophy, it does have a few other meanings:

• Pizza Hut Delivery
• Press Here, Dummy
• Permanent Head Damage
• Pretty Heavy Drinker
• Please Hire Desperate
• Preparing His Disciples
• Player Hating Degree
• Power Hungry Dog
• Premium Hot Dog
• Pretty Heavy Dude
• Poor, Hungry, and Determined

A Final Word

So, what does PHD mean, you ask?

Simply put, PHD is an abbreviation that stands for many words; however, it’s most commonly used to abbreviate “Doctor of Philosophy.”

We hope this guide has provided you with all of the information you need to understand the meaning of PHD fully. To discover more interesting words and strengthen your overall vocabulary, be sure to check out our website , where you’ll find definitions, grammar tips, and more!  

• A Brief History of the PhD | NeuWrite West 
• Ph.d. Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com
• The First American Doctor of Philosophy Degree: A Centennial Salute to Yale, 1861-1961 | The Journal of Higher Education

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Other forms: PhDs

A PhD is a university degree that a student gets after several years of advanced study in a subject. Once you have a PhD , you can be called "Dr. So-and-so."

The abbreviation PhD stands for "Doctor of Philosophy," and it's also called a Doctorate. Students who attend graduate school and continue their studies beyond a Master's Degree eventually receive a PhD. Most college professors have a PhD. The name of the degree comes from the Latin phrase philosophiae doctor , and the "philosophy" part of the name comes from the Greek word philosophia , "love of wisdom."

• noun a doctorate usually based on at least 3 years graduate study and a dissertation; the highest degree awarded graduate study synonyms: Ph.D. see more see less type of: Doctor of Philosophy a doctorate awarded for original contributions to knowledge

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• What is a PhD?

Written by Mark Bennett

A PhD is a doctoral research degree and the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. The degree normally takes between three and four years of full-time work towards a thesis offering an original contribution to your subject.

This page explains what a PhD is, what it involves and what you need to know if you’re considering applying for a PhD research project , or enrolling on a doctoral programme .

On this page

The meaning of a phd.

The PhD can take on something of a mythic status. Are they only for geniuses? Do you have to discover something incredible? Does the qualification make you an academic? And are higher research degrees just for people who want to be academics?

Even the full title, ‘Doctor of Philosophy’, has a somewhat mysterious ring to it. Do you become a doctor? Yes, but not that kind of doctor. Do you have to study Philosophy? No (not unless you want to) .

So, before going any further, let's explain what the term 'PhD' actually means and what defines a doctorate.

What does PhD stand for?

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. This is one of the highest level academic degrees that can be awarded. PhD is an abbreviation of the Latin term (Ph)ilosophiae (D)octor. Traditionally the term ‘philosophy’ does not refer to the subject but its original Greek meaning which roughly translates to ‘lover of wisdom’.

What is a doctorate?

A doctorate is any qualification that awards a doctoral degree. In order to qualify for one you need to produce advanced work that makes a significant new contribution to knowledge in your field. Doing so earns you the title 'Doctor' – hence the name.

So, is a PhD different to a doctorate? No. A PhD is a type of doctorate .

The PhD is the most common type of doctorate and is awarded in almost all subjects at universities around the world. Other doctorates tend to be more specialised or for more practical and professional projects.

Essentially, all PhDs are doctorates, but not all doctorates are PhDs.

Do you need a Masters to get a PhD?

Not necessarily. It's common for students in Arts and the Humanities to complete an MA (Master of Arts) before starting a PhD in order to acquire research experience and techniques. Students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) don't always need an MS/MSc (Master of Science) to do a PhD as you'll gain training in lab techniques and other skills during your undergraduate degree.

Whether a Masters is a requirement for a PhD also varies by country. Australian PhDs may require a Masters as the equivalent of their own 'honours year' (where students work on research). US PhD programmes often include a Masters.

We have a whole guide dedicated to helping you decide whether a PhD without a Masters is the right route for you.

The origin of the PhD

Despite its name, the PhD isn't actually an Ancient Greek degree. Instead it's a much more recent development. The PhD as we know it was developed in nineteenth-century Germany, alongside the modern research university.

Higher education had traditionally focussed on mastery of an existing body of scholarship and the highest academic rank available was, appropriately enough, a Masters degree.

As the focus shifted more onto the production of new knowledge and ideas, the PhD degree was brought in to recognise those who demonstrated the necessary skills and expertise.

The PhD process – what's required to get a PhD?

The typical length of a PhD is three to four years full-time, or five to six years part-time.

Unlike most Masters courses (or all undergraduate programmes), a PhD is a pure research degree. But that doesn’t mean you’ll just spend years locked away in a library or laboratory. In fact, the modern PhD is a diverse and varied qualification with many different components.

Whereas the second or third year of a taught degree look quite a lot like the first (with more modules and coursework at a higher level) a PhD moves through a series of stages.

A typical PhD normally involves:

• Carrying out a literature review (a survey of current scholarship in your field).
• Conducting original research and collecting your results .
• Producing a thesis that presents your conclusions.
• Writing up your thesis and submitting it as a dissertation .
• Defending your thesis in an oral viva voce exam.

These stages vary a little between subjects and universities, but they tend to fall into the same sequence over the three years of a typical full-time PhD.

The first year of a PhD

The beginning of a PhD is all about finding your feet as a researcher and getting a solid grounding in the current scholarship that relates to your topic.

You’ll have initial meetings with your supervisor and discuss a plan of action based on your research proposal.

The first step in this will almost certainly be carrying out your literature review . With the guidance of your supervisor you’ll begin surveying and evaluating existing scholarship. This will help situate your research and ensure your work is original.

Your literature review will provide a logical jumping off point for the beginning of your own research and the gathering of results . This could involve designing and implementing experiments, or getting stuck into a pile of primary sources.

The year may end with an MPhil upgrade . This occurs when PhD students are initially registered for an MPhil degree and then ‘upgraded’ to PhD candidates upon making sufficient progress. You’ll submit material from your literature review, or a draft of your research findings and discuss these with members of your department in an upgrade exam . All being well, you’ll then continue with your research as a PhD student.

PhDs in other countries

The information on the page is based on the UK. Most countries follow a similar format, but there are some differences. In the USA , for example, PhD students complete reading assignments and examinations before beginning their research. You can find out more in our guides to PhD study around the world .

The second year of a PhD

Your second year will probably be when you do most of your core research. The process for this will vary depending on your field, but your main focus will be on gathering results from experiments, archival research, surveys or other means.

As your research develops, so will the thesis (or argument) you base upon it. You may even begin writing up chapters or other pieces that will eventually form part of your dissertation .

You’ll still be having regular meetings with your supervisor. They’ll check your progress, provide feedback on your ideas and probably read any drafts your produce.

The second year is also an important stage for your development as a scholar. You’ll be well versed in current research and have begun to collect some important data or develop insights of your own. But you won’t yet be faced with the demanding and time-intensive task of finalising your dissertation.

So, this part of your PhD is a perfect time to think about presenting your work at academic conferences , gaining teaching experience or perhaps even selecting some material for publication in an academic journal. You can read more about these kinds of activities below.

The third year of a PhD

The third year of a PhD is sometimes referred to as the writing up phase.

Traditionally, this is the final part of your doctorate, during which your main task will be pulling together your results and honing your thesis into a dissertation .

In reality, it’s not always as simple as that.

It’s not uncommon for final year PhD students to still be fine-tuning experiments, collecting results or chasing up a few extra sources. This is particularly likely if you spend part of your second year focussing on professional development.

In fact, some students actually take all or part of a fourth year to finalise their dissertation. Whether you are able to do this will depend on the terms of your enrolment – and perhaps your PhD funding .

Eventually though, you are going to be faced with writing up your thesis and submitting your dissertation.

Your supervisor will be very involved in this process. They’ll read through your final draft and let you know when they think your PhD is ready for submission.

All that’s left then is your final viva voce oral exam. This is a formal discussion and defence of your thesis involving at least one internal and external examiner. It’s normally the only assessment procedure for a PhD. Once you’ve passed, you’ve done it!

Looking for more information about the stages of a PhD?

How do you go about completing a literature review? What's it like to do PhD research? And what actually happens at an MPhil upgrade? You can find out more in our detailed guide to the PhD journey .

Doing a PhD – what's it actually like?

You can think of the ‘stages’ outlined above as the basic ‘roadmap’ for a PhD, but the actual ‘journey’ you’ll take as a research student involves a lot of other sights, a few optional destinations and at least one very important fellow passenger.

Carrying out research

Unsurprisingly, you’ll spend most of your time as a PhD researcher… researching your PhD. But this can involve a surprisingly wide range of activities.

The classic image of a student working away in the lab, or sitting with a pile of books in the library is true some of the time – particularly when you’re monitoring experiments or conducting your literature review.

Your PhD can take you much further afield though. You may find yourself visiting archives or facilities to examine their data or look at rare source materials. You could even have the opportunity to spend an extended period ‘in residence’ at a research centre or other institution beyond your university.

Research is also far from being a solitary activity. You’ll have regular discussions with your supervisor (see below) but you may also work with other students from time to time.

This is particularly likely if you’re part of a larger laboratory or workshop group studying the same broad area. But it’s also common to collaborate with students whose projects are more individual. You might work on shorter projects of joint interest, or be part of teams organising events and presentations.

Many universities also run regular internal presentation and discussion groups – a perfect way to get to know other PhD students in your department and offer feedback on each other’s work in progress.

Working with your supervisor

All PhD projects are completed with the guidance of at least one academic supervisor . They will be your main point of contact and support throughout the PhD.

Your supervisor will be an expert in your general area of research, but they won’t have researched on your exact topic before (if they had, your project wouldn’t be original enough for a PhD).

As such, it’s better to think of your supervisor as a mentor, rather than a teacher.

As a PhD student you’re now an independent and original scholar, pushing the boundaries of your field beyond what is currently known (and taught) about it. You’re doing all of this for the first time, of course. But your supervisor isn’t.

They’ll know what’s involved in managing an advanced research project over three years (or more). They’ll know how best to succeed, but they’ll also know what can go wrong and how to spot the warning signs before it does.

Perhaps most importantly, they’ll be someone with the time and expertise to listen to your ideas and help provide feedback and encouragement as you develop your thesis.

Exact supervision arrangements vary between universities and between projects:

• In Science and Technology projects it’s common for a supervisor to be the lead investigator on a wider research project, with responsibility for a laboratory or workshop that includes several PhD students and other researchers.
• In Arts and Humanities subjects, a supervisor’s research is more separate from their students’. They may supervise more than one PhD at a time, but each project is essentially separate.

It’s also becoming increasingly common for PhD students to have two (or more) supervisors. The first is usually responsible for guiding your academic research whilst the second is more concerned with the administration of your PhD – ensuring you complete any necessary training and stay on track with your project’s timetable.

However you’re supervised, you’ll have regular meetings to discuss work and check your progress. Your supervisor will also provide feedback on work during your PhD and will play an important role as you near completion: reading your final dissertation draft, helping you select an external examiner and (hopefully) taking you out for a celebratory drink afterwards!

Professional development, networking and communication

Traditionally, the PhD has been viewed as a training process, preparing students for careers in academic research.

As such, it often includes opportunities to pick up additional skills and experiences that are an important part of a scholarly CV. Academics don’t just do research after all. They also teach students, administrate departments – and supervise PhDs.

The modern PhD is also viewed as a more flexible qualification. Not all doctoral graduates end up working in higher education. Many follow alternative careers that are either related to their subject of specialism or draw upon the advanced research skills their PhD has developed.

PhD programmes have begun to reflect this. Many now emphasise transferrable skills or include specific training units designed to help students communicate and apply their research beyond the university.

What all of this means is that very few PhD experiences are just about researching and writing up a thesis.

The likelihood is that you’ll also do some (or all) of the following during your PhD:

The work is usually paid and is increasingly accompanied by formal training and evaluation.

Conference presentation

As a PhD student you’ll be at the cutting edge of your field, doing original research and producing new results. This means that your work will be interest to other scholars and that your results could be worth presenting at academic conferences .

Doing this is very worthwhile, whatever your career plans. You’ll develop transferrable skills in public speaking and presenting, gain feedback on your results and begin to be recognised as an expert in your area.

Conferences are also great places to network with other students and academics.

Publication

As well as presenting your research, you may also have the opportunity to publish work in academic journals, books, or other media. This can be a challenging process.

Your work will be judged according to the same high standards as any other scholar’s and will normally go through extensive peer review processes. But it’s also highly rewarding. Seeing your work ‘in print’ is an incredible validation of your PhD research and a definite boost to your academic CV.

Public engagement and communication

Academic work may be associated with the myth of the ‘ivory tower’ – an insular community of experts focussing on obscure topics of little interest outside the university. But this is far from the case. More and more emphasis is being placed on the ‘impact’ of research and its wider benefits to the public – with funding decisions being made accordingly.

Thankfully, there are plenty of opportunities to try your hand at public engagement as a PhD student. Universities are often involved in local events and initiatives to communicate the benefits of their research, ranging from workshops in local schools to public lectures and presentations.

Some PhD programmes include structured training in order to help students with activities such as the above. Your supervisor may also be able to help by identifying suitable conferences and public engagement opportunities, or by involving you in appropriate university events and public engagement initiatives.

These experiences will be an important part of your development as a researchers - and will enhance the value of your PhD regardless of your career plans.

What is a PhD for – and who should study one?

So, you know what a PhD actually is, what’s involved in completing one and what you might get up to whilst you do. That just leaves one final question: should you do a PhD?

Unfortunately, it’s not a question we can answer for you.

A PhD is difficult and uniquely challenging. It requires at least three years of hard work and dedication after you’ve already completed an undergraduate degree (and probably a Masters degree too).

You’ll need to support yourself during those years and, whilst you will be building up an impressive set of skills, you won’t be directly progressing in a career.

But a PhD is also immensely rewarding. It’s your chance to make a genuine contribution to the sum of human knowledge and produce work that other researchers can (and will) build on in future. However obscure your topic feels, there’s really no such thing as a useless PhD.

A PhD is also something to be incredibly proud of. A proportionately tiny number of people go on to do academic work at this level. Whatever you end up doing after your doctorate you’ll have an impressive qualification – and a title to match. What’s more, non-academic careers and professions are increasingly recognising the unique skills and experience a PhD brings.

Other PhDs - do degree titles matter?

The PhD is the oldest and most common form of higher research degree, but a few alternatives are available. Some, such as the DPhil are essentially identical to a PhD. Others, such as the Professional Doctorate or DBA are slightly different. You can find out more in our guide to types of PhD .

Is a PhD for me?

There’s more advice on the value of a PhD – and good reasons for studying one – elsewhere in this section. But the following are some quick tips if you’re just beginning to consider a PhD.

Speak to your lecturers / tutors

The best people to ask about PhD study are people who’ve earned one. Ask staff at your current or previous university about their experience of doctoral research – what they enjoyed, what they didn’t and what their tips might be.

If you’re considering a PhD for an academic career, ask about that too. Are job prospects good in your field? And what’s it really like to work at a university?

Speak to current PhD students

Want to know what it’s like studying a PhD right now? Or what it’s like doing research at a particular university? Ask someone who knows.

Current PhD students were just like you a year or two ago and most will be happy to answer questions.

If you can’t get in touch with any students ‘face to face’, pop over to the Postgraduate Forum – you’ll find plenty of students there who are happy to chat about postgraduate research.

Take a look at advertised projects and programmes

This may seem like a strange suggestion. After all, you’re only going to study one PhD, so what’s the point of reading about lots of others?

Well, looking at the details of different PhD projects is a great way to get a general sense of what PhD research is like. You’ll see what different PhDs tend to have in common and what kinds of unique opportunity might be available to you.

And, with thousands of PhDs in our database , you’re already in a great place to start.

Read our other advice articles

Finally, you can also check out some of the other advice on the FindAPhD website. We’ve looked at some good (and bad) reasons for studying a PhD as well as the value of a doctorate to different career paths.

More generally, you can read our in-depth look at a typical PhD journey , or find out more about specific aspects of doctoral study such as working with a supervisor or writing your dissertation .

We add new articles all the time – the best way to stay up to date is by signing up for our free PhD opportunity newsletter .

Ready to find your PhD?

Head on over to our PhD search listings to learn what opportunities are on offer within your discipline.

Our postgrad newsletter shares courses, funding news, stories and advice

You may also like....

What happens during a typical PhD, and when? We've summarised the main milestones of a doctoral research journey.

The PhD thesis is the most important part of a doctoral degree. This page will introduce you to what you need to know about the PhD dissertation.

This page will give you an idea of what to expect from your routine as a PhD student, explaining how your daily life will look at you progress through a doctoral degree.

PhD fees can vary based on subject, university and location. Use our guide to find out the PhD fees in the UK and other destinations, as well as doctoral living costs.

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The Doctor of Philosophy in Greek and Latin

Requirements for the ph.d. degree in greek and latin.

This page presents the rules and requirements of the Ph.D. in Greek and Latin. The department does not offer an M.A. degree in Greek and Latin, except as a terminal degree (given to students leaving the program who have fulfilled the requirements of an M.A. degree). The following rules apply to students who begin the program with a B.A.; students who enter the program holding an M.A. may have some of the following requirements waived. The Graduate School Handbook should be consulted to ensure complete adherence to all current graduation policies and deadlines. The Ph.D. degree in Greek and Latin is awarded upon successful completion of a program of study in the Latin and Greek languages, literatures, and related subjects. The requirements of the program include courses, language examinations (ancient and modern), the candidacy examination, and the dissertation. Students’ progress is supervised by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) until the appointment of an advisor for each student. The department faculty, upon recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee, may propose terminating a student's enrollment if his or her progress is deemed unsatisfactory.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS  

• Credit hours: A minimum of 80 graduate credit hours beyond the B.A. degree is required to earn a Ph.D. degree. If an M.A. has already been earned by the student, then a minimum of 50 graduate credit hours beyond the M.A. is required. Moreover, the following specific requirements are discrete, that is, one cannot use, say, a seminar to satisfy a survey requirement (unless as specified below), or a seminar to fulfill an ancillary or history requirement. The required courses listed below do not total 80 credits, and students achieve the required minimum number of credits in a variety of ways (additional seminars, courses outside the classics department, independent studies, vel sim.)  
• Survey sequences in Latin and in Greek (6891 and 6892 for either language, for a total of 20 credits) : the student may opt out of one sequence if he or she has passed the language exam of that sequence at the Ph.D. level. In that case, the student will be required to take one graduate seminar in that same language (Greek or Latin) for each semester of the survey sequence.  
• Seminars (18 credits total) : three 7000-level graduate courses in Greek and three 7000-level graduate courses in Latin. A 7000-level course under the Classics heading may count for either a Greek or a Latin seminar based on the nature of the course and the focus of a student’s work. It is expected that from these or other similar courses each student will be able to submit three research papers to the Candidacy Examination Committee that may be discussed during the oral portion of the candidacy examination (see “Research Papers” below).  
• History (3 credits) : One course offered by the Department of History, whether in Greek, Roman, or relevant medieval, Byzantine, or Near Eastern history.  
• Ancillary field (3 credits) : One course in an ancillary discipline, which may be on but not limited to Greek or Latin paleography, linguistics, epigraphy, topography, literary theory, art and archaeology, ancient philosophy, ancient religion, and Near Eastern languages and cultures. The DGS will determine which courses fulfill the Ancillary Requirement.

LANGUAGE EXAMINATIONS  

• Once students pass the examination in a language at the Ph.D. level they do not have to take it again in that language. Students are expected to pass at the M.A. level normally by the end of their first year in the program and at the Ph.D. level at the end of their second year at most or at the start of the third year. For incoming students beginning the program, the examination results are used for diagnostic and advising purposes, though if they pass at any level those positive results are valid.  
• Modern language competence: Students must acquire reading proficiency in French and German before taking their candidacy examination. The advisor can require or advise a student to acquire reading proficiency in an additional language if deemed necessary for the field in which dissertation research is to be conducted. Unless students are native speakers of these languages, they will be required to pass one-hour translation examinations (with dictionary) set by the department. Students may prepare for these exams on their own or by taking OSU’s language courses (German 6101 and 6102, French 6571 and 6572). Students for whom English is not their native language may also use a modern dictionary in their native language, e.g., Russian-English.

THE CANDIDACY EXAM + DISSERTATION PROSPECTUS  

• Appointment and function of the advisor: The DGS initially serves as the advisor for all students in the program. As students begin to prepare for the candidacy examination, they select an advisor in consultation with the DGS. The advisor helps the student form a Candidacy Exam Committee, which he/she chairs, and, when the examination has been passed, facilitates the formation of a Dissertation Committee (of which the advisor may or may not become the Chair). The student can change advisors at any time.  
• Scope and function: The candidacy examination tests depth of knowledge in four specialized fields spanning different areas and disciplines (see below) that are pertinent to the student’s research interests (in preparation for dissertation work) and desired professional qualifications. It also tests the ability to interpret literature, to analyze problems, and to discuss interpretation and analysis in writing and orally. Students are expected to pass the candidacy examination no later than the end of their fourth year in the program. Students who do not pass the candidacy examination on the initial attempt must retake and pass it within one semester of the first attempt.  
• Timing:  The normal pattern for the candidacy exam and prospectus defense is to hold both within a single semester: written candidacy exams should be sat early in the semester, the oral exam toward the middle of the semester (and no more than four weeks after the last written exam), thus leaving time for the prospectus defense to be held within six weeks of the candidacy exam and before the end of the semester. Prospectus defenses must be held in term-time, between 8am and 4pm.  
• The Candidacy Examination Committee is created by the student and his or her advisor and with the approval of the DGS. The Candidacy Examination Committee consists of four faculty members, including the student’s advisor, who will serve as the chair of the Committee. The composition of the Candidacy Examination Committee may be changed only by the advisor in consultation with the student and the DGS.  
• Research papers:  Three papers that qualify as research papers shall be submitted to the Committee, whether they were written in seminars, other courses, or independent research. Each student should ask the professor for whom the paper was written (or the best qualified professor in our department, if written outside our courses) to evaluate whether it fulfills research criteria and confirm this via e-mail. The student will forward this confirmation to the DGS and the Academic Programs Coordinator to be entered into the student’s Record of Examinations. The papers may be discussed at the oral portion of the examination (see below).
• Copies of the exams should be deposited with the Academic Programs Coordinator. The examination in each of the four fields will last for three hours, and these segments of the examination may be taken in combination or separately, in accordance with the rules of the Graduate School Handbook. All portions of the Written Examination must be completed to the satisfaction of the Committee before the candidate may proceed to the oral portion of the examination. The chair of the Committee will discuss with the student the Committee's evaluation and advise the student regarding his or her option to continue with the oral portion of the examination. If the student fails the examination at this point and if the Committee grants the student permission to take the examination a second time, the student must retake the failed sections of the Written Examination; an oral portion must be included in the second attempt. All completed examinations become a permanent part of the student's file.  
• The oral portion of the candidacy examination is administered and evaluated by the Candidacy Examination Committee. To schedule the oral exam, the student must submit an Application for Candidacy  in GRADFORMS and have this approved by his or her program and advisor at least two weeks before the proposed date. Exams can begin no earlier than 7:30am and no later than 3:30pm. Exams are scheduled for two hours and can only be held at an authorized campus location, Monday through Friday, any day the university is open. Last day to complete the oral exam is the last weekday before the semester commencement. The examination itself will not exceed two hours and will be normally administered within one week of the completion of the written portion. The oral examination will explore the student's fields of expertise and interest as reflected in the four areas of examination, the research papers submitted to the Committee, and the written examination, but it will not necessarily be confined to the topics addressed there. The student will be orally informed as to whether he or she passed the Candidacy Examination immediately after the oral examination.  
• The dissertation prospectus: Each student admitted to Candidacy must submit a written dissertation prospectus to his or her Dissertation Committee within six weeks of completing the candidacy examination. The entire Dissertation Committee needs to provide feedback and approve the prospectus in order for the dissertation to proceed. The student will also arrange with the department's Lecture Committee to make an oral presentation of the prospectus before the department.

THE DISSERTATION  

Once a student has completed the candidacy examination and has been admitted to Candidacy (i.e., is ABD), he or she begins work on the dissertation. While working on this project, students continue to earn credit hours, typically three credits of dissertation research (Greek or Latin 8999) per semester. The dissertation is the culminating experience of the Ph.D. program, in which the student writes a substantial work of innovative scholarship. The dissertation is developed in close coordination with the student’s advising committee, and it usually becomes the foundation of a student’s professional academic profile.

• The Dissertation Committee: The Candidacy Examination Committee will be modified to serve as the Dissertation Committee, though changes can be made to its composition at this stage by the student and advisor in consultation with the DGS. According to University regulations, the chair of the Dissertation Committee must be a member of the Classics Department. The other two members may be from outside the department, but must be OSU faculty. A committee may have more than three members, and professors from outside OSU may be added (this requires special paperwork).  
• The dissertation: Rules governing the dissertation may be found in the Graduate School Handbook. In accordance with those rules, a student must submit the final copy of his or her dissertation within five years of being admitted to Candidacy. The student must submit an  Application to Graduate  in GRADFORMS  at start of the semester they are planning to graduate.   
• Final oral examination: Rules governing the final oral examination may be found in the Graduate School Handbook. The student must submit an  Application for Final Examination  in GRADFORMS  and have this approved by his or her program and advisor at least two weeks before the proposed date. Exams can begin no earlier than 7:30am and no later than 3:30pm. Exams are scheduled for two hours and can only be held at an authorized campus location, Monday through Friday, any day the university is open. The following departmental rules and procedures also apply: the final oral examination is held after the dissertation has been approved by all members of the Dissertation Committee. The examination deals intensively with the field of the candidate's dissertation. The dissertation defense will be open to all members of the department and, space permitting, to the general public. The date will be announced in advance and a copy of the submitted dissertation will be made available to faculty and students for previous consultation. Only members of the Dissertation Committee are allowed to be present at the discussion of the candidate's performance and to participate in the decision about the outcome of the examination. The student is considered to have completed the final oral examination successfully only when the decision of the final oral examination committee is unanimously affirmative.

Terminal M.A.

If a student leaves the program before obtaining the Ph.D., a terminal M.A. degree may be provided upon the fulfillment of the following requirements: completion of credit hours required by the College to grant an M.A. degree; completion of specific courses required by our program (consult with the DGS for these); passing at least one of the Greek and Latin examinations at the M.A. level. If the student has not passed the other language at the M.A. level, the student may submit a research paper on a topic that engages with texts in that language.

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Whom should we really call a “doctor”?

This is in response to the News article by Roger Collier. 1 These days many health professionals use the title “doctor.” Indeed, The Canadian Press Stylebook now decrees that the title of doctor should be reserved for physicians. Physicians, surgeons, dentists, chiropodists, university professors and, in some countries, pharmacists describe themselves as doctors. This raises the question — are they? To answer this question, one has to examine that title from both linguistic and historical standpoints.

The word doctor is derived from the Latin verb “docere,” meaning to teach, or a scholar. Only by special arrangement do any of the preceding professionals teach. Only university professors with a doctoral degree normally teach at a university. Historically speaking, the title doctor was invented in the Middle Ages to describe eminent scholars. These doctorates date back to the 1300s. Such people were accorded a lot of respect and prestige.

The PhD, or Doctor of Philosophy, is the highest graduate degree awarded by our universities.

Health professionals receive undergraduate degrees in medicine. These are professional degrees, and not really doctorates. The MD degree is not a part of graduate faculties at North American universities.

It has now become fashionable to award so-called Doctor of Law degrees to undergraduate law school graduates in the form of a Juris Doctor or JD degree, including at the University of Windsor. These, too, are merely undergraduate degrees.

Because of the respect and prestige, medical schools, particularly in Scotland, started to address their graduates as doctors in the 17th century. The argument was that graduates of such schools obtain a bachelor’s degree before joining medical school. There are problems with such logic, namely, a degree past a bachelor’s degree could potentially be a master’s degree, but not a doctoral degree.

A doctoral degree (PhD) is a degree that one earns after a master’s degree. A PhD entitles a person to use the title doctor. These are the social and physical scientists who conduct and evaluate published research. A PhD degree is normally obtained after six to eight years of hard work past the bachelor’s degree.

When we are asked in a physician’s or a dentist’s office what kind of doctor we are, we respond, “the real one.” We are the ones who teach the others.

We hope that this contribution helps in clearing up the confusion in the community about the title doctor.

The Canadian Press should change its policy and stylebook to reflect these facts and this history.

This contribution should not be construed as an attack on any professional or group of professionals. The main purpose here is to educate the public.

Competing interests: None declared.

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Department of Greek and Latin

• Graduate Programs
• Greek and Latin (Ph.D.)

Ph.D. in Greek and Latin

Comprehensive examinations, ph.d. procedures and forms.

This program as a whole emphasizes the cultures that utilized the Greek and Latin languages from the classical (at the M.A. level) through the late antique and medieval (at the Ph.D. level) eras.  Our faculty and students are deeply interested in ancient texts and ideas, and also in the reception and transformation of those modes of thought and expression in later periods.

Scholarly context

This later emphasis at the doctoral level reflects the department's reputation as a center for the study of Christian Greek and Latin, and is exemplified by two series of published dissertations it has sponsored over the years, Patristic Studies and Studies in Medieval and Renaissance Latin Language and Literature , and by The Fathers of the Church , a well-known series of English translations published by The Catholic University of America Press and long associated with this department.

This unique heritage in the study of late antiquity and the medieval period, which is shared by other departments and programs at the university, has also been responsible for the development of a number of projects undertaken by the university press, notably Studies in Christian Antiquity , Medieval Latin: An Introduction and Bibliographical Guide , and the Catalogus translationum et commentariorum , a series devoted to the medieval and Renaissance translations of ancient Greek authors and the Latin commentaries on ancient Greek and Latin authors up to the year 1600. A current initiative is The Library of Early Christianity , a series of texts with facing-page translations.

The Department of Greek and Latin also participates enthusiastically in the university's Center for Medieval and Byzantine Studies and Center for the Study of Early Christianity .

List of Degree Requirements

Language placement exams

• Taken upon entry into the program; used for placement purposes only

M.A. degree (30 cr / 10 courses total

• The M.A. program in Greek and Latin (30 cr) or an approved M.A. from another institution

Courses (24 cr / 8 courses total)

• CLAS 572, Mediterranean World of Late Antiquity (3 cr)
• 3 approved courses in Greek texts (9 cr total)
• 3 approved courses in Latin texts (9 cr total)
• 1 other approved course (3 cr total)

Examinations

• Modern language examination in French or German ( + any other relevant languages)
• Doctoral comprehensive examinations (3 parts)

Dissertation

• Dissertation proposal (presented at departmental colloquium)
• Doctoral dissertation

Following the modern language exam(s) required for the Ph.D., the doctoral comprehensive exams include a minor field (essay) and a two-part major field (translation and essay). Both of these are customized to the student's goals and interests.

A number of degree procedures for the Ph.D. in Greek and Latin are department-specific or require particular actions at the university level. We outline these for you here.

Graduate and Certificate Handbook

Our Graduate and Certificate Handbook gathers into one place most of the departmental information that our students will need throughout their careers at Catholic University.

•  CONFLUENCE-Secure Site

• Doctoral Program
• Ph.D. Fields
• Language Exams
• Fellowships and Financial Aid
• Dissertations-in-Progress
• Award Announcements
• Graduate Handbook
• Annual Newsletter
• Doctoral Students
• Graduate History Association
• Masters Programs
• Classical Studies

The Graduate Program

 fields of study.

Like all major history departments in this country, we divide our graduate program into fields, most of which reflect the geographic and chronological boundaries that have traditionally organized historical research in the West, but others of which cross those boundaries (such as sociomedical sciences, Jewish history, and International & Global History).Those boundaries continue to define most faculty positions in American history departments. Every prospective Columbia student thus applies to work in a specific field. There are 13 of them, each of which has slightly different requirements:

• Early Modern Europe (1350-1750)
• International and Global History
• Jewish History
• Latin America
• Medieval Europe
• Middle East
• Modern Europe
• Socio-Medical Sciences
• United States

Prospective students should realize, however, that our history department, like many others, also provides opportunities for students to embrace broader lines of inquiry- both within and across traditional divisions by field. We urge our students, first, to explore the convergence of different methodological and theoretical approaches to history- to explore, for example, the intersections between political and social history, or the connections between diplomatic, cultural, and intellectual history. And we encourage our students, second, to consider research that moves beyond the period and place associated with their field. We continue to emphasize deep training in source analysis and empirical research,which are the foundations of professional history-writing. But we also urge students to take on research projects that situate their particular time or place in historical processes that decisively cross traditional boundaries.

We welcome applications, therefore,from students with strong interests in particular fields, who are eager to immerse themselves in the records of particular cultures and are prepared to acquire the techniques necessary for such work (languages and, for certain subjects, such specialized skills as paleography, statistics, or even musical training). But we also encourage applications from students who want as well to think about their work in terms of longer histories and broader theoretical questions.

Faculty members at Columbia conduct research and train students in several such broad, transnational areas, including:

• International history, emphasizing imperial and post-imperial histories from the 1500s forward
• Western intellectual history, medieval to modem
• Diasporic Jewish history
• Ethics and public health
• Women’s history and the history of gender
• Social and political history of the West, including history of markets, commercial culture, labor, and associated legal institutions
• The international history of race, slavery, and emancipation
• The international history of the Cold War and other systems of geopolitics
• The history of science and technology
• The global history of medicine, disease, and public health

However they define their fields, history students are not confined to the resources of our department. They are, rather, encouraged to look beyond our walls to other areas of the university or to other institutions in the New York metropolitan area.

In addition to Columbia’s fine departments in associated disciplines, such as languages and literature, art history, music, philosophy, sociology, political science, or anthropology, Columbia has a wide range of energetic interdisciplinary institutes that provide formal and informal training to graduate students throughout the university, among them the Harriman Institute for Soviet and Post-Soviet Studies , the Middle Eastern Institute , the Institute for Research on Women and Gender , and the East Asian Institute  (along with the Department of East Asian Languages and Culture ). Columbia’s School of Public Health, which offers a Ph.D. in the history of medicine and public health in association with our department; the Law School, with which we offer a joint Ph.D./J.D. program; Teachers College; and the School of International and Public Affairs are four of Columbia’s many professional schools that offer courses and other intellectual opportunities to enhance a student’s training in the history department.

Columbia history students are also entitled to take courses at no additional cost at other area universities through the Inter-University Doctoral Consortium , such as NYU, the New School, CUNY Graduate Center, Stonybrook, Fordham, Princeton, and Rutgers .

Whatever larger interests a student may have or may develop, each enters the history program through a particular field. The Graduate Student Handbook lists the thirteen fields and details the specific requirements for each (the principal differences concern language requirements, orals preparation,and seminars). Students and their advisors may, however, agree on adjustments to those requirements in response to a student’s particular interests. Students should also keep in mind that they can formally change fields, with faculty permission, and consequently adjust their programs to reflect their particular needs.

Translation of "PHD" into Latin

Sample translated sentence: In June 1938, he obtained his PhD from the Department of Mathematics at Princeton; his dissertation, Systems of Logic Based on Ordinals, introduced the concept of ordinal logic and the notion of relative computing, where Turing machines are augmented with so-called oracles, allowing the study of problems that cannot be solved by Turing machines. ↔ Mense Iunio 1938 gradum Ph.D. apud Princetonienses obtinuit; eius dissertatio notionem computationis relativae? proposuit, ubi machinae Turing machinis oraculi adiuvantur, ut liceant studia quaestionum quae machina Turing solvi non possunt.

Alternative form of [i]Ph.D. [/i] [..]

Automatic translations of " PHD " into Latin

"phd" in english - latin dictionary.

Currently we have no translations for PhD in the dictionary, maybe you can add one? Make sure to check automatic translation, translation memory or indirect translations.

Computer generated translations

medicus (@6 : fr: docteur es: doctor de: Doktor )

medica (@4 : fr: docteur de: Doktor pl: doktor )

clinicus (@4 : fr: docteur es: doctor de: Doktor )

doctor (@2 : es: doctor de: Doktor )

thesis (@2 : fr: thèse el: διατριβή )

tractatus (@1 : el: διατριβή )

promotio (@1 : de: Promotion )

exconspuere (@1 : ja: はく )

conspuere (@1 : ja: はく )

vomitare (@1 : ja: はく )

sputare (@1 : ja: はく )

promovere (@1 : de: Promotion )

vomere (@1 : ja: はく )

detractatus (@1 : el: διατριβή )

doctoratus (@1 : pt: doutorado )

spuere (@1 : ja: はく )

Translations of "PHD" into Latin in sentences, translation memory