United Kingdom List of doctoral degrees awarded by country

1 united kingdom

1.1 first doctorates

1.1.1 subject specialist doctorates
1.1.2 doctorates publication
1.1.3 professional , practice-based (or practitioner) doctorates


1.2 higher doctorates
1.3 honorary doctorates
1.4 no longer awarded

united kingdom

first doctorates

graduate-entry degrees in candidate must prepare (usually on period of 3 or 4 years full-time, under supervision of more experienced researcher) thesis or other portfolio of publishable research, demonstrating contribution knowledge in chosen field. quality assurance agency categorises doctorates 3 types: subject specialist doctorates , doctorates publication , , professional , practice-based (or practitioner) doctorates . doctorates in last category, such edd, dclinpsych, dba , engd, have greater emphasis on applied research , professional practice, still contain substantial research component.

subject specialist doctorates

doctor of philosophy (phd or dphil)
engineering doctorate (engd)
european doctorate (doceuro)
doctor of musical arts (dma)

doctorates publication

doctor of philosophy publication or published works (phd or dphil)

professional , practice-based (or practitioner) doctorates

generic titles:

doctor of work-based learning (dprof)
professional doctorate (profdoc, dprof or prof.d)
doctor of professional practice/doctorate in professional practice (dprof)
doctor of professional studies (dprof or dps)

health, medicine , related subjects:

professional doctorate in advanced healthcare practice (dahp)
doctor of applied education , child physchology (ap.ed , childpsy d)
doctor of applied educational psychology (professional training) (dappedpsy)
doctor of applied psychology (education) (dapppsyed)
doctor of clinical psychology (dclinpsy or dclinpsych)
doctor of clinical science–psychotherapy (dclinsci–psychotherapy)
doctor of counselling psychology (dcounspsy)
doctor of dental surgery (dds)
doctor of dental science (ddsc)
doctor of educational psychology (dedpsy)
doctor of forensic psychology practice (foren.psy.d or dforenpsy)
doctor of health research (dhres)
doctor of health science (hscd)

doctor of health science (clinical) (hscd (clin))


doctor of health studies (dhs)
doctor of medicine (md or md (res)) (in universities degree first doctorate, although classify higher doctorate.)
doctor of occupational psychology (doccpsych)
doctor of psychology (dpsych)
doctor of public health (drph)
professional doctorate in workplace health , wellbeing (docwhw)

other subjects:

doctor of architecture (darch)
professional doctorate in architecture, design , built environment (darch)
professional doctorate in agriculture , food (dagrifood)
doctor of business administration (dba)
doctor of built environment (dbenv)
doctor in civil engineering (engd)
doctor in construction (engd)
doctor of construction management (dconsmgt)
doctorate in creative arts (dcreative)
professional doctorate in criminal justice (dcrimj)
doctorate in criminology , criminal justice (dccj)
professional doctorate in applied criminology (dappcrim)
professional doctorate in data science (ddatasci)
doctorate in design/doctor of design (ddes)
doctor of digital media (ddm)
doctor of education/professional doctorate in education (edd)
doctor of engineering (engd or deng)
doctor of fashion industry (dfi)
doctor of fine art (dart)
doctorate in fine arts/doctor of fine art (dfa)
doctorate in heritage (dheritage)
doctor of legal practice (dlegalprac)
professional doctorate in applied linguistics (dappling)
doctor of management (dman)
doctor of ministry (dmin)
doctorate in music (dmus)
doctor of musical arts (dma or amusd)
doctor of practical theology (dpt)
doctor of public management (dpm)
doctor of public policy (dpp)
professional doctorate in policy research , practice (dprp)
doctor of real estate (drealest)
professional doctorate in security risk management (dsyrm)
doctor of social , public policy (sppd)
doctor of social practice (dsocprac)
doctor of social science/doctorate in social science (dsocsci)
doctor of social work (dsw)
doctorate in sport , exercise (dse)
doctor of theology (thd)
professional doctorate in pastoral theology (dpt)
doctor of practical theology (dpt)
professional doctorate in practical theology (dpractheol or dthm)
professional doctorate in veterinary science (dvet)
doctor of veterinary medicine (dvm)
doctor of veterinary science (dvet med, dvsc or dvs)

higher doctorates

higher doctorates awarded established academics in recognition of substantial body of original research undertaken on course of many years. typically, candidate submit collection of work has been published in peer-reviewed context and/or specialist textbooks , pay examination fee. university assembles committee of academics, both internal , external, review work submitted , decide whether candidate has satisfied requirements award.

doctor of arts (darts)
doctor of civil law (dcl)
doctor of design (ddes) (also offered professional doctorate.)
doctor of divinity (dd)
doctor of laws (lld)
doctor of law (lld)
doctor of letters (dlitt or littd)
doctor of literature (dlit)

doctor of literature (education) (dlit (ed))


doctor of medicine (dm) (this more commonly doctorate thesis, similar phd; remains higher doctorate formally @ oxford enquiry in 2016 has recommended changed. note first professional medical degree in uk bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery.)
doctor of medical science (dmedsc of medscd)
doctor of dental science (ddsc)
doctor of music (dmus or musd)
doctor of science (dsc or scd)

doctor of science (economics) (dsc (econ))
doctor of science (engineering) (dsc (eng))
doctor of science (medicine) (dsc (med))
doctor of science (social sciences) (dsc(socsc))


doctor of technology (dtech)
doctor of engineering (deng)

higher doctorates can awarded honorary degrees, these differentiated equivalent degrees earned presenting body of work reviewed.

honorary doctorates

all levels of degree - though of masters -level , above - can awarded honorary degrees. however, universities have degree awarded honoris causa:

doctor of university (duniv)

no longer awarded

doctor of canon law (dcanl) – did not survive reformation.
doctor of hygiene (dhy) – awarded durham university , subsequently newcastle university




^ characteristics statement: doctoral degree (pdf). quality assurance agency. september 2015. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ careers research & advisory centre (january 2016). provision of professional doctorates in english institutions (pdf). hefce. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ european doctorate (doceuro) regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ academic regulations research programmes 2016/17 (pdf). university of salford. july 2016. 
^ tom bourner; rachel bowden; stuart laing (2001). professional doctorates in england . studies in higher education. 26 (1): 65–83. 
^ regulations award of university s degrees of master of philosophy, doctor of philosophy, , professional doctorate (pdf). glasgow caledonian university. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctor of professional practice . university of wales trinity saint david. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctorate in professional practice . swansea university. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctorate in professional studies . university of middlesex. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ ordinance 2: degrees (pdf). university of bradford. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ professional doctorates . cardiff university. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctorate of applied educational psychology (professional training) regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctorate of applied psychology (educational) regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctor of forensic psychology regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ professional doctorate in workplace health , wellbeing (docwhw) regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ code of practice research degrees (pdf). nottingham trent university. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ professional doctorate in education (edd) regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ deng in renewable energy marine structures (epsrc centre doctoral training) . university of oxford. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ professional doctorate in management . university of hertfordshire. retrieved 2017-04-25. 
^ doctor of public management regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ doctor of veterinary medicine , doctor of veterinary surgery regulations . university of nottingham. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ report of review of higher degrees (pdf). university of oxford. 2016. p. 2. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ university of london awards (pdf). university of london. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ cambridge glossary . university of cambridge. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ ordinances , regulations: higher doctorates . university of manchester. june 2007. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ doctor of medicine . university of edinburgh. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ doctor of medicine . university of bath. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ report of review of higher degrees (pdf). university of oxford. 2016. p. 6. retrieved 1 october 2016. 
^ ordinance governing degrees of doctor of engineering, doctor of laws, doctor of letters, doctor of science or doctor of technology (pdf). university of bradford. retrieved 2 october 2016. 
^ nicholas groves (2011). shaw s academical dress of great britain , ireland. burgon society. pp. 46,156–160,302.