Online Doctorate Degrees

A doctorate is an academic degree of the highest level. Traditionally, the award of a doctorate implies that the candidate has reached the level of the academic he or she studied under, the student has reached the master.

In general, there are three types of doctorate degrees: research, first-professional, and honorary. Research doctorate degrees are nearly always awarded in recognition of academic research that is of a publishable standard (even if not actually published) and represents at least a modest contribution to human knowledge. It is usually assessed by submission and defense of a doctoral thesis or dissertation, though in some cases a coherent body of published literature can be accepted instead.

First-Professional Doctorate Degrees
According to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, first-professional doctoral degrees are first (and often only) degrees in a given field and include: Chiropractic, Dentistry, Law, Medicine, Optometry, Osteopathy, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Podiatry, Psychology and Veterinary medicine. There are many others. It is widely accepted that to begin pursuing any of these doctorate degrees, the student should at least already have a bachelor's degree.

The title of Doctor is used both by and of those holding research doctorates or some professional (usually medical) degrees, but according to convention is not used by or of those holding honorary doctorates.

What Doctorate Makes You A Doctor?
In the past, a person with a research doctorate would use the title "Doctor" in an academic or research/development setting, and in publication. However it is becoming more common to use the title if working in a corporate setting.

By far the most common type of research doctorate degree is the Ph.D. (Philosophiæ Doctor or Doctor of Philosophy.) In recent years other types have emerged and become common in their own right, like the Doctor of Education or the Doctor of Business Administration.

Getting A Research Doctorate Degree
The amount of time needed to achieve a research doctorate degree varies, but generally the first year of study is devoted to class work and the subsequent one to three years goes towards a dissertation or thesis that is eventually presented to a team or panel of specialists or academic peers.