The Road to Gaining a Ph.D. or Ed.D.
Inuniversities in the United States, the highest academic degrees that can beconferred to students are Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) and Doctor of Education(D.Ed.). A doctoral degree, capped by a doctoral thesis at the end of itsrigorous program, represents mastery of a student’s field of study as well astheir contribution to the academe. Here are what you should know about doctoralprograms in graduate schools.
Role of graduate schools – Students who are interested topursue doctoral programs at an American university are faced with two sets ofrequirements: One set by the graduate school and another set by the individualdepartment or specific Ed.D or Ph.D. program within the school. Graduateschools provide broad policies and practices that ensure quality doctoralprograms. Students usually deal directly with the graduate school whenadmitted, as well as when submitting their work for completion and subsequentgraduation.
Preparing for doctoral program thesis – In most doctoralprograms, the first two years of studies provide students with a solidfoundation on advanced knowledge of the field of study. Meanwhile, largerfields like history and chemistry may teach students a few courses in specificfields or areas of concentration. Students generally finish this portion oftheir studies with a general qualifying exam which, if they pass, would makethem a candidate for a doctoral degree.
Gaining expertise – Candidates for doctoral titles areexpected to become experts in their respective specialized fields. In naturalsciences, this knowledge is acquired mainly through extensive laboratory; inother disciplines, if may be acquired through advanced seminars and independentstudy. When necessary work toward specialization is completed, students arethen tested either through a comprehensive test or an oral examination. Passingthis test and meeting all other requirements of the program marks the formalend of class work and the beginning to working on their doctoral thesis.
Proposing a thesis topic – The thesis stage is the finalstep towards completing one’s doctoral studies. The expertise the students haveacquired through original research and scholarship would define theirproficiency as a learned professional. The process starts with selecting athesis adviser, who usually chairs the doctoral committee. A thesis adviser isalso the faculty member who is most knowledgeable about the topic students planto cover in their dissertations. Students and their advisers work together indevising a topic worth researchable and develop it into a dissertationproposal. The dissertation proposal describes the general problem a studentwould be addressing, discusses the relevant scholarly literature, describes andjustifies the methodology to be used, and formulates specific researchquestions. Students would have to defend their proposals before the doctoralcommittee, who will help strengthen the proposed research.
Preparing the doctoral thesis – Sometimes, preparing for adoctoral thesis takes even longer than the classes itself since research is ahighly personal process. Throughout this stage, individual students workclosely with their advisers. It is the adviser’s decision whether your thesisis complete and ready to present to the full committee. There are also doctoralprograms that allow students to prepare their theses in a less traditionalform, such as several article-length studies or publications.
Defending the thesis – The thesis defense is the final stepin the Ed.D./Ph.D. program. Unlike in earlier exams, students are nowconsidered experts on their topic and have to defend their findings against thequestioning of the committee members. Each member evaluates the thesesindividually, but a consensus determines whether a thesis is accepted. Anaccepted thesis will be added to the university library. In the process, thestudent gets awarded with a doctoral degree.