In many disciplines of the humanities, for instance, art history, and in the theoretical branches of the natural sciences, like theoretical physics, the research discovery requirement of a PhD may result in a new interpretation or a new explanation of already existing facts. But a PhD student in neurobiology, in addition to acquiring a broad knowledge base in the subject, is asked to discover some new fact about the brain before he can get his diploma. No one will ask a medical student or a law student to make a discovery in order to get her degree.
Whereas the doctorate degrees in medicine and law, known as the MD and the JD, respectively, require students to study and pass exams on what is already known in their fields, the PhD requires a substantial original contribution of new knowledge through research. The degree originated in the 19th century when the word “philosophy” had the much broader meaning of “love of wisdom,” and so it exists in neurobiology, physics, French literature, and many other academic disciplines, as well as in what we now call philosophy. Congratulations to the Class of 2014! As students across the country graduate, let’s take a quick look at the degree that most of us at Neuwrite West either already have or wish to have: the PhD.Ībbreviated from the Latin philosophiae doctor, meaning “doctor of philosophy,” the PhD is the highest degree that a student can attain in most fields, with the notable exceptions of law and medicine that have their own doctorates.
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