In most cases, a Doctorate degree is considered to be the highest level of degree one can earn. To earn a Doctorate, a person must prove that they are an expert in their particular field. This usually is done with the publication of research in peer-reviewed journal or other professional publication. With the research, the person in question must also present and defend a thesis or dissertation, though this can sometimes be waved in view of a large amount of quality, published work. In any case, a person attempting to earn a Doctorate must, in at least a modest way, contribute to human knowledge.
• Doctor of Philosophy - Better known by the abbreviation Ph.D, this degree has become the most commonly presented Doctorate Degree over the last century. It is given to students who have studied any of a number disciplines in the sciences and humanities.
• Doctor of Dental Surgery - The DDS degree is one of only a few that are awarded to students who wish to practice denistry.
• Doctor of Computer Science - This degree enables a student to enter into one of the fastest growing career fields today. It includes studies of such subjects as distributed computing and networking, optimization, natural language processing, computer graphics, and neural networks.
• Doctor of Chiropractic - In order to practice chiropractic medicine, this is the degree that must first be obtained.
• Doctor of Juridical Science - This is the highest law degree attainable in the United States.
• Doctor of Optometry - This degree is necessary for a graduate to become certified as an optometrist.
• Doctor of Medicine - Usually refered to as an MD, this is the degree needed to become a practicing Medical Doctor. Even after this degree is earned, there are still several more requirements to complete before a graduate is awarded full doctor status.
• Doctor of Social Work - This degree is usually reserved for already experienced social workers who want to further their careers by gaining a higher level of education and training in advanced practice, teaching and supervision, reasearch, and policy analysis.
