اعلی درجه علمی

در رشته‌های علمی یک مدرک نهایی عموماً دکترای فلسفی (پی اچ دی) است. نخستین بخش یک پی اچ دی به یک تا سه سال زمان برای تکمیل نیاز دارد. پس از این دوره یک امتحان جامع یا تعدادی امتحان برگزار می‌شود. با گذراندن این دوران دانشجو وارد یک دوره دو تا چهار ساله می‌شود که طی آن باید یک تز دکترا بنویسد و دانش بشری را در آن زمینه گسترش دهد. این تز دانشگاهی به‌طور متوسط در ۲۵۰ تا ۴۵۰ صفحه نوشته می‌شود.

فهرست مدارک تحقیقاتی که به عنوان مدرک نهایی شناخته می‌شوند

• Doctor of Education (EdD)
• Educational Specialist (EdS)
• Technology:
  • Doctor of Engineering (Dr. -Ing. /DEng/Dr. Eng. /EngD)
  • Doctor of Information Technology (DIT)
  • Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS, MLS, MSLS) (Given in the US, by an ALA accredited school or program.)
  • Doctor of Computer Science (DSc.Comp, DCS, D.C.Sc.), D.C.Sc.)
• مدارک مذهبی:
  • Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
  • Doctor of Theology (ThD or DTh)
• طراحی:
  • Master of Art and Design (MAD)
  • Master of Architecture (M.Arch)
  • Doctor of Architecture (D.Arch)
  • Doctor of Design (DDes)
  • Master of Design (MDes)
  • Master of Landscape Architecture (MLArch and/or MLA)
  • Master of City Planning (MPLAN, MCRP, MUP, MCP, MCD or MURP)
  • Master of Fine Arts (MFA)
  • Master of Graphic Design (MGraph)
• هنر:
  • Doctor of Arts (DA)
  • Doctor of Music (DM or DMus)
  • Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) (Usually awarded to performance majors in the musical arts)
  • Doctor of Modern Languages (DML)
  • Doctor of Philosophy (PhD or DPhil)
  • Doctor of Professional Studies (DPS)
• مدیریت:
  • Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)
  • Doctor of Management (DMgt or DM)
  • Master of Project Management (MPM)
  • Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)
  • Doctor of Economic Development(DED)
• بهداشت:
  • Doctor of Behavioral Health (DBH)
  • Doctor of Healthcare Administration (DHA)
  • Doctor of Health Science (DHSc)
  • Doctor of Medical Physics (DMP)
  • Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
  • Doctor of Occupational Therapy (DOT or OTD)
  • Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)
  • Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)
  • Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)
  • Doctor of Public Health (DrPH, DPH)
  • Doctor of Science (DSc)
  • Doctor of Social Science (DSocSci)
  • Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
• حقوق:
  • Doctor of Canon Law (JCD)
  • Doctor of Juridical Science (JSD/SJD) (in the U.S.)

مدارک حرفه‌ای که به عنوان مدرک نهایی شناخته می‌شوند

• تجارت:
  • Master of Accountancy (MAcc, MAcy, MSAcy)
  • Business Administration (MBA)
• طراحی:
  • Architect (B.Arch, M.Arch, D.Arch)
  • Architectural Engineering (B.A.E, M.A.E)
  • Landscape Architect (BLArch-First Professional Degree)
  • Urban Planning (MPLAN, MCRP, MUP, MCP, MCD or MURP)
• Bachelor of Education or a Bachelor's usable for teaching (BEd), or BA, BME, BSE,BSocSc, BSc
• Engineer/ Engineering (BE, BEng, MEng, BSE, BScEng, BASc)
• بهداشت:
  • Advanced Practice Nurse (DNP, DNAP, DNS, DNSc)
  • Audiologist (MS, or AuD)
  • Master of Health Administration (MHA)
  • Mental Health Counselor (MA, MSc, PhD)
  • Dentist (DMD, BDent, DDS, BDS, BDSc, BChD, CD, Cand.Odont. , Dr.Med.Dent. etc.)
  • Midwife (BMid, BScMid)
  • Nurse (BSN, BSc)
  • Occupational Therapy (OTD, DrOT, or MSOT, MA, MOT)
  • Optometrist (OD, B.Optom)
  • Pharmacist (BPharm, BScPhm, PharmB, MPharm, PharmD)
  • Physical Therapist (DPT, DPhysio, MPT, BSPT)
  • Physician or Surgeon (M.D. , D.O. , MBBS, MDCM, MBChB, BMed, Dr.med, Dr.MuD, Cand.med, etc.).
  • Physician Assistant (MPAS, MPS, MS)
  • Podiatrist (DPM, DP, BPod, PodB, or PodD)
  • Psychologist (PhD, PsyD, ClinPsyD or EdS)
  • Radiation Therapist (BSc, BRad)
  • Radiographer (BSc, BMRSc or BRad)
  • Scientist (BSc, BS)
  • Social worker (BSW, BA, BSc)
  • Speech-Language Pathology (MA, MS)
  • Veterinarian (DVM, VMD, BVS, BVSc, BVMS, etc.)
• Lawyer (LL.B.)
• Minister (MDiv)

مدارک حرفه‌ای پیشرفته

• Education (MEd, MAT, MT, EdS)
• Engineering (MEng, MASc, MMSc, PD)
• بهداشت:
  • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN: CRNA, NP, CNM, CNS) (DNP, DNAP, DNS, DNSc)
  • Biotechnology (ALM)
  • Dental Science (DDSc, Dr.Odont) (advanced degree in countries that award a bachelor's degree in dental surgery as first professional degree, usually awarded for outstanding research to a particular field of Dentistry)
  • Dentistry (MDS, MSD, MDSc, or DClinDent) (these are usually granted at the culmination of a specialty training program in dentistry in those programs that also require research and a thesis to be completed)
  • Medicine (MD) (advanced degree in countries that award a bachelor's degree in medicine or surgery as first professional degree, usually awarded for outstanding research to a particular field of Medicine)** Midwifery (MMid, MScMid)
  • Surgery (MS, MSurg, MCh, ChM, or MChir) (Usually granted after completion of surgery training program in conjunction with a research thesis)
  • Psychology (PsyD)
  • Social Science (DSocSci)
  • Social Work (MSW, DSW, ProfD or PhD)
• Lawyer (LLM, LLD, PhD, JSD, JD, DJur)
• Ministry (DMin)