How Long Do You Have to Go to School for a Doctorate?

A doctorate is the highest academic degree available from colleges and universities. The degree requires prior undergraduate studies, extensive reading, critical thinking and research skills, as well as great dedication. Earning a doctorate can require four to 10 years of school beyond the time required for an undergraduate degree, which typically requires four years.

Time Frame

The New York Times reported in 2007 that doctoral students take an average of 8.2 years to complete their degrees, and some take even longer.

Prerequisite Education

Entering a doctoral program requires at least a bachelor's degree and sometimes a master's. A bachelor's degree requires about four years to complete, while a master's takes one to two years. This means four to six years of college work before even beginning doctoral studies.

Study Requirements

Doctoral programs include required coursework (usually one to two years) and one or more comprehensive examinations. Students then must complete a doctoral thesis or dissertation.

Dissertation

The dissertation demonstrates a student's ability to pursue an independent research project. As a final doctoral examination, a student must defend the completed dissertation to a committee of faculty.

Warning

The dissertation appears at first to be a challenge, a steep hill to climb. For many students, however, the steep hill becomes one of the Himalayas. The dissertation is usually the reason many doctoral students take so long to complete their degrees.

Shortening the Timeframe

According to The New York Times, some universities are using various means to shorten the time needed to complete a doctorate. These measures include stricter deadlines and writing groups for students preparing dissertations.

References

• Shortening the Ascent to a Doctorate

Resources

• Resources for Ph.Ds