<P> A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph. D, or DPhil; Latin Philosophiae Doctor) is the highest academic degree awarded by universities in most countries . Ph. D.s are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields . The completion of a Ph. D. is often a requirement for employment as a university professor, researcher, or scientist in many fields . Individuals who have earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree may, in most jurisdictions, use the title of "Doctor" (often abbreviated "Dr") or, in non-English speaking countries, variants such as "Dr. phil ." with their name, and may use post-nominal letters such as "Ph. D .", "PhD" or "DPhil" (depending on the awarding institute). </P> <P> The requirements to earn a Ph. D. degree vary considerably according to the country, institution, and time period, from entry - level research degrees to higher doctorates . During the studies that lead to the degree, the student is called a doctoral student or Ph. D. student; a student who has completed all of their coursework and comprehensive examinations and is working on their thesis / dissertation is sometimes known as a doctoral candidate or Ph. D. candidate (see: all but dissertation). A student attaining this level may be granted a Candidate of Philosophy degree at some institutions . </P>

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