DPhil vs PhD

They are the same.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PhD

Reply 2

pwaring

OP

2

I thought they were the same, but that doesn't really explain why some universities use DPhil but the majority use PhD - I would have thought they would have standardised on one or the other by now.

Reply 3

ChemistBoy

pwaring

I thought they were the same, but that doesn't really explain why some universities use DPhil but the majority use PhD - I would have thought they would have standardised on one or the other by now.

Well trying to get oxford to adopt an american custom will never be easy or fast...

Reply 4

hobnob

14

pwaring

I thought they were the same, but that doesn't really explain why some universities use DPhil but the majority use PhD - I would have thought they would have standardised on one or the other by now.

Well, there's nothing to standardise, though, is there? They're just two names for the same thing, but they can't really be confused with anything else. I'd say it would make far more sense to standardise the meaning of 'MPhil', as that can actually be misleading.

Edit: bizarre typo.

Reply 5

ChemistBoy

hobnob

Well, there's nothing to standardise, though, is there? They're just two names for the same thing, but they can't really be confused with anything else. I'd say it would make far more sense to standardise the meaning of 'MPhil', as that can actually be misleading.

Edit: bizarre typo.

To be honest the PhD/DPhil is a hell of a lot more standardised in name compared to most other degrees!

Reply 6

DPhil and PhD translate into doctor of philosophy and philosophy doctor - outside of their initialled format the title of qualifications are less ambiguous. I suppose it's similar to the way BEd (Hons) QTS and BA (Education) QTS present i.e. different initialing but same status (i.e. a bachelors degree leading to qualified teacher status).

Why on earth Britain adopted an American title without the American format is beyond me. American PhDs are nothing like British PhDs

Reply 7

Alan Smithee

What a pointless thread.

Reply 8

Phoenix Wright

8

DPhil, as has been pointed out, is simply the abbreviation for PhD backwards (sorta). Interestingly, Harvard and MIT give out SM and AM (instead of MSc or MA) which follows the same trend as the DPhil.

Reply 9

bunch of wanky backwards muppets

Reply 10

cubes

1

The Boosh

Why on earth Britain adopted an American title without the American format is beyond me. American PhDs are nothing like British PhDs

Just out of curiosity, what is the difference?

Reply 11

American PhDs are twice as long at British PhDs and contain a heavy amount of taught elements (perhaps akin to our masters and our undergrad studies). A PhD in the UK is a pure research qualification, but in the states there is much more to it. I suppose, in the social sciences, the length of time is increasing: imagine a general BSc (Hons) in psychology, an MSc in developmental biopsychology, then a further MSc/MRes in research methodology - necessary for funding, then then PhD = 3 years undergrad + 5 years postgrad. Or, BSc, MSc, DClinPsych then PhD (a common route for lecturers in clinical psychology).

Reply 12

shady lane

A US PhD is a research qualification; the reason for the teaching is that it's usually an MA+PhD combined. If you complete the taught portion and don't do the research, you get an MA.

Reply 13

so how are the extra years divided up? how many years do you spend on taught elements and on research elements?

Reply 14

hermaphrodite

15

they're both the same thing

Reply 15

shady lane

The Boosh

so how are the extra years divided up? how many years do you spend on taught elements and on research elements?

1-2 years on teaching, but many PhD programs will allow students to place out of that if they have an MA/MSc in a related subject.

Reply 16

so, if a fresh graduate in the states embarks on a phd, the first 1-2 years are spent studying a masters, whilst the next 4-5 are spent on research? 4-5 years sounds like a long time, is it pure research during this time, like the british phds?

Reply 17

shady lane