Academic degree
Doctoral degrees or doctorates, such as the Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD or DPhil) or Doctor of Education (EdD or DEd) are awarded following a programme of original research that contributes new knowledge within the context of the student's discipline. Doctoral degrees usually take three years full-time. Therefore, in the UK it may only take seven years to progress from undergraduate to doctoral level – in some cases six, since having a Master's is not always a precondition for embarking on a doctoral degree. This contrasts with nine years in the United States, reflecting differences in the educational systems.
Bachelor of Philosophy
Today's Oxford B.Phil. course is a two-year programme of seminars, six essays (of up to 5000 words each) and a research thesis (max. 30,000 words). The B.Phil. is regarded as a very demanding degree, and an academic background in philosophy is a prerequisite for admission.