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.
Doctor of Sacred Theology
The degree builds upon the work of the Bachelor of Sacred Theology (STB) and the Licentiate of Sacred Theology (STL). Normally, the STB is earned in three years, provided the candidate has at least two years of undergraduate study of philosophy before entering an STB program (if not, the STB will take five years; "Sapientia Christiana" assumes this to be the normal situation). The STL is normally earned in an additional two years, and the STD is earned after the writing, defense and publication of the doctoral dissertation (an additional 2–3 years). At institutions that offer both civil and church doctorates, the requirements of the STD will usually—although not always—be shaped so that those reading for the award can receive a ThD or PhD in the process of meeting the requirements of the STD.