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.
PhD-MBA
A PhD-MBA or MBA-PhD is a dual degree program offered in some cases by schools of science, engineering or social science, jointly with business schools. The program generally lasts four to eight years and results in the candidate earning both a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree. Students may apply to the joint program before matriculating to either program, or after matriculating to the PhD programme. The programme often attracts entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.