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.
Master of Philosophy
In Norway, the degree of M.Phil is a 'standard' Master's degree (120 ECTS credits) at a level equivalent to an M.A. or M.Sc. However, unlike a standard MA or MSc, which have a thesis worth 30 ECTS, the M.Phil has a research workload of 60 ECTS. Upon completion, the M.Phil graduate usually qualifies for acceptance to a Ph.D program. Nevertheless, the M.Phil is most often taken as a standalone qualification. The M.Phil is not a common degree in Norway; most universities award an M.A. (in humanities or social sciences) or M.Sc. (in technical and scientific subjects) degrees.