in the united states, the dps was once considered by the united states department of education and the national science foundation (nsf) to be a research doctorate equivalent to the ph.d. along with the doctor of education, the doctor of social science, the doctor of applied science, and the doctor of library science, the nsf no longer includes the dps in its periodic survey of earned doctorates (sep) report, a statistical report on the number and range of research doctorates awarded in the united states. [see: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates/ and https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/sed/2012/start.cfm, appendix table a1]. the dps was dropped from the report in 2005. in new york state, the doctor of professional studies is an official degree title applicable to doctoral programs with a professional focus in a variety of disciplines.