Definitions for "Ph.D"
See Doctorate.
The Doctor of Philosophy degree, a research degree, the curriculum for which usually involves coursework, special and general examinations, a major research project leading to the writing of a dissertation, and defense of the dissertation. The Ph.D. can require between three, six, or seven years to complete, depending on the discipline, institutional policies, and the student's preparedness.
Post Masters study with completion for a dissertation.
Pharmacopoea Dublinensis, 1850.