What Can You Get a PhD in? [Doctorate Guide]
By Dr. Brianna Anderson
Edited by Briana Sukert
Updated on October 1, 2024
What can you get a PhD in? This question is frequently asked by people who want to expand their knowledge and unlock new career paths by earning a doctoral degree.
You can earn a PhD in a wide variety of fields, ranging from anthropology to zoology. This guide explores some of the most popular types of PhDs, associated careers, and factors to consider when selecting an online PhD program.
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Colleges and universities offer doctorate programs in a broad range of disciplines, so aspiring PhD students have many options.
The best PhDs to get depend on your professional goals, interests, and previous education. Here are ten of the most common PhDs that people pursue.
Select the program that most interests you to jump to that section of the guide:
The program that’s best for you will depend on your personal interests and professional goals.
You can deepen your understanding of anthropological research methods and theories with a PhD in Anthropology.
Many programs allow doctoral students to specialize in a subfield, such as archeology, biological anthropology, and sociocultural anthropology. Courses vary by program but typically cover data analysis, field research methods, and public archeology.
Graduates who earn this degree may go on to work as college professors, forensic anthropologists, and museum curators.
A PhD in Biology prepares students to contribute new knowledge to the biological sciences. Students can focus on various areas of specialty, including computational biology, ecology, and genetic epidemiology.
These programs often have interdisciplinary curricula that allow students to study advanced biological concepts and research methods. Course subjects may include biochemistry, contemporary biology, molecular neuroscience, and statistics. Current professionals work in bioinformatics, biotech, education, healthcare, and other industries.
A PhD in Business trains business leaders and researchers. Students learn how to use advanced financial models and strategies to solve complex business issues.
Business PhD programs frequently teach subjects like accounting, consumer behavior, industrial organization, and microeconomics. Additionally, they cover research methods like econometrics and statistical analysis.
Graduates can use their business knowledge and skills to become business consultants, C-suite executives, economists, and professors.
You can enrich your understanding of the human psyche with a PhD in Clinical Psychology. This degree focuses on researching mental health issues and psychological science. Students also learn how to apply their knowledge in clinical settings.
Typically, courses cover adult psychopathology, clinical interviewing, professional ethics, and psychological assessment. Students may also be required to complete clinical practicums. Graduates often pursue careers as child psychologists, neuropsychologists, and medical psychologists.
A PhD in Computer Science allows students to expand their knowledge of advanced computer systems and theories.
Curricula often cover a broad range of topics, like algorithms, data management, and random computing. Additionally, this degree trains students to conduct cutting-edge research in subfields of computer science, such as artificial intelligence and cryptography.
Graduates frequently work as chief technology officers, computer and information research scientists, and senior software engineers.
If you want to research educational approaches and theories, you might consider a PhD in Education. This academic degree trains students to develop new learning methods and promote more effective teaching.
Common courses include advanced qualitative methodology, educating diverse learners, and instructional design. Also, many students specialize in higher education, literacy, special education, and other niches. Current professionals with this degree often work in teaching, administrative, and research positions in colleges and K-12 schools.
A PhD in English gives students the opportunity to interpret, theorize, and teach literature, film, and other types of media.
Courses cover literature from a variety of cultures, genres, and periods, such as children’s literature and Victorian literature. Moreover, these programs often promote interdisciplinary research that engages with history, psychology, and other fields. This degree can help you qualify for a position as a college professor, editor, or technical writer.
A PhD in Psychology prepares students to conduct independent research on human cognition, behavior, and mental processes.
Students also learn how to implement clinical research methods and design experiments with human subjects. This research-intensive degree covers subjects like affective science, developmental psychology, professional ethics, and history and systems of psychology.
Additionally, many programs include clinical practicums. Graduates frequently work as academic researchers, clinical psychologists, and market researchers.
A PhD in Nursing gives students a strong theoretical foundation in healthcare delivery and nursing science.
Standard course topics may include grant writing, leadership for nurse scientists, and methods in clinical research. This degree also trains students to apply advanced research methods to develop innovative approaches to patient care and improve healthcare policies.
A PhD in Nursing can unlock careers in clinical research, health policy, and nonprofit organizations.
A PhD in Physical Therapy allows students to research the science of physical therapy and educate others about the latest approaches to treating ill, injured, and disabled patients.
The curriculum typically addresses subjects like applied physiology, movement science, and prosthetics. Students also learn how to treat patients in clinical settings. This degree helps prepares students for specialized physical therapy careers in acute care, oncology, sports, and other areas.
The right PhD program for you aligns with your goals and sets you up for academic and professional success.
These considerations can help you compare online PhD programs:
Additionally, you can contact current PhD students to get a sense of the program’s culture and learn about their experiences.
You don’t always need a PhD to become a professor. The requirements vary by institution and position.
Some colleges hire people with master’s degrees and relevant industry experience to teach freshman-level courses. For instance, someone with an MBA and several years of work experience might teach undergraduate finance courses.
Schools that require a terminal degree may also accept a doctorate degree from an accredited university, even when it’s not a PhD. A professional doctorate degree focuses on practical applications of knowledge, while a PhD emphasizes original research.
If you want to learn how to get a PhD, you can start by researching admissions criteria for online programs in your field. Requirements vary by program, so some schools may be more difficult to get into.
Here are some common admissions requirements:
The specific requirements influence how challenging it is to get into a particular program, so it’s beneficial to research the criteria ahead of time.
The difficulty level of any PhD is highly subjective. But choosing a quality PhD program can increase the likelihood that you finish your degree on schedule.
A PhD program with these qualities can help facilitate your success:
Additionally, you may finish your doctoral degree faster. A program with less requirements makes it one of the easiest PhDs to get such as fewer credit hours or doesn’t include a dissertation component.
Many careers that require an advanced degree have lucrative median salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the median salaries of ten high-paying careers often pursued by people with PhDs:
Many factors can affect salaries and job availability, including geographic location, skills, work experience, and your PhD program’s reputation.
The institution you choose for your PhD can impact your academic performance, career trajectory, and personal life.
Choosing a program that offers financial support can give you more time to focus on your studies and develop marketable skills. Additionally, you may find it easier to conduct and publish innovative research with access to leading faculty and top facilities.
Employers often consider a school’s reputation when considering job candidates, so selecting a prestigious program could boost your chances of landing a preferred position.
What can I get a PhD in? Colleges and universities offer a broad range of doctoral programs in numerous disciplines. These degrees enable you to study advanced concepts in your chosen field and immerse yourself in the world of academic research.
Graduates use their PhDs to pursue a variety of careers in academia, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Many jobs that require graduate degrees offer lucrative wages and other benefits, such as academic tenure.
If you want to build your expertise and perform ground-breaking research, you can begin your journey by researching online PhD programs from accredited universities.
Find the program that matches your career dreams—just click “Find My Program.”
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