Principal characteristics
Programmes at ISCED level 8, or doctoral or equivalent level, are designed primarily to lead to an advanced research qualification. Programmes at this ISCED level are devoted to advanced study and original research and are typically offered only by research-oriented tertiary educational institutions such as universities. Doctoral programmes exist in both academic and professional fields.
ISCED level 8 usually concludes with the submission and defence of a thesis, dissertation or equivalent written work of publishable quality, representing a significant contribution to knowledge in the respective field of study. Therefore, these programmes are typically based on research and not only on course work. In some education systems, ISCED level 8 programmes contain very limited course work, or none at all, and individuals working towards a doctoral degree engage in research mostly independently or in small groups with varying degrees of supervision. In some education systems, doctoral research is undertaken by individuals employed by the university as junior researchers or research assistants, in addition to their being enrolled as doctoral students.
Entry into ISCED level 8 programmes or junior research positions normally requires the successful completion of specific ISCED level 7 programmes. ISCED level 8 qualifications give access to professions with high academic skill requirements and research posts in government and industry, as well as research and teaching positions in educational institutions offering education at ISCED levels 6, 7 and 8.
Programmes classified at ISCED level 8 may be referred to in many ways, for example: PhD, DPhil, D.Lit, D.Sc, LL.D, Doctorate or similar terms. However, it is important to note that programmes with a similar name to ‘doctor’ should only be included in ISCED level 8 if they satisfy the criteria described in the following paragraph. For international comparability purposes, the term ‘doctoral or equivalent level’ is used to label ISCED level 8.
Classification criteria
For the definition of doctoral or equivalent level, the following criteria are relevant:
Main criteria
a) Written work requirements;
b) Entry requirements; and
c) Minimum duration of level.
Subsidiary criteria
a) Doctoral degree/qualification required for specific occupations.
Successful completion of an ISCED level 8 programme requires the submission of a thesis, dissertation or equivalent written work of publishable quality that is the product of original research and represents a significant contribution to knowledge in the respective field of study.
ISCED level 8 requires at least three years of full-time equivalent study, making a total cumulative duration of at least seven years of full-time education at the tertiary level.
Achievement of an ISCED level 8 qualification is often a condition for entering into faculty posts in educational institutions that offer ISCED level 6, 7 and 8 programmes, as well as research posts in government and industry.
Other programmes included in ISCED level 8
Second advanced research qualifications or higher doctorates may also be classified at ISCED level 8. These qualifications require the submission of a second substantial piece of research (further to the first doctoral thesis) usually at a considerably later stage of an academic career and often without formal supervision. Examples are the habilitation or doktor nauk qualifications, although most education systems only have one advanced research qualification granting doctoral degrees or equivalent qualifications. They are not usually linked with an education programme (i.e. candidates are not usually enrolled in a programme which leads to these qualifications). Second research qualifications are not coded separately within ISCED. Honorary doctorates given by universities on the basis of other considerations and not any research work are not covered under ISCED 8.
Complementary dimensions
One dimension may be used to differentiate education programmes at ISCED level 8:
• Programme orientation).
Programme orientation
The following two orientation categories are available:
• Academic; and
• Professional.
