A research degree is a higher education qualification in which the central purpose is the production of original or substantially independent scholarly research under an appropriate academic framework. Research degrees are most strongly associated with master's-level research programmes and doctoral degrees such as the PhD, although terminology and structures differ between countries. Instead of being based primarily on taught modules and examinations, a research degree normally requires the student to formulate a research problem, review existing scholarship, select and justify appropriate methods, conduct an investigation and communicate the resulting findings in a substantial thesis, dissertation or equivalent research output. The precise requirements depend on the degree, discipline and institution.
The defining characteristic of a research degree is sustained independent inquiry. A research student normally begins by identifying a research question or problem situated within existing scholarly literature. The student then establishes what is already known, identifies an unresolved issue or area for investigation, develops an appropriate methodology and gathers or analyses evidence. Depending on the discipline, evidence may consist of experiments, observations, interviews, surveys, archival sources, textual analysis, computational models, datasets, fieldwork, creative practice or other forms of scholarly material. The research process is expected to be systematic and appropriately justified, with conclusions supported by the evidence and methods used.
Doctoral research degrees generally require an original contribution to knowledge or another contribution that meets the relevant doctoral standard. Originality does not necessarily mean discovering an entirely unknown phenomenon; it can involve producing new empirical findings, developing a new theoretical interpretation, creating a new methodology, applying an established method to a new context, synthesising knowledge in a genuinely original way or making another contribution recognised by the discipline. The thesis must normally demonstrate detailed knowledge of the relevant literature, methodological competence, critical judgement and independent research ability. The standard for originality and the form of acceptable contribution vary between disciplines and doctoral systems.
A research degree is normally supervised by one or more academic supervisors. Supervisors provide intellectual guidance, help students refine research questions and methods, monitor progress and advise on academic standards, but they do not normally conduct the research on the student's behalf. Research students are expected to develop increasing independence as their project progresses. Institutions commonly establish formal progress reviews, training requirements, supervisory meetings and research milestones. The supervisory relationship is therefore an important component of research-degree education, but responsibility for the scholarly work ultimately rests with the student.
Assessment is fundamentally different from a conventional taught degree. A research master's or doctorate commonly requires submission of a substantial thesis or equivalent body of work, followed by an examination process. Doctoral candidates in many systems undergo a viva voce or oral defence in which examiners question the candidate about the research, methodology, interpretation and contribution. Examiners determine whether the submitted work meets the standard for the degree and may require corrections or revisions. Some research degrees also include taught research-methods modules, training courses or other assessed components, but the substantial independent research project remains central.
Research degrees exist across the sciences, social sciences, humanities, engineering, medicine, arts and professional disciplines. The nature of research can therefore differ radically. A laboratory doctorate may involve experiments, instrumentation, statistical analysis and reproducible protocols, whereas a history doctorate may rely heavily on archival research, source criticism and historiographical analysis. A computer science doctorate might develop algorithms or computational systems, while an arts doctorate may combine critical writing with creative practice. These differences mean that there is no single universal research-degree methodology, although all legitimate research degrees require systematic scholarly inquiry appropriate to the field.
Research degrees require attention to research ethics, integrity and responsible handling of evidence. Projects involving human participants, personal data, animals, hazardous materials or sensitive information may require formal ethical review and institutional approval. Researchers are also expected to address issues such as accurate citation, authorship, data management, conflicts of interest, fabrication, falsification and plagiarism. Good research practice includes maintaining appropriate records, describing methods accurately and distinguishing evidence from interpretation. Research training can therefore cover both methodological skills and the principles governing responsible scholarly conduct.
A research degree differs from a taught degree principally in the relative centrality of independent research, although the boundary is not absolute because many taught master's programmes contain dissertations and research methods. It also differs from a professional degree when the primary objective is systematic contribution to scholarship rather than preparation for a regulated occupation, although professional doctorates can contain substantial research and professional degrees can require research skills. The exact qualification title, academic level, thesis requirements, examination method, supervision structure and expectations for originality determine what a particular research degree represents.
