What is a PhD degree and how to access it?

After university the time comes for all students to decide what they want to do with their lives.

There are those who want to enter the working world immediately and those who wish to remain inside university, perhaps delving deeper into one or more of the themes of their studies.

In the latter case, the way to gois that of a PhD degree, which usually anticipates an academic career.

What is a PhD degree?

It was instituted in 1980 and is the highest degree of education in the Italian academic system. It is a course reserved for a limited number of researchers.

In an increasingly competitive working world, specific degrees and skills can be very important to differentiate and establish oneself professionally. The purpose is to train for high-level research and university teaching.

The PhD degree is thus an academic course of training and precisely research in a specific field. Once completed, one is awarded the title of Ph.

How does one enter a PhD program?

Since it is a public competition for all purposes, one gains access only after winning the call for entries instituted by the university or research organization in charge of the organization.

The mode of access and the scheduling of courses are not all the same because they are instituted by individual universities or institutions. However, what all doctoral programs have in common is that they can only be accessed through open competition based on qualifications and examinations, generally: a written test and an oral test.

Is it possible to receive a scholarship?

Absolutely, indeed half of the places made available by the competition are covered by a fellowship.

PhD students who receive the scholarship receive an annual remuneration for the duration of their academic commitment. In addition, they are exempt from paying tuition fees.

The requirements for entering the PhD degree

Announcements are published annually in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Italy, in the Competitions and Examinations section, or on the website of the university providing the course.

There are no age or citizenship limits to participate in the competition; the only requirement is to have one of the following degrees:

• bachelor degree;
• master’s degree;
• foreign degree equivalent to the above degrees.

The candidate must send the application with the required documents, which are generally: curriculum vitae, motivational letter and research project; then there is the evaluation of the qualifications and finally the passing of the competitive tests.

Candidates who pass and are among the top places on the ranking list enter the PhD program with the scholarship.

The course lasts from three to five years, depending on the university or institution where it is held. At the end of each year, the doctoral student must submit a report on the research activity carried out, thus enabling him or her to move on to the next year.

At the end of the entire training, the doctoral student must take a final examination.

The latter consists of preparing a thesis in which the research of the project submitted during the admission stage is presented, and it is most important to demonstrate that he or she has achieved the predetermined objectives of the research.

Career Opportunities

We have seen what a PhD is and how to enter it, but from an employment perspective when is it important to do it?

• In public competitions. In fact, the PhD degree often provides additional points.
• In academia and teaching. Indeed, who have this specialization can work as a lecturer or as a researcher.
• In the public and private sectors. Because of the specific skills acquired, the candidate can differentiate himself or herself at the interview stage for companies, businesses and research institutions.

Conclusions

Embarking on this research path is very challenging, and a recent graduate is not always willing to invest additional years in study and research.

A viable alternative is a master’s degree, another type of training that is useful for acquiring discipline-specific skills.

Although it does not have the same importance as a doctorate, and is generally shorter, it allows students to acquire skills and notions useful for entering the world of work.

To learn more about the advantages a master’s degree can offer you, we recommend reading our article What is a Master’s Degree and What are its Benefits.