List of doctoral degrees in the US

The U.S. Department of Education does not issue a definitive, single list of professional degrees. Instead, it provides a framework for classifying postsecondary educational programs through its National Center for Education Statistics. This system, known as the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), is used to categorize all fields of study, including the wide array of professional doctoral and master's degrees offered by accredited institutions across the country.

This topic is notable because the Department of Education's classifications help standardize how degrees are reported and understood. This is crucial for students researching programs, for institutions reporting data, and for employers evaluating credentials. The distinction between research-focused doctorates, like the PhD, and professional doctorates, such as the JD (Juris Doctor) or MD (Doctor of Medicine), is an important aspect of this classification, clarifying the different paths to an advanced degree.

While this is a perennial topic of interest for those in academia and career planning, there is no significant recent news driving public discussion on this specific subject. The existing summary correctly notes the diversity of doctoral degrees in the U.S., which are not solely based on research but also include professional practice-oriented programs. The Department of Education's role is to provide the structural taxonomy that helps organize this complex educational landscape.