While visiting South Africa, I noticed that a surprising number of people call themselves “Doctor” and claim to have received a “doctorate” from a university. I suspect that the degree they hold is not comparable to a Ph.D. from an American university. Is that correct? What would be the equivalent degree in the U.S.
A PhD is a doctorate, awarded for original research in any subject except law, medicine and theology (which you can still receive doctorates in, just not PhDs).
Most, if not all, South African universities would be able to offer both.
I think the OP was getting at are the PHds legit.
I can get a doctorate from an UNACREDITED university for a few bucks. I’ve received many an email for it.
May foreign nations offer these things (use of a spam email address is currently going on in Togo) because they are illegal elsewhere. Much like ships register in Liberia and Panama to avoid strict regulations
I don’t know specifically about South Africa, but you may be right about them not being “real” PhD’s. I spend a lot of time in Nepal and have run into so many people who claimed to have Bachelors degrees, but many seemed entirely too young and/or too undereducated. I finally found out this year that what is called a Bachelors Degree there means that they completed the standard 10 years of regular school (Kindergarden thru 10th grade), and then went on to what is called 10 plus 2, meaning they had an additional 2 years of school. The additional two years are generally focused to one particular area of study, but I wouldn’t consider this an Associates of international standards, much less a Bachelors.
There is at least one proper University in Nepal which does issue degrees in line with the international standard. Perhaps as the country develops and there are more “real” Bachelors, Masters and PhD holders, the practice of calling a 12th grade graduate a Bachelor of Business Administration will cease.
Lucky is getting at what I wanted to know: is a doctorate there equivalent to a doctorate here? And if not, what is it equivalent to? Thanks.
I see no reason to assume a country like South Africa has lower educational standards than other parts of the world. Crime and poverty are major problems there, but they’re not in the dark ages. (Although many SA emigres would rightly disagree with me)
For the rules and laws governing SA universities and qualifications I suggest you read the South African legislation, in particular the Higher Education Act of 1997, which can be found here and the South African Qualifications Authority Act (here¹). There are also a number of Acts regarding individual SAUs (bona fide universities in Commonwealth countries acquire the title university through Acts of Parliament), but mainly these appear to be amendments.
If you happened to receive a doctorate from one of these Universities, chances are you have earned the real thing.
Of course, the quality of universities can vary, but I’d say this applies equally in the States.
I’m assuming the SAU framework is based on English models (it is an ex-colony): so would the real question be, is an English doctorate be equivalent to an American one?
¹ Of particular importance is Section 5, headed Functions of Authority.
I’ve known a few black South Afician colledge professors. The universities in the US often have to go the South Africa to recruit black science professors because of affmative action. (there are few black american science professors)
Anyway, they were all well qualified and well educated.
I don’t know about S.A. specifically. However, I do know that some countries are much more into titles than the US or Canada. For instance, in Mexico it is very common for lawyers, professors, or even engineers or architects to use their titles socially.