A Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) is a research-based doctorate program that offers core specialization in a certain domain. A Ph.D. can be obtained in most academic areas and provides specific education in a discipline, followed by postdoctoral on-the-job training. An eligible academic authority supervises the research undertaken during the program. It is a degree awarded for research, which exhibits the competence of an individual to conduct independent research, contributing to the knowledge of the subject.