A doctoral degree is the highest level of academic achievement. It usually takes no less than 3 years and in many cases more than 7 years to complete, depending on the field of study. Doctoral degrees are often a requirement for those interested in pursing a career in the academic world. A bachelor’s degree or master’s degree is the required education for entrance into a doctoral degree program. There are three types of doctoral degrees including: professional, research and honorary. The final step in a doctoral degree program is a dissertation or academic research paper which is defended in a public arena. There are some doctoral degrees for which there is no dissertation such as a medical doctor or juris doctor also known as a lawyer.