Doctor of Technology

The Doctor of Technology (D.Tech.) degree is conferred upon candidates after having completed a course of study in technology, and a project of lengthy duration in a technologically related field. Like other doctorates, it is an academic degree of the highest level.

The doctor of technology program enables graduates to obtain an advanced level of knowledge in specialist fields and aims to produce graduates capable of advancing knowledge within their industry. The degree focuses on developing practical solutions in the workplace, critical analysis, synthesis, and innovation.

As a substantive degree

In South Africa, the D.Tech. is equivalent to other research doctorates and normally awarded by universities of technology.

In the United States, the Doctor of Industrial Technology degree is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) as equivalent to the Ph.D. degree

Doktor-Ingenieur, a traditional engineering doctorate awarded by German and Swiss universities, is comparable to Doctor of Technology.

In Finland, the degree tekniikan tohtori (Doctor of Science in Technology) is comparable to a Finnish filosofian tohtori (Doctor of Philosophy), except that it is granted in the field of engineering.

In Sweden the situation is the same and the degrees are called Teknologie doktor or Teknisk doktor ("Tekn. Dr." or "Tek. Dr.") and are translated to Ph.D. in English.

The same can be stated for Austria, where universities of technology grant the title of "Dr.techn." or "Doctor scientiae technicorum" as an equivalent to the Ph.D.

Honorary degrees

The Doctor of Technology degree may also be awarded as an honorary degree, that is, given to individuals who have made extensive contributions to a particular field and not necessarily for specific academic accomplishments. It is usual to signify this by adding (h.c.) for honoris causa after D.Tech. or to refer to the award as Hon.D.Tech. Robert Gordon University (Aberdeen, Scotland) is one example of an establishment which awards such a degree.

At the British Columbia Institute of Technology, the Doctor of Technology is also an honorary degree.

Higher doctorates

In the United Kingdom the degree of Doctor of Technology is one of the higher doctorates.