Doctorate of divinity

Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or D.Div.; Latin: Doctor Divinitatis) is an advanced or honorary academic degree in divinity.

Doctor of Divinity is not to be confused with Doctor of Theology (Th. D.) which is a research doctorate in theology, awarded by universities and divinity schools such as Harvard Divinity School and many others. Many universities award a Ph.D. rather than a Th.D. to graduates of higher-level religious studies programs. Doctor of Sacred Theology is a research doctorate in theology, but particular to Catholic Pontifical Universities and Faculties. Doctor of Ministry is another doctorate-level religious degree, but is a professional rather than a research doctorate.

In the United Kingdom, the degree is a higher doctorate conferred by universities upon a religious scholar of standing and distinction for accomplishments beyond the Ph.D level.

Typically, the candidate will submit a collection of work which has been previously published in a peer-reviewed context and pay an examination fee. The university then assembles a committee of academics both internal and external who review the work submitted and decide on whether the candidate deserves the doctorate based on the submission. Most universities restrict candidacy to graduates or academic staff of several years' standing.

In the United States, the degree is generally conferred honoris causa by a church-related college, seminary, or university to recognize the recipient's ministry-orientated accomplishments. For example, Martin Luther King (who received a Ph.D in systematic theology from Boston University in 1955) subsequently received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from the Chicago Theological Seminary (1957), Boston University (1959), Wesleyan College (1964), and Springfield College (1964).Billy Graham (who has received honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from The King's College and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) is regularly addressed as "Dr. Graham," though his highest earned degree is a B.A. in anthropology from Wheaton College.

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