Doctor of Philosophy

==== History ====
The ''[[Dottorato di ricerca]]'' (research doctorate), abbreviated to "Dott. Ric." or "PhD", is an academic title awarded at the end of a course of not less than three years, admission to which is based on entrance examinations and academic rankings in the Bachelor of Arts ("[[Laurea]]", a three-year diploma) and Master of Arts ("Laurea Magistrale" a two-year diploma). While the standard PhD follows the [[Bologna process]], the [[MD–PhD]] programme may be completed in two years.

The first institution in [[Italy]] to create a doctoral program (PhD) was [[Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa]] in 1927 under the historic name ''"Diploma di Perfezionamento"''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 April 2012 |title=Student Guidebook, Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa |url=http://download.sns.it/SNSguida_eng.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426041947/http://download.sns.it/SNSguida_eng.pdf |archive-date=26 April 2012}}</ref><ref name="sns.it">{{Cite web |title=STATUTO DELLA SCUOLA NORMALE SUPERIORE DI PISA (legge 18 giugno 1986, n. 308) |url=http://atticd.sns.it/2004-05/aprile/all_08_A.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126143419/http://atticd.sns.it/2004-05/aprile/all_08_A.pdf |archive-date=26 January 2016 |access-date=31 August 2015 |website=sns.it}}</ref>
Further, the research doctorates or PhD (''{{lang|it|Dottorato di ricerca}}'') in Italy were introduced by law and Presidential Decree in 1980,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Law of February 21, 1980, No. 28 |url=http://www.italgiure.giustizia.it/nir/1980/lexs_88887.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104111953/http://www.italgiure.giustizia.it/nir/1980/lexs_88887.html |archive-date=4 November 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Decreto Presidente Repubblica 11 luglio 1980, n. 382 |url=http://www.edscuola.it/archivio/norme/decreti/dpr382_80.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929114656/http://www.edscuola.it/archivio/norme/decreti/dpr382_80.html |archive-date=29 September 2016 |access-date=2 February 2012 |website=www.edscuola.it}}</ref> referring to the reform of academic teaching, training and experimentation in organisation and teaching methods.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Law of 21 February 1980, No. 28 |url=http://www.italgiure.giustizia.it/nir/1980/lexs_88887.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111104111953/http://www.italgiure.giustizia.it/nir/1980/lexs_88887.html |archive-date=4 November 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Decreto Presidente Repubblica 11 luglio 1980, n. 382 |url=http://www.edscuola.it/archivio/norme/decreti/dpr382_80.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160929114656/http://www.edscuola.it/archivio/norme/decreti/dpr382_80.html |archive-date=29 September 2016 |access-date=2 February 2012 |website=edscuola.it}}</ref>

The [[Superior Graduate Schools in Italy]]<ref name="ricercaitaliana.it">{{Cite web |title=ResearchItaly, Pagina di transizione |url=http://www.ricercaitaliana.it/scuole_eccellenza.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130307083252/http://www.ricercaitaliana.it/scuole_eccellenza.htm |archive-date=7 March 2013 |access-date=2 February 2012 |website=ricercaitaliana.it}}</ref> (''{{lang|it|Scuola Superiore Universitaria}}''),<ref name="bompard2000">{{Cite web |last=Bompard |first=Paul |date=18 February 2000 |title=Italy's big six form network for elite |url=http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=150222&sectioncode=26 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120923152548/http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storyCode=150222&sectioncode=26 |archive-date=23 September 2012 |access-date=2 February 2012 |website=Times Higher Education}}</ref> also called ''Schools of Excellence'' (''{{lang|it|Scuole di Eccellenza}}'')<ref name="ricercaitaliana.it" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Scuole, Scuole di Eccellenza |url=http://scuoledieccellenza.it/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201130071944/http://scuoledieccellenza.it/ |archive-date=30 November 2020 |access-date=2 February 2012 |website=scuoledieccellenza.it}}</ref> such as [[Scuola Normale Superiore di Pisa]] and [[Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies]] still keep their reputed historical ''"Diploma di Perfezionamento"'' PhD title by [[law]]<ref name="sns.it" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Article 3 of the Law of 14 February 1987, No.41 &#124; L. 14 febbraio 1987, n. 41 Istituzione della Scuola superiore di studi universitari e di perfezionamento S. Anna di Pisa |url=http://www.sssup.it/UploadDocs/7768_Legge_istitutiva_SSSA.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214031210/http://www.sssup.it/UploadDocs/7768_Legge_istitutiva_SSSA.pdf |archive-date=14 February 2012 |access-date=2 February 2012}}</ref> and [[MIUR]] Decree.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SITO IN MANUTENZIONE |url=https://www.istruzione.it/avviso_agli_utenti/non_valido.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304123611/http://hubmiur.pubblica.istruzione.it/alfresco/d/d/workspace/SpacesStore/1964531c-595a-4c29-906b-978f7b0120c0/servizio_statistico_immatricolazioni2011_2012.pdf |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=6 July 2020 |website=www.istruzione.it}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Università in Italia, Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR) |url=http://guidalaureebiennali.miur.it/pdf/2008/05_Universita.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170107000344/http://guidalaureebiennali.miur.it/pdf/2008/05_Universita.pdf |archive-date=7 January 2017 |access-date=2 February 2012}}</ref>