Dottorato di ricerca

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The dottorato di ricerca (doctorate of research) is the highest Italian academic degree, the formal equivalent of a Ph.D..

The dottorato is a relatively recent addition to the Italian academic landscape, having been instituted in 1980.

Until recent times, no title matching the Bachelor degree existed in the Italian education system and the laurea (sometimes considered the equivalent of a Master's degree) was granted after a single educational program of four, five or six years, including a final research thesis work. That said, most admission offices at US universities considered a "Laurea" degree equivalent to a B.S./B.A. degrees granted by 4-year American colleges. Nowadays, the system is based on a Bachelor degree (laurea triennale, requiring three years of coursework), and on the laurea specialistica or laurea magistrale (requiring two additional years of coursework, similar to a Master's degree).

In order to enter doctoral studies, either the old laurea or a laurea specialistica are required (thus at least five cumulative years of study).

Students are admitted to the doctoral program via public competitions ("concorsi") offered by individual universities, which set their own standards for admission. The program is from three to five years in length.

It must be noted that the term dottore is officially used in Italy to refer to any person with a university degree: thus, even a person with just a Bachelor-equivalent "laurea triennale" uses the title "dottore". Holders of the dottorato acquire the title of dottore di ricerca ("doctor of research").