Candidate of Philosophy is any of the following academic degrees: a Bachelor's level, Master's level, higher than Master's level, or Doctorate level degree, depending on the country.

In the United States

The usual practice in the United States is for a graduate student working toward a doctorate to earn a Master's degree (usually Master of Arts or Master of Science) in course after about two years of coursework. In a very few universities, a student who has completed all of the coursework, all of the comprehensive examinations in the subject and all of the language examination requirements, and whose dissertation topic has been approved - in short, who has fulfilled all requirements for the doctorate except the writing and defense of the dissertation itself - may be awarded a Master of Philosophy

Master of Philosophy

The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...

 degree, beyond the Master of Arts or Master of Science already earned. In other universities, such students used the informal designation of Ph.D. (ABD), for "All But Dissertation," not an actual degree but an informal convention.

The University of California began offering the Candidate in Philosophy degree in the early seventies, but most campuses discontinued the practice before the end of that decade; however, it is still offered at some UC campuses, such as the University of California, Santa Barbara and San Diego, where it may be awarded within one year of advancing to candidacy.

Very few schools actually designate such students Candidatus Philosophiae or Candidate in Philosophy, abbreviated C.Phil. as a formal status.

Universities offering the C.Phil.

• University of California, Berkeley
• University of California, Davis
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of California, Riverside
• University of California, San Diego
• University of California, San Francisco
• University of California, Santa Barbara

UK

• The Master of Philosophy
  Master of Philosophy
  The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
  
   and Master of Research
  Master of Research
  In the UK and Ireland, the Master of Research degree is an advanced postgraduate degree available in a range of academic disciplines. Although a relatively new degree, the MRes is becoming increasingly popular with a number of the Russell Group Universities such as Imperial College London,...
  
   degrees in the United Kingdom
  United Kingdom
  The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
  
  . The Master of Research typically contains taught work similar to the prerequisite needed for the doctorate in the US and is pursued as a stand alone degree. Ph.D. students by contrast are typically registered for a Master of Philosophy and have their registration upgraded after making satisfactory progress (usually after the first year). Failure to upgrade or a judgement of insufficient original contribution at the examination stage can result in the student being awarded or offered the opportunity to re-submit for the lower M.Phil. degree instead. The MPhil degrees at many (though by no means all) UK universities has traditionally been considered a 'consolation' degrees (for failed PhDs), though there are signs that this pattern may slowly be changing, and that MPhil and MRes degrees are becoming valued in themselves, largely because of UK Research Council imperatives regarding research training and funding. It is unusual for both the MPhil and PhD degree to be awarded as part of a Ph.D. programme. (Note, however, that at the University of Cambridge, the MPhil degree is a one year degree qualification that combines taught sections with unique research. Graduates who go on to PhD study may therefore earn both a MPhil and a PhD.)

Sweden

• In Sweden and some other European countries the licentiate
  Licentiate
  Licentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
  
   is a similar degree, in the respect that it requires the coursework of a doctorate, but a less extensive dissertation.

Other uses of the phrase

The word "Candidate" is often used in the titles of degrees in a different sense to those described above.

• The Candidate of Philosophy is the lowest academic degree, essentially the same as a Bachelor's degree, in several countries. For example, Finland and Sweden give these degrees, which are, however, usually translated as "Bachelor". In Finnish, this is filosofian kandidaatti. Like "Doctor of Philosophy", this degree doesn't necessarily imply specialization in theoretical philosophy, but is awarded in a variety of sciences.

• In Finland, formerly the undergraduate degree in natural sciences (cf. Bachelor) was called luonnontieteiden kandidaatti "Candidate of Natural Sciences", and the graduate degree (cf. Master) was called filosofian kandidaatti. (See :fi:Kandidaatti)

• In Russia and ex-Soviet Union countries kandidat minimum refers to the necessary coursework required for the post-graduate research degree kandidat nauk (comparable to Western PhD). Kandidat minimum includes work in the area of specialization, foreign languages and the philosophy of science.