The Doctorate of Social Science is a higher qualification offered by select universities, which serves as a doctoral level qualification specifically relating to academic work in the field of social sciences

Social sciences

Social science is the field of study concerned with society. "Social science" is commonly used as an umbrella term to refer to a plurality of fields outside of the natural sciences usually exclusive of the administrative or managerial sciences...

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Like a Ph.D.

Ph.D.

A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...

, the DSocSci or DSSc is recognized as a terminal research degree involving a substantial original thesis, so is of higher academic standing than the professional doctorates that do not require original research. Whilst it is a relatively new qualification, it is gaining in popularity and is offered by renowned universities in numerous countries.

North America

• Offered by the California Institute of Technology
  California Institute of Technology
  The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
  
  
• Royal Roads University
  Royal Roads University
  Royal Roads University is a public university located in Colwood, Greater Victoria, British Columbia, that describes itself as "Canada's University for Working Professionals".-Overview:...
  
  
• Formerly Offered by The New School for Social Research, but abolished

United Kingdom

The DSocSci is offered as a full time or part time qualification by:

• The University of Bristol
  University of Bristol
  The University of Bristol is a public research university located in Bristol, United Kingdom. One of the so-called "red brick" universities, it received its Royal Charter in 1909, although its predecessor institution, University College, Bristol, had been in existence since 1876.The University is...
  
  
• The University of Leicester
  University of Leicester
  The University of Leicester is a research-led university based in Leicester, England. The main campus is a mile south of the city centre, adjacent to Victoria Park and Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College....