Emergence of a new type of doctorate; professional doctorate

Increasing number of students enrolled in doctoral programmes and the emergence of the new types of doctoral programmes across the world's universities as a response to various demands from a wide range of professional context has shown that professional doctorate has become a new challenge and opened new horizons in higher education. This article examines the road of the professional doctorate from beginning to current status and possible trends. The professional doctorate is examined in its relationship with the so-called traditional scientific doctorate. The paper focuses on some of the aspects that gives identity and legitimacy to this type of doctorate: programme aims, structure, content, duration, recruitment and admissions, students' motivation to enroll professional doctorate, status, financial support, standards, and thesis contributions. It also presents the status of the professional doctorate in Romania and some ideas as a basis for further examination of the professional doctorate.