[2][3] or may be conferred as an earned higher doctorate by Universities in England or Canada after the submission and academic evaluation of a portfolio of sustained scholarship, publications, research, or other scientific work of the highest caliber.
[4][5] In addition to being awarded as an earned degree, this doctorate is also conferred as an honoris causa to recognize one's lifetime of excellence in a particular humanistic, cultural, or artistic field, or other notable contributions to society.
Honorary Doctor of Letters recipients need not necessarily have any previous affiliation with the awarding institution[6] and, in most cases, it is not considered proper for awardees to use the title of "Dr." before their names.
), for example, and is awarded on the basis of high achievement in the respective field or a long record of research and publication.
degree is awarded to candidates whose record of published work and research shows conspicuous ability and originality and constitutes a distinguished and sustained achievement.
University committee and board approval is required, and candidates must provide documented mastery[clarification needed] of a particular area or field.
degree, or of thirty-nine terms (thirteen academic years) from the award of an Oxford master of arts M.A.
[24] The DLitt is the highest postdoctoral degree awarded in the fields of arts, humanities and social sciences.
The DLitt may be "earned" through research in a public university, or bestowed as an honoris causa award for distinguished achievements.
The DLitt Thesis is expected to be of an exceptionally high order, and is reviewed by eminent experts in the subject.
DLitt (honoris causa) are conferred by public universities, usually on visiting dignitaries or on experts who may or may not have the prescribed qualification, but have substantially contributed to academic or professional development of a field of knowledge.
Similarly, the highest educational degree at the postdoctoral level in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Indic religious studies, Oriental literature and Indology in India is termed Vidya Vachaspati, which is legally recognized as the equivalent to the DLitt.
[26] The title of Vidya Vachaspati may also be awarded honoris causa to distinguished scholars who may otherwise lack the educational qualifications to be eligible to register for the earned degree, but whose expertise and contributions are deemed to be deserving of the honour.