The two terms were once used in the ancient and formerly Catholic universities of Oxford, Cambridge, and Dublin, as an alternative name for the degree of Doctor of Divinity (DD), a practice which has now been discontinued.
At institutions that offer both civil and church doctorates, the requirements of the STD will usually – although not always – be shaped so that those reading for the award can receive a Th.D.
In addition, the STD is usually required for a permanent post on the theology faculty of an ecclesiastical or pontifical university.
John Paul II's Sapientia Christiania notes that in the event where a doctorate is non-canonical, "the teacher will usually be required to have at least a canonical licentiate."
[4] In the US, although it may have more stringent entry requirements than a Ph.D. in theology, it is a research degree that is considered by the US National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy.