A PhD is a doctorate, is any doctorate a PhD?

This paper examines the persistent confusion between the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) and the broader category of doctoral degrees. While a PhD is one form of doctorate, not every doctorate qualifies as a PhD. Drawing on historical, institutional, and regulatory perspectives, the study contrasts the development of the PhD in Germany, the United States, and other Anglo-Saxon contexts with the legal and institutional framework of the doctorate in Tunisia. Particular attention is paid to the additional requirements that distinguish the PhD—such as coursework, comprehensive examinations, and teaching obligations—which are absent from the Tunisian doctorate. The paper argues that conflating the PhD with other doctoral degrees risks erasing structural and epistemological differences among academic traditions. The analysis concludes that neither degree is inherently superior; rather, they serve different purposes and operate within distinct academic systems. This distinction has implications for equivalency, recognition, and the international circulation of doctoral titles.