Doctor is the second pursued academic degree based on PhD degree. It envisages acquiring the highest competencies in the spheres of development and implementation of research methodology, conducting original research, obtaining research results of national or international significance published in scholarly journals of professional field (in abstract and citation database such as Scopus and Web of Science in accordance with requirements for competencies level of DD Seekers).

Within a period of Doctoral studies, a DD Seeker is to present to the Specialized Academic Board and defend thesis as the result of scientific achievements or to publish a monograph, or an Original Research presented by a set of articles published in national and/or international peer-reviewed science journals, the list of which is approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine.

The DD Seeker is to submit a generalization of independent research concerning the topical scientific problem (set of problems) within one field or interdisciplinary areas in the form of a thesis (a monograph, a set of research papers); the obtained research results, which are instrumental in solving theoretical or applied problems, are to be of national or international significance, be published in scholarly journals, be reliable and have received public approval.

The normative training term for Doctoral degree within the framework of Doctorate Curriculum is two years.