Ph.D. in Engineering (Doctor of Philosophy in Engineering) is an academic degree in engineering sciences awarded within the American and European higher-education systems. It roughly corresponds to the Russian degree «Candidate of Technical Sciences.»
In the early 1990s, this degree was little known to most Russians. Its holder was considered a highly qualified specialist who had completed 4-6 years of graduate study at a Western university and defended a dissertation. A Ph.D. in Engineering implies deep theoretical knowledge and practical skill in a specific engineering field — electrical engineering, chemical engineering, mechanics, computer science, and so on.
Earning a Ph.D. requires:
- Conducting original research
- Publishing papers in international journals
- Writing and defending a dissertation (typically 100-200 pages)
- Passing qualifying examinations
In the context of 1993, a Russian specialist holding a Western Ph.D. was a rare and prestigious thing. Such specialists typically had experience working abroad or studying at Western universities — which, in the years after the Soviet collapse, opened significant career opportunities, especially in international scientific and technical cooperation.