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Ronbun Hakase (論文博士) is a method of obtaining a doctoral degree by way of dissertation without taking or completing a course of study.^[1] Ronbun (論文) means thesis or dissertation and hakase (博士) means doctoral degree in Japanese. It is also called Otsu Hakase (乙博士) or Otsu-gō Hakase (乙号博士).^[2] The other way of obtaining doctoral degree in Japan is katei hakase (課程博士), also called Kō Hakase (甲博士) or Kō-gō Hakase (甲号博士), which requires the applicant write a dissertation under the guidance of a doctoral advisor while taking a doctoral course of study. The character 乙 is often used at the beginning of the degree number of a ronbun hakase (e.g., 乙第12345号) while the character 甲 is used at the beginning of the degree number of katei hakase (e.g., 甲第67890号).

Overview

Japanese universities with doctoral courses are generally qualified to confer doctoral degrees to someone with academic ability equivalent or superior to the doctoral degree recipients despite not completing a doctoral course of study at the degree-granting university. This type of doctoral degree is called ronbun hakase, which can be called PhD by thesis in English, though translated as "Doctoral Degree (Thesis / Dissertation)" by Kyoto University.^[3] This degree can be obtained by passing a dissertation review without the guidance of a doctoral advisor. The dissertation is reviewed by a committee at the degree-granting university, and the applicant is not required to take or complete a doctoral course at the university.

In contrast to ronbun hakase, there is also katei hakase, a doctoral degree through a course of study, translated into English as "Doctoral Degree (Course)" by Kyoto University^[3]. This is obtained by completing a course of study and dissertation under the guidance of a doctoral advisor and passing a dissertation review in the final stage of their course by a committee with their doctoral advisor as the chairperson. Katei means "course" and hakase means "doctoral degree" in Japanese.^[4]

Ronbun hakase is rare in comparison with katei hakase which is the primary way of obtaining a doctoral degree^[5] as obtaining a ronbun hakase requires the candidate to meet stringent academic background requirements such as having published more peer-reviewed papers than the degree-granting university requires at the time of the application, having published many non-peer-reviewed papers, having experience presenting at international conferences, or having experience as a committee member at an academic society, etc.^[5] Moreover, even if the university's examination determines the candidate is someone with advanced academic ability, they may not receive a ronbun hakase.^[5]

Some believe Japan's system of ronbun hakase should be abolished.^[1] On the other hand, some consider it important for promoting the transition to lifelong learning as part of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology policy by conferring doctoral degrees to working individuals who can independantly undertake research, have abunduant knowledge, and are evaluated to have academic ability equivalent or superior to those who have previously received doctoral degrees.^[1] While the proportion of ronbun hakase to katei hakase is decreasing, there are still many who have accumulated considerable experience in a government office or private research organization and cannot undertake a course due to work or personal obligations.^[1]

Degree holders

References

[mext-1] 円滑な博士の学位授与の促進〈The acceleration of the smooth conferment of doctoral degree / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology〉(in Japanese)

[2] 学位申請(乙号論文博士)の手順〈Application for Otsu-gō Ronbun Hakase / Kobe University

[kyoto-3] 組織名等の英語表記〈English Names of University Organization and so on〉/ Kyoto University

[4] 学位申請(甲号課程博士)の手順〈Application for Otsu-gō Ronbun Hakase / Kobe University

[ihara-5] 井原望「技術者のための社会人ドクターのススメ」『生物工学会誌』第94巻第8号518頁（2016年）〈Nozomi Ihara, "Encouragement for Doctoral Degree to the full-fledged member of society working as engineer" Journal of The Japan Society for Biotechnology 94(8)：518 (2016)〉

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+{{short description|Doctoral degree peculiar to Japan}}
-{{Rough translation|Japanese|date=August 2022}}
+{{Nihongo|'''Ronbun Hakase'''|論文博士}} is a method of obtaining a doctoral degree by way of dissertation without taking or completing a course of study.<ref name="mext">[https://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/chukyo/chukyo0/toushin/05090501/009.htm 円滑な博士の学位授与の促進〈The acceleration of the smooth conferment of doctoral degree / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology〉]{{in lang|ja}}</ref> 論文 means thesis or dissertation and 博士 means doctoral degree in Japanese. It is also called Otsu Hakase乙号博士.<ref>[https://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/GRADN/GAKUI/otsu/H26kara/otsu-tejyun2018.pdf 学位申請(乙号 論文博士)の手順〈Application for Otsu-gō Ronbun Hakase / Kobe University]</ref>The  way of obtaining doctoral degree in Japan is  , also called Kō Hakase甲号博士, requires the applicant write  dissertation under the guidance of [[doctoral advisor]] while taking a course of study. The  '''乙''' is   at the beginning of the degree number of  ''''(, '''乙'''第12345号 while the  '''甲''' is  at the beginning of the degree number of ''''(, '''甲'''第67890号.
-{{short description|Doctoral degree peculiar to Japan}}
-{{Nihongo|'''Ronbun Hakase'''|論文博士}} is a method of obtaining a doctoral degree, by way of dissertation without taking or completing a course of study at the university.<ref name="mext">[https://www.mext.go.jp/b_menu/shingi/chukyo/chukyo0/toushin/05090501/009.htm 円滑な博士の学位授与の促進〈The acceleration of the smooth conferment of doctoral degree / Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology〉]{{in lang|ja}}</ref> "'''Ronbun'''" (論文) means thesis or dissertation and "'''Hakase'''" (博士) means doctoral degree in Japanese. It is also called '''Otsu(-gō) Hakase'''〈'''乙'''(号)博士〉.<ref>[https://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/GRADN/GAKUI/otsu/H26kara/otsu-tejyun2018.pdf 学位申請(乙号 論文博士)の手順〈Application for Otsu-gō Ronbun Hakase / Kobe University]</ref>　The alternative way of obtaining doctoral degree in Japan is '''Katei Hakase''', also called '''Kō(-gō) Hakase'''〈'''甲'''(号)博士〉, requires the applicant/candidate to write the dissertation under the guidance of [[doctoral advisor]] professor while taking a course of study at the doctoral course. The letter '''乙''' is written usually at the beginning of the degree number of Ronbun Hakase, namely Otsu(-gō) Hakase〈'''乙'''(号)博士〉, like '''乙'''第12345号, while the letter '''甲''' is written usually at the beginning of the degree number of Katei Hakase, namely Kō(-gō) Hakase〈'''甲'''(号)博士〉, like '''甲'''第67890号.
 ==Overview==
-The universities which have the doctoral course(s) in Japan are basically qualified to confer doctoral degree on the person who has the academic ability equivalent or superior to the person whom the doctoral degree has been already conferred on even though he/she didn't have the chance of taking or completing a course of study at the doctoral course of the degree-granting university for family or other reasons previously. This type of doctoral degree is called "'''Ronbun Hakase'''" (translated in English as "doctoral degree by way of dissertation" in general, "Doctoral Degree (Thesis / Dissertation)" by [[Kyoto University]]<ref name="kyoto">[https://www.t.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja/about/name/g9ij5b 組織名等の英語表記〈English Names of University Organization and so on〉/ Kyoto University]</ref> or "Doctorate in Kateigai" by [[Waseda University]]<ref name="waseda">[https://www.waseda.jp/fsci/assets/uploads/2018/11/0d75e15c99f9d3f0c423251302f70d77.pdf Guide & Entry Manual for Procedures of Application for Doctorate (For those applying for doctorate in “Kateigai” category) / Waseda University]</ref>) which can be obtained by passing the review of the dissertation written without the guidance of [[doctoral advisor]]/[[Maru-gō|D-maru-gō]] professor. The dissertation/thesis, after submitted to the degree-granting university, is to be examined by its committee for the dissertation review, while the applicant doesn't have to take or complete a course of study at the doctoral course of the university.
+ universities  doctoral  are  qualified to confer doctoral     academic ability equivalent or superior to the doctoral degree    completing a course of study at the degree-granting university. This type of doctoral degree is called '' ''      by  in , "Doctoral Degree (Thesis / Dissertation)" by [[Kyoto University]]<ref name="kyoto">[https://www.t.kyoto-u.ac.jp/ja/about/name/g9ij5b 組織名等の英語表記〈English Names of University Organization and so on〉/ Kyoto University]</ref>   can be obtained by passing  dissertation  without the guidance of [[doctoral advisor]]. The dissertation is  by  committee  the  ,  the applicant   to take or complete a doctoral course  the university.
-'''Ronbun Hakase''' is juxtaposed against and compared with "'''Katei Hakase'''" (translated in English as "doctoral degree after completing a course of study" in general, "Doctoral Degree (Course)" by [[Kyoto University]]<ref name="kyoto" /> or "Doctorate in Kateinai" by [[Waseda University]]<ref name="waseda" />) which can be obtained by completing a course of study and the dissertation under the guidance of his/her [[doctoral advisor]]/[[Maru-gō|D-maru-gō]] professor and passing the review of the newborn dissertation by the committee for the dissertation review with the attendance of his/her [[doctoral advisor]]/[[Maru-gō|D-maru-gō]] professor as the chairperson in the final stage of the doctoral course. '''Katei''' means (doctoral) course and '''Hakase''' means doctoral degree in Japanese. "Katei Hakase" is also called '''Kō(-gō) Hakase'''〈甲(号)博士〉.<ref>[https://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/GRADN/GAKUI/kou(H13kara)/H26kara/kou-tejyun2020.pdf 学位申請(甲号 課程博士)の手順〈Application for Otsu-gō Ronbun Hakase / Kobe University]</ref>
+'' '' is  '' ''  doctoral degree  a course of study   "Doctoral Degree (Course)" by [[Kyoto University]]<ref name="kyoto" />   obtained by completing a course of study and dissertation under the guidance of  [[doctoral advisor]] and passing  review  the         with  [[doctoral advisor]] as the chairperson. ''Katei'' means course and '''' means doctoral degree in Japanese.<ref>[https://www.med.kobe-u.ac.jp/GRADN/GAKUI/kou(H13kara)/H26kara/kou-tejyun2020.pdf 学位申請(甲号 課程博士)の手順〈Application for Otsu-gō Ronbun Hakase / Kobe University]</ref>
-''Ronbun Hakase'' is rare in comparison with ''Katei Hakase'' (the usual way of obtaining a doctoral degree),<ref name="ihara">[https://www.sbj.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/file/sbj/9408/9408_danwa.pdf 井原望「技術者のための社会人ドクターのススメ」『生物工学会誌』第94巻第8号518頁（2016年）〈Nozomi Ihara, "Encouragement for Doctoral Degree to the full-fledged member of society working as engineer" Journal of The Japan Society for Biotechnology 94(8)：518 (2016)〉]</ref> because in order to obtain "Ronbun Hakase" it is required that the applicant/candidate has previously published more peer-reviewed treatises than the degree-granting university requires at the time of the application, the applicant/candidate has published many unrefereed treatises as his/her background and he/she has the track record of presentations at international conferences, the experience of taking office of the member of some committee(s) of academic society and so on.<ref name="ihara" /> Moreover, even if he/she is recognized as the person with the advanced academic ability by the examination carried out by the university, "Ronbun Hakase" is not always conferred on him/her.<ref name="ihara" />
+''Ronbun '' is rare in comparison with '' '' the  way of obtaining a doctoral degree<ref name="ihara">[https://www.sbj.or.jp/wp-content/uploads/file/sbj/9408/9408_danwa.pdf 井原望「技術者のための社会人ドクターのススメ」『生物工学会誌』第94巻第8号518頁（2016年）〈Nozomi Ihara, "Encouragement for Doctoral Degree to the full-fledged member of society working as engineer" Journal of The Japan Society for Biotechnology 94(8)：518 (2016)〉]</ref>                published more peer-reviewed  than the degree-granting university requires at the time of the application,  published many      at international conferences,  experience    member   academic society .<ref name="ihara" /> Moreover, even if     the    advanced academic ability,   not    .<ref name="ihara" />
-There are some opinions that "Ronbun Hakase" peculiar to Japan should be considered in the direction of its abolition.<ref name="mext" /> On the other hand it is thought significant to some extent from the perspective of promoting the transition to lifelong learning system as the policy of [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology]] for doctoral degree to be conferred on the (working) person who can be independently engaged in research activities, has abundant learning as its base and can be deemed as the person with the academic ability equivalent or superior to the person whom the doctoral degree has been already conferred on.<ref name="mext" /> Even though the percentage of "Ronbun Hakase" to the total number of doctoral degrees awarded is decreasing, there are still many persons who had to work for family or other reasons without having a chance of taking a course of study at the doctoral course but wishes to obtain doctoral degree after accumulating considerable experience in government office, public research institute or company.<ref name="mext" />
+       should be .<ref name="mext" /> On the other hand some     promoting the transition to lifelong learning as    [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology]]  doctoral  to working  who can   research,    and     academic ability equivalent or superior to     doctoral .<ref name="mext" />  the  of   to   is decreasing, there are still many  who      a           course  to    .<ref name="mext" />
 ==Degree holders==