Editing Doctor of Science (section)

=== United Kingdom, Ireland, India, Pakistan and the Commonwealth ===
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In Ireland, the United Kingdom and the countries of the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]], such as Australia and India (in the [[Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay]]), the degree of Doctor of Science (DSc or ScD) is one of the [[Doctorate#Higher doctorates|Higher Doctorates]]. In some older universities it typically has precedence after Divinity, Laws or Civil Law, Medicine, and Letters, and above Music. The degree is conferred on a member of the university who has a proven record of internationally recognised scholarship. A candidate for the degree will usually be required to submit a selection of their publications that follow a consistent theme to the board of the appropriate faculty, which will decide if the candidate merits this accolade.<ref name=USQ>{{cite web |title=Higher Doctorates Procedure - University of Southern Queensland |url=https://policy.usq.edu.au/documents/13336PL |website=policy.usq.edu.au |publisher=University of Southern Queensland |access-date=1 March 2024|date=18 January 2022}}</ref> Quite often they will need to be a doctoral graduate of at least ten years' standing and have a substantial research association with the awarding university.<ref name=USQ/>

The first University to admit an individual to this degree was the [[University of London]] in 1860.<ref>Pages xiii and xiv of ''The University of London and the World of Learning, 1836–1986'' by [[Francis Michael Longstreth Thompson]]. Published by Continuum International Publishing Group, 1990
{{ISBN|978-1-85285-032-6}}</ref> In 1893 [[Maria Gordon]] (née Ogilvie) was the first woman to receive this degree.<ref>{{cite book|last= Haines|first= Catharine M. C.|author2= Helen M. Stevens|title= International Women in Science|publisher= ABC-CLIO|year=2001|page=[https://archive.org/details/internationalwom00hain/page/115 115]|url=https://archive.org/details/internationalwom00hain|url-access= registration|isbn=1-57607-090-5}}</ref>

In former times the doctorate in science was regarded as a greater distinction than a professorial chair and hence a professor who was also a DSc would be known as Doctor. The Doctor of Science may also be awarded as an honorary degree, that is, given to individuals who have made extensive contributions to a particular field and not for specific academic accomplishments. It is usual to signify this by adding DSc h.c. (for ''[[honoris causa]]'').