Doctor of Theology (in Latin Doctor Theologiae, abbreviated D.Th. or Th.D. ) is a terminal academic degree in theology. It is a research degree that is considered by the U.S. National Science Foundation to be the equivalent of a Doctor of Philosophy. Th.D. programs are usually designed for theological scholarship within a religious tradition (most often, Christian), whereas Ph.D. programs are usually designed to study religious issues in the larger context of the liberal arts and humanities.