Which English phrase corresponds to the German 'promovieren'?

• A. To take/ do a doctorate/ doctoral/ doctor's degree
• B. To study for a degree
• C. To graduate from university
• D. To award a degree

Answer: (A)

Promovieren means going through and completing the highest university degree—the doctorate. In English, people express this as doing or earning a doctorate (often said as “to do a doctorate” or “to obtain a doctorate,” or more specifically “to earn a PhD”). The option that captures this sense of pursuing and finishing a doctoral degree is the one that says to take/do a doctorate.

The other options describe different stages or actions: studying for a degree (not necessarily finishing), graduating from university (completing any degree, not specifically a doctorate), or awarding a degree (the university granting the degree, not the person earning it).