In a natural sciences academic program, many branches of the field might be explored in depth with the goal of observing and learning about nature. Some of these branches may include astronomy, biology, physics, ecology and chemistry.

South America It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean; North America and the Caribbean Sea lie to the northwest. It includes twelve sovereign states Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador,Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela – and two non-sovereign areas – French Guiana, an overseas territory of France, and the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory. In addition to this, Trinidad and Tobago and theABC islands of the Netherlands may also be considered part of South America.

The PhD is a doctoral degree, specifically called a "doctor of philosophy" degree. This is misleading because PhD holders are not necessarily philosophers (unless they earned their degree in philosophy!). That said, PhD recipients are able to engage in thought experiments, reason about problems, and solve problems in sophisticated ways.