<p>sars, Doctoral or Research Doctoral is one classification used by USNews to differentiate between schools. There are schools that don’t fit perfectly. Some Uni’s are listed as LAC’s, some Doctoral Schools are very small and have a more LAC feel. The parameter specifically speaks to schools where a Phd. is the highest terminal degree awarded. (It may be an attempt to follow the Carnegie classification of colleges and Uni’s . I’ve never researched it. )</p>