[Staple_Diet]

Australia too. But difference is you at least get paid (albeit a small stipend) in our countries, I think US the student pays tuition or has to also undertake seminars etc.

My doctorate was essentially; run studies for 2-3yrs, write up papers for submission, smash them together with an intro and general discussion, graduate.

[bowsamic]

Same, basically. In fact, in the UK the requirements were low enough that after my first paper published a year into my PhD (in theoretical quantum physics) my supervisor was like: "I consider this enough for graduation, now you can work on whatever you are interested in"