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Home · Celebrity

The Doctor Is In! 13 Celebrities With Honorary Doctorate Degrees

Tracee Ellis Ross, Kanye West and Kerry Washington may not be real doctors, but they have real Ph.Ds. Click through to learn more about celebs with honorary doctorate degrees. 

By Jolie A. Doggett · May 26, 2015October 27, 2020
01
Tracee Ellis Ross

Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross is officially Dr. Ross after receiving an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Brown University, over the weekend. “I am humbled and thrilled!” she wrote on Instagram. “I know I’m not really a doctor now but I won’t belittle a moment like this. It was a moving and exciting weekend!

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02
Kanye West

One of the most famous college dropouts now has a college degree. The School of the Art Institute of Chicago awarded the rapper an honorary doctorate for his “transformative, genre-defying work.”

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03
Oprah Winfrey

The Queen of Daytime received an honorary doctorate from Harvard University in 2013, when she also delivered an inspirational commencement speech. 

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04
Aretha Franklin

The Queen of Soul has not one, not two, but more than TWELVE honorary doctorates from three Ivy Leagues and other prestigious colleges and universities. She’s earned some academic R.E.S.P.E.C.T. 

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05
Muhammad Ali

He’s the greatest and he has the Ph.D to prove it. Mount Ida College and Columbia University awarded the legendary boxer honorary doctorates in 1994 and 1999.

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06
George Foreman
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07
Mike Tyson

The former boxer celebrates his birthday June 30.

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08
Diddy

Dr. Diddy was born when Sean Combs received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater, Howard University, in 2014.

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09
Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson doesn’t need to prove that he’s smart but 18 honorary doctorates certainly helps.

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10
Kerry Washington

Scandal star Kerry Washington returned to Washington D.C. to receive an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree from alma mater, Georgetown University.

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11
President Barack Obama

President Barack Obama was awarded an honorary doctorate from Hampton University, Notre Dame University and more.

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12
Michelle Obama

After delivering a monumental commencement speech at Tuskeegee University, First Lady Michelle Obama was awarded a well-deserved honorary doctorate.

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13
Denzel Washington

In 2009, Denzel Washington was given an honorary doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, the same school his son attended. 

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