List of artists and entertainers with advanced degrees

This is a list of artists and entertainers with advanced degrees (PhDs and other academic degrees leading to the title of Doctor). Excluded are honorary degrees.

Research doctorate

Person Known forDegree FieldInstitution Robert AllanMember of the band GlasvegasPhDMusicGlasgow UniversityChad AllenActorPsy.D.Clinical psychology Antioch University New EnglandMilo AukermanMember of the band DescendentsPhDBiologyUniversity of California, San Diego Mayim Bialik ActressPhDNeuroscienceUniversity of California, Los Angeles Jill Biden former First LadyEdDEducationUniversity of Delaware Michael BishopMember of the band GwarPhDMusicUniversity of VirginiaPietro BoselliModel, engineer, and lecturer at UCLPhDComputational fluid dynamicsUniversity College London Ian BostridgeOpera and lieder singerDPhilHistoryThe thinking fan's tenor – website of the Canadian newspaper The Globe and MailUniversity of Oxford Bill Bruford Member of the bands Yes, King Crimson and U.K.PhDMusicUniversity of Surrey Michael BurnsActorDPhilHistoryYale University Ellen CleghorneActress and comedianPhDPerformance studiesNew York UniversityBROW BEAT: Ellen Cleghorne on Breaking Down Saturday Night Live's Racial Barriers, and the Ones That Remain – Slate Magazine 13 Dec 2018. Alan CooperMember of the band Sha Na NaPhDReligious studiesYale UniversityAlan Cooper – website of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America Max CooperMusic producerPhDComputational biologyUniversity of Nottingham Bill Cosby Actor and comedianEdD EducationUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst Brian Cox Television presenter, physicist and former member of the bands D:Ream and DarePhDParticle physicsUniversity of Manchester Don S. DavisActorPhDTheatreSouthern Illinois University Carbondale Marcus DillistoneDirectorPhDFilm, media, and creative technologiesUniversity of Portsmouth Graeme DownesMember of the band The VerlainesPhDMusicUniversity of Otago William FawcettActorPhDElizabethan drama University of Nebraska–Lincoln Runhild GammelsæterMember of the bands Thorr's Hammer and KhlystPhDCell physiologyUniversity of Oslo Cheddar Gorgeous (Michael John Atkins)Drag queenPhDAnthropologyUniversity of Manchester Harold GouldActorPhDTheatreCornell University Greg Graffin Member of the band Bad ReligionPhDEvolutionary biologyCornell University Dan Grimaldi ActorPhDData processingCity University of New York David GrubbsMember of the bands Squirrel Bait, Bastro, and Gastr del Sol.PhDEnglishUniversity of ChicagoFaculty Bios: David Grubbs – website of the Graduate Center, CUNY Sir Lenny HenryActor and comedian, co-founder of Comic ReliefPhDMedia artsRoyal Holloway, University of London Dexter Holland Member of the band The OffspringPhDMolecular biologyKeck School of Medicine, University of Southern California Vijay IyerJazz pianist and composerPhDTechnology and the artsUniversity of California, Berkeley Paul Janz Member of the band Deliverance and a professor of systematic theologyPhD Philosophical theologyUniversity of Cambridge Brendan KavanaghPianist PhDEnglishUniversity College CorkMark KermodeFilm criticPhDEnglish literatureUniversity of Manchester Akash KhuranaActorPhDSocial sciencesTata Institute of Social SciencesTEDx GLIM Gurgaon Speakers – website of the media organization TED Wagner Lamounier Former member of the band SepulturaDScApplied economicsWagner Moura Lamounier – Open Researcher and Contributor ID Federal University of Viçosa Robert A. Leonard Member of the band Sha Na NaPhDLinguistics Columbia University CN LesterSinger-songwriterPhDMusicUniversity of HuddersfieldPhD Thesis CN Lester: Representing Strozzi: A Critical and Personal Re-Evaluation of her Life and Music – website of the University of Huddersfield Repository Annbjørg Lien MusicianPhDHardanger fiddle University of AgderFolk musician Annbjørg Lien's PhD on Hardanger fiddle folk tunes includes a new solo album - website of sciencenorway.no Ria LinaComedian and writerPhDViral bioinformaticsUniversity College London Loretta LongActressPhDUrban educationUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst David LoweryMember of the bands Camper Van Beethoven and CrackerEdD EducationUniversity of Georgia Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo aka "Sammus"RapperPhDScience and technology studiesCornell UniversityPhD Dissertation Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo: On the boundaries of multivalent musicking; a study on the politics of community-studios – website of the Cornell University Library Sir Brian MayMember of the band QueenPhDAstrophysics Imperial College London Adam MetMember of the band AJRPhDInternational human rights law University of BirminghamNaeem MohaiemenFilmmaker, artist, writerPhDAnthropologyColumbia UniversityRoy MontgomeryComposer and member of the bands The Pin Group and DadamahPhDTheatre and film studiesUniversity of Canterbury Sterling MorrisonMember of the band The Velvet UndergroundPhDMedieval studies University of Texas at AustinChristopher NowinskiProfessional wrestlerPhDBehavioral neuroscienceBoston University John O'Brien Soccer playerPhDClinical psychology Alliant International UniversityWhatever Happened To USMNT Midfield Maestro John O'Brien? – website of US SoccerNiall O'FlahertyMember of the band The Sultans of PingPhDHistory of political thoughtKing's College, Cambridge Shaquille O'NealBasketball player, actor, and rapperEdDEducationBarry UniversityBarry University – website of Barry UniversityEthan PortMember of the band Savage RepublicPhDMathematicsUniversity of Southern California Miuccia Prada Fashion designer and businesswomanPhD Political science University of MilanPriyadarshini Singaporean-Indian playback singerPhDFilm musicUniversity of Mysore Rahul RamMember of the band Indian OceanPhDEnvironmental toxicologyCornell UniversityA Return to Roots: Indian Ocean in Ithaca – website of the daily newspaper The Cornell Daily Sun Dilshad SaidKurdish musicianPhDMusic historyMozarteum University SalzburgA study on Kurmanji music : focus on the dance songs of the South Kurmanji region – thesis depository of the Mozarteum University SalzburgKurdish musician Dilshad Said receives PhD in Kurmanji music – website of Rudaw Media Network Omar SangareActor and writerPhDAleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art Robert SchneiderMember of the band The Apples in Stereo and record producerPhDMathematicsEmory University Simon ScottMember of the band Slowdive and engineerPhDMusicologyUniversity of the Arts London SerriniSinger-songwriterPhDLiterary and cultural studiesUniversity of Hong Kong Sam ShepherdElectronic music producerPhDNeuroscienceUniversity College London Rose SimpsonMember of the band The Incredible String BandPhDGerman literatureAberystwyth UniversityTheses Dr Rose Simpson – website of Aberystwyth UniversityThe Incredible String Band: 50 Years of Peace & Music – website of the Bethel Woods Center for the ArtsFrancesca Marie SmithActor and voice actorPhDRhetoric and transmedia storyworldsUSC Annenberg David SmytheFounder member of The RezillosPhDGeophysicsUniversity of Glasgowhttps://theses.gla.ac.uk/view/creators/Smythe=3ADavid_Kenneth=3A=3A.htmlhttps://www.davidsmythe.org/ Dan Snaith Canadian musician, best known by the stage name CaribouPhDMathematicsImperial College LondonMaciej StuhrActorD.A.ArtAleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art Billy TaylorJazz pianist, composer, broadcaster and educatorEdDMusic educationUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst Alejandro ToledoComposer, saxophonist, and ethnomusicologistPhDMusic performanceGoldsmiths, University of LondonBrowse by Goldsmiths authors: Toledo, Alejandro – website Research online of the Goldsmiths, University of LondonGregg TurnerMember of the band Angry SamoansPhDMathematicsClaremont Graduate University Jared Van SnellenbergActor and neuroscientistPhDPsychologyColumbia University Gala Varo (Jesús Meza Arroyo)Drag queen and television personalityPhDBiomedicineUniversity of Guadalajara Robert Vaughn ActorPhDCommunications University of Southern California Indre Viskontas Opera singerPhDCognitive neuroscience University of California, Los Angeles: Indre Viskontas – website of the Ensemble ProjectSophie WardNovelist and actressPhDEnglish and comparative literatureGoldsmiths, University of LondonPhD thesis: The narrative of thought experiments : development and uses of fictional narrative in thought experiments in philosophy of mind – website of Goldsmiths, University of LondonBrian WechtMember of the band Ninja Sex PartyPhDParticle physicsUniversity of California, San Diego Peter Weller ActorPhD Italian Renaissance art historyUniversity of California, Los Angeles Shaun Wilson Artist and filmmakerPhDFine Arts Media ArtsUniversity of Tasmania Flinders University Graham WigginsMusicianDPhilSolid-state physicsUniversity of Oxford Warren Zanes Member of the band The Del FuegosPhD Visual and cultural studiesUniversity of Rochester

Medical degree In many countries, the first medical degree is the MBBS (with MD being reserved for higher doctorates), but holders of this degree are addressed as "doctor" while practising.