High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Candidate of Sciences (C.Sc.) degree is a first post-graduate scientific degree in some former Eastern Bloc countries, such as Russia and Ukraine, which is awarded for original research that constitutes a significant contribution to a scientific field. The degree was first introduced in the USSR on January 13, 1934, by a decision of the Council of People`s Commissars of the USSR. It roughly corresponds to the Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD) as awarded in many English-speaking countries as it allows its holders to reach the level of the Associate Professor (Docent).