Piled higher and Deeper

or short PhD -- a title popularized by the entertaining PhD-Comics. This is a title which doesn't come with a job and can therefore be earned and used as long as you live. But be careful not all PhD are equal. A common distinction is between Tier 1, Tier 2 and even Tier 3 institutions. The third tier specializes in accredited distance-learning (derogatory "mail-order") PhD's for instance (an example institution here), whereas the second tier only qualifies you to teach in the third tier -- which means what you really want is a Tier 1 PhD.

Usually public (e.g. government) positions don't distinguish between the different tiers and just pay you more if you have any PhD -- but sometimes people don't even have the time and dedication to finish a mail order PhD so a fake-Phds from non-accredited institutions might come in handy. So from time to time you will read stories of high up government officials being outed as having no real PhD.