The Big Bang Theory: Does Howard Ever Get His PhD?

The whacky protagonists of "The Big Bang Theory" are some of the biggest brains on the planet. However, Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) is the only one of his scientist friends, which includes his wife, Bernadette (Melissa Rauch), and Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), who does not possess a PhD. Although Howard is clearly intelligent and a skilled engineer — he goes to space, after all — he constantly finds himself the butt of jokes because of this, particularly from Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons).

Howard eventually decides to work towards getting a PhD, though it's more because he's tired of being teased. In the Season 8 episode, "The Junior Professor Solution," he enrolls in a graduate program — and is the only one to do so — that is being taught by Sheldon. Things don't go according to plan, and Howard, upset with Sheldon belittling his education, torments his teacher, drops out, and never ends up getting his PhD.

In the episode, Howard's decision to get a PhD doesn't have the expected results. Though Sheldon is known to be blunt and sometimes rude, he is still Howard's friend, and it would have been nice if he had commended him for furthering his education. Instead, Sheldon constantly makes fun of Howard's career choice and goes so far as to claim that the latter wouldn't understand anything. In response, Howard quickly answers physics questions and proves he's just as smart, if not smarter, than everyone else.

It's important to consider this scene and others like it that happen earlier in the series. Because Howard has a Master's degree in aerospace engineering, he is able to create unimaginable devices, go to the International Space Station, and answer PhD-level questions with ease. His hard work and dedication show that he has definitely proven himself, and he has no reason to feel ashamed that he doesn't have a doctorate, though he should feel ashamed of his cringiest moments.