It seems like in some fields that almost anyone can get a Ph.D. nowadays, as long as you complete the coursework and can defend your dissertation you get your degree. My mother-in-law is a high school teacher with a Ph.D. in Education. She did 90% of her work off-campus, coming to campus with about 6 other Ph.D. candidates for a two week period in the summer. She wrote a dissertation on an incredibly narrow subject, defended it, and couldn't find employment as a principal. Many districts want principals to hold doctorates.
Am I correct in stating that Ph.D.s used to be relatively rare, conferred only upon the elite in a given field? When did the Ph.D lose its high position? Is it due to the relative ubiquity of the B.A. and B.S.?
Try pitching this to /r/AskSocialScience. Recent trends in academia are more their purview than ours.
Could you name some other careers where a PhD is required? I know most research positions require one, and academia goes without saying, but what else?
Part of it is, more people get degrees today, so to stand out from the crowd, you have to get a higher degree. Associates gave way to bachelors, and we're seeing bachelors give way to Masters, and so on.
For instance, when my older brother first went to school for physical therapy, it was pretty common to have just associates, but now, Masters is more the norm of those graduating in that field.