UC San Diego awards a C.Phil (PhD candidate_ degree when subsequent to a masters and passing a qualifying exam but prior to being awarded a PhD in engineering. http://www-mae.ucsd.edu/PHDprog.html I can not recall seeing this designation used by anybody.
In exUSSR countries, first research degree (equivalent of PhD) is "Kandidat" (of physical and mathematic sciences, of pedagogical sciences, or, say, of agricultural sciences - my grandfather's degree). "Doktor" is the higher degree, and "Academician" is treated almost as the degree as well (although it is the membership in the National Academy of Science).
One of the professors who taught/mentored me and sat on my MA defence council held a CPhil (and PhD) from Berkley. Migwec, Jeff
