All but dissertation
"All but dissertation" (ABD) is a term identifying a stage in the process of obtaining a research doctorate, most commonly used in the United States.
In typical usage of the term, the ABD graduate student has completed the required preparatory coursework and passed the required preliminary, comprehensive, and doctoral qualifying examinations or PhD candidacy examination. After the graduate student has successfully passed this examination stage, they are referred to as a "PhD candidate."
The informal ABD designation indicates that graduate student has met all program requirements except for writing of the dissertation (or thesis) and the final defense at the end of a PhD program.[1] Formal usage of the term "Ph.D. (ABD)" can be seen as unethical or deceptive.[2]
Some universities, including Columbia, the CUNY Graduate Center, George Washington University, The New School, New York University and Yale regularly award a formal Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree for these achievements, while a number of campuses of the University of California award a Candidate of Philosophy.[3][4][5]
Dissertation completion pathway programs
[edit]As of 2026, several universities in the United States offer paths to complete a PhD or Doctor of Education degree for those that completed coursework and qualifying exams at another insitution but ultimately did not complete the dissertation. Marywood University offers sucha program leading to a PhD in Strategic Leadership and Administrative Studies.[6] Antioch University offers a PhDLC completion pathway.[7] Institutions with an EdD completion pathway include Carson-Newman University, D'Youville University, Manhattanville University and National University.[8][9][10][11]
Criticism
[edit]The use of ABD or the similar PhD(c) for PhD candidate (also PhD-c or PhDc) as a credential has been criticized as misleading as these terms are not widely understood outside of US academia.[12][13]
The term ABD has no equivalent meaning in PhD programs outside of the US, in particular those without a requirement for a formal candidacy examination (e.g., Australia). According to the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) Higher Degree by Research Course Regulations, graduate students enrolled in a PhD program who have not completed a dissertation or other requirements are simply referred to as "PhD candidates" prior to completing any mandatory PhD coursework or examinations.[14]
Even in the US, candidacy and ABD are not always synonymous. For example, in the Stanford PhD program in computer science, a student may declare candidacy after settling on a permanent advisor and completing a number of breadth area requirements, but must pass a further qualifying exam, testing knowledge in greater depth, before being considered ABD.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ Schuman, Rebecca (1 August 2014). "ABD Company". Slate. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- ^ Novotney, Amy (September 2016). "The misuse of PhD(c)". American Psychological Association. Archived from the original on 20 April 2026. Retrieved 25 May 2026.
- ^ "Master of Philosophy". Columbia Business School. New York: Columbia University. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "Doctor of Philosophy Program". Yale School of Architecture. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "PhD Requirements". Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. Washington: George Washington University. Retrieved 26 August 2017.
- ^ "Marywood University Offers Accelerated Path to Doctoral Degree Completion | Marywood University". www.marywood.edu. 17 February 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ University, Antioch (6 August 2025). "Antioch University Launches PhD in Leadership and Change Degree Completion Pathway - Common Thread". commonthread.antioch.edu. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Dissertation Completion Pathway (Ed.D) | DYouville". www.dyu.edu. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Manhattanville University". metatags.io. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Dissertation Completion Pathway". National University. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ "Ed.D. Completion Pathway". Carson-Newman University. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- ^ Novotney, Amy (1 September 2016). "The Misuse of PhD(c): Why a Designation Used by Some Students Is Seen as Unethical". Monitor on Psychology. Vol. 47, no. 8. p. 36. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
- ^ Chinn, Peggy L. (29 June 2011). "How to List Your Credentials and Title When You Publish". ANS: Advances in Nursing Science Blog. Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
- ^ Technology (QUT), Queensland University of. "Study a PhD". QUT. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ "PhD Requirements | Stanford Computer Science". Computer Science Department, Stanford University. Retrieved 18 January 2022.