All but dissertation

{{Short description|Stage in earning a research doctorate}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2022}}

"'''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.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schuman |first=Rebecca |date=1 August 2014 |title=ABD Company |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/life/education/2014/08/abds_all_but_dissertation_ph_d_candidates_who_can_t_quite_finish.html |work=Slate |access-date=14 May 2019}}</ref> Formal usage of the term "Ph.D. (ABD)" can be seen as unethical or deceptive.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Novotney |first=Amy |date=September 2016 |title=The misuse of PhD(c) |url=https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/09/misuse-phd |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20260420014050/https://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/09/misuse-phd |archive-date=April 20, 2026 |access-date=May 25, 2026 |work=American Psychological Association |language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Master of Philosophy |url=https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/programs/doctoral-program/academics/degree-requirements/master-philosophy |website=Columbia Business School |location=New York |publisher=Columbia University |access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Doctor of Philosophy Program |url=http://architecture.yale.edu/school/academic-programs/doctor-philosophy-program#Master%E2%80%99s%20Degree |website=Yale School of Architecture |location=New Haven, Connecticut |publisher=Yale University |access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PhD Requirements |url=https://economics.columbian.gwu.edu/phd-requirements |website=Columbian College of Arts and Sciences |location=Washington |publisher=George Washington University |access-date=26 August 2017}}</ref>

== Dissertation completion pathway programs == 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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-02-17 |title=Marywood University Offers Accelerated Path to Doctoral Degree Completion {{!}} Marywood University |url=https://www.marywood.edu/news/phd-completion-program |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=www.marywood.edu |language=en-US}}</ref> Antioch University offers a PhDLC completion pathway.<ref>{{Cite web |last=University |first=Antioch |date=2025-08-06 |title=Antioch University Launches PhD in Leadership and Change Degree Completion Pathway - Common Thread |url=https://commonthread.antioch.edu/antioch-university-launches-phd-in-leadership-and-change-degree-completion-pathway/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=commonthread.antioch.edu |language=en-US}}</ref> Institutions with an EdD completion pathway include Carson-Newman University, D'Youville University, Manhattanville University and National University.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dissertation Completion Pathway (Ed.D) {{!}} DYouville |url=https://www.dyu.edu/academics/schools-and-departments/center-doctoral-studies-research/dissertation-completion-pathway |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=www.dyu.edu |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Manhattanville University |url=https://metatags.io/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=metatags.io |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dissertation Completion Pathway |url=https://www.nu.edu/dissertation-completion-pathway/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=National University |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Ed.D. Completion Pathway |url=https://www.cn.edu/programs/abd-completion-pathway/ |access-date=2026-05-26 |website=Carson-Newman University |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Criticism == 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.<ref name="novotney">{{cite magazine |last=Novotney |first=Amy |date=2016-09-01 |title=The Misuse of PhD(c): Why a Designation Used by Some Students Is Seen as Unethical |url=http://www.apa.org/monitor/2016/09/misuse-phd.aspx |magazine=Monitor on Psychology |volume=47 |issue=8 |page=36 |access-date=2019-05-14 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Chinn |first=Peggy L. |date=29 June 2011 |title=How to List Your Credentials and Title When You Publish |url=https://ansjournalblog.com/2011/06/29/how-to-list-your-credentials-and-title-when-you-publish/ |work=ANS: Advances in Nursing Science Blog |publisher=Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins |access-date=2017-08-27 }}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Technology (QUT) |first=Queensland University of |title=Study a PhD |url=https://www.qut.edu.au/research/study-with-us/phd |access-date=13 November 2022 |website=QUT |language=en}}</ref>

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.<ref name="stanford-phd-cs">{{cite web|url=https://cs.stanford.edu/academics/phd/phd-requirements|title=PhD Requirements | Stanford Computer Science|publisher=Computer Science Department, Stanford University|accessdate=2022-01-18}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist|25em}}

Category:Doctoral degrees