ABD: All But Dissertation

There are many milestones throughout the process of earning a Ph.D. One of the most significant is becoming “ABD” which is academic shorthand for “all but dissertation.” This stage is also sometimes referred to as PhD.abd.

This designation, earned after completion of coursework, represents a significant achievement on the road to earning a doctorate. Moving on from being a graduate student to being classified as ABD marks a significant transition in your education, one that brings with it challenges as well as opportunities. 

While becoming All But Dissertation is an accomplishment in itself, keep in mind that there is a lot of work ahead of you. Once a doctoral student is distinguished as being ABD, the realities of graduate education gain clarity and also greater urgency. Before embarking on the dissertation stage of your doctoral career, it’s a good idea to be well-informed about the sometimes-treacherous terrain ahead. 

These are some commonly asked questions about becoming ABD, or All But Dissertation: 

• Why is being All But Dissertation significant? 
• How long are you All But Dissertation?
• What are the challenges of being All But Dissertation?
• What happens next?

Significance of ABD

Earning the designation PhD.abd is no mean feat. Becoming a All But Dissertation means successfully completing qualifying exams, comprehensive exams, and all coursework in your plan of study. Beyond checking all of the necessary boxes, being cleared by your department to start your dissertation is a major vote of confidence in your ability to meet the challenges of the work ahead. 

Being All But Dissertation will also earn you a degree of recognition within academia. While not yet a peer, a grad student who is ABD will be given more opportunities in professional forums like conferences and journals. In some fields, students who are All But Dissertation can even find success on the job market, though their employment will be contingent on degree completion. 

You have been judged and found equal to the task–well done! Now, the real work–making your own contribution to the body of knowledge in the form of your dissertation–can begin. I vividly remember when my dissertation advisor compared getting a Ph.D. to scaling Mount Everest. Being designated PhD.abd is like making it to base camp–you’ve gotten closer to a doctorate than most people ever will, but there’s still a ways to go. 

How Long Does the All But Dissertation Phase Last?

So how long does a graduate student remain ABD? Eighteen months to three years is standard, though the data on this are skewed by attrition rates. Most programs require completion of the dissertation within a set amount of time, usually six years. As with so many aspects of graduate education, completion depends on a number of mitigating factors that are not limited to, but include: 

• Your Advisor. Some dissertation advisors set a firm schedule with a strict timeline, while others believe that slow and steady wins the race. Neither of these is better than the other, but make sure that your advisor is aware of your graduation goals and you’re on the same page. 
• University Resources. Issues with travel and research funding, lab space, and institutional review board (IRB) or research ethics board (REB) approval can all cause delays in starting your research, and, unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to speed things up. Sit tight and be patient. 
• You. In many ways, the All But Dissertation student is the deciding factor in the length of time a doctoral program takes. 

No matter how well supported you are, a dissertation is arduous, solitary work. It’s hours and days and months of writing and research, trial and error, failure and success. It’s a journey, and a singular opportunity–try to enjoy it. 

Challenges of Being All But Dissertation

For a graduate student, “ABD” is a fraught state of being, and understandably so. With all of your coursework (and close scrutiny by a battalion of faculty members) completed, you’re now the captain of a ship heading into uncharted waters–and sometimes your boat can feel like a very leaky vessel. 

There is a perception that graduate students who have completed their coursework are “almost done,” and that could not be further from the truth. It’s more accurate to see starting your dissertation as the halfway mark to earning a Ph.D., though it’s a significant milestone. 

Though statistics are not publicly available, attrition rates are high in doctoral programs. Completing all of your coursework moves the needle and shifts the odds of completing the degree in your favor. It also pays to choose a faculty advisor you work well with and to consider your dissertation topic carefully. At this point, every decision you make matters. 

Additional challenges of being All But Dissertation are external. The world outside of academia tends to encroach on your time more once your coursework is done because you’re not “in class.” Do everything you can to safeguard your time and give yourself time and space to devote to your research–you’ll need every moment of it. 

What Happens Next?

Let the dissertation commence! Once you have been declared ABD, there is much to be done. It’s a good idea to hash out a plan for this phase of your graduate program. Before you dive into the dissertation, you’ll need to formalize your choice of dissertation advisor and set up a regular meeting schedule that fits into their faculty workload. While you may have an inkling of what you want your dissertation research to entail, you’ll need to do some academic legwork to make sure your topic is feasible and bring your working knowledge of the subject up to speed. 

After that, you’ll set off from base camp and begin climbing Everest in earnest. Consult your advisor and other faculty members to marshal the resources you’ll need. Begin acquiring books, articles, and all the other materials pertaining to your topic. Prepare yourself to be in the thick of it; having a sound strategy for tackling such a monumental task can make all the difference. 

Being ABD is both an accomplishment and a challenge. It’s not easy, but you’re not alone. This is a well-traveled path; seek advice and learn from the triumphs and pitfalls of those who came before you. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, but rest assured that making it this far means you have what it takes to go the distance.