Ph.D. candidate

"All but dissertation" (ABD) is an unofficial term identifying a stage in the process of obtaining a research doctorate in the United States and Canada.

In typical usage of the term, the ABD student has completed the required preparatory coursework, and passed any required preliminary and comprehensive examinations, but has not completed the research requirements, typically including the writing and defense of a dissertation. A student attaining this level may be granted a Candidate of Philosophy degree at some institutions.

In the United States several universities including Columbia, Yale and George Washington award a formal Masters of Philosphy or M.Phil for these achievement. There are other similar degrees such as doctoral candidate, abbreviated PhD(c), PhD-c or PhDc in English speaking countries and Dr. Cand. in German-speaking countries.

Because the abbreviation "ABD" and others like it does not refer to any actual university degree, it is generally viewed in a negative light by most people who have completed doctoral degrees and by human resources personnel, especially if the person claiming "ABD" status first started their doctoral degree more than 3 years ago. "ABD" is often viewed as an attempt to claim unawarded partial credit for an undertaking that remains unfinished or was abandoned. Thus "ABD", far from being a positive addition to a CV, is often viewed as a warning sign, worse than writing nothing at all.

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