What does the letters ABD stand for as it relates ... on Ask an ePALS Teacher [Powered by Yedda]

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Roee Rotman

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It means "

All But Dissertation". It means that a graduate student working toward a doctorate to earn a Master's degree who has fulfilled all requirements for the doctorate except the writing and defense of the dissertation itself, may be awarded a Master of Philosophy degree, beyond the Master of Arts or Master of Science already earned. In other universities, such students used the informal designation of Ph.D. (ABD), for "All But Dissertation," not an actual degree but an informal convention.

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a.garfinkel

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Truthfully they do not really indicate any degree at all. Progress toward completing a doctoral degree is typically divided into four stages. 1. Admission and qualifying exams if any 2. Coursework (not altogether unlike previous course work) 3. Preliminary examination to determine that candidate is ready to embark on independent research and 4 independent research ...i.e. the dissertation.

If you complete stage 3 of the above, you have done ALL BUT DISSERTATION. Hence the abbreviation A.B.D. It has no official standing anywhere.

Some doctoral programs that decide to let a candidate out after stage 3 may grant a master's degree as a kind of consolation prize. Others do not.

Hence the alternate explanation of the abbreviation:

ALL BUT DEAD.

Much luck to you in your completion of all 4 stages.

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