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[lingvojn]

I have a question about ABD candidates.  If you are ABD, should you put that on your CV?  I am ABD but was surprised that only one school asked about the state of my dissertation during preliminary interviewing (after having read that if you are ABD, you will constantly have to explain the state of your dissertation and that an actual hard copy of what you have is perhaps good to show).  I just realized that I put `PhD' on my CV (not ABD) with the date I expect to complete all the requirements of the degree (including submission of dissertation, but not defense as I am abroad and the concept of defense is very different than in North America).  I am in an MLA field and completing all the requirements is generally enough--you do not necessarily have to have the actual degree in hand.  In my cover letter, I also wrote that I will complete my PhD by June 2008.  Might SC members have misunderstood?  If so, what are the potential consequences?

[zharkov]

If you put Ph.D. (June 2008), then IMHO, people will interpret that as ABD.

Speaking of ABD, let me discourage job seekers from using that as though it was a degree or an official title or something.

"Joe Smith, ABD" doesn't sit well with me.

[tenured_feminist]

The ABD issue is really just about whether you're advanced enough to be on the market. Because different programs define ABD differently, I don't find it to be all that useful. Technically, of course, it means "all [degree requirements] but [your] dissertation" have been completed. Generally, identifying yourself as ABD is confirming that you've defended your prospectus and advanced to candidacy, but in MLA fields and most social science fields, you're not going to get very far if you don't have a couple of polished dissertation chapters in hand anyway.

If you say you'll complete your dissertation in June and your recommenders confirm this in their letters, this is actually way more helpful than identifying yourself as ABD. ABD applies in most programs from the moment you defend your prospectus, before you've written one word of your dissertation, all the way to the point where you're sitting with the Ruler Person in the grad school office doing your final format check before formal clearance for deposition.

Shorter answer: don't worry.

[grasshopper]

Might SC members have misunderstood?  If so, what are the potential consequences?

Probably not - wouldn't your referees have mentioned it? "Lingvojn is ripping right a long with her dissertation. I expect her to defend successfully in a few months."

[dundee]

I'm ABD and currently on the market; I specify my defense date on my CV and in my cover letters and have had a number of interviews and have campus visits coming up. Most of the interviewers asked about my defense date and just wanted to make sure that I'll have the Ph.D. in hand by August.

[lingvojn]

Okay, thank you for your help.  I feel much better about it now.  I was just surprised that almost none of the interviewers ever asked about my dissertation.  Perhaps it was just clear enough from my and my recommenders' letters.

Another issue is that I do not have a scheduled defense date.  I am in Europe, and at my university, the date of your defense is the date of your graduation.  The defense is very much a formality, and you receive your degree directly afterwards.  Moreover, you cannot even officially schedule your defense until your entire committee has approved your dissertation.  For us, you are, for all intents and purposes, done at that point (when the committee approves your dissertation).  How much of a problem do you think this might pose for jobs/sc's at North American universities?

[ptprof]

When I was ABD I listed Ed.D. (date expected) and on the next line listed my defense date.  

Now that I'm on the other side of the table, I specifically look for a defense date when I'm reviewing CV's.  If I don't see one, I tend to think the individual isn't far enough along to have a (approximate) date scheduled then I become concerned about this person finishing on time.  This is especially true when we are accepting applications in January.  If the person is otherwise well qualified and deserving of a phone interview, then exact defense date is a primary question I ask of references/adviser.

I disagree with zharkov, Joe Smith, ABD doesn't bother me at all.



Lingvojn posted again while I was typing.

I did not know that about European universities, I wonder if Australia is the same way (we have a candidate from Australia for a current search).  I would suggest discussing this in your cover letter clearly and prominently and it hopefully won't be a problem.

[lingvojn]

Well, apparently this system is not everywhere in Europe; it is pretty much limited to the Dutch-speaking area (The Netherlands and Flanders).  I did not mention it in my letter because I thought that would take up too much space.  I thought that I could just address it in interviews if it came up.  But what would a North American SC member assume if they saw Ph.D. (date expected) in a CV and cover letter from someone who is studying in Europe with no defense date listed?

[mended_drum]

Well, apparently this system is not everywhere in Europe; it is pretty much limited to the Dutch-speaking area (The Netherlands and Flanders).  I did not mention it in my letter because I thought that would take up too much space.  I thought that I could just address it in interviews if it came up.  But what would a North American SC member assume if they saw Ph.D. (date expected) in a CV and cover letter from someone who is studying in Europe with no defense date listed?

They would assume that by (date expected) you would have the degree in hand, which is the important part.  If you receive a contract, it will likely specify that you need to have the degree by the date that you begin work or make some other specific provisions concerning the Ph.D.; at my SLAC, if you don't have that degree, you are on a three-year contract and listed as "instructor" not assistant professor, until you do have it.  Once in a while an exception is made, but the results can be disastrous.

[lingvojn]

So, grinnellns, even if a candidate has completed all requirements, submitted and defended his/her dissertation but won't be awarded their degree until after the begin date of the contract, they will be listed as an "instructor"?  I just want to make sure I understand correctly.

[hungryhumboldt]

I had not completed my proposal yet and also struggled with ways to say that I was more than ABD, and fully intending to graduate this year.  Following the advice of my faculty friends, I provided a 'tentative title' to my dissertation in both my cover letter and my CV - this was helpful to the SC.  And though the title may change, it shows that I am working through the process and do have every intention to graduate.  In correspondence with chairs of departments, etc, they've also asked for this information.  And I've stated point blank that I anticipate a proposal date in ____ with a completion date of ____.  I think this puts you a little ahead of just being ABD and closer to completion ...   

Hope this helps!

[bacardiandlime]

I'm not sure if this varies by field, but if you haven't even got a TITLE for your dissertation, no way in hell I think it very unlikely you will finish this year.
I would be very dubious of 'I've got a TITLE, so therefore I look serious'...

[iomhaigh]

So, grinnellns, even if a candidate has completed all requirements, submitted and defended his/her dissertation but won't be awarded their degree until after the begin date of the contract, they will be listed as an "instructor"?  I just want to make sure I understand correctly.

This is going to vary school by school.  As I remember from earlier threads, a few of the regulars here were hired ABD and/or hired after a defense but before the paperwork was processed and/or graduated from schools that did semester graduations and not monthly (hence, you filed in August, but missed the August 5th graduation and thus "graduated" in December even though you were done in August). 

The responses to a similar question were:

* some were hired as instructors and bumped up in title upon receipt of the degree
* some were hired as asst. profs with a "must have degree by" date
* some were hired as instructors for the first year at a lower pay scale
* some were hired as instructors at a lower pay scale until degree is rec'd, at which point the pay and the title were instilled
* some were hired as instructors for first year at the asst. prof pay scale and not listed as an asst. prof until year two
* some had the tenure clock start immediately regardless
* some had the tenure clock not start until degree in hand/ end of first year/ etc.

Really, any scenario you can imagine is possible.