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Doctoral Completion Programs: How to Finish Your Doctorate Degree

Doctoral programs are extremely rigorous. Unlike master’s degree programs, doctorate programs are heavily self-driven and require the highest level of scholarly research and writing. For some students who are balancing work and life priorities with a doctoral degree, this can seem overwhelming.

If you started a doctoral program but didn’t finish, you aren’t alone. Nearly 50% of people who start doctorate degrees never complete their program. 

There are many reasons doctorate students stop their studies. Maybe you took time off for personal, financial or professional reasons. Maybe the doctorate program you attended previously wasn’t the right fit. Whatever the reason you decided to pause your doctoral studies, you may still be able to complete the terminal degree you started.

Doctoral completion programs are specifically designed for students who have some doctoral credit, but didn’t meet the requirements to graduate. Let’s dive into what these programs offer to see if a doctoral completion program is right for you.

What is a Doctoral Completion Program?

A doctoral completion program is not a specific doctorate program in and of itself. In reality, doctoral completion programs are another name for transfer-friendly doctoral programs that offer dedicated support for transfer students.

Doctoral completion programs are designed to meet the needs of students who are restarting their doctoral studies in an effort to accelerate their completion of their degree. These programs are unique because many universities will not accept transfer credit at the doctoral level. 

Let’s look at two of the common pathways you can take when completing your doctoral program. 

Doctoral Completion Programs: Choosing The Right Pathway

There are two stages of doctoral study—the required coursework and the dissertation. If you’re looking to complete your doctorate degree, you need to consider which requirements you still need to meet. 

If you still need to complete coursework and pass your comprehensive exam: Look for a university that accepts significant transfer credit and can help you complete your remaining coursework. Make sure you understand:

• How many credits will transfer: Most doctorate programs require around 58 credit hours total to graduate. Some transfer-friendly universities, like Franklin University, will accept up to 24 credits, which is about 40% of the total required.
• Will your credits qualify to be transferred: Doctoral programs typically require credits to be applied directly to the degree, meaning the previous course has to be substantially similar to the required course at the new university. If your previous studies don’t align, you may need to retake coursework. You may also need to meet specific passing grade requirements or time requirements (often credits more than 7-10 years old won’t transfer).

If you’ve reached ABD (all but dissertation) status: Consider a dissertation completion pathway. Some universities will allow you to restart your doctorate degree at the dissertation stage. However, before committing, make sure you understand:

• You may still need to take coursework: Many advertised ABD programs will still require you to take prerequisites, focus area courses or research and writing foundations courses to complete your dissertation at their university.
• Admission requirements may be extensive: Universities that offer dissertation-only completion pathways usually require more than just graduate transcripts. Expect to submit additional documentation, including previous doctoral candidacy, portfolio or work samples, resume, letters of reference or other support materials.
• You need to feel confident about your dissertation topic: Since you will start directly at the dissertation stage, you will need to declare a topic. Some of these programs will require a learning agreement contract to establish milestones for completing your dissertation.

Accelerate your completion time and lower your total tuition cost at every academic level. Download this free guide for tips on maximizing your transfer credit.

How doctoral completion programs work.

Applying to a doctoral program to complete your degree is often very similar to regular doctoral admissions. Here are the steps you will need to take: 

• Research transfer-friendly universities that accept doctorate transfer credit. Based on your previous educational experience, find the best-fit university that will also accept the most transfer credit.
• Apply to the university’s doctoral program. Submit an application and all support materials. Most applications can be submitted online and may or may not require an application fee. 
• Submit official graduate transcripts for the university. You will need to submit official transcripts for all graduate level coursework. It can also be helpful to submit information on the courses you’ve previously taken, including syllabi or course descriptions. These materials can help a university determine whether courses are similar enough to reward transfer credit.
• Receive transfer credit evaluation. You will receive a determination that shows how many credits you received, what courses they apply to and how many credits still need to be completed.
• Get started! Meet with your academic and/or faculty advisors to determine your schedule and complete your doctorate. 

5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Doctoral Completion Program

If you chose to stop your doctorate studies, there was likely a compelling reason. For some, the original doctorate program they chose wasn't a good fit for their needs as a student. You want to make sure that if you return to doctoral studies, the program you choose will set you up for success.

Make sure you ask these questions before choosing a doctoral completion program:

• How many credits will transfer into the doctoral completion program? You want to ensure as many credits as possible transfer into a new doctoral program, especially if you’re at the ABD stage.
• How will this program support you in completing your doctorate? Look for programs that offer dedicated faculty advisors, active student associations and extensive online library systems. All of these resources will help you complete your doctorate.
• Do you feel confident about the dissertation process? Many people fear the dissertation process. It’s why ABD has become a de facto designation for those who stop their doctoral studies before they complete their dissertation. Make sure you understand how dissertation committees work, how to establish milestones and how to defend a dissertation. Knowing all of this in advance can help you formulate a clear plan to finish your dissertation and earn your degree.
• Will this doctorate program work with your schedule? Some doctoral completion programs have a required in-person component. Others are conducted entirely online. The structure and flexibility of the program you choose will ultimately determine if you can successfully complete it or not.
• Are you excited and motivated to complete your doctorate degree? Personal drive and determination are two of the top factors in the successful completion of a doctorate degree. If you put your mind to it, you can achieve what you set out to do.

Finish What You Started: Complete Your Doctorate Degree

In the United States, only 2% of the population holds a doctoral degree. Franklin University is here to help you achieve this lifetime accomplishment. 

Our transfer-friendly, online doctoral programs are designed to support students from all backgrounds to complete their doctorate. From start to finish, a doctorate can be completed in as few as three years. If you maximize your transfer credit , it can be completed even quicker. Our no-fear dissertation process, faculty mentorship and peer support will help you stay on track to graduation.

Explore all of our doctoral programs to see if we offer a doctorate that aligns with your goals.

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PhD completion: an evidence-based guide for students, supervisors and universities

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Many students enrol in a Master or PhD postgraduate research degree, but few complete them. From 2010-2016 , 437,030 domestic and international students enrolled in postgraduate research programs in Australian public universities. Only 65,101 completed within the same six year period.

This discrepancy does not necessarily mean postgraduate research students “failed” their degree. Common reasons not completing a degree include changes of career goals, work-family conflicts, poor health or financial strain. Alternatively, some students remain enrolled in their degree for long periods without making significant progress.

Even so, the discrepancy is large enough for universities to be concerned. Nobody wants a student to suffer through years of hard work and frustration without achieving their goal.

What does research say about completion rates?

Research has identified several factors that make students more likely to persist with their degrees. These factors are related to the students themselves, their supervisor, and the university environment.

Psychological studies of postgraduate students find the more successful ones tend to perceive themselves as competent and be intrinsically motivated . These are students who enjoy their topic area, perceive their postgraduate studies as a valuable learning experience, and who strongly identify with being a career researcher. Students who are motivated by external factors (such as pursuing a prestigious academic role) are more likely to say they want to quit.

Scholarship holders are more likely to complete their degrees. This is likely because they are academically stronger than non-scholarship holders and are less vulnerable to financial strain. Students can support themselves financially through teaching, research assistant roles or other work, but this must be balanced carefully. Part-time students are less likely to complete their degrees.

Students’ field of study also affects completion rates. A higher proportion of students in sciences tend to complete their degrees than those in arts and humanities. This is likely because students working in the sciences are more often involved in laboratory-based work in teams, where there is greater social support and knowledge exchange. People studying humanities more often work on their research alone.

A positive student-supervisor working relationship is critical. A good supervisor should be an expert in the student’s subject of choice and a supportive mentor. They should help the student navigate through the frustrations and uncertainties of writing a thesis, and help students adjust to the world of academia.

Students are also more likely to finish their research degrees if they have strong connections with their peers . Such connections help students develop their professional identity as researchers, as well as providing opportunities for social support and informal learning .

The quality of associated coursework is also important. Ideally, postgraduate programs should provide students with a sound foundation of research skills and content knowledge, and facilitate ongoing communication with their faculty.

Involvement in formal and informal professional activities is also important. Students who complete tend to participate in departmental events, such as research seminars and professional development workshops. They also tend to participate in academic conferences. These events allow students to learn and expand their networks.

What students and their supervisors should do

First, given the importance of the student-supervisor relationship, universities can provide advice to students about locating and approaching a suitable supervisor. Specifically, students should consider the research area they wish to work in and locate a supervisor with relevant expertise. They should approach supervisors with an openness to negotiating a research topic.

Read more: Ten types of PhD supervisor relationships – which is yours?

Both students and supervisors should be upfront about their expectations about how the supervision will work. An excellent starting point for discussion is the Expectations in Supervision questionnaire. Students and supervisors sometimes have mismatched expectations about how often they should meet, the amount of feedback the supervisor should provide on drafts, and how much counselling and emotional support the supervisor should provide.

Supervisors have an important role in providing a realistic preview of academic life. One useful exercise is to review an academic competency model, such as the Vitae Researcher Development Framework , to discuss which skills academics need. In addition to knowledge of their topic area and research methods, academics increasingly need to be good at managing complex projects, working in multidisciplinary teams, and engaging with industry and media.

This discussion should enable supervisors and students to plan how students will develop their capabilities. Alternatively, it could prompt some students to opt out of a research degree if they think an academic role is not compatible with their goals.

What universities should do

As well as providing research training, universities can also increase the capabilities of students by helping them understand self-handicapping patterns. These include busyness, procrastination and disorganisation.

Students can be guided to replace these with more helpful actions such as scheduling dedicated writing time, reframing difficult tasks as learning opportunities, and developing a work routine. This could be done as part of a workshop or supervisory relationship.

Universities should also encourage greater connectedness between research students to build social support. This could be accomplished through team-based activities or face-to-face events.

For instance, some universities offer Three Minute Thesis , a research communication competition where students present their work in under 180 seconds.

Some universities organise Shut Up and Write sessions, which turns writing into a social experience and limits distractions. These activities can be complemented by encouraging students to become involved in supportive online communities and blogging .

Read more: The rise of writing events gives PhD students the support often lacking in universities

Finally, universities should be dedicated to helping academics develop as supervisors through ongoing training and coaching. Departments could consider tracking the progression of students and ensuring supervisors have the time and skills to take on new students.

Completing a dissertation can be richly rewarding, but it’s the endpoint of a process that’s often long, frustrating and uncertain. Helping students achieve their research aspirations makes academic life a better experience for all involved.

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How the PhD Program Works

Program Overview

Completing your doctorate at Wharton requires 5 years of full-time study. The first 2 years in the program prepare you for admission to candidacy by taking courses, qualifying exams, and starting research projects. In the last few years, you are primarily conducting research full-time including writing and defending your doctoral dissertation.

Admission to candidacy.

You begin by taking courses required for your program of study. All programs requires a preliminary exam, which may be either oral or written.

Some programs may have further requirements, such as an additional exam or research paper. If you enter with a master’s degree or other transfer credit, you may satisfy the formal course requirements more quickly.

Beginning the Wharton PhD Curriculum How the first two years of the Wharton program helped students discover their interests, learn the tools of the profession, and fuel their passion for teaching.

The Doctoral Dissertation

Upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, you are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies.

Your doctoral dissertation should contain original research that meets standards for published scholarship in your field. You are expected to be an expert in the topic you choose to research.

You are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, but you can start thinking about and working on research of relevance at any time.

The dissertation process culminates with a “defense,” in which you defend the proposal orally before your dissertation committee.

While working on your dissertation, you interact extensively with Wharton faculty. Together with interested faculty, you create your own research community that includes your dissertation advisor and dissertation committee.

Policies and Procedures

Get more detailed explanation of course requirements, academic standards, the Teacher Development Program, time limits, and dissertation procedures and requirements.

Sample Program Sequence

Years 1 & 2.

Coursework Examination Research Papers Research Activities Field-Specific Requirements

Directed Reading & Research Admission to Candidacy Formulation of Research Topic

Years 4 & 5

Continued Research Oral Examination Dissertation

Hear From Our Doctoral Community

Why this phd student chose to study business ethics at wharton, faculty expertise in housing economics attracted this phd student to wharton, uniting great minds, wharton’s stat bridge ma program takes flight.

PhD Completion Process

Congratulations!

As a PhD student, you have spent spend significant time at the University of Rochester taking courses, completing research in your field, completing milestones and are now ready to complete your degree.

The final requirement in earning a PhD degree is the completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the dissertation submission and degree conferral process is necessary to establish a successful plan. For complete descriptions of the process, please review the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students .

The page below is organized by before, during and post-oral defense. Please read the page in it’s entirety and email questions you have to [email protected]

Doctoral Qualifying Exam / Admission to Candidacy

All PhD programs must administer a qualifying examination as part of the PhD program requirements. The qualifying examination may be either written or oral or both, at the discretion of the department/program, and must be passed at least six months before the final examination may be taken.

The associate dean of a school certifies that a student has passed the qualifying examinations and is recommended for candidacy.

For more details, please review page 12 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students .

Planning for the Final Oral Exam / Dissertation Defense

At least six months before you plan to defend your dissertation, you should contact the graduate coordinator of your program for details regarding the submitting the defense. During the months leading up to the anticipated defense, your graduate coordinator will walk you through the process and explain any department specific nuances.

Pay careful attention to the five PhD degree cycle deadlines. In each degree cycle, there is a deadline for the last day to complete your degree requirements.  There are no exceptions to the deadlines. If a deadline is missed, your name cannot be approved by the Council on Graduate Education and presented to the Board of Trustees until the following degree date.

The oral exam/defense/dissertation is approved at multiple levels of the University. Starting with the program, oral exam/defense/dissertation committee, school graduate deans and the University Dean of Graduate Education. You will receive emails a few days before your defense confirming that the approvals for the defense have all been received.

PhD academic calendar

PhD students can reference their specific academic calendar in the drop-downs below.

To enable review by the Graduate Education Offices in the Schools and University Graduate Education, online dissertation committee and program director approvals must be completed the following number of working days before the defense:

• SMD and SON: At least 10 working days before the defense
• AS&E, Warner and Simon: At least 15 working days before the defense
• ESM: At least 20 working days before the defense

A minimum of five working days must elapse between the approval of the candidate’s School Dean to advance the record to University Graduate Education and the day of the defense. This time has been included in the schools’ lead times listed above.

Defenses may be held during regular business hours on any University working day with the exceptions listed below. See calendar below for additional non-working days.

Monday, May 27:  The University is closed in observance of Memorial Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Wednesday, June 19: The University is closed in observance of Juneteenth. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Thursday, July 4: The University is closed in observance of Independence Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Friday, August 23, 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for an August 2024 degree conferral.

Monday, August 26: Fall semester begins.

Saturday, August 31: August 2024 PhD date.

Wednesday, August 28, 4 p.m.: Last day for students who have completed defenses to submit final corrected dissertation for October 2024 degree to the ProQuest website without having to register for Fall 2024. AFTER THIS DATE, SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS FOR DEGREE COMPLETION REQUIRES REGISTRATION FOR THE FALL SEMESTER.

Monday, September 2: The University is closed in observance of Labor Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day

Thursday, September 26, 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for an October 2024 degree. NOTE: Students must be registered for the Fall 2024 Semester if submitting documents after August 28.

Friday, October 4: October 2024 PhD conferral date.

Monday, September 2:  The University is closed in observance of Labor Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29: The University is closed in observance of Thanksgiving. These three days cannot be counted as working days.

Monday, December 16 at 4 p.m.:  Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for a December degree. NOTE: Students must be registered for the Fall 2024 Semester if submitting final documents after August 28.

Friday, December 13: Last day for dissertation defense registration approval by University Dean of Graduate Education for defenses scheduled January 2, 2025.

Thursday, December 19 through Friday, December 31:  Due to recess and holidays, no dissertation registrations will be completed in the University Graduate Education office. No PhD defenses may be held during this time period.

December 31: December 2024 PhD conferral date.

The March 2025 PhD conferral date will be updated in late spring 2024.

Friday, April 26 , 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for a May 2024 degree.

Friday, May 17:  University Doctoral Commencement

Additional Information about Planning for your Defense

Writing your dissertation.

The dissertation process webpage offers several writing resources to help you get started, meet your goals, and complete your thesis/dissertation on time.

You also will want to take full advantage of internal reviews of the dissertation before uploading the thesis for defense registration, in order to minimize the number of errors in the registration version.

Final Oral Examination Committee

Page 11 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students (“Redbook”) goes into detail about the make-up of the committee.

PhD Committee Matrix

Approval Process for Non-Standard Committee Membership

Approval must be obtained in writing, based on a petition that includes a rationale for the request and a CV of the proposed nonstandard member.

Contact your Graduate Coordinator to start the petition process.

Page 12 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students (“Redbook”) goes into detail.

Scheduling your Defense

Contact the graduate coordinator of your program for details regarding the scheduling the defense.

Click here to Download a checklist of information needed to schedule defense

Rubric for Oral Defense

Click here to download the Oral Defense Rubric.

After the final oral exam / defense

Submitting your final dissertation.

Approximately, 24 hours after oral exam, an email is sent that details out the next steps. Including uploading the final abstract and dissertation to ProQuest®, submitting a UR Research authorization form, and completing two required surveys.

UR Research Form

The libraries at  University of Rochester, electronically store and publish the dissertations based on a students embargo restrictions.

You can access our database of dissertations on the UR Research page hosted by the library.

Survey Completion

There are two required survey’s for completion of the PhD Process. The University of Rochester PhD Survey and the national Survey of Earned Doctorates. The links to completing these surveys will be included in the completion memo sent post-defense.

We use a service called ProQuest to administer the electronic final thesis/dissertation (ETD) submission. ProQuest provides services that enable strategic acquisition, management and discovery of information collections. Once you have made any necessary revisions and the thesis/dissertation is final, you are ready to begin the submission process.

PhD Completion Confirmation

Once you have completed the steps above, you will receive an email the confirms that all of the requirements have been completed and will include a PhD Completion memo.

We offer both an electronic diploma and a paper copy diploma to students after their graduation date. Information on ordering replacement diplomas is located on the registrar’s webpage .

Commencement

The University holds one doctoral commencement ceremony each year in May. Eligibility to walk in the May ceremony includes students that graduated between August of the previous year through August of the current year. As an example, the May 2023 ceremony is for students who graduated August 2022, October 2022, December 2022, February 2023, May 2023 and August 2023. Doctoral students are only eligible to walk once.

You will receive information about the ceremony that your are eligible to walk in during the Spring semester.

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Students transfer into our doctoral programs from a variety of fields, psychology, education, and leadership studies, to name just a few. Within in the School of Leadership studies, students can choose to enter two different programs:

Contact us  to discuss your interests and previous education, and how they can match up to your chosen Fielding doctoral program.

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We understand life can get in the way of achieving personal goals. We’re ready to help. For 48 years, Fielding Graduate University has been helping adult students achieve their graduate degree goals. In fact, many successful Fielding alumni started their graduate education somewhere else but chose to finish at Fielding.

Choose to finish your doctoral education at Fielding. Thrive in your desired profession and become a part of the Fielding international alumni network.

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Doctoral Completion & Time-to-degree

This page contains information about degree conferrals, time-to-degree, and retention for doctoral research programs at Stanford. While the most common academic doctoral degree across the university is the PhD, the JSD in Law and the DMA in Musical Arts are also included here. The MD and JD are considered to be professional degrees and are not included. In all cases below, the academic years reported are "summer start years", meaning that the academic year encompasses a period from the start of the summer term through the end of the following spring term. Please see the  definitions  below the dashboard for more details about how the various metrics presented here are calculated.

More information is available about  doctoral program enrollment and demographics , as well as  doctoral program admissions . Note that local variation in policy and practice regarding admission, matriculation, and degree conferral may affect the departmental and school-level metrics below.

Methodology & Definitions

Time-to-degree.

Time-to-degree is the length of time in years from the first day of the student's first term of enrollment in their doctoral program to the day of their degree conferral. Time-to-degree measures elapsed time only, not enrolled time. It does not stop and start if a student takes a leave of absence. If a student was enrolled in a master's degree program prior to matriculating in the doctoral program the separate time in the master's program is not included even if it was in the same department as the doctoral program. For this reason, time-to-degree may be lower in some doctoral programs where it is common to require completion of a master's degree prior to matriculation in the doctoral program. If a student switches between doctoral programs, time-to-degree is restarted from the first term of enrollment in the new program. The only exceptions to this restart of the clock are when program changes are the result of departmental name changes or other restructuring, or when the new program has the same CIP code as the original program.

Graduation Rate

As with time-to-degree, the start of the 6-year period used to calculate graduation rates is the first term in which the student is enrolled in a doctoral program, regardless of any prior or concurrent enrollment in a master's program. The 6-year rate is based on elapsed time only, not enrolled time. It is not based on the concept of a cohort year or graduation year, but on the actual matriculation term and degree conferral term. For example, if a student enrolled at the start of Spring 2010 and graduated at the end of Winter 2016, they would count towards the 6-year rate; however, if they instead graduated at the end of Spring 2016, their time to degree would be more than 6 years due to the extra term of enrollment.

Degree Conferrals

Numbers of degree conferrals are reported by summer start year. For example, all degree conferred from Summer 2016 through the following Spring 2017 would be reported under the 2016-17 year.

Entering Cohort Status

An entering cohort consists of all students entering a doctoral program during autumn, winter, or spring quarter of a single academic year, as well as those entering during the preceding summer. Students are considered to be current in their program if they are still actively pursuing that degree or are on an approved temporary leave of absence. "Current students in a different PhD program" are students who were enrolled at one point in the selected program but subsequently moved to another doctoral program at Stanford and are still engaged in doctoral study. Students who are listed as "completed" have successfully conferred their degree in the selected program or, if they have completed a different doctoral program, have changed programs and been awarded a doctoral degree by another program at Stanford. Program changes resulting from department name changes, organizational restructuring, or between programs with the same CIP code are not considered "changes" in this context. Students who are shown as "discontinued" have either left the university without a degree or switched to a non-doctoral degree program (in many cases a master's degree).

Visit the  Graduate Admissions website  for more information about pursuing graduate study at Stanford.

The data are available for download in Google Drive .

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Doctoral degree steps to completion, director, graduate student support & associate registrar.

Eva Bachman Office of Graduate Studies

Throughout these steps to degree completion, Eva will be answering your questions and reviewing your materials.

Related resources

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NOTE: Departments may have earlier deadlines. Please check with your advisor or graduate handbook.

• What to submit: Appointment of Supervisory Committee form
• When to submit: Prior to completing half of the coursework, including transfer hours, but excluding research or language tools.
• Who to submit to: Doctoral Programs Coordinator

You will be notified by email when your committee is approved.

For full policy, see Supervisory Committee in the Graduate Catalog.

• What to submit: Program of Studies form

Note: Program of Study forms will not be accepted unless an Appointment of Supervisory Committee form has been submitted.

NOTE: Requests to change an approved Program of Studies must be submitted by the student’s major advisor via email to the Doctoral Programs Coordinator . DO NOT submit a new Program of Studies.

For full policy, see Program of Studies in the Graduate Catalog.

For full policy, see Academic Residency in the Graduate Catalog.

Academic residency requirement must be satisfied before you schedule your final oral examination (defense). The Doctoral Programs Coordinator will note this on your Program of Studies.

Changes to approved Program of Studies must be submitted to the Doctoral Programs Coordinator using the Program Change Form.

For full policy, see Comprehensive Examination in the Graduate Catalog.

Note: be aware of deadlines for Application for Candidacy. See Candidacy section for more details.

Student must pass a written comprehensive examination in the major and minor fields of study. At the discretion of the supervisory committee, an oral comprehensive examination may also be required. The Supervisory Committee arranges for comprehensive examinations at least seven months prior to the final oral examination (defense).

• What to submit: Application for Admission to Candidacy form
• When to submit: After successful completion of the comprehensive examination, no later than date TBD

For full policy, including registration requirements, see Comprehensive Examination and Candidacy in the Graduate Catalog.

The comprehensive examination must be completed at least 7 months prior to graduation.

The Application for Admission to Candidacy form must be submitted when language and research tool requirements have been met and the comprehensive examination(s) have been passed.

• Complete the Application for Graduation in MyRED .
• All students must complete the Hooding Participation form.
• When to submit: The Application for Graduation and Hooding Participation form must be completed no later than: date TBD
• The online Application for Graduation will become available in MyRED the semester following Admission to Candidacy.

Failure to complete these steps will result in a diploma not being ordered for you and your graduation date will be postponed.

Form: Hooding Participation

• What to submit: Application for Final Oral Examination form, with signatures of the two readers, supervisory committee chair(s), your department’s graduate program chair.

Last day to hold Final Oral Examination: date TBD

For full policy see Final Oral Examination in the Graduate Catalog.

• What to submit: full dissertation/document rough draft, including title page and abstract.

The formatting will be reviewed and students will be notified of any needed changes. No content will be reviewed. Any formatting changes must be made prior to final dissertation deposit.

• When to submit: Submit Rough draft with Application for Final Oral Examination at least 2 weeks prior to Final Oral Examination. Last date to submit the Application for Final Oral Examination: date TBD

For full policy see Dissertation in the Graduate Catalog.

• Formatting resource: Preparing a Dissertation .
• Following approval by the major advisor, the dissertation and abstract should be presented to the Reading Committee for review at least four weeks prior to the oral examination (defense).
• What to submit: Final and complete dissertation as a PDF
• When to submit: after successful completion of your final oral examination, and no later than date TBD

Student will be notified when dissertation has been approved for upload to ProQuest (required) and UNL Digital Commons (optional).

For full policy see Dissertation and Final Oral Examination in the Graduate Catalog.

ProQuest will recognize you are a UNL student and not require payment for basic upload. If placing an embargo, ProQuest will delay distribution of your dissertation. You will need to be specific about the length of time.

If requesting copyright registration through ProQuest, complete the additional ProQuest form and pay the associated fee.

• When to submit: After final formatting approval has been given by Graduate Studies. No later than: date TBD
• Who to submit to: ProQuest
• While immediate publication in both ProQuest and the UNL Digital Commons is recommended, there is an option to temporarily restrict access to dissertations, known as embargoing .
• Dissertations will be uploaded to UNL Digital Commons as well as to ProQuest, unless an embargo is requested.
• If you choose to embargo your dissertation, it will be uploaded to ProQuest on the embargo expiry date, but not to the UNL Digital Commons unless otherwise requested.
• Upload only after approval by Graduate Studies.
• What to submit: Doctoral deposit fee - $25.00 (required)
• When to submit: No later than: date TBD
• How to submit: Paid in MyRED (To-do list) by credit or debit card.

NOTE: This payment is not part of your student account. You will receive email confirmation of this payment.

NOTE: A majority of the committee must be in attendance and sign the Report of Completion form.

NOTE: Abstracts must be submitted in the exact format as your dissertation/document, including your title, university, name, etc.

• When to submit: After your defense and no later than: date TBD
• Who to submit to: Upload Report of Completion & Abstract here

Note: Ph.D. students must complete the Survey of Earned Doctorates . The Doctoral Programs Coordinator will automatically receive a notice of completion.

Note: Committee Chairs are responsible for submitting final 999 grades. Submit outstanding incomplete/no report grades for 999 credits by following this link: Thesis/Dissertation Grade Change

The PDF forms on this page are Reader-Enabled: you can type in the form, save the PDF on your computer, then later reopen the file and change what you typed — if you use a current version of Adobe Acrobat software, such as the free Acrobat Reader . Other PDF-reading software may or may not support these features. See also: Troubleshooting Forms .

College of Management and Human Potential - Doctoral Programs: PhD in Management

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Learning Outcomes

Full program, completion program.

• Doctoral Writing Assessment

8-Year Maximum Time Frame

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Program Website  

The ACBSP-accredited online PhD in Management degree from Walden University takes an interdisciplinary approach to the field of management and its influence on the development of individuals and society. Students conduct original research in a specific area of interest as they focus on current management research problems and connect their research to implications for positive social change. Students may choose a specialization that fits a personal or career objective or design an individualized specialization. PhD in Management students explore the challenges and opportunities in their profession and within today’s organizations. Aligning with Walden’s mission of positive social change, students also study ways to facilitate positive social change through original research in management, ethical decision making and theoretical challenges to enhance their capabilities as researchers, scholars, managers, teachers, or consultants.

• Evaluate the evolution of the field of management and organizations and its influence on human and societal development.
• Analyze key theories, concepts, and tools as they relate to the functioning of leadership and organizations.
• Evaluate management and systems thinking principles that have influenced the development of organizations and societal systems.
• Evaluate the relevance of seminal, current, and emerging management and organizational change theory and practice from an interdisciplinary perspective.
• Demonstrate the skills needed to conduct research that contributes to positive social change.

Minimum Degree Requirements

• Doctoral Writing Assessment (0 credits)
• Core courses (20 credits)
• Specialization courses (15 credits)

Foundation Research Sequence (15 credits)

• Advanced Research course (5 credits)
• Dissertation Preparation courses (9 credits)
• Dissertation writing course (5 credits per quarter for a minimum of four quarters until completion)
• Four PhD residencies

Core Courses (20 credits)

• Students may take this as a non-degree course.

Specializations Courses (15 credits)

These courses are dependent upon the particular specialization. Please see the course list on each specialization page.

Specialization in 21st Century Finance

Specialization in human resource management, specialization in information systems management, specialization in leadership and organizational strategy, specialization in organizational design and innovation, specialization in self-designed, advanced research course (5 credits).

PhD students are required to complete one advanced-level research course that mirrors the methodology of their intended dissertations. The university offers three advanced courses. Students should refer to their specific programs of study to determine program-specific requirements.

One of the following three courses is required:

• Students may take this a non-degree course.

Residency Requirements

• Residency 1  - Complete Residency 1 as soon as you begin your program; no later than within 90 days of completing MGMT 8003M.
• Residency 2  - Complete Residency 2 at the beginning of your second year, around the time of second research course (RSCH 8310). Completion of Residencies 1 and 2 is required prior to registration in the advanced research course and MGMT 9000.
• Residency 3  - Complete Residency 3 once you have a draft prospectus.
• Residency 4 General  (RESI 8404) OR
• Residency 4 Proposal Writing  (RESI 8404Q) OR
• Residency 4 Methods & Data Collection: Qualitative  (RESI 8404R) OR
• Residency 4 Methods & Data Collection: Quantitative  (RESI 8404S) OR
• Residency 4 Publishing & Presenting  (RESI 8404T) OR
• A  dissertation intensive  (DRWI 8500) during MGMT 9000M in the dissertation writing phase to progress toward completion and defense of the dissertation. Contact Student Success Advising to register.
• Optional:  Complete a  dissertation intensive  (DRWI 8500) during MGMT 9000M. Contact Student Success Advising to register.  Note:  Intensives are  not  included in Fast Track tuition.

Completion of the Doctoral Capstone

Dissertation preparation courses (9 credits), dissertation.

(5 credits per quarter for a minimum of four quarters until completion) *

*Students are continuously enrolled in MGMT 9000M for a minimum of four quarters until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Learn more about the dissertation process in the  Dissertation Guidebook .

Course Sequence

The recommended course sequence is as follows:

* Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

Master of Philosophy (Embedded Degree)

Walden awards the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree to recognize PhD students for academic achievement leading up to their dissertation. With an MPhil, students will be able to demonstrate to employers and others that they have an advanced knowledge base in their field of study as well as proficiency in research design and evaluation.

• All required PhD core courses (or KAMs)
• All required PhD specialization courses (or KAMs)
• All required doctoral research and advanced research courses
• Program prospectus development course
• Residencies 1, 2, and 3
• A minimum 3.0 GPA is mandatory.
• The MPhil requires a minimum of 45 quarter credits. Maximum transfer of credit varies by program but is not to exceed 50% of the overall, or embedded, program requirements. Students who previously completed a master's degree with Walden in the same discipline area are not eligible for an MPhil.

The PhD dissertation completion program is designed specifically for returning doctoral degree candidates who have completed all coursework for a PhD, except the dissertation process, at another university.

Minimum Completion Requirements

• Core courses (5 credits)
• Completion of the Doctoral Capstone (minimum 20 credits)
• Residency 3  (face-to-face live experience)
• One dissertation intensive  (face-to-face writing retreat)

Students undertake courses in the following sequence.

*Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.

Students who start or readmit to doctoral programs at Walden University in the university catalog for academic year 2017 or later will complete the university’s required  doctoral writing assessment . Designed to evaluate incoming doctoral students’ writing skills, this assessment aims to help prepare incoming doctoral students to meet the university’s expectations for writing at the doctoral level.

In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.

Students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral degree requirements (see  Enrollment Requirements  in the student handbook). Students may petition to extend the 8-year maximum time frame, but an extension is not guaranteed.

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Online ABD (All But Dissertation) Doctoral Degree Completion Program

Are you an experienced educator who is abd (all but dissertion) in an edd or phd program   in any academic discipline.

If so, you have the experience. You’ve completed the coursework in a doctoral program. But, you haven’t completed your dissertation. Now, you have a path to leave your ABD (All But Dissertation) status behind with Gwynedd Mercy University.

Our innovative Accelerated Executive Doctorate of Education degree completion program for ABDs offers qualified candidates with significant educational experience the opportunity to finish developing the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to earn your EdD. The program is helmed by Raymond Bandlow, PhD, who received this prestigious award for innovation in higher education  from the American Association of University Administrators.

See Program Details

Request information.

Complete the form below and an admissions counselor will contact you to answer any questions and help as you assemble all the components of your admissions file.

Program Details

Prepare for an advanced career in teaching at the college level, school administration, research, or policy analysis. Our Online Accelerated Doctorate Completion Program for ABDs will strengthen your skills in instruction and leadership in:

• U.S. and international schools
• School districts
• Colleges and universities
• Educational policy organizations
• Government and nonprofit organizations that support education

In 18 months, our rigorous course of studies will honor your previous experience with the global outlook, research skills, policy analysis capabilities, instructional expertise, and practical executive leadership abilities you need to lead and transform educational institutions to meet the needs of all learners. 

Continue developing your dissertation in one of four areas of interest:

• Leadership in PreK-12 Schools and School Districts (superintendent letter of eligibility courses may be included)
• Leadership in Higher Education
• Leadership in Special Education (special education supervisory certification courses may be included)
• Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

ABDs in Education may elect any of the above areas of interest. ABDs in any discipline other than education may apply for the Teaching and Learning in Higher Education program.

All of your coursework for the ABD degree completion program, except residencies, will take place online. Those in the degree completion program are only required to take one weekend residency at our Gwynedd Valley campus, just north of Philadelphia.

From the very beginning, you’ll be matched with a faculty advisor who will meet with you in regular dissertation advisement sessions. With GMercyU, there’s no reason to wait any longer — trade up from ABD to EdD and take your place among the next generation of education leaders.

What You Will Learn - Accelerated Executive Doctorate of Education ABD Completion Program

As a GMercyU ABD doctorate graduate, you will be able to:

• Provide leadership in teaching and learning at the K-12 and college levels
• Articulate an educational organization’s mission, goals, and guiding principles that distinguish the organization from others
• Understand the foundational base of organizational theory and demonstrate the ability to bridge theory and practice
• Given scenarios of conflict, choose ethical courses of action, consistent with Gospel values
• Synthesize and analyze data to reveal relations and causality and convert raw data into actionable information
• View problems and challenges through the lens of a scientist, seeking evidence-based conclusions
• Practice and model steward leadership in transforming organizations to better serve all constituents
• Demonstrate facility in the application of technology to solve problems, analyze and synthesize data, and manage information

Personal Support for ABD Students from Day One

GMercyU faculty members understand the challenges of ABD completion programs. That’s why they’ve helped us develop a program specifically for ABD students like you. Right away, you’ll join a small cohort of classmates and be matched with a faculty advisor. You’ll take supervised dissertation courses early in the program to keep your research and writing on track. Day in and day out, you’ll have the support you need to pursue research that improves education for students and the educators who serve them.

After graduation, you’ll join our extensive national and world-wide network of alumni. The colleagues, contacts, and friends you meet will inspire you.

Admission Requirements – Doctorate of Education Degree Completion Program for ABDs

To qualify for admission to our EdD in Education Degree Completion program, you must provide:

• Proof of A.B.D. or Advanced to Doctoral Candidacy or equivalent status from a regionally accredited institution
• A portfolio of coursework, scholarship, and career evidence for the Prior Learning Assessment
• Official graduate transcripts
• A Graduate Record Examination score of 155 or higher or a Miller Analogy Test score of 385 or higher (waived if you had a graduate GPA of 3.5 or greater)
• A resume showing professional experience and academic scholarship
• Three letters of reference from persons in leadership roles in your chosen area of concentration attesting that you have the ability to engage in studies at the doctoral level and to conduct research
• A personal interview with a member of the graduate faculty representing the applicant’s preferred area of concentration (in person or via electronic means, if the distance is a factor) 
• Evidence that you have received a minimum score of 550 (written), 213 (computer), or 79 (internet) on the TOEFL examination if English is not your first language.

Applicants who cannot meet one or more of the above requirements are encouraged to contact the Program Director for a review of qualifications. After enrollment, you will also need to obtain a Child Abuse Clearance, Criminal Background Check, and Federal Criminal History.

Learn more about GMercyU's online and accelerated   financial aid and tuition. 

You must complete at least 27 credit hours of coursework and practicum experience at Gwynedd Mercy University while completing your EdD with us. We will carry out a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) before your program begins and develop tailored coursework and practicum experiences that respect your previous experiences.

The credit value of your practicum may vary between 3-6 credits depending upon the breadth and depth of your prior learning. In all, your program will take no more than 18 months to complete.   Required courses for all ABD completion students include:

In addition, you must take three courses in your concentration area:

If you wish to become eligible for a Superintendent Letter of Eligibility, the Pennsylvania Department of Education requires 360 hours of district office practicum. You may also need to take the following prerequisites:

Doctorate in Education: Leadership in Special Education

If you wish to obtain Certification as a Supervisor of Special Education, the Pennsylvania Department of Education requires 360 hours of central office practicum experience. Doctorate in Education: Leadership in Higher Education

Doctorate in Education: Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

To review course descriptions, please refer to the  graduate catalog.

Meet the Faculty

Carol Etlen, PhD Associate Professor and Director, Masters in Educational Administration Program Read bio

Doctorate in Education

Lead in 21st century education.

Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Learn more about   GMercyU's accreditation . You can also   view our current accreditation status . 

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10 Best All But Dissertation Completion Programs [2024 ABD Guide]

Students who completed their doctoral coursework and received doctoral candidacy but left the program before completing their dissertation may qualify for ABD completion programs.

All but dissertation programs provide doctoral students with the opportunity to finish what they’ve started.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

Let’s take a look at how an accredited dissertation only PhD program may help you achieve your academic goals. You can also discover some of the current degree programs available for returning PhD students.

Universities Offering Online All But Dissertation Completion Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

1. Alverno College

Alverno College offers an ABD to help with the completion of EdD degrees. There is also a concentration in Teaching & Learning in Higher Education available. Most of the program is online with 2 weekend residencies in Milwaukee. The program requires approximately 6 semesters.

Alverno College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

2. American College of Education

An EdD in Leadership is available through the American College of Education. Those who are considered ABD may be able to follow a customized pathway to completion. The program is fully online, and there are no residency requirements. Courses are in an asynchronous learning format.

American College of Education is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

3. Baker College

Those with 32 credits toward a DBA may finish their degree through Baker College’s ABD completion program. The dissertation program requires an additional 28 credits and may be completed entirely online. On average, the program may be completed in 18 months.

Baker College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

4. Bay Path University

Bay Path University offers an EdD in Educational Leadership. Those who have completed doctoral coursework may be eligible for the ABD program. All coursework is online with 1 weekend residency per year. The dissertation requires 21 credits. The school offers multiple concentrations including Higher Education Leadership and Transformative School Leadership.

Bay Path University is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.

5. Brenau University

Brenau University offers an online EdD in Education program that features an ABD path for those who have completed core courses. There are start dates each fall and spring, and the program follows a semester schedule. The program requires 2 weekend residencies over the course of the program.

Brenau University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

6. Centenary University

An EdD in Educational Leadership through Centenary University’s ABD program. The program requires 13 to 21 credits. Courses are online or in a blended format. A faculty advisor is available throughout the program. Courses follow a semester schedule.

Centenary University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

7. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Mercy University offers an EdD for ABD students. The program is in an accelerated format. All coursework is fully online with 1 weekend residency required. The required 27 credits can typically be completed in 18 months.

Gwynedd Mercy University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

8. Indiana Wesleyan University

Those classified as ABD can earn an EdD through Indiana Wesleyan University. The program is fully online, and there are no residency requirements. The program is taught through a Christian worldview. The program’s required 30 credits may be completed in as little as 20 months.

Indiana Wesleyan University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

9. Manhattanville College

Manhattanville College offers an EdD in Educational Leadership for those who have completed all doctoral coursework except the dissertation. Courses may be completed online or on campus. Online programs start each spring. Courses are in an accelerated format. The program requires 30 additional credits for a total of 59 credits.

Manhattanville College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

10. Union Institute & University

A PhD can be earned through Union Institute & University’s ABD program. All coursework is online with 1 week of residency required at the start of each term. There are start dates are in January and July. The program requires 9 to 12 credits. On average, the program may be completed in 3.

Union Institute & University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Online ABD Completion Programs

If you’re interested in completing an all but dissertation (ABD) or dissertation only PhD program, there are a few steps involved.

The process is different for every school and dissertation completion pathway, but you’ll typically be asked to:

• Submit an application . You’ll be asked to share your educational history, including doctorate coursework completed. Each school will determine if and how they will offer transfer credits for the courses you’ve taken.
• Complete coursework . Some schools ask students to complete a few prerequisite courses, often regarding research, writing skills, or communications.
• Seek mentorship and resources . Many schools provide students with a staff mentor who can provide them with support and guidance during the dissertation process.
• Complete your dissertation . Finally, you’ll have the opportunity to complete your dissertation.

Generally speaking, you’re often asked to have a proposal for your dissertation at the time of admissions. So, you may want to be prepared to speak with the program and admissions staff about your upcoming dissertation during the application process.

Select jobs require candidates to have a doctoral degree, though many careers do not. At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that professionals who have a doctoral degree experience the lowest average levels of unemployment.

Due to many different circumstances, a surprising number of adult students do not complete their dissertation after finishing their doctoral coursework. As a result, they must often start over to earn their PhD—unless they choose an ABD completion pathway.

Why PhD Candidates Quit

Though you may feel alone on an incomplete educational path, there are many other students who find themselves on a dissertation completion pathway.

There are many reasons why a student may find themselves in ABD status, including:

• Finances and personal circumstances . Some students need to take a break in their studies due to practical situations. Whether due to the cost of tuition or the amount of time spent working toward a degree, life may interfere with your studies.
• Intimidation or fear . Dissertations often range from 30,000 to 60,000 words and beyond. Many individuals find researching, organizing, and drafting a document this size to be intimidating.
• Time management challenges . For some students, losing the structure of a school setting can mean losing sight of writing the final dissertation. Without a school and study schedule, they may fall behind in writing their dissertation.

Though a dissertation isn’t an easy challenge to take on, all but dissertation programs help students who are ready for the final step in their doctoral degree. ABD programs could provide resources, mentors, and guidance throughout the process, such as knowing how to decompose the PhD project into distinct dissertation chapters can help in the writing phase.

ABD PhD Completion Programs Admissions Requirements

Schools that offer all but dissertation programs will have their own guidelines and admissions requirements for students. So it’s beneficial to review the admissions process and application for each school carefully.

Some common requirements include:

• GRE or GMAT scores (only some schools require them)
• Complete undergraduate and graduate transcripts
• Doctoral work transcripts demonstrating completion of doctoral coursework
• Minimum GPA standing
• Academic writing samples

You may be asked to provide course descriptions or syllabus-level course details for some of your graduate and doctoral degree work. This will help each school determine which credits apply toward their doctoral completion program.

Unlike many educational opportunities, an ABD program often involves working with admissions and program counselors to determine your placement within their program.

PhD ABD Programs Accreditation

As you review various PhD ABD programs, it’s beneficial to check whether the programs that interest you most are accredited, just like checking online doctoral programs in education without dissertation .

Accreditation is offered to schools and programs that demonstrate a higher level of educational excellence. Organizations such as CHEA, or the Council for Higher Educational Accreditation , provide more information about the regional accreditation process.

There can be many benefits to selecting an accredited program. Many financial assistance opportunities, including federal student aid, are provided exclusively to those who attend accredited schools. Plus, required steps for employment in your field, such as licensing, certification, or membership in a professional organization may require accredited education.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

For many students, the first step toward receiving financial aid is completing the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid . Completing this application helps determine your eligibility for need-based federal assistance.

You can also research what scholarship or grant opportunities the school you will attend may offer. They might also offer financing or repayment opportunities. Other scholarship opportunities might come from your community, local businesses, large corporations, or private donors. There may be financial aid options specifically for those on a dissertation completion pathway.

Additionally, your employer may offer assistance for those who are returning to school. This could potentially include employer-sponsored scholarships, tuition reimbursement programs, or an educational allowance.

What Does ABD Mean?

All but dissertation (ABD) means that a student has completed every step in their doctoral degree program except the final dissertation. Typically, earning a doctoral degree includes 2 to 3 years of classwork followed by exams. After this, students propose, research, write, present, and defend their dissertation in front of a committee.

ABD status means you’ve done everything but the dissertation step. While there is no “ABD degree,” many schools offer all but dissertation (ABD) programs that help provide you with the structure, environment, resources, and timeframe to complete this important final step of earning a PhD.

How Long Are ABD Completion Programs Online?

All but dissertation completion programs online typically take 1 to 3 years to complete, depending on the university and your chosen specialty.

Some universities require students with ABD status to complete a few courses in order to remain eligible for their degree. These prerequisites often highlight helpful skills for dissertation writers, including research, writing, organization, and communication.

In many cases, students are asked to check in regularly with their mentors or advising staff to consider the scope of their projects and findings.

Is an ABD Completion Worth It?

Yes, an ABD completion is worth it for many students. While writing a dissertation can be seem intimidating and stressful, many doctoral candidates find that completing the process is rewarding and beneficial.

Not all careers require a PhD. But the Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that professionals who have earned their doctoral degrees typically earn higher median salaries and experience lower incidences of unemployment.

While a dissertation only PhD program can’t guarantee your professional success, it can be helpful for those wishing to gain employment in the highest levels of their field.

Finishing Your Doctorate Degree Online

Plenty of doctoral candidates find themselves unable to complete their degree due to the final dissertation. Selecting a dissertation completion pathway can help students in this situation find the structure and guidance they need to finish this last step.

If you are ready to complete your doctorate or PhD degree, you may wish to consider all but dissertation programs to help you conquer this final challenge. Regardless of what caused the delay, you can still complete your terminal degree.

You can explore some of the accredited ABD programs offered online around the country to take this next step in your academic and professional journey.

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Ph.d. field requirements for completing your degree, ​ph.d. field requirements for completing your degree.

Details on Ph.D. requirements to complete your degree are available on the Degree Requirements page .

• Complete a minimum of 4 core courses chosen from our 5 areas
• TA for at least 2 semesters
• Form a special committee consisting of a chair, an IS field member, and at least one external minor member
• Pass an A and B exam
• Submit a dissertation

Requesting an Exception to a Field Requirement

Students are expected to meet the field’s minimal requirements. If this is not possible, the student and their Chairperson should propose an alternative solution directed to the attention of the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) in writing. The DGS may consult with the current Graduate Committee, Chair of the Department and/or the GFA before making a final decision. All exceptions will be considered on a case by case basis. And all decisions are final. 

The Graduate Field Assistant, GFA, is also a resource for students to consult with for advice on academic and student life issues. The GFA is the liaison with the Graduate School and works with the Student Service Staff at the Tech campus to guide students through the Ph.D. program.  The GFA’s office hours and link to schedule advising appointments can be found on the Staff page .

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• Degree Completion

Read about the requirements for degree completion for doctoral and all varieties of master programs. 

Master's Students (all)

• The minimum residence requirement is three academic quarters; AT LEAST ONE of which must follow advancement to candidacy. Residence is established by satisfactory completion of six units or more per quarter, some of which must be at the graduate level.
• A student must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or above in upper division and graduate course work, have no more than 8 units of F or U, and resolve any outstanding grading problems.
• A student must be registered or will be assessed the filing fee in lieu of registration.

The deadline to submit final degree paperwork to GEPA Academic Affairs is the 11 th   Friday of each quarter or early September for summer graduation (see our general deadlines and the Registrar’s Enrollment and Registration Calendar  for more information on deadlines and specific dates). If the deadline is missed the degree will be awarded in the next quarter. The degree conferral date is always the last day of the given quarter (see the Registrar's  Enrollment and Registration Calendar  for specific dates). 

Master's Thesis (Plan I) and Master of Fine Arts (Plan III) Students

Master's thesis and Master of Fine Arts students   should check with their advisor regarding when the thesis must be submitted for review by the master committee.

• A student must   make an appointment   with GEPA Academic Affairs for a preliminary check of his/her thesis. Appointments will continue to be conducted via Zoom .  At that appointment the format is checked and instructions on the final preparation and submission of the thesis are given. The thesis must be formatted according to the requirements explained in the "Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses".
• The thesis committee shall supervise and approve the student's thesis.
• In the event that the combined Final Report Form is not used, faculty signatures must be collected from each committee member via DocuSign. Please let the GEPA Academic Affairs advisor know and s/he will let the student know how to proceed. 

Effective Fall 2022:

The default method for the doctoral and master’s committee to conduct graduate examinations (doctoral qualifying examination and final dissertation/thesis defense) is when the student and all members of the committee are physically present in the same room.

The Graduate Council recognizes, however, that practical exigencies do not always make this possible.   Therefore, the Graduate Council will defer to the graduate programs (Department Chair or Program Director) to review requests for exceptions and to make decisions to allow remote participation.   The graduate program must ensure that when an exam is approved to be held entirely remote or in a hybrid format (i.e., some members are physically present and some are remote) that the student has agreed to this format.

It is expected that there will be synchronous participation by all committee members in the scheduled exam.   If an unavoidable situation arises that affects a committee member’s ability to participate synchronously, the committee chair (or co-chairs) may decide how to proceed. There must be sufficient expertise among present members to examine the student. If a committee member must be absent for the scheduled exam, it is permissible for one absent committee member to examine the candidate on a separate date. The committee chair, or one co-chair, must participate synchronously in the scheduled exam.

• The   Final Report of the Thesis or Comprehensive Examination (Plan I or II) for the Degree of Master of Arts or Science   or the   Final Report of the Modified Thesis Examination, Plan III, for the Degree of Master of Fine Arts   must have the original signatures of all members of the thesis committee, the program’s graduate advisor, and the program’s chair. The form for Plan I must also indicate if the student will continue at UC San Diego or will terminate. (The   Final Report   form is initiated by the graduate coordinator and signatures are obtained from each faculty member through DocuSign. Instructions are listed on GEPA's collab page). Proxy signatures are not accepted.
• The final version of the thesis must conform to procedures outlined in the " Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses. "
• The thesis submission fee will be charged to the student's TritonLink financial account once the Final Report form is received by the Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs. 
• The student submits the final approved thesis to GEPA Academic Affairs   at the final document review   (the  Final Report form is routed electronically from the program's graduate coordinator via DocuSign). Final approval and acceptance of the thesis by the Dean of GEPA (on behalf of the University Archivist and Graduate Council) represents the final step in the completion of all requirements for the Master's degree.

The deadline to submit final degree paperwork to GEPA Academic Affairs is the 11 th   Friday of each quarter or early September for summer graduation (see   general deadlines   and the Registrar’s Enrollment and Registration Calendar  for more information on deadlines and specific dates). If the deadline is missed the degree will be awarded in the next quarter. The degree conferral date is always the last day of the given quarter (see the Registrar's  Enrollment and Registration Calendar  for specific dates). 

• Academic Senate regulations for the MA/MS Thesis (Plan I)  
• Academic Senate regulations for the MFA

Dissertation and Thesis Submission Manual

Master's Students (Plan II Comprehensive Exam)

The   Final Report of the Thesis or Comprehensive Examination (Plan I or II) for the Degree of Master of Arts or Science   is submitted to GEPA Academic Affairs. The   Final Report   must list the date the examination was completed, and must have original signatures of the program's graduate advisor and the program's chair. The form must indicate if the student will continue at UC San Diego or will terminate. (The   Final Report  form is initiated by the graduate coordinator and signatures are obtained from each faculty member through DocuSign. Instructions are listed on GEPA's collab page).

• The deadline to submit final degree paperwork to GEPA Academic Affairs is the 11 th   Friday of each quarter or early September for summer graduation (see general deadlines   and the Registrar’s Enrollment and Registration Calendar ) for more information on deadlines and specific dates). If the deadline is missed the degree will be awarded in the next quarter. The degree conferral date is always the last day of the given quarter (see the Registrar's  Enrollment and Registration Calendar  for specific dates). 
• Academic Senate regulations for the MA/MS Plan II

Master of Business Administration Students

The M.B.A. is offered as a full-time or a part-time program. There is no advancement to candidacy requirement. Completion of the degree is verified by department submission of the final report via the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS). Check submission deadlines and process with graduate coordinator.

• Only courses required for the M.B.A. should be listed on the uAchieve audit - 92 units. Proxy signatures are not acceptable.
• Candidates must have a GPA equivalent to 3.0 or above in upper division and graduate course work, with a total of no more than eight units of "F" and/or "U" grades.
• The uAchieve audit report must be submitted by the last day of the quarter in which the student will receive the degree. The report may be filed anytime during student's last quarter of enrollment. Filing early in quarter is encouraged.
• Academic Senate regulations for MBA

Master of Education Students

The MEd is a two-year, full-time program, with no advancement to candidacy required.

Completion of the degree is verified by department submission of the final report via the Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS). Check submission deadlines and process with graduate coordinator.

• Only courses required for MEd should be listed on the uAchieve - 64 units. Proxy signatures are not acceptable.
• The uAchieve audit must be submitted by the last day of the quarter in which the student will receive the degree. The report may be filed anytime during student's last quarter of enrollment. Filing early in quarter is encouraged.
• Academic Senate regulations for M.Ed  

Master of Advanced Studies Students

The MAS is a one-year, full-time program, with no advancement to candidacy required.

• Only courses required for MAS should be listed on the uAchieve audit - 36 units. Proxy signatures are not acceptable.
• Academic Senate regulations for Master of Advanced Studies  

Master of International Affairs

The MIA is a two-year, full-time program, with no advancement to candidacy required.

• Only courses required for MIA should be listed on the uAchieve audit - 98 units. Proxy signatures are not acceptable.
• Academic Senate regulations for MIA  

Doctoral Students

• A student must have completed 6 quarters of academic residency, of which 3 quarters must be between advancement and the final examination/defense. Residence is established by the satisfactory completion of six units or more per quarter, at least some of which must be at the graduate level. Joint doctoral students meet the UC San Diego academic residency requirement by successfully completing a minimum of thirty-six units of course work at UC San Diego.
• A student must be registered or will be assessed the filing fee in lieu of registration.
• The doctoral dissertation must be submitted to each member of the doctoral committee at least four weeks before the final examination.
• A student must   make an appointment   with GEPA Academic Affairs for a preliminary check of his/her dissertation. Appointments will continue to be conducted via Zoom .  At that appointment the format is checked and instructions on the final preparation and submission of the dissertation are given. The dissertation must be formatted according to the requirements explained in the " Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses ".
• The doctoral committee shall supervise and approve the student's dissertation.
• In the event that the combined Final Report Form is not used, faculty signatures must be collected from each committee member via DocuSign. Please let the GEPA advisor know and s/he will let the student know how to proceed.
• SDSU JDP students are responsible for initiating the signature page in DocuSign at this link . Once all committee members have signed the signature page it will be electronically routed to the GEPA Academic Affairs. Proxy signatures are not accepted.
• Academic Senate policy   states that the committee conducts the final oral examination/defense, which is to be public and announced as such.

San Diego Senate Regulation 715, Requirements for the PhD Degree at San Diego, requires that the doctoral committee conduct the dissertation defense. The Graduate Council approved the following rules for the scheduling and administration of Doctoral defenses. (The rules detailed below replace the previous rules approved by Graduate Council on 10/8/2018.)

• The   Final Report  form  must have the original signatures of all members of the doctoral committee; the   Final Report   must also be signed by the program chair. (The   Final Report   form is initiated by the graduate coordinator and signatures are obtained from each faculty member through DocuSign. Instructions are listed on the GEPA collab page). Proxy signatures are not accepted.
• The final version of the thesis must conform to procedures outlined in the " Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses "
• The student submits the final approved dissertation to GEPA Academic Affairs   at the final document review  (the Final Report form is routed electronically from the program’s graduate coordinator via DocuSign). Final approval and acceptance of the dissertation by the Dean of GEPA (on behalf of the University Archivist and Graduate Council) represents the final step in the completion of all requirements for the doctoral degree. 

Summer Degree Completion

• The deadline to file for summer graduation follows the Registrar's dates for Summer Session II (in early September). 
• Master's degree students must have completed and filed the uAchieve audit in a previous quarter (in which they were registered) in order to be eligible for summer degree completion. 
• Students who are registered for the spring quarter prior to summer graduation, or who are registered for summer, will not need to pay any additional fees to file in the summer. 
• A filing fee and / or a readmit fee may be required for students not registered for the prior quarter. Please check with the GEPA Academic Affairs advisors for specifics.

Students may be eligible to pay the filing fee in lieu of tuition/registration fees during the quarter of graduation under the following circumstances:

• The student must have completed all requirements except for the final defense of the dissertation/thesis or the taking of the final examination.
• The student must be registered in the immediately preceding quarter, or on an approved leave of absence.
• The filing fee applies to both residents and nonresidents.

The Filing Fee is always half the amount of the registration fee. The fee will be indicated at the bottom of the combined Final Report Form and will be assessed on the student's TritonLink financial account after the final document review.

Please refer to the " Preparation and Submission Manual for Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses " for additional information.  Students may also check with their graduate program or with the Division of Graduate Education regarding payment of the filing fee. 

General Deadlines Guidance

The following deadlines are specific to graduate students and are consistent through all three quarters:

The 2nd Friday of each quarter is the deadline to submit:

• Half-time Study requests
• Leave of Absence requests
• In Absentia requests 

The 3rd Friday of each quarter is the deadline to submit Applications to Candidacy for the Master’s degree (in order to receive the Master’s in the same quarter).

The 4th Friday of each quarter is the deadline to submit requests to change number of units, and to drop a course without a W.

The 6th Friday of each quarter is the deadline to submit a request to change the grading option for a course.

The 9th Friday of each quarter is the deadline to submit drop requests.

The 10th Friday of each quarter is the deadline to submit add requests.

The 11th Friday of each quarter (finals week) is the deadline to submit:

• Final Paperwork for degree completion
• Fully completed forms must be received in the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs by the deadline date; department approval alone does not constitute meeting a deadline.

The Summer degree deadline is the last Friday of summer session II (usually in early September).

Please note : Fully completed forms must be received by the Division of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs by the stated deadline date. Departments may set earlier submission deadlines for internal processing; please check with your home department for details.

Commencement

Students on track to fulfill all degree requirements should register for commencement ceremonies and order their cap and gown upon registration. Details about each ceremony can be found at the link below.

• Dissertation & Thesis Submission
• Dissertation & Thesis Manual
• Dissertation & Thesis Template

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Graduate School Summer Funding Competition Awards Announced

Seventy-one scholars are the recipients of dissertation and pre-dissertation fellowship awards through The Graduate School’s Summer Funding Competition . The $4,500 awards are given annually to a select group of outstanding doctoral students to support progress to degree and dissertation completion. The awards are part of an expansion of funding and benefits programs announced by the Office of the Provost last spring.   

This year’s awards provide funding for summer research and writing to students in 43 different programs.   

  Dissertation fellowships were awarded to: 

• Carlos Ramirez Arenas, religion   
• Emily Beauparlant, social psychology   
• Chelsea Bouldin, cultural foundations of education   
• John Brigham, earth sciences     
• Semaj Campbell-Blakes, history   
• Stephen Caviness, teaching and curriculum   
• Ahmet Celik, religion   
• Shreyas Aralumallige Chandregowda, civil engineering   
• Sicong Chen, computer engineering and information science    
• Joseph Colbert, biology   
• Nicholas Croce, social science   
• Amber Ford, chemistry   
• Lerie Gabriel, composition and cultural rhetoric   
• Nicole Yeannine Moller Gonzalez, geography   
• Xiaoxia Huang, political science   
• Jianqing Jia, mathematics   
• Linghua Jiang, human development and family science   
• Kelly Kearns, counseling and counselor education   
• Marie Kramer, mathematics   
• Qingyang Liu, human development and family science   
• Yang Liu, instructional design, development and evaluation    
• Michael McCall, political science   
• Catherine Montgomery, clinical psychology   
• Katherine Mott, sociology   
• Zakery Munoz, composition and cultural rhetoric   
• Brian Odiwuor, mathematics education   
• David Okanlawon, anthropology   
• Felipe Oliveira, philosophy   
• Madeline Olley, English   
• Zhijuan Niu, instructional design, development and evaluation    
• Jared Rosenberg, exercise science   
• Sarah Souders, public administration   
• Sarah Stegeman, history   
• Nimisha Thakur, anthropology   
• Sidney Turner, composition and cultural rhetoric   
• Renci Xie, Doctor of Juridical Science    
• Dong Zheng, civil engineering   

 Pre-Dissertation fellowships were awarded to:  

• Aleyna Akyuz, physics   
• Md Mahbubul Alam, chemistry   
• Karisa Bridgelal, composition and cultural rhetoric   
• Fatma Celik, religion  
• Nelson Donkor, chemical engineering   
• Luanxin Gao, economics   
• Si Gao, counseling and counselor education   
• Falak Hadi, political science   
• Antonia Hamilton, clinical psychology   
• Sadam Hussain, anthropology   
• Geoffrey Huyck, composition and cultural rhetoric   
• Joanne Kim, public administration   
• Amanda Kingston, cultural foundations of education   
• Kaia Kirk, political science   
• Fasika Melese, instructional design, development and evaluation    
• Arda Oz, English   
• Eunji Park, counseling and counselor education   
• Abdul Bashir Pazhwak, social science   
• David Peters, mass communications   
• Caroline Plecki, biology   
• Vatya Raina, anthropology   
• Hannah Rembrandt, speech-language pathology   
• Karie Schmitz, mathematics   
• Soham Sinha, English   
• Ilariac Siriner, cognitive psychology   
• Paige Spencer, religion   
• Aditya Srinivasan, social science   
• Xihe Tian, counseling and counselor education   
• Nathalie Uwamahoro, electrical and computer engineering   
• Benjamin Valen, social psychology   
• Bryce Whitwam, mass communications   
• Jiahe Xing, economics   
• Zonglin Yang, earth sciences    
• Shuo Zhang, economics   

Diane Stirling

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