ABD or Candidate on Resume

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by duff, Aug 2, 2005.

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  1. duff

    duff New Member

    Do you think it is better to put Doctor of Education or Doctor of Management or whatever and list yourself as a Candidate or ABD?

    I.E.

    Doctor of Education, Candidate, Special Education, Somewhere University

    OR

    Doctor of Education, ABD, Special Education, Somewhere University

    Duff
     
  2. agilham

    agilham New Member

    You need The Return of the CV Doctor over at The Chronicle http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/tools/cvdoctor/

    If you're in the market for an academic job, The Academic Job Search Handbook comes highly recommended as well http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0812217780/qid%3D1122570776/sr%3D2-1/ref%3Dpd%5Fbbs%5Fb%5F2%5F1/002-4893082-5346442

    Oh, and always use the usual abbreviation. ABD or candidate is a matter of taste, although ABD does have a formal meaning, so if you haven't finished all your courses and comps don't use it.

    Hope this helps

    Angela
     
  3. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    The technically correct forms would be:

    EdD (Cand.), Special Education, Somewhere University

    OR

    ABD, Special Education, Somewhere University

    But, yes, it is okay to note your doctoral candidacy on a resume.
     
  4. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    I do not believe that these two terms (ABD and Candidate) are synonymous. ABD signifies that all coursework has been completed and that all other requirements have been met - All But the Dissertation. Candidate simply means the person is enrolled in the program and could still be in the midst of their coursework requirements. This is my understanding of these terms and hopefully someone will correct me if I'm mistaken.
    Jack
     
  5. qvatlanta

    qvatlanta New Member

    ABD is much more specific than Candidate. If you are ABD you are in a much more advantaged position than someone who has just started taking their first PhD course. ABD is great to use for academic jobs, but in other areas they might not know what it stands for.

    If you're submitting a C.V. I think the distinction is not that important because you are going to have detailed information about your degree in there, a description of your proposed dissertation, etc. These are very complicated and you definitely need a guide and a lot of careful thought to create them.

    For the sole purpose of creating a minimalist, one-page resume (submitting to certain job sites, perhaps?), I would suggest Candidate (ABD)... kind of awkward but it gets the point across.
     
  6. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Actually, Jack, a candidate has finished all but dissertation. Before that it is "PhD (Student), Special Education, Somewhere University". Normally "PhD (Student), Special Education, Somewhere University" wouldn't be looking for a job, unless it was his/her last semester of coursework, in which he/she might add on the line underneath: "24 credits completed, 6 credits ongoing, comprehensive exams to be taken September 1, 2005". The only exceptions I can think of where "PhD (Student)" (as opposed to "PhD Candidate") might be applying for a position is in situations where a community college is located in a major university town as, for example, when I was a little MA student in Mediaeval History at the University of Colorado Boulder (crashed and burned with a brain tumor), many of the pre-dissertation doctoral students got adjunct positions at the Community College of Denver.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 2, 2005
  7. duff

    duff New Member

    Ted:

    That was my thinking as well. In your example, you said either EdD (Cand.) or ABD, Special Education. With the ABD example, would you not put EdD? Would you just list ABD, and then your major without specifying EdD or PhD or DM, etc?

    Duff
     
  8. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    I think ABD stands as its own separate initials without specifying whether it is a PhD, DA, DBA, EdD, DHL, DM, DMA, DMin, PsyD, DTech, or whatever else kind of D you might be working on. I could be wrong, though.
     
  9. PatsFan

    PatsFan New Member

    In the DMin programs I've looked at including my own, a student becomes a DMin candidate only after all the courses are completed and the project/dissertation proposal has been accepted. It is essentially the same as the ABD designation.
     
  10. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    OK Ted, thanks for the info. Does this come from a particular source?
    Jack
     
  11. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    The first time I saw this distinction between a doctoral student and a doctoral candidate was in my old 1985-1986 University of Colorado Boulder catalog. Since I can't seem to find that, allow me to quote to you from my old 1985-1986 University of Colorado Denver catalog, page 133: "Students are advanced to candidacy for the DPA once they have completed all required coursework and examinations and have been certified for candidacy by the program director." I'm guessing that a visit to the website of any doctoral-granting university will confirm my statement.
     
  12. Sam Stewart

    Sam Stewart Member

    My student handbook and catalog state that a student has to pass all required and elective classes and a comprehensive examination prior to advancement to candidacy.
     
  13. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    OK, then it seems that they are synonymous.
    Jack
     
  14. qvatlanta

    qvatlanta New Member

    I was totally unaware of the student vs. candidate difference... unfortunately I don't have my old graduate catalog handy.
     
  15. DrPuffy

    DrPuffy New Member

    One point about ABD vs candidate. In some circles, the term "Ph.D. candidate" is used to describe someone still slaving away on their dissertation whereas ABD is used to describe the guy who's quit and has no plans to ever finish.

    In fact, I don't remember ever hearing ABD used in anything but a derogatory sense.
     
  16. qvatlanta

    qvatlanta New Member

  17. tesch

    tesch New Member

    Jack,

    The following, taken from the Touro's website, is a common approach to the dissertation process. A student typically advances to Candidacy after completions of all coursework, comps and the successful defense of his or her dissertation proposal.

    **********

    What are the steps to complete a dissertation?

    Following the successful completion of all coursework:

    *The student will pass the comprehensive exam (both written and oral components).

    *The student will develop a dissertation prospectus that must be approved by TUI .

    *Under the supervision of a dissertation committee, the student will develop a dissertation proposal and defend it. Following the successful defense the student will advance to candidacy.

    *Submit the dissertation proposal for institutional review and approval.

    *After receiving institutional approval, submit the dissertation proposal for IRB approval.

    *Conduct the research and prepare the written dissertation.

    *The candidate must successfully defend the dissertation before the dissertation committee.

    *The dissertation must be submitted to TUI for final institutional review and approval.

    **********

    Regarding the use of ABD or Candidacy: From my experience, ABD is sometimes (too often) associated with students who never complete or successfully defend their dissertations. Accordingly, the term ABD can sometimes have a less than positive connotation. Conversely, the status of Candidate tends to suggest a more current and active pursuit of a doctoral degree.

    Tom
     
  18. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    OK, I think I understand what you're saying. The website makes a vague reference to these terms suggesting that they are synonymous. However, despite that there may be a more subtle connotation of the terms, one suggesting postive movement and the other suggesting stagnation? Obviously, in my original posting I thought that the terms had two different meanings so I'm amenable to that general idea. However, I've seen nothing from either side of this issue that might be considered "official." I've only seen, "I think this" or "I think that" with no references or citations. Don't get me wrong, I don't really care. I think it's insubstantial and my basic answer to the original poster is "It probably doesn't really matter." I, myself, put nothing on my resume until it is donefinishedcompleteofficially. That's how I solve the problem. Your mileage may vary.
    Jack
     
  19. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    What about the pure research doctorates that don't require course work?

    Should I put in my resume ABD the minute I'm accepted in a research PhD program?
     
  20. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Yes, well that question has been asked before in the rather distant past. My memory tells me that the answer was that you could use the ABD signifier once your dissertation proposal had been formally accepted by your Department. Prior to this you are not truly ABD because your proposal has not been completed. I'd be interested to hear other opinions on this micro-issue.
    Jack
     

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