PhD Defense Scheduled

Hello Everyone!

I can finally see the finish line. I have my defense scheduled on 10/3. I will have completed the PhD program in Family and Consumer Sciences Education, where I conducted research on the intersection of identity and personal finance.

It has been inspiring to see everyone's distance learning journey here. I live in the north east and my program is at Texas Tech. I will be flying out for the defense, which is the only in-person requirement of the program. I have also started applying for faculty positions, as my ultimate goal is to pivot from public accounting (since I did this program while working full-time) to academia as a full-time professor (hopefully tenure track).

Texas Tech has some great distance programs, and they offer in-state tuition to distance students, regardless of their state of residence, making it extremely affordable.

Steve

 

Good luck!

 

Success rates for dissertation defenses are rather high, something like 95%. A few result in straight-up failure, but I fault the advisor for letting the candidate go for it without being ready. A few more are failed but allowed to re-submit.

The vast majority are accepted requiring minor or major changes. And a very few are accepted with no changes at all.

So, expect to succeed, but don't be surprised if you have more work to do.

In my viva at Leicester, the external examiner asked me a question that caused me to go back and do another year of analysis and writing. It's not that my thesis was bad; it was that there was so much more to talk about than I did. It took my research to a whole new level--without actually doing any more research. I've always appreciated that.

 

Congrats on reaching the defense stage such a big milestone! I did all my degrees online while working full-time and later moved into two tenure-track roles (including at an R2). What helped me stand out was connecting my research with my background in law enforcement, juvenile justice, and three years of high school teaching. So, I'd encourage you to highlight your accounting experience alongside your dissertation focus. That mix of real-world expertise and scholarship is what many schools are looking for. Best of luck with your defense and job search!