ABD

All-but-dissertation

“All-but-dissertation” (ABD) refers to a stage in a doctoral program where a student has completed all the required coursework, comprehensive exams, and other program requirements except for the dissertation. At this stage, the student is expected to focus solely on researching, writing, and defending their dissertation to complete the PhD or EdD. While ABD students have demonstrated significant academic progress, the dissertation represents the final, often most challenging, step toward earning the doctoral degree. Some ABD students may remain in this stage indefinitely if they do not finish the dissertation, but others complete it to obtain their degree.