{"id":12932,"date":"2021-05-20T13:38:40","date_gmt":"2021-05-20T13:38:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/?p=12932"},"modified":"2023-05-02T15:27:57","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T15:27:57","slug":"how-to-list-phd-abd-on-your-resume","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/how-to-list-phd-abd-on-your-resume\/","title":{"rendered":"How to List PhD ABD on Your Resume \u2014 Pro Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>img#mv-trellis-img-1::before{padding-top:19.21875%; }img#mv-trellis-img-1{display:block;}img#mv-trellis-img-2::before{padding-top:23.90625%; }img#mv-trellis-img-2{display:block;}<\/style><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First things first: A lot of students are already qualified to write the accomplishment PhD ABD on their resumes, but they don&rsquo;t know what it means! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have completed all the requirements of a PhD, but have not yet finished a dissertation, then you are ABD. Should you include this on a resume?<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Should you list PhD ABD on your resume?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><b>Students in the process of obtaining a PhD but are ABD should absolutely list this experience on a resume. It is still a great achievement, and lets an employer know you are in the final step of your schooling. PhD ABD should always be listed in the education section on a resume.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>How do you know if you&rsquo;re ABD?<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, you want to be completely sure that you are ABD before listing it on a resume. Being ABD means that you have done three things:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Completed all courses required for your PhD<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Passed the necessary exams for your program<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Defended your dissertation proposal<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The only thing left for you to do is to research and write up the dissertation, and this means you are ABD: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All But Dissertation.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>When to put ABD on a resume<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Anytime a student is ABD, it should be included on a resume. If the most recent experience in the education section shows a master&rsquo;s degree rather than your PhD schooling, then the employer will have no reason to believe you continued your education after that point.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PhD students also cannot take on the same workload as a non-student, which could result in gaps on a resume. Including ABD assures the employer that you have been using your time wisely.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ABD students have years more experience than those who stopped their education after receiving a master&rsquo;s degree. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be sure that your potential employer knows it, and <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/deans-list-on-resume-how\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">always include it on a resume<\/a><\/strong>!<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>How to format PhD ABD on a resume<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For someone who is ABD, the education section on their resume should be formatted largely the same way it would be if they achieved their full PhD.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While some phrases on a resume should be written out fully, others should be written as <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/abbreviations-on-resume\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>abbreviations<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>ABD should always be abbreviated, and never written out as &ldquo;all but dissertation&rdquo;. This is too wordy and turns the phrase negative. Don&rsquo;t tell an employer what you don&rsquo;t have&hellip; tell them what you do!&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A properly written education section including PhD ABD looks like the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Education<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Boston University<\/b> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PhD ABD in Chemistry<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (9-2017) &ndash; (5-2020)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b>Brunswick University<\/b> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BS in Chemistry, Minor in Human Biology&nbsp; (9-2013) &ndash; (5-2017)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Here&rsquo;s how that should look like on your final version of the resume:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12950 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1.jpeg\" alt=\"PhD ABD on Resume Example 1\" width=\"1280\" height=\"246\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-300x58.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-1024x197.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-768x148.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-735x141.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-335x64.jpeg 335w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-347x67.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-520x100.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-640x123.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-960x185.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-1080x208.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1.jpeg\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"eager\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12950 size-full eager-load\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%201280%20246'%3E%3Crect%20width='1280'%20height='246'%20style='fill:%23e3e3e3'\/%3E%3C\/svg%3E\" alt=\"PhD ABD on Resume Example 1\" width=\"1280\" height=\"246\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1.jpeg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-1\" data-src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1.jpeg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-300x58.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-1024x197.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-768x148.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-735x141.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-335x64.jpeg 335w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-347x67.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-520x100.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-640x123.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-960x185.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-1-1080x208.jpeg 1080w\" data-svg=\"1\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/how-to-include-minor-on-resume\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Listing a minor<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is not necessary, but is a good idea if it is relevant to the job which you&rsquo;re applying for.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Education is typically listed in reverse-chronological order on a resume, meaning the newest experience should come first.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>&ldquo;Should you list PhD ABD if you dropped out \/ left the program?&rdquo;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting to the point of being ABD still requires years of hard work and experience, but what if you do not intend to finish the degree? How can you best include this experience without being in a <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/gray-or-grey\/\" title=\"gray\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">gray<\/a> area of honesty?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>PhD ABD should not be listed on a resume if one does not intend to continue the program. However, the years of schooling leading to that point should absolutely be written on a resume. An employer will still be impressed with the years of experience, so include this in the education section.&nbsp;<\/b><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>How to format experience for an incomplete PhD&nbsp;<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When including PhD experience on a resume after you&rsquo;ve left the program, include the school&rsquo;s name and location in the education section. Since this is likely the most recent educational experience, it should be listed at the top of the section.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/how-to-list-dates-on-resume\/\">List the dates<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of attendance using the month and year format, as well as the degree subject.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not include the degree type (PhD), because the degree is unfinished. Some people opt to include the phrase &ldquo;PhD &ndash; incomplete&rdquo; as the degree type, but this is negative and should be avoided.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should not give an employer any negative impressions from your resume.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note: If asked about this experience in person, be honest in your answers. Though you didn&rsquo;t finish, you still have years of extra experience under your belt. Be clear and confident when giving this information!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to frame these years as a positive experience, the education section could be formatted as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b>Education<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Boston University<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Boston, MA<\/span> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(9-2017) &ndash; (5-2020)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Field of study: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chemistry<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Brunswick University<\/b> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Brunswick, ME<\/span> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(9-2013) &ndash; (5-2017)<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Field of study:<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Chemistry (BS) and Human Biology (Minor)<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>This is how it should look on your final version of the resume:<\/p>\n<p><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12952 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2.jpeg\" alt=\"PhD ABD on Resume Example 2\" width=\"1280\" height=\"306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-300x72.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-1024x245.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-768x184.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-735x176.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-335x80.jpeg 335w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-347x83.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-520x124.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-640x153.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-960x230.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-1080x258.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2.jpeg\"><\/noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-12952 size-full lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2.jpeg\" alt=\"PhD ABD on Resume Example 2\" width=\"1280\" height=\"306\" srcset=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-300x72.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-1024x245.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-768x184.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-735x176.jpeg 735w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-335x80.jpeg 335w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-347x83.jpeg 347w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-520x124.jpeg 520w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-640x153.jpeg 640w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-960x230.jpeg 960w, https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2-1080x258.jpeg 1080w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/PhD-ABD-on-Resume-Example-2.jpeg\" id=\"mv-trellis-img-2\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A resume does not need to follow this exact format, but these rules should always be followed:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do not include negative phrases on a resume<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Include any relevant educational experience, even if you dropped out<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(with the exception of extremely short-term education)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be cautious when listing PhD experience after you&rsquo;ve dropped out. Experiences which are two years or longer are usually impressive in the education section. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any experience that is less than two years in duration may raise some eyebrows in a bad way.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>First things first: A lot of students are already qualified to write the accomplishment PhD ABD on their resumes, but they don&rsquo;t know what it means! If you have completed all the requirements of a PhD, but have not yet finished a dissertation, then you are ABD. Should you include this on a resume? &nbsp; &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12937,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"disable-in-feed":false,"article-schema-type":"Article","disable-critical-css":false,"_convertkit_action_broadcast_export":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35,521],"tags":[597],"class_list":["post-12932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-resume-writing","tag-phd-abd"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12932"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25472,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12932\/revisions\/25472"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12937"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/linguaholic.com\/linguablog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}