ABD means ALL BUT DISSERTATION (just as ABT means ALL BUT THESIS)
and it is one of the saddest terms in the academic lexicon.
It means that a student has completed everything except the
final requirement for a doctorate, for example. All the courses
were completed and so were the Comprehensives (which made the
student a candidate), ALL EXCEPT FOR FINISHING THE PROPOSAL
AND THE DISSERTATION. The reasons can be many: perhaps the supervisor
died or moved away; it may be that the candidate ran out of
money; sometimes health problems or family difficulties intervened,
or the candidate was obliged to move; perhaps the University
standards changed. Whatever the reason, becoming ABD (or ABT
in the case of a Master's student) is a sad disruption in academic
life, and often a permanent disadvantage. Frequently, the person
so affected can no longer be in residence full-time on campus.
It is, therefore, a problem not easily resolved. Mostly, as
noted, traditional universities require an ABD re-entrant to
re-do many courses, and to again run through the hurdles. With
few transferred credits, this is often sufficient to stop the
student from completing.
Greenleaf University, however, is prepared to accept ABD (and
ABT) candidates, and, as a distance-learning university, to
honor all prior course work, as well as accepting proven success
at the Comprehensives stage, which is the gateway to candidacy
and to completing the doctorate. Our belief is the principle
that there is no point in making candidates re-learn their prior
work, and that once a candidate has successfully negotiated
the Comprehensives Examination (or its equivalent) there is
no reason for that person to be obliged to prove it all over
again.
To that end we will, upon receipt of a certified transcript,
accept all that prior work. We will then admit the learner and
focus on completing a satisfactory draft proposal for the research,
and then on completing the dissertation. We have very experienced
faculty who specialize in such situations, who will be tutors
and mentors for such applicants, giving them one-on-one guidance
(with the assistance of an experienced and dedicated Committee)
to completion of their doctorate (or Master's thesi).
We, therefore, look for ABD (and ABT) students and to guiding
them to their goals.
The following gives procedures for the ABD situation (ABT procedures
are similar):
"PhD: PROCEDURES & PROCESSING":
Student work shall be guided by an appointed Mentor who will
serve as the supervisor. Work must be original and respect standard
academic and research ethics. (For example, plagiarism will
mean instant dismissal). Where Human subjects are involved,
the University requirements must be met prior to the research
being conducted; such research can not proceed until so approved.
Each student will have a Committee consisting of the Mentor
as Chair, a faculty member and an external examiner, all appointed
by the President and Chief Academic Officer.
Students will produce a Pre-Proposal giving an outline of the
topic, the research method, the literature and the procedures.
Once this is approved by the Mentor, then the student will produce,
guided by the Mentor, a draft Proposal of 3 Chapters (No.1 -
the Problem; No.2 - Review of the Literature; No.3 - Methodology).
General outline guidance in standard academic format will be
available. Once approved by the Mentor, there will be a telephone
Oral, arranged by the student, for Committee review and judgement.
Once approved, the student may proceed to the next stage.
That is the production of Chapters 4 and 5 ( Presentation of
the Data; and Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations), again
with a final Oral, as before.
All such documents will be in APA style and, if problems arise,
at the discretion of the Mentor, the student will engage an
APA editor at the student's expense.
INTENDED CANDIDATES:
It is recognized as an international issue, and as we are an
international University, this opportunity is offered to all
ABD students around the world, from all universities around
the world.
COSTS & PAYMENT DEADLINES
(1) $ 250.00 with application
(2) $ 2,500.00 - Proposal ( $ 1,250.00 with first submission
of proposal AND
$ 1,250.00 before Orals)
(3) $ 2,500.00 - Dissertation ($ 1,250.00 with first submission
of dissertation AND
$ 1,250.00 before Orals)"
Greenleaf University
- NRA, 7777 North Wickham Road, Suite 12-309, Melbourne, Florida 32940, USA