PhDc - how long can you use it if it has not been completed? Many things came up during my PhD program, including personal and a horrible committee chair after two of mine left for other schools. I completed all my coursework, successfully completed my comps, and had all 3 chapters written and was in process of editing my chapters when they cut me off as it had been 5 years. I had a case against the school but the time to go to court and money it would cost would be enormous. It ended up that my advisor was retiring. When I apply for other jobs, I was a PhDc. How long can that be used for. I'm not claiming i have my PhD but want to claim I was a candidate. I am now back in school for a different doctorate, so until that is completed, I want to use PhDc. Thoughts on legality of this - has anyone done this?
I'd guess that you need to spell it out more completely. PhDc isn't really recognized and it isn't a degree or anything like a degree.
In many institutions, you have a limited time to complete your degree unless you take some special actions. Seven years, perhaps, in the US, shorter elsewhere. After that time, you are no longer a candidate for anything. If they &quot;cut you off&quot; after five years, I doubt that the institution considers you a candidate and it would be dishonest to claim otherwise.
Perhaps there is some way you can get back in line for your degree. ABD is a descriptive term, not an honor. Perhaps you can use what you know to get in to a different program and complete it.