If you’re currently a doctoral student or thinking of getting a doctoral degree, you may sometimes wonder whether you’ll manage to graduate on time. Whether your program is designed to last for three, five, seven, or even more years, knowing when you’ll graduate can help you establish an efficient day-to-day work schedule and start planning for your post-doctoral career. However, many graduate students get caught up in the details of their research, miss deadlines, fail to complete courses on time, or simply spend too long writing up a dissertation, all of which can lead to delayed graduation time.
If you’re determined to complete your doctorate on schedule as planned, make sure you move through these four simple phases.
1. Start Your Program With a Timeline and a Plan
If you’re still in the early phases of your program, having a detailed timeline and plan can help keep you on track. You can increase your odds of graduating on time by writing up:
- A realistic time frame for completing your doctorate, generally between three and six years
- A detailed plan for completing your coursework, passing your qualifying exams, submitting your prospectus, writing your dissertation, and defending the dissertation within certain time frames
- Small goals and milestones to meet along the way
2. Lean on Your Advisor, Peers, and Counselor for Support Throughout the Program
If loneliness is an issue during your program, making more social contacts and leaning on others for support could help. Consider talking with:
- Your advisor
- Your university guidance counselor
- Your program peers and other fellow students
- Your professional network and other connections
3. Choose a Novel Yet Realistic Dissertation Research Topic
For some doctoral students, picking an unrealistic or overly broad dissertation topic can lead to a research rabbit hole and eventually delay graduation. In order to finish on time, make sure you pick:
- An original topic that has not yet been investigated before, or that needs to be revisited in your field
- A topic that is not too narrow but not too broad
- A topic that has the available resources for you to be able to obtain findings of substance
- A topic you can realistically complete in your prescribed time frame
4. Keep Yourself Motivated and Focus on the End Goal
In the end, if you lack motivation to complete the program, you may struggle to graduate on time, if at all. That’s why keeping yourself motivated and staying focused throughout the lengthy program is essential. Always remember to:
- Think about why you began the program in the first place
- Focus on your end goal of completing the degree
- Remind yourself of the potential benefits of finishing the degree, such as expanding your potential salary range or attaining your dream job
For many graduate students, the fear of failing to complete a doctoral degree on time is a frequent source of stress. If you’re enrolled in a doctoral program but you’re concerned about falling behind on your coursework, failing to complete your qualifiers or dissertation on time, or otherwise pushing back your graduation date, these strategies can help you ensure an on-schedule graduation.
