I just passed my PhD! I have minor corrections to do, but officially I have passed. Now my question is, when can I start using the term 'Doctor' or including PhD in my testamurs? I'm applying for jobs at the moment, and on my CV and applications and stuff I've been putting PhD (in progress). Now I just want to let everyone know I've passed.

By the way, don't hate me, but in Australia (at least at my university) there is no viva. The thesis stands alone on it's own merits. I guess that could be good or bad depending on your point of view, but I must admit I was quite glad not to have to go through it.

Oh well done!!!! awww I'm so envious - no viva???? jammy thing ;-) So pleased for you, that's just brilliant.

I'm not sure when you can start calling yourself Dr, I don't know if its as they say you passed or when you graduate or what -I'm sure some of the other esteemed Drs here will tell you ;-) I think though its like, ermm, now!!

======= Date Modified 29 Sep 2010 12:24:03 =======
======= Date Modified 29 Sep 2010 11:36:52 =======
Congratulations! I live in Italy and at work I already am "Dr" - in fact anyone with a degree is. I think you can start using it immediately although I would be tempted to wait as I am wary of tempting fate!

Congratulations

My understanding is once you have the letter from the university ie written proof of passing, you can use the title.

Its's crazy having no Vvia though isn't it?. My boss is an aussie, and he never had one either. He reckons that it's something to do with the problems of flying in experts from elsewhere because the academic community within Australia is not sufficiently large for an expert to be found within the country for many subjects. Although he also thought that in borderline cases, they have a viva and fly somebody in especially, so I guess not needing that you passed pretty well.

Congratulations again.

BTW, my boss actually says he would have liked to have had a viva on his thesis, his was a very fine thesis though.

One of my friends is a medic but some two years before she graduated she was making sure all her correspondence referred to her as 'Doctor'. I wonder whether there are any PhD. students who do this well before they gain the qualification?

Aussiechick I am sure you are more than ok to use the title. Enjoy! :-)

Congratulations! You must be so relieved. I'd say you can use 'Dr' now, although i've heard people say you need to wait until you officially graduate but I don't see why really if you have passed.

I am also seething with envy! I am based in NZ and my Uni has just introduced mandatory viva for all PhDs from Jan next year. We had hardly any notice of the change. So rubbish! I would really rather not do one.

On the topic of people using 'Dr' when they are not 'Dr', my ex partner is an accountant and a woman who works in one of the teams in the company he works for has an MA but she makes all of her hotel bookings as 'Dr'. All of the people she works with have PhDs but she is still working on hers part time. I can't understand how someone could do that! Weird.

Anyway huge congrats Aussie chick - hope you get a bit of a break now too!

I waited until after graduation to use Dr, though practically it was 100% confirmed once the Senate had conferred the degree at their meeting several weeks before.

I've known people use it immediately after passing though. A work-colleague of my husband for example is still waiting to hear his corrections are ok, and approved, but his title has been changed.

Use it now if you want :) If I was filling out a CV pre-graduation I'd put PhD (completed - viva passed FILL-IN-DATE with minor corrections), but it's up to you how you word it.

I'm pretty sure Australia doesn't have (the majority at least) the viva due to the size of the country and how spread out everyone is, it is just impractical to fly people from all over Australia for a viva.

BTW, I would use Dr. after you have passed for sure

We are having mandatory vivas in NZ from next year. I am in a really small field and I am really concerned about who will end up doing it and how qualified they will actually be to assess me. It's a bit scary really.

I didn't know you could do a PhD in NZ? Unless they involved sheep of course :p

Sorry for that lol, but I can imagine how scary that would be if they just decided to introduce something while your doing the PhD. But do you get to select who sits on your viva? Or at least have a say?