MOVING TO FRONT FROM MAY 9--I HOPE MORE READERS MIGHT COMMENT ON THESE QUESTIONS
Philosopher Peter Vallentyne (Missouri) writes:
How important do hiring departments treat the following:
(1) solid evidence that the dissertation completed by December,
(2) solid evidence that the dissertation will be completed by May 15,
(3) solid evidence that the dissertation will be completed by Aug. 15?
I’ve tended to assume that Aug. 15 was good enough for most departments, but some have suggested that earlier completion is important for many departments. The most useful information would be from people reporting the hiring practices in their own departments, ideally identifying what the highest degree they offer in philosophy (B.A., MA, Ph.D.)
I suspect the answer may vary depending on how many years the student has been in graduate school: my impression is that a candidate who has been in grad school for eight or more years ought to be on track to defend by December of the year on the market at the latest. But comments are open, and must be signed. I am sure this information will be very useful for both job seekers and their advisors, so I encourage as many readers with hiring experience to report the local norms where they work.
