Ph.D. Residencies

As a doctoral student, you will participate in a Walden residency so you can focus on research and scholarship. If you are a Ph.D. student in Management, Health Services, Public Health, Human Services, Psychology, Public Policy and Administration, or Education, you will be required to complete 16 units of residency during the course of your program.* Each residency lasts four days.

Residency 1: Socialization
Residency 1 is designed to socialize you into the Walden doctoral community. Topics include doctoral competency development, orientation to academic support services and networking, community building, writing at the doctoral level and using American Psychological Association (APA) style, library search skill building, and professional development. By the end, you will have completed a self-assessment and identified goals for continual development of the skills and practices required of new doctoral students.

• Timing: As soon as you enroll in your program
• Format: Orientation; colloquia on professional identity, team building, and scholarly writing

Residency 2: Research Methods
Residency 2 develops your skills in reviewing and performing scholarly research. Topics include refinement of research questions, research question and methodology alignment, and literature critique and synthesis. Upon completion, you will have developed key components of a research plan.

• Timing: Within 18 months of your start date or linked to your registration for or completion of your first research course
• Format: Dissertation and research skills, professional development activities

Residency 3: Prospectus and Proposal
In Residency 3, you will continue to develop your research skills and begin the foundation for your prospectus or dissertation proposal. Topics include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research designs; data collection, management, and analysis considerations; and development of the prospectus. Upon completion, you will have completed a research alignment tool to inform and guide your dissertation research planning.

• Timing: By the end of your third year
• Format: Prospectus writing and dissertation processes

Residency 4: Scholar-Practitioner
Residency 4 strengthens your abilities as a scholar-practitioner. Topics include practicing presentation and critique, research dissemination, implications for social change, and dissertation writing. Upon completion, you will have composed a draft presentation of your doctoral research and created a plan for research dissemination.

• Timing: During your third year and beyond
• Format: Advanced dissertation skills

Learn more about the goals and outcomes of the Ph.D. residencies.

*If you are a student in the Ph.D. in Psychology program with a specialization in either Clinical Psychology or Counseling Psychology, you must attend Residency 1 and then satisfy the remainder of your residency requirement by completing the Academic Year in Residence (AYR) if you began your program prior to September 2011.  Students enrolled September 2011 and beyond are required to complete all four required Ph.D. residencies in addition to the AYR. 

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