Residency Requirements
 

Academic residencies are held throughout the year at various locations for students to meet with faculty, administrators, and representatives from the academic support staff of the Center for Student Success. Residencies allow students the opportunity to experience face-to-face interaction with each other and instructors. They also provide a foundation on which students can develop scholarly research and build professional skills that reflect the university’s mission of positive social change. The following core goals guide the student experience during residencies:

• Socialization into degree program expectations.
• Development of research skills.
• Promotion of scholarship and professional skills.
• Discussion of the role that scholarly research and professional skills can play in the university’s mission of positive social change.

Ph.D. students fulfill their 20-day residency requirement by participating in two 4-day and two 6-day residencies (about one a year) aligned with their academic progress. Ed.D. students attend one 3-day residency, typically during the first year of their program. Some master’s programs also have specific specializations with residency requirements.

 

For more information about residencies or to register for a residency, students can visit Residencies or write to residencies@waldenu.edu.

 

Mental Health Counseling Residencies

Students in the M.S. in Mental Health Counseling program are required to attend two 6-day residencies: the first (Residency I) by the end of the third term of enrollment and the second (Residency II) during the sixth, seventh, or eighth term of enrollment. These residencies are designed to provide students with

• an orientation to the mental health counseling profession,
• preparation for field training and thesis,
• face-to-face interactions with academic advising,
• venues for in-person peer and instructor interactions, and
• opportunities for experiential skill development, including critiques in both individual and group counseling sessions.

Both residencies offer information on preparing for the practicum and internship; Residency II provides more detailed information regarding the field experience process from start to finish (e.g., application, approval processes, criminal background checks, memoranda of understanding).

 

Ph.D. Residencies

Milestones

Ph.D. residencies follow a sequence designed specifically to match students’ milestones of academic progress, as outlined below. Programs for students at all milestone points will be available at every residency.

 

 

Milestone	Completion Guideline	Goals	Components
1.   Orientation	Within 90 days of completion of Foundation course	Socialization into Walden, community building, and introductory skills	Orientation, colloquia on professional identity, team building, and scholarly writing
2.   Beginning         Research	Within 18 months of start date	Introduction to research skills, self-assessment, and skill development	Dissertation and research skills, professional development activities
3.   Dissertation       Work	By end of 3rd year	Dissertation conceptualization and writing	Prospectus writing and dissertation processes
4.   Scholar-       Practitioner*	3rd year and beyond	Presentation of research and dissertation publishing	Advanced dissertation skills

* Note: Instead of fulfilling Milestone 4 at a Walden residency, students may choose to attend an approved professional conference that is attended by Walden instructors.

 

School of Psychology Academic Year in Residence

Ph.D. in Psychology students in the licensure specializations complete, in addition to a Milestone 1 residency (during which students complete the Introduction to the Profession intensive), a 500-hour Academic Year in Residence (AYR) that provides instructor and peer interactions, access to information and instructional research, lessons on writing for publication, and access to academic advising and support services. The AYR typically begins and ends with successive 2-week Summer-Winter-Summer Sessions or Winter-Summer-Winter Sessions conducted in a university setting. For a more detailed description of the AYR, see the Ph.D. in Psychology section of this catalog.

 

Ed.D. Residencies

The Ed.D. program requires students to attend one 3-day residency. This face-to-face activity provides students with an opportunity to gain new scholarly perspectives on educational theory and practice and on The Richard W. Riley College of Education and Leadership’s focus on social change. In addition, students develop a support network with faculty and colleagues, learn about the services and opportunities at Walden University, establish a clear understanding of the expectations of the Ed.D. program, and create a timeline to meet the milestones that culminate in the completion of the program. Students have flexibility in choosing a residency, but it is recommended that students attend during their first or second semester.