HALIMI HASSAN: PhD has been a dream of mine. I actually started my PhD in engineering about 20 years ago. I put it on hold for quite a few years. And I think it's time.
It felt right. It is something that I wanted to complete. And it is one of the things that is going to fulfill my ultimate goal, which is teach, at some point.
What makes the Walden program special, at least, for me is the way the programs are structured. The PhD and management program is structured in a way where every week and every course you take will take you through a series of knowledge, incremental knowledge, that will give you the ability to know the theory and be able to practice that theory. Interaction with the students takes place almost on a daily basis.
The interactions happen online. And the sharing of ideas, the sharing of ways to accomplish your goals, and working together on a project has really been something very special. I enjoy interacting with the Walden faculty. With my last course, I actually worked and continue to work with my instructor to publish a couple of papers that we're working on together.
What excites me about the program is the ability to learn, the ability to think critically. And one of the things that I also really enjoy about the program is writing. We do a lot of writing in the PhD program.
My advice to the new students is to learn the APA style guide. This is really something that's going to be very important throughout the program. Writing is something that you will be doing every week. And following the style guide is something that you have to do.