Academic and Student Resources Help Center

Making a difference in your field requires more than theoretical knowledge. That’s why a number of our online degree programs feature a practicum, which provides an introduction to the practice of your profession. Completing a practicum gives you clearly defined, real-world field experience in your area of interest, under the supervision of Walden faculty and an on-site supervisor. The exact components of your practicum will vary depending on your particular program, but each practicum experience is designed to provide you with:

• The opportunity to apply and integrate the knowledge acquired throughout your program.

• A real-world experience of direct practice.

• Mentoring from faculty and experts in your area of study.

• The chance to make a difference in your field.

• Proficiency with necessary skills for professional practice.

SafeAssign is a plagiarism tool that detects if any part of your submission matches an already existing paper.

No, but the best preparation for success in your program is to take advantage of it. You will have access to the classroom orientation in your portal for six months.

You must provide your official transcripts from your previous colleges and universities during the admissions process. If you do not have an official transcript on file at time of admission you will be admitted conditionally, and you will have a contingency hold placed on your account. Once the official transcript has been received, you will have met the conditions of your admission and the contingency hold will be removed.

Your unofficial Walden transcript will show your GPA. You can access your unofficial transcript through your student portal.

The Walden Writing Center has online resources to help you learn APA style. The Writing Center can also review your papers and provide individualized feedback on both writing and APA style.

You can get to the Walden Library from your myWalden student portal. From the home page, scroll down to “Walden library” in the “Academic Resources” section. You can also go directly to the library’s website.

You can contact your instructor by e-mail. Your instructor’s contact information is in the “Contact the Instructor” area of the classroom (on the left navigation). You may also find their e-mail address in the Class Cafe.

You can contact your Student Success Advisor through the “Help” area on your student portal or e-mail [email protected].

In your courses, you may see both required and optional resources and readings within each week or module. Often, you will be provided a direct link to the source, but if not, check the Walden Library.

You can register in the myWalden portal. Before registering for your residency, review the timing requirements for your program and make sure you know the term (quarter or semester) for which you are registering.

You can self-register for courses in your student portal. Log in to myWalden and click the “Registration” button located above the current courses. For more information, view “How Do I Self-Register for Courses.” Students not in a program that requires self-registration will automatically be registered for classes. If you need further help with course registration, such as adding or removing a course, you can contact your Student Success Advisor to request the change.

You can schedule advising appointments using the event app. Follow the instructions in your registration confirmation e-mail to schedule your appointment(s), which you can begin to do three days before the first day of residency. Appointment times are listed in the local time zone of the event location.

In your classroom, click on the “SafeAssign Drafts” link from the course menu on the left, and then click on “SafeAssign Drafts.”

Our Academic Guides offer step-by-step guidance on submitting an assignment. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/sst/blackboard/assignments-discussions

Your submission will receive an overall SafeAssign score reflected as a percentage. This score is related to the probability that your paper contains content that matches other sources. Keep in mind SafeAssign scores are an alert indicator only. Your instructor will determine if SafeAssign matches are significant and whether or not proper citation was used.

If you are registered for a class within four days of the start date, it will take 12 to 24 hours before you can enter the classroom. The course will appear in your course list in your student portal.

Yes. A self-paced course is available for orientation.

Course participation means you have submitted something for a grade, whether it’s a discussion thread that you post/reply to throughout the week or an assignment. For questions about participation, reach out to Student Success Advising.

If your assignment is late, contact your instructor as soon as possible so they are made aware. Preferably, you should notify your instructor and ask permission to get an extension prior to the assignment due date. Late submissions are accepted at the discretion of your instructor.

Walden’s classes are hosted in Canvas, and the Walden Orientation and Welcome is a great introduction to the online classroom. The link to the orientation can be found on the homepage of your myWalden portal.

Facebook is a popular channel for meeting and staying connected with other students at Walden. Visit our Facebook Group Finder to get started.

In some professions, field experiences are vital to building the skills needed to advance. That’s why a number of our online degree programs include a field-based, supervised internship. Longer and more intensive than a practicum, an internship offers a broader training experience with added responsibility so that you can develop the hands-on expertise you need to practice in your chosen field. You will work with Walden faculty to determine the most suitable site and the type of internship experience that best matches your interests. Your internship will enable you to:

• Apply the theory gained in your courses to a real-world setting of your choice.

• Further develop practical, professional skills in your field.

• Take on responsibilities that allow you to make a difference in the lives of others.

• Obtain the expertise and credentials necessary to further your career.

Academic residencies are face-to-face or virtual learning experiences (in some programs) that allow students to collaborate and network with other Walden students, staff, and faculty members. Residencies function somewhat like a professional conference and align with courses at strategic points in your program.

Instructors have up to 10 days following the assignment deadline to post grades. Grades are posted in the myGrades area in the classroom. Final course grades will be posted in myGrades and can also be found on your degree audit.

If you register early or on time you will be able to access your classroom four days before the official start date for your program. Early access allows you to familiarize yourself with the classroom and course syllabus before the first day of class.

Your Student Success Advisor will contact you at the beginning of your first course.

Typically, academic residencies are held throughout the United States, as well as internationally. The Academic Residencies website has a list of upcoming residencies by program.

You can find a link to the Walden bookstore in the “University Services” section of your myWalden portal. Once you have the ISBN number for each of your textbooks, you may purchase them through the Walden bookstore or choose another bookseller.

While in the Blackboard classroom, scroll to the lower left of the page and click “Tools.” Your myGrades link will be there. This page will show your grade as well as any feedback given by your instructor.