Walden University Launches New Consulting Capstone in Three Doctoral Programs

Minneapolis—October 16, 2017—Walden University recently launched a Consulting Capstone project in its Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), PsyD in Behavioral Health Leadership and Doctor of Education (EdD) programs, providing students with an alternative to the traditional doctoral study that allows them to gain valuable and practical real-life experience by consulting with nonprofit organizations and small businesses across the country.

The Consulting Capstone project was piloted in the DBA program this past year and provides the participating student with a solid foundation and experience in consulting and coaching principles, while also delivering to the leaders of client organizations valued insight into how to better meet their strategic objectives.

“This innovative approach provides doctoral students with a unique opportunity to utilize the skills and knowledge they have learned in their program as well as apply their research in a very practical and timely way to a real-world problem that an organization or business is facing,” said Dr. Eric Riedel, chief academic officer of Walden University.

Using knowledge and skills gained from their doctoral course of study, students in the Consulting Capstone will conduct in-depth research for and about their assigned client organization and will coach their clients to improve key work processes, overcome strategic challenges and increase overall performance. Students will use the Baldrige Excellence Framework and its Criteria for Performance Excellence as a guide to improving performance and achieving lasting results that align with their assigned organization’s mission to bring about applied positive social change.

“One of the greatest benefits of my program was gaining the consulting experience through the Consulting Capstone,” said Dr. Tammy Jameson, a 2017 DBA graduate and the first to complete the Consulting Capstone project. “It was a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and is the first step to putting your degree to work. It helped me obtain knowledge, confidence and a new skill set, which gave me the ability to become a social change agent in my community and the world.”

In addition to connecting their capstone experiences to practical, real-world challenges, students will build their résumés for employment opportunities after graduation.

Interested students may apply to the Consulting Capstone project after completing a set number of doctoral-level classes in their discipline.

For more information about Walden’s programs, visit www.WaldenU.edu.

About Walden University
For more than 45 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Students from all 50 states in the U.S. and more than 150 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university offers more than 85 degree programs with more than 435 specializations and concentrations. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org. Walden is one of more than 70 institutions in 25 countries that make up the Laureate International Universities network. For more information about Walden, visit www.WaldenU.edu.