Find Your Program

Or browse by

Browse our programs

What Is the Doctoral Degree Coach®?

Walden University’s planning and progress-tracking tool will help guide your doctoral degree journey.

Many working professionals dream of earning a doctoral degree but aren’t sure if they have time for the rigorous and rewarding educational achievement. Walden University helps adult learners bring those dreams to fruition by offering online degree programs infused with flexibility, student support, and innovation. Now, professional doctorate and PhD candidates have a new tool at their fingertips: the Doctoral Degree Coach®.

This interactive planning and progress-tracking tool offers support when and where you need it. It helps you stay on track as you move from coursework to the completion of your doctoral research.

Walden’s Doctoral Degree Coach® is a personalized tool designed to help students navigate their doctoral research journey more efficiently. It breaks down the research process into manageable steps, providing easy-to-understand checklists, timeline progression, and goal tracking to monitor milestones. The tool also offers regular updates and resource materials tailored to each step, making it easier for students and faculty to stay on track. By streamlining the doctoral research process, the Doctoral Degree Coach® helps reduce uncertainty and supports students in completing their doctoral studies more effectively.

"

“The Doctoral Degree Coach® helps students to prepare and get support when they need it so they can easily meet the progressively challenging tasks of doctoral work,” says Dr. Laura Knight Lynn, Walden’s dean of research and executive director of the Center for Research Quality. “For this reason, we really see this as an innovative differentiator so that students can truly have that guided doctoral experience.”

Features of the Doctoral Degree Coach® include:

  • Personal goal setting with step-by-step guidance.
  • To-dos and resources for every step.
  • Useful checklists to see what you need to accomplish.
  • An at-a-glance timeline that helps you see exactly where you are in your learning journey and where you need to go.
  • Weekly progress reports with additional resources sent right to your inbox.
  • Easy access for your dissertation or capstone chair, so they can help guide you through your goals and timelines.

When you access the Doctoral Degree Coach® from your laptop, desktop, or mobile device, you’ll find direct links to academic resources, student support services, Walden’s library, the Writing Center, technical support, financial aid advisors, and more. And when you need further assistance, there’s a handy resource glossary to direct you to the right person to provide just the support you need.

And like any good coach, the Doctoral Degree Coach® offers encouragement. As you achieve milestones, you’ll receive congratulatory videos to help fuel your journey.

The coaching tool has a growing fan base, based on its reviews. “The Doctoral Degree Coach® was immensely valuable to my doctoral journey,” one student says. “The curated resources and step-by-step, easy-to-use navigation kept me on track as I worked on my capstone.”

Another student says: “Paired with a great capstone committee, the Doctoral Degree Coach® makes me feel like I have a qualified guide helping me navigate this challenging final segment of my academic journey.”

Advance Your Career With a Doctoral Degree

When you’re ready to embark on your own ultimate academic journey, Walden offers more than 25 online doctoral degree programs and has your back with exceptional student support services that can help you balance the demands of your busy life.

No matter which online doctoral program you choose, Walden can help set you up for success—giving you your own interactive coaching tool to guide you along the way. Supporting students on their doctoral journey is just one reason why Walden is a leader in online doctoral education.

Walden University is an accredited institution offering more than 25 online doctoral degree programs in a range of disciplines. Expand your career options and earn your degree using a convenient, flexible learning platform that fits your busy life.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, www.hlcommission.org.

Whether looking for information on programs, admissions, or financial aid, we're here to help.

Fill out the form and we will contact you to provide information about furthering your education.

Please use our International Form if you live outside of the U.S.

  • Step 1: Contact Information
  • Step 2: Academic Interests

Are you or your spouse an active or retired U.S. military service member?*

By submitting this form, I provide my signature, expressly consenting to calls, prerecorded messages, messages created by generative artificial intelligence, emails and/or texts regarding my educational options from Walden University (Walden) and its contractors using an automated dialing system to the number and email address provided. I understand my consent is not required to enroll at Walden, and that I can withdraw my consent at any time. To request information without consenting, please call 866-492-5336. For telephonic communications, message and data rates may apply. Message frequency may vary. To opt out of communications via text messaging reply STOP or HELP for help or call 866-492-5336. For more information, visit Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.