Developing your doctoral identity and preparing for your capstone are important steps as a doctoral student.

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June 2022

Setting Reasonable Expectations When Starting Capstone

"When you reach the capstone phase of your program, I hope you pause and celebrate – take the time to congratulate yourself on becoming “All but Dissertation. Then, refocus and begin the important work of creating a plan for completing your capstone..."

April 2022

My Experience with the Blended Academic Year in Residence (BAYR)

"BAYR (often referred to as “AYR” or pronounced by some like “bear”) stands for Blended Academic Year in Residence. The purpose is to provide students with critical clinical skills that are essential for professional practice in the field of psychology."

February 2022

Who Am I? The Importance of Doctoral Identity and Tips to Develop One

"I’m going to be perfectly honest here: when I was working on my doctoral journey, I never once paused to think about the idea of a “doctoral identity.” In fact, I never even heard the term until years after I graduated."

One of the best ways to handle any unknown situation is to go into it knowing that things may not always go as planned. It is important to be flexible.
Suzanne Switzer, My Experience with the Blended Academic Year in Residence (BAYR)

September 2021

My Doctoral Journey: Completing the Doctor of Public Heatlh

"Like many others, you may like to know how it feels to have completed the doctoral degree, what experiences I can share, how long it took, etc. I will try to address many of these questions and also give you some tips for your success."

MARCH 2020

Completing my Doctoral Capstone

"I graduated with a PhD in Psychology with a focus on Educational Psychology from Walden in 2017. I suppose I’ll start by answering the most common question I get from current students: how long did it take me to complete my dissertation?"
JULY 2020

Choosing a Doctoral Capstone Project: Where do I begin?

"Having trouble identifying the perfect topic for your doctoral capstone project or dissertation? Well, rest assured that you are not alone."


"Thank you for such a nicely put article. It did not sugar coat the difficulties and made me realize once again even while I am in the thick of it – this is doable."

Lynda McDonald, Comment, Completing my Doctoral Capstone

 
OCTOBER 2019

3 Writing Center Resources that Helped my Dissertation

"Writing my dissertation was the most challenging, yet most rewarding of endeavors. With over a decade of graduate school experience, I have had many opportunities for academic and professional writing."
APRIL 2019

3 Things Needed to Complete my Doctoral Capstone

"Are you worried about the challenge of the dissertation or capstone process? If so, then you are not alone. When I started, I was unaware of all the considerations and requirements needed for a successful journey."
JULY 2018

4 Strategies to Prepare for Your Doctoral Capstone

"You’ve likely heard many references to the final ‘capstone project,’ the dissertation or doctoral study that will be the culmination of your work as a doctoral student."

Are you the first in your family to pursue a doctoral degree?

This module is designed to help you develop a plan for success so you can break generational barriers and reach your doctoral goals.
Being Successful as a First-Generation Doctoral Student(Module)

Doctoral Capstone Form and Style

Walden University's Doctoral Form and Style Editors offer webinars and clinics covering such topics as introduction to the form and style review, guidance on the literature review process, and a question-and-answer panel.

Visit Form and Style Website

Completing my Doctoral Capstone

Developing Your Doctoral Identity

Savvy Student Podcast // Episode 18 // 11:01

Peer Mentor, Ashley Beverly, Discusses Developing a Doctoral Identity

By us developing that support for each other, we're able to see each other successfully complete this program.
Listen on SoundCloud

Attending Residency Video Series