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As an online PhD Management student, you often represent yourself and your academic work in writing.

To help you do that effectively, this assessment is designed to:

  • Identify your individual writing strengths and needs, and
  • Match your current skills to a specific writing course aimed to help you hone your skills.

By completing this writing assessment, students in Walden’s PhD Management program can build strong academic writing habits targeted to their individual strengths and needs early in their studies at Walden.

How do I complete the Writing Assessment?

As a student in Walden’s PhD Management program, your writing assessment is complete when you finish the following steps:

  1. In your MGMT-8003M course, complete your Week 8 assignment, which will also serve as your writing assessment essay.  The writing skills assessment rubric (available with your Week 8 assignment) will note strengths in your writing skills and areas for improvement. The skills rubric score does not impact your assignment or course grade.
  1. In the term after your MGMT-8003M course, complete one of the following writing courses. Completing one of writing skills courses listed below is part of the PhD Management program requirements. Your SKIL writing course is designed to provide instructional support to help you meet writing expectations in your program. Based on the outcome of your writing skills assessment, you will be automatically enrolled in one of these courses for your convenience:
  • SKIL-8001 Transitioning to Doctoral Writing
    • Course description: Students transitioning from master’s to doctoral writing learn how to critically read and evaluate sources, apply critical thinking to their own writing, synthesize information, and refine their scholarly voice.
    • Course details: This 6-week course is led by a Walden SKIL writing instructor and is graded S/U (satisfactory/unsatisfactory). It carries 0 credits and is designed to be taken at the same time as your MGMT courses.
  • SKIL-8002 Enhancing Doctoral Writing Skills
    • Course description: Students transitioning from master’s to doctoral writing learn critical skills to enhance their reading, writing, and research, including critical reading, evaluation, critical thinking, and synthesis.
    • Course details: This 12-week course is self-paced and includes required knowledge checks to demonstrate completion. It carries 0 credits and is designed to be taken at the same time as your MGMT courses.

When will I take my writing course?

PhD Management students complete their writing course in the second term alongside their program courses. Walden’s Writing Assessment team will enroll you in the writing course that best fits your strengths and needs based on the outcome of your writing assessment. Based on your schedule, you are welcome to petition one time to postpone your writing course by one term. For help with submitting your petition, please reach our team at writingassessment@mail.waldenu.edu. 

What if I do not pass or complete my writing course?

If you do not pass SKIL-8001 or complete SKIL-8002, our Walden Writing Assessment team will re-enroll you in the following term to repeat it. If you do not pass SKIL-8001 on the second attempt, the university’s policy for Repeating a Course (Graduate Students) applies, which can result in academic dismissal. As described in the doctoral writing assessment policy in Walden’s Student Handbook, your writing course needs to be successfully completed within 1 year. If you have questions or need help during your SKIL writing course, please contact your SKIL course instructor or ask-oasis@mail.waldenu.edu.

How much will my writing course cost?

The first time you are enrolled in your writing course, it is tuition-free. If you do not receive an S grade in SKIL-8001, our Walden Writing Assessment team will re-enroll you in the following term to repeat it. When you repeat the course, you will be charged for its tuition (currently $210) and fees.