Timing
In order to be successful in your program, you should attend your residencies or labs within the University's recommended time frame.
View the Timing page for information about when to complete the required residencies or labs for your specific program.
International Students: Be sure to register for your selected U.S. residency 3-4 months before the event start date in order to allow sufficient time to complete the required processes and approvals for you to be able to travel and attend.
Benefits
Walden academic experiences enable you to:
- Create an action plan for completing your program of study.
- Connect with faculty members in individual or group advising sessions.
- Enhance your writing, research, critical-thinking, and discipline-specific skills.
- Exchange experiences and insights with students who share your interests.
- Collaborate directly with student support staff.
Walden Academic Residencies: In-person Connection (video)
Walden Academic Residencies: Preparing for the Doctoral Journey (video)
Types of Experiences
Doctoral Residencies
Doctoral academic residencies are experiences that allow students to collaborate and network with other Walden students, staff, and faculty members. Residencies function somewhat like professional conferences and align with online courses at strategic points in a student’s program. Residency sessions emphasize growth and practice in research and disciplinary skills. Academic residencies are required for most doctoral programs. The number of academic residencies required varies by doctoral degree program. In many cases, residencies are required in order to advance into later program coursework.
Blended Academic Residencies / Skills Labs / Pre-Practicum Labs
Blended academic residencies/labs are required hybrid learning experiences that integrate specific online coursework with a face-to-face or synchronous virtual component in the same term and conclude with the remainder of the curriculum online. Blended experiences enhance the development, application, and practice of specific disciplinary skills for students in the PhD clinical psychology licensure program (Blended AYR), MS counseling programs (pre-practicum labs), the Bachelor and Master of Social Work programs (social work skills labs) and the PhD in Counselor Education & Supervision (pre-practicum labs).
Face-to-Face
These residencies or labs are held throughout the year at various locations around the United States. In selecting event sites, Walden chooses U.S. locations that meet accreditation requirements, are readily accessible to our students, and satisfy meeting space needs for various programs.
Virtual
Virtual events are synchronous, online learning experiences that allow students to collaborate and network with other Walden students, staff, and faculty members without having to travel or take time away from work and personal obligations. Students participating in virtual events log online to engage in live, interactive sessions with other students as well as Walden faculty and staff. Virtual academic experiences have the same requirements and expectations as their face-to-face counterparts.
Professional Conferences
PhD students in select programs have the option to attend an approved professional conference (RESI 8900 based on program availability) in order to satisfy their fourth residency requirement.
Contact Student Success Advising to access the Professional Conferences residency calendar and page for more information.
Capstone Intensives
A Capstone Intensive retreat is an optional experience for students in DBA, DIT, DHA, and PhD programs, designed to offer additional assistance on completing their capstone. Participants spend time writing and meeting with experienced research faculty and writing staff members to obtain individualized support and assistance with their capstone writing. PhD students may attend a Capstone Intensive to satisfy the residency 4 requirement.
PhD students in programs that require four residencies have the option to attend a Dissertation Intensive retreat (DRWI 8500) during their dissertation in order to satisfy their fourth residency requirement.
PhD, DBA, DHA, and DIT students who have completed their required residencies may opt to attend a Capstone Intensive retreat to advance their capstone writing. Capstone Intensives are also available as an option for students in the DNP program.
See the Capstone Intensives website for more information and contact Student Success Advising to register.
Skills Intensives
A Skills Intensive retreat is an optional experience for students in select programs to immerse themselves in special topics, case studies and scenarios that can be applied to work in their disciplines and better prepare them for future workplaces. Examples include Consulting Skills Intensives, Coaching Skills Virtual Intensives, and Forensic Psychology Special Topics Intensives. PhD students may attend select skills intensives to satisfy the residency 4 requirement.
Locations
Academic residencies and related events are held throughout the year in locations across the United States and abroad. Walden academic event locations are determined based on numerous factors including, but not limited to, state and national accreditation/licensing guidelines, geographic locations of students in Walden residency programs, and meeting space size and availability. We carefully research and select our residency cities and venues and work to offer you several domestic and international options which vary from year-to-year. While we may not be able to offer an academic residency in close proximity to your state/country of residence, we carefully consider your travel and budgetary concerns as we develop our calendar.
When planning your U.S. residency(ies), note that Walden typically offers academic residencies in Georgia, Texas, Florida, Minnesota, Maryland and Florida. Cities in these and any other states are selected based on the above criteria, as well as flight availability and access to and from major airports across the country and around the globe.
As an online institution with a global reach, Walden may also offer some residency opportunities outside the 48 contiguous U.S. states (for students in select doctoral programs). Please note, residencies outside the 48 contiguous U.S. states are available for students in select doctoral programs. Fees for these residencies, if available for your program, vary based on location and are higher.
View the Calendar for location options by program.