Annotated Collection of the University's Academic Support Resources
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ADE_Manual_Final_052123.pdf
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................................... 3
THE ADE PROCESS ................................................................................................................................... 3
ADE COURSE OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................................... 5 ADE COURSE SEQUENCE .............................................................................................................................................. 6 ADE 12-WEEK COURSE DESCRIPTIONS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES ............................................................................... 8 ADE 8-WEEK COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES AND DESCRIPTIONS................................................................................ 10 ADE PROPOSAL AND MANUSCRIPT TEMPLATE ............................................................................................................ 12 PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATION AND DEFENSE OPTIONS .............................................................................................. 12 APPLIED DOCTORAL PROJECT GRADING ...................................................................................................................... 12 APPLIED DOCTORAL PROJECT DELIVERABLE RUBRIC ................................................................................................... 13 USING THE DELIVERABLE RUBRIC ................................................................................................................................ 14 SUBMISSION TIMEFRAMES FOR FACULTY FEEDBACK .................................................................................................... 15 APPLIED DOCTORAL RECORD SUBMISSIONS ................................................................................................................. 16
THE DOCTORAL COMMITTEE .......................................................................................................... 17
DOCTORAL COMMITTEE COMPOSITION ........................................................................................................................ 17 SELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS ......................................................................................................................... 18 COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES .................................................................................................................................... 18 WORKING WITH A COMMITTEE .................................................................................................................................... 21 CHANGES IN COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS ..................................................................................................................... 22
CONSIDERATIONS AND POLICIES ................................................................................................ 22
TIME LIMITS ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 ACADEMIC INTEGRITY ................................................................................................................................................. 22 CODE OF CONDUCT ..................................................................................................................................................... 23 SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS ......................................................................................................................... 23 MINIMUM GRADE TO MOVE TO NEXT COURSE ............................................................................................................. 23 INCOMPLETE GRADES ................................................................................................................................................. 23 ADA COURSE ACCOMMODATIONS .............................................................................................................................. 24 UNSATISFACTORY GRADES FOR ADE COURSES ............................................................................................................ 24 “RD” GRADE POLICY FOR THE DOCTORAL SEQUENCE ................................................................................................... 24
APPENDIX A .............................................................................................................................................. 25
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Introduction This manual (and the documents referenced within) is a resource outlining the major
elements of National University’s Applied Doctoral Experience (ADE) process for
students in 1:1 mentor-based programs. Students and faculty members involved in the
ADE courses are strongly encouraged to read this manual and associated document
(rubrics and templates) before beginning work on an Applied Doctoral Project. The
culminating product for the ADE differs by program so please consult your specific
program requirements for further details regarding the name of culminating product.
Please note throughout this manual the term ‘Applied Doctoral Project’ is used to
describe the culminating product of the Applied Doctoral Experience (ADE) while each
school participating in the ADE process may use different terms. Each school/program
also has its own Proposal and Manuscript Template. Make sure you are reviewing the
correct template for the school/ program in which you are enrolled. All templates are
available in the Applied Doctoral Center.
If you are a student and have questions not answered in this ADE Manual or in any of the supplemental materials, please speak to your Chair regarding academic issues or your Academic and Finance Advisor regarding program or degree issues. Students are responsible for staying current with changes to their program. Check with your Academic and Finance Advisor if you have questions about your program of study.
If you are a faculty member and have questions not answered in this ADE Manual or in the supplemental materials, please reach out to the Assistant/Associate Dean of Faculty, Department Chair, or Academic Program Director in your school.
The ADE Process The Applied Doctoral Experience (ADE) is the culminating accomplishment in the
doctoral student’s degree program. The applied/professional degree (e.g., DHA, DMFT,
and EdD) is practice-based and differs from the PhD dissertation, which is typically more
theoretically focused. The Applied Doctoral Project is a substantial, scholarly work
conducted independently by a doctoral student under the guidance of faculty members
comprising the student’s Doctoral Committee. Following the approved final Applied
Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM), the student will present the findings and contributions to
practice to the Doctoral Committee as a professional conference level presentation or
poster or demonstrate the manuscript has been accepted for publication in a peer-
reviewed, professional journal.
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Committee roles include the Chair, Subject Matter Expert (SME), and the Academic Reader (AR). More information on the committee roles and responsibilities can be found later in this manual. In the ADE process, the student:
• Identifies an appropriate practice-based problem substantiated through peer- reviewed, empirical literature.
• Summarizes, analyzes, and integrates recent (published within five years or less) scholarly and professional literature and research relevant to the topic and writes Sections 1 of the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP).
• Offers a detailed description of the methodology and design of the Applied Doctoral Project (Section 2).
• Combines Sections 1 and 2 to form the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP).
• Receives NU IRB approval to conduct the Applied Doctoral Project, collects and analyzes the data, and reports the findings in Section 3 of the Applied Doctoral Project Manuscript (A-DM).
• The final manuscript is comprised of three Sections:
➢ Section 1: Introduces the problem and the evidence substantiating the existence of the problem; articulates the purpose of the Applied Doctoral Project; includes a review of current, scholarly, and professional literature on the topic; presents the Applied Doctoral Project research questions and applicable hypotheses; and provides and overview of the methodology and design employed.
➢ Section 2: Provides a detailed discussion of the methodology and design, population and sample, materials and instrumentation, goals and objectives, metrics or performance measurements, procedures, data collection and analysis process, limitations, and ethical considerations.
➢ Section 3: Presents findings and implications; suggestions, applications, and recommendations; and conclusions.
➢ Findings and contributions to practice are presented in a professional presentation following A-DM approval.
The ADE process is divided into three broad stages:
• Preparation and approval of the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP) including Sections 1 and 2;
• NU IRB approval to conduct the Applied Doctoral Project and data collection; and
• Preparation and approval of the final Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM), which includes all elements of Sections 1, 2, and 3. Once the A-DM is approved, the student will be scheduled for the professional presentation based on school or program-specific requirements.
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The Applied Doctoral Experience (ADE) process is arduous and iterative. As doctoral students proceed through the ADE process, they will be required to understand and apply faculty/committee feedback continuously. Committee Members review and substantively evaluate work submitted by students. Regular, iterative reviews of sections, subsections, and drafts are a common and important practice in the process. Successful engagement in this process requires a high level of conceptual understanding, continuous communication between student and Chair, and incorporation of multi-modal feedback toward the construction of each Section.
The assessment of each key deliverable required for ADE course advancement is conducted within the Applied Doctoral Record (ADR), through the utilization of the Chair/SME rubric and graded within the course using the course grading rubric. In addition, NU Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) are assessed within the Applied Doctoral Record (ADR) for the final Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM) and culminating presentation.
ADE Course Overview
After doctoral students have successfully passed the last course in their scheduled program coursework (e.g., Prospectus/Portfolio), they will be enrolled into the ADE course sequence. There are specific deliverables required for each course. Each course deliverable represents a portion of the overall ADE process. To progress successfully into a subsequent ADE course, each deliverable must be completed and meet the minimum standards on the rubric assessment as determined by Doctoral Committee members.
Remember, becoming a scholar-practitioner is iterative and non-linear. Making a change in a later version to correct an issue in a previous version may reveal new issues needing to be addressed in the subsequently, approved, version. Ultimately, National University wants all students to succeed, but we also have to ensure our terminal outcomes meet quality standards. To this end, below are the steps of the ADE review process designed to facilitate student progress.
1. National University’s Chairs and SMEs provide constructive feedback during the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP) stage. This is to ensure the student has a feasible and realistic plan to develop a well-conceived, substantive, quality Applied Doctoral Project. Individual section and subsection reviews, throughout the development of the A-DP, serve to assess if the topic is appropriate and the planned Applied Doctoral Project is sound and practical within the scope of a doctoral program and professional discipline. The Applied Doctoral Proposal (A- DP) ensures the problem is substantiated with evidence and the methods and
design are in alignment while serving the purpose and addressing the problem of the topic under study. In addition, the proposal allows the student to complete a
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thorough review of current scholarly and professional literature addressing all points of view on the topic, including key theories, conceptual framework, and/or models used to support the Applied Doctoral Project.
2. Sections 1 and 2 individually, as well as the complete A-DP, must meet the minimum standards on all rubric criteria assessed by the Chair and Subject Matter Expert (SME) to proceed to the next course block in the ADE sequence.
3. Once the Chair and SME have approved the A-DP, it is sent to the Academic Reader (AR) for review against the institutional quality checklist, which may result in the student having to make changes for improvement. Once the Doctoral Committee has approved the A-DP, the student will proceed to the next course sequence block and begin the NU Institutional Review Board (IRB) application process. No data may be collected until IRB approval is obtained. Failure to observe this rule may result in penalties up to and including dismissal from National University.
4. Following IRB approval of the A-DP, the student conducts their Applied Doctoral Project, completes Section 3, and writes the A-DM in the required manner. The A-DM is sent to the Chair and SME for approval. The approved A-DM is then sent to the AR for review against the institutional quality checklist, which may result in the student having to make changes for improvement.
5. Upon final approval of the A-DM, the presentation is scheduled. Students should refer to their school specific instructions and presentation templates regarding requirements for the professional presentation. The student must be able to explain and justify what was accomplished by the Applied Doctoral Project.
ADE Course Sequence
The ADE sequence is structured into distinct courses with specific deliverables at the end of each course. Additionally, each course requires weekly engagement between the student and the Chair through weekly document submissions to the Dropbox. These weekly submissions are scaffolded to build the entire deliverable to meet the minimum standards of the evaluation process by the end of the course. A deliverable or summary statement of progress must be submitted each week for Chair review.
The Applied Doctoral Project sequence of courses was designed to assist the student in scaffolding the development of the individual sections of the Applied Doctoral Manuscript in a timely and scholarly approach. There are four 12-week courses. The deliverables to be evaluated by the end of each course to determine eligibility to move to the next course sequence block are presented below:
• DIS-9911A – Section 1
• DIS-9912A – Section 2 and approved Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP)
• DIS-9913A – IRB approval, data collection, and final Study Closure Form
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• DIS-9914A – Section 3, approved Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM), and professional presentation (per school-specific requirements)
Each course requires weekly engagement between the student and the Chair through
weekly document submissions, similar to the current coursework requirements. These
weekly submissions are scaffolded to build the entire deliverable to meet the minimum
standards of the evaluation process by the end of the course. A deliverable or summary
statement of progress must be submitted each week. It is recommended a deliverable
be submitted each week for feedback by the Chair to make progress toward the proposal
and final manuscript.
Students not meeting the established standards on the required deliverable at the end of the 12-week course will be assigned to an 8-week supplemental course (e.g., DIS-9911B). The 8-week supplemental course provides additional committee collaboration and support, and time to meet the academic standards of the course deliverable. University supports may include attending Academic Success Center (ASC) sessions, accessing library resources, and engaging in a higher ‘hands-on’ process with the Chair to expedite the student in completing deliverables sufficient to meet academic standards. Students can complete a maximum of three supplemental courses (DIS-991XB, C, & D) within each ADE course sequence. If deliverables are completed and approved before the end of a supplemental course, students can start on the next deliverable assigned to the next sequential course. For example, if a student in supplemental course DIS-9911B produces
an approved Section 1 by the end of week 3 of the supplemental course, the student can begin work on Section 2 of the DP normally starting in DIS-9912A.
Note. The three 8-week supplemental courses (B, C, and D) allow for additional time to achieve the course deliverable(s) and are scheduled if needed.
As indicated in the diagram, if the student does not meet the criteria of the required
course deliverable within the first 8-week supplemental course (e.g., DIS-9911B), the
student can complete another 8-week supplemental course (e.g., DIS-9911C) to allow
more time to complete the required deliverable. If the student has not met the milestone
by the end of the second supplemental course, the student may complete a third and
final supplemental 8-week course (e.g., DIS-9911D). Most students require one or more
supplemental courses to complete their dissertation deliverables and receive approval.
The DIS-991XD supplemental dissertation sequence courses are the final opportunity for
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the student to meet the standards for the required course deliverable and continue in
their doctoral program.
Not meeting the standards on all rubric criteria for an end-of-course deliverable indicates
students must progress to a supplemental course to work on the criterion. As a
reminder, the iterative process in developing a dissertation may require the student to go
back and revise previously approved chapters before a final A-DP or A-DM can be
approved. This must be reiterated to the student throughout the development of their
dissertation.
Students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours (4 courses) of dissertation
coursework with a grade of ‘B’ or better to satisfy degree program requirements.
Students may be eligible to overlap the last 3-credit hours to meet the minimum required
dissertation credit hours after they have achieved an approved Section 3. Please see the
catalog for additional information on specific degree program requirements. Students
should contact their Academic and Finance Advisor if they need additional assistance.
ADE 12-Week Course Descriptions and Learning Outcomes
Below are the course descriptions and learning outcomes for the four 12-week courses and supplemental courses (B, C, and D). An overview of the courses and weekly expectations are found in the individual course syllabi.
DIS-9911A Applied Doctoral Introduction
In this 12-week course, you will complete all relevant subsections of Section 1: Foundation using your school-specific template. Section 1 must be completed and approved by your Chair and SME to pass the course and move forward. If you do not receive approval of Section 1, you will be able to complete up to three supplemental 8-week courses to finalize and gain approval of Section 1.
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Justify an appropriate topic with current, relevant literature or defined professional need.
2. Develop alignment among foundational components of a proposal.
3. Synthesize relevant research and professional literature about the history and context of a problem.
4. Integrate conceptual or theoretical frameworks within a proposal.
DIS-9912A Applied Doctoral Proposal
In this 12-week course, you will compose all relevant subsections of Section 2: Methodology and Design and complete your proposal. Both components must be
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approved by your committee to pass the course and move forward. You will use your school-specific template and guidance from your chair to determine which subsections apply to your individual work. If you do not receive approval of Section 2 and the complete proposal, you will be able to take up to three 8-week supplementary courses to finalize and gain approval of Section 2 and your Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP).
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Formulate designs and methods addressing questions and applicable hypotheses.
2. Justify the measures and mechanisms used to evaluate outcomes.
3. Specify assumptions, limitations, and delimitations defining the scope of a proposal.
4. Support a proposal with ancillary materials, appendices, and references.
DIS-9913A Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Data Collection
In this course, you will prepare and submit an Institutional Review Board (IRB) application and obtain approval by National University’s IRB before recruiting participants and collecting data. After IRB approval, you will collect data for your Applied Doctoral Project. You will also submit documentation of IRB approval and study closure to the ADR. If you are still collecting data for your project at the end of this 12-week course, you will be able to take up to three supplemental 8-week courses to complete the required components.
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Generate IRB applications. 2. Verify IRB application approval or exemption. 3. Conduct data collection. 4. Document closure of data collection.
DIS-9914A Applied Doctoral Manuscript Course Learning Outcomes
In this 12-week course, you will complete all relevant subsections of Section 3: Findings, Implications, and Recommendations, finalize your manuscript, and disseminate your findings. You will use your school-specific template and guidance from your chair to determine which subsections apply to your individual work. The final Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM), which includes Section 3 and the dissemination of findings, must be approved by your committee to pass the course and be eligible to graduate. If you do not receive committee approval of all components, you will be able to take up to three supplemental
8-week courses to finalize these requirements and be eligible to graduate.
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Course Learning Outcomes
1. Analyze collected data, as applicable, in alignment with design and methods.
2. Evaluate results aligned with questions and applicable
hypotheses. 3. Formulate conclusions, implications, and recommendations
based on results. 4. Compose manuscripts consistent with scholarly discourse. 5. Synthesize components for professional presentation and
defense.
ADE 8-Week Course Learning Outcomes and Descriptions
An overview of the twelve 8-week courses and weekly expectations are found in the
individual course syllabi.
DIS-9911B, C, and D Applied Doctoral Introduction Supplemental
This course provides additional time to complete all relevant subsections of Section 1: Foundation using your school-specific template. Section 1 must be completed and approved by your Chair and SME to pass the course and move forward to DIS-9912A. If you do not receive approval of Section 1, you will be enrolled in the next supplemental course to finalize and gain approval of Section 1.
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Justify an appropriate topic with current, relevant literature or defined professional need.
2. Develop alignment among foundational components of proposal.
3. Synthesize relevant research and professional literature about the history and context of a problem.
4. Integrate conceptual or theoretical frameworks within a proposal.
DIS-9912B, C, and D Applied Doctoral Proposal Supplemental
This course provides additional time to compose all relevant subsections of Section 2: Methodology and Design and complete your proposal. Both components must be approved by your committee to pass the course and move forward. You will use your school-specific template and guidance from your chair to determine which subsections apply to your individual work. If you do not receive approval of Section 2 and the complete proposal, you will be enrolled in the next supplemental course to finalize and gain approval of Section 2 and your Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP).
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Course Learning Outcomes
1. Formulate designs and methods addressing questions and applicable hypotheses.
2. Justify the measures and mechanisms used to evaluate outcomes.
3. Specify assumptions, limitations, and delimitations defining the scope of a proposal.
4. Support a proposal with ancillary materials, appendices, and references.
DIS-9913B, C, and D Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Data Collection
Supplemental
This course provides additional time to prepare and submit an Institutional Review Board (IRB) application and obtain approval by National University’s IRB before recruiting participants and collecting data. After IRB approval, you will collect data for your Applied Doctoral Project. You will also submit documentation of IRB approval and study closure to the ADR. If you are still collecting data at the end of this 8-week course, you will be enrolled in the next supplemental course to finalize and gain approval of the required components.
Course Learning Outcomes:
1. Generate IRB applications. 2. Verify IRB application approval or exemption. 3. Conduct data collection. 4. Document closure of data collection.
DIS-9914B, C, and D Applied Doctoral Manuscript Supplemental
This course provides additional time to complete all relevant subsections of Section 3: Findings, Implications, and Recommendations, finalize your manuscript, and disseminate your findings. You will use your school-specific template and guidance from your chair to determine which subsections apply to your individual work. The final Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM), which includes Section 3 and the dissemination of findings, must be approved by your committee to pass the course and be eligible to graduate. If you do not receive committee approval of all components, you will be enrolled in the next supplemental course to finalize these requirements and be eligible to graduate.
Course Learning Outcomes
1. Analyze collected data, as applicable, in alignment with design and methods.
2. Evaluate results aligned with questions and applicable hypotheses.
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3. Formulate conclusions, implications, and recommendations based on results.
4. Compose manuscripts consistent with scholarly discourse. 5. Synthesize components for professional presentation and
defense.
ADE Proposal and Manuscript Template
In addition to this manual, a school or program-specific Applied Doctoral Proposal and Manuscript template, formatted to APA 7th edition standards, is available for use by students. Students should only use the template approved by their school or program to complete ADE deliverables. Templates come with instructions explanations, and helpful tips for proposal and manuscript development. Students are to remove the instructions/checklists from the template when submitting their work for review. School or program-specific templates are found in the Applied Doctoral Center and in the Resources section of each ADE course.
Professional Presentation and Defense Options
Following the approval of the Applied Doctoral Manuscript, ADE students are required to
make a conference-ready professional presentation of their Applied Doctoral Project
findings and contributions to the profession to their Doctoral Committee. Students
should refer to their school-specific templates and consult with their Chair to fully
understand the requirements and the options available to them.
There are two options available:
• Slide Presentation: ADE students may prepare a professional slide presentation of 20-25 minutes at the level of quality expected for a juried or expert-reviewed professional conference. A question-and-answer session will follow the presentation. Visit the Applied Doctoral Center for PowerPoint slide template for the presentation.
• Poster Presentation: ADE students may prepare a professional poster presentation at the level of quality expected for a juried or expert-reviewed professional conference. The presentation should last 20-25 minutes. A question- and-answer session will follow the presentation. Visit the Applied Doctoral Center for poster template and other poster development resources.
Applied Doctoral Project Grading
A deliverable or a summary statement of progress must be submitted each week. It is recommended a deliverable be submitted each week for feedback by the Chair to enhance progress toward the proposal and final manuscript. In addition to receiving regular feedback, weekly Dropbox submissions also track student attendance and
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participation in a course. Therefore, in order for a student to remain in active status and consistently engaged in the ADE process, they must post weekly within their ADE course.
In addition to weekly postings, students can expect the Doctoral Committee to review the assigned deliverable for each course. Throughout the course this deliverable will be reviewed by the Chair and SME against the stated rubric criteria in the Applied Doctoral Record. The final submitted deliverable(s) for the course must receive a passing score of ‘meets’ for all rubric criteria to receive a passing course grade (A or B). Once your final deliverable is determined to meet all required criteria, the Chair will make the determination between ‘A’ or ‘B’ by using an additional Final Grade rubric in the ADE course that considers items such as communication with Chair and response to feedback, weekly coursework performance and progress, and scholarly writing.
If any one of the criteria reflects ‘Does Not Meet,’ the student receives a ‘C’ for the course and will be enrolled in the associated 8-week supplemental course. Students who have not made any academic progress as determined by their Chair and have not made any Applied Doctoral Record submissions to grade using the rubric may be awarded an ‘F’ as the final grade. Students receiving an ‘F’ will be enrolled in the associated 8-week supplemental course.
The supplemental course allows the student additional time to complete the expected deliverable(s) to meet minimum rubric criteria for the ADE course. In order to receive a passing score in the supplemental course the student must receive the minimum acceptable criteria on the rubric, assessed by the Chair and SME. If the student receives a ‘C’ or ‘F’ in the first supplemental course (DIS-991xB), they will be allowed to complete two additional supplemental courses (DIS-991xC & D) to satisfactorily complete the course deliverable(s). Any student who receives ‘C’ or ‘F’ grades in all supplemental courses (DIS-991XB, C, & D) will not be eligible to enroll in additional courses and will be subject to dismissal from the University without a pathway for re-entry.
Applied Doctoral Project Deliverable Rubric
A rubric was developed for all individual Sections (1-3), the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP), and the Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM). Course grades will be determined by the rubric for DIS-9911X (Section 1 meeting minimum criteria), DIS- 9912X (Section 2 and Applied Doctoral Proposal meeting minimum criteria), and DIS- 9914X (Section 3 and Applied Doctoral Manuscript meeting minimum criteria). Grading will be completed by the Chair and the Subject Matter Expert (SME), and these scores will be reconciled to determine the final grade. The individual section rubrics are in the courses and in the Applied Doctoral Record. The Applied Doctoral Record will be used as the evaluation tool for assessing student work by the committee. The final A-DP and A-DM will be read by the Academic Reader (AR) and
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comments and suggestions from the AR should be incorporated into the final deliverables under the direction of the Chair. To prepare for the AR review, follow the AR checklist in Appendix A.
The rubrics are used to evaluate the work completed for each Section, A-DP, and A-DM deliverables against institutional expectation criteria. Students should use the rubrics to self-evaluate their work before submitting to their Chair and Committee. All criteria must be designated as ‘Meets’ for a successful grade to be achieved.
The nature of the Applied Doctoral Project may require revisions to previously approved Sections to better align with changes made in subsequent Sections or subsections. The three Sections (1, 2, and 3) will not be considered as final until a committee approved (meeting minimum criteria) Applied Doctoral Manuscript has been completed.
The Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP) and the Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM) will be automatically submitted to TurnItIn in the Applied Doctoral Record for originality before the manuscript can be considered final. The final manuscript will be read by an NU faculty member (Academic Reader - AR) for methods and findings quality, rigor, and alignment to institutional guidelines. Changes may be requested from the AR to improve upon key manuscript components (See AR checklist in Appendix A).
Be sure to visit the Applied Doctoral Center for the current rubrics and other ADE relevant resources.
Using the Deliverable Rubric
Each rubric has specific criteria outlined based on the submitted deliverable. Criteria are weighted as ‘Meets’ and ‘Does Not Meet.’ Students are graded (for A or B grades) based only on the criterion allowing the scoring of a ‘Meets’ on all rubric criteria for final course deliverable.
The grading scale includes an A, B, C, or F.
o If the deliverable has been scored with a ‘Meets’ on all rubric criteria, the course grade will be marked as an ‘A’ or ‘B,’ and the student will move on to the next DIS-991xA course block in the Applied Doctoral Project sequence.
o If the deliverable has been scored a single ‘Does Not Meet,’ the deliverable is not developed enough to move onto the next step in the process. The
course grade must be marked as a ‘C’ grade and the student will be
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enrolled in the 8-week supplemental course DIS991XB/C/D to continue working on the deliverable(s) until met.
o If no progress on any of the required components has been demonstrated or communicated, the course will be graded as ‘F,’ and the student will be enrolled in the next in the 8-week supplemental course DIS-991xB/C/D.
Final course grades are not to be submitted before the last day of the course and must
be submitted by close of business Arizona time on the Thursday following the course
completion. The A, B, or C grade earned in the dissertation courses is determined by the
Chair using the objective-based assessment grading rubric for final grade posting.
Students may consider the grade of a ‘C’ to represent “Continuing” as the ‘C’ grade will be
replaced by a grade of ‘RD’ which stands for “Repeated Doctoral Sequence” once the
course deliverable has met rubric expectations as determined by the Chair/SME. If a
student does not meet the deliverables in a final D course in the sequence and is
dismissed from the program, the C grades in the A through D courses will remain on the
transcript.
The University awards letter grades in recognition for academic performance in each course. Grade points are assigned to each academic performance grade, with the exception of S, U, R, and RD grades and are used to calculate a Grade Point Average
(GPA) for each student.
Submission Timeframes for Faculty Feedback
The ADE course structure requires students to turn in a submission every week.
Submission deadlines are Sunday at midnight, Arizona time. Students will upload their work in the Dropbox of each week. Chairs will access the submission by downloading it from the Dropbox. Chairs will provide feedback within the document and upload it into the Dropbox within the stated guidelines for feedback.
Students failing to submit assignments weekly will be identified as ‘at-risk’ (missing two weeks in a row) by the Chair, which may result in outreach by the Academic and Finance Advisor, School/ Department designee, or other University representative. Course, institutional, or other consequences may be instituted for students’ failure to follow academic submission and course requirements.
Chairs have 7 calendar days to provide feedback to students on weekly submissions and drafts. Chairs and Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) have 7 calendar days to return feedback on Sections 1, 2, and 3 submitted in the Applied Doctoral Record. The exceptions to the 7-day rule include the submission of the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-
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DP) and the Applied Doctoral Manuscript (A-DM) in the Applied Doctoral Record (ADR), in which a 14-day turnaround time for feedback in the ADR is allowed.
Final course grades should be submitted by the Thursday following the last day of the course to allow for continuous enrollments for students. Chairs should know how a student is performing based on previous submissions in the Applied Doctoral Record and from feedback provided by the SME and should submit the appropriate grade. Assignments submitted after the course end date will not be included in the end of course grade.
Applied Doctoral Record Turnaround Times (Calendar – Midnight Sunday Submission
AZ Time)
• Section 1 (7 days)
• Section 2 (7 days)
• Applied Doctoral Proposal Draft for Chair/SME (14 days)
• Applied Doctoral Proposal Draft for AR (14 days)
• Final Applied Doctoral Proposal for Chair (7 days)
• IRB Approval Form (7 days)
• IRB Closure /NHSR Closure (7 days)
• Section 3 (7 days)
• Applied Doctoral Manuscript Draft for Chair/SME (14 days)
• Applied Doctoral Manuscript Draft for AR (14 days)
• Final Applied Doctoral Manuscript for Chair (7 days)
• Professional Presentation per School-specific Instructions (7 days)
Applied Doctoral Record Submissions
Work completed throughout the ADE courses should be submitted to the Applied Doctoral Record for review by the Chair and the SME. The Chair and the SME will use the rubric to evaluate each component of the submitted document. The suggested Applied Doctoral Record submission timeframes are noted throughout the syllabi of the courses. Additional submissions can occur if the student completes a deliverable, and the Chair believes the next deliverable is ready for evaluation by the Committee.
The completed rubric and edited document will be submitted back into the Applied Doctoral Record by the Chair and SME. The Chair will then reconcile the scores for a final scoring. All criteria on the rubric must be marked as ‘Meets’ by the Chair and SME for the student to move onto the next ADE course in the sequence following completion of their current course. The final draft of the A-DP and A-DM will be submitted to the AR by the Chair to be reviewed against a checklist of University criteria in the Applied Doctoral Record once the document has passed all the rubric criteria by the Chair and the SME.
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Students are reminded while their submitted documents are being evaluated, they are expected to continue conducting appropriate activities to advance their Applied Doctoral Project. Resources and next steps are outlined in all the doctoral courses. Students are expected to continue working on subsequent Section components advancing their work towards a timely completion. Refer to the Working Ahead Guidelines in the Applied Doctoral Center or connect with your Chair if you are unsure about what you can work on next while waiting for feedback. The ADE process involves iterative learning, requiring extensive and continual effort. All available information for progressing through the ADE courses are in the courses, allowing the student to work ahead while the Doctoral Committee evaluates the current paper.
The Doctoral Committee Doctoral Committee Composition
The Doctoral Committee provides a student with the direction, guidance, support, and feedback needed to complete all phases of the Applied Doctoral Project. The Doctoral Committee consists of three National University faculty members. The Doctoral Chair has significant expertise in research processes, procedures, methodology, and proficiency in guiding the student through the Applied Doctoral Project process. The second Committee member serves in the role of Subject Matter Expert (SME) bringing expertise in the field of study while also supporting the student in any methods approach.
The Academic Reader (AR) has expertise in research methods and familiarity with the field of study and ensures the Applied Doctoral Project aligns to University standards of academic integrity, rigor, research methods, and quality. This model allows continued support to students throughout the development of their Applied Doctoral Project components, even during times of committee member time off.
The ADE sequence of courses requires the Chair and the SME to apply their methodological expertise to every course to support the student through their doctoral journey. The AR will perform a review at the A-DP and A-DM stages, ensuring compliance to both methodological rigor and University scholarship standards, allowing a more streamlined and systematic approach to the completion of the project.
The required qualifications of the Doctoral Chair, SME, and AR are listed below.
The Doctoral Committee Chair:
• NU faculty member • Expertise in research methodology, design, and approaches and proficiency in
guiding the Applied Doctoral Project process
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• Successful completion of a culminating applied doctoral project/dissertation and terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Demonstrated record of research and doctoral level teaching
The Subject Matter Expert (SME):
• NU faculty member
• Academic preparation and proficiency within the field of study for their assigned students
• Solid understanding in research processes, methodologies, and experience in supporting students through completion of their culminating applied doctoral project/dissertation
• Successful completion of a culminating applied doctoral project/dissertation and terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Demonstrated record of research and/or doctoral level teaching and/or practical experience appropriate to the program and degree specialization
The Academic Reader (AR):
• NU faculty member
• Expertise with the methodology for their assigned students
• Strong understanding of University research and Applied Doctoral Project guidelines, academic rigor requirements, and quality research processes
• Successful completion of a culminating applied project/dissertation and terminal degree from a regionally accredited institution
• Demonstrated record of research and/or doctoral level teaching and/or practical experience appropriate to the program and degree specialization
Selection of Committee Members
All students who are enrolling in their Prospectus/Portfolio course will be assigned a Doctoral Chair, SME, and AR. The selection of a SME will depend on faculty knowledge, availability, and topic experience in the students’ field of study. All committee members will be assigned by the disciplinary School/Department.
Committee Responsibilities
Specifically, the responsibilities of the committee members are included below.
The Doctoral Chair – (12-week courses):
• Primary arbiter of satisfactory student progress for Applied Doctoral Project deliverables;
• Directs a student’s entire Applied Doctoral Project process and ensures all relevant policies, procedures, and standards are followed;
• Manages the course and course related activities and weekly deliverables;
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• Ensures student completely aligns all work on the required, appropriate Applied Doctoral Project template;
• Expects weekly student participation as required for financial aid and University attendance requirements;
• Reports ‘at-risk’ student progress for missing two weekly submissions;
• Ensures proper and ethical application of research methods, design, procedures, and topic alignment throughout the Applied Doctoral Project process;
• Coordinates activities so the work of the Doctoral Committee proceeds in a timely fashion (it is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure feedback from Committee Members is completed within the stated deadlines);
• Facilitates communication between student and Committee and the disciplinary School/Department;
• Follows course syllabi in directing the student’s weekly submissions as required;
• Provides substantial formative and summative feedback through the use of the appropriate rubric (detailed feedback is required for all areas not meeting minimum standards on the rubric);
• Reviews TurnItIn reports in the Applied Doctoral Record for the Applied Doctoral Proposal and the Applied Doctoral Manuscript; and
• Complies with the expectations articulated in the faculty handbook and appointment letter requirements.
The Doctoral Chair – (8-week supplemental courses):
Weekly deliverables are expected in line with the course syllabus as noted by the Chair and are designed to support the development and refinement of key components as noted from the 12-week course. The exact same deliverables are expected to be completed at the end of these supplemental courses (from the associated 12-week course) with the support of additional University resources as required by the Chair to meet minimum rubric standards and progress to the next 12 week ADE course in the sequence.
• Primary arbiter of satisfactory student progress for Applied Doctoral Project deliverables;
• Directs a student’s entire Applied Doctoral Project process and ensures all relevant policies, procedures, research design and methods; and standards are followed;
• Expects weekly student participation as required for financial aid and University attendance requirements;
• Reports ‘at-risk’ student progress for missing two weekly submissions;
• Ensures student completes interventions as required by the Chair or
Committee Members;
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• Facilitates changes as required by committee members to meet minimum rubric standards;
• Manages course and course related activities and weekly deliverables;
• Ensures student completely aligns all work on the required, appropriate Applied
Doctoral Project template;
• Completes rubric components as required;
• Reviews TurnItIn reports in the Applied Doctoral Record for the Applied Doctoral Proposal and the Applied Doctoral Manuscript; and
• Complies with the expectations articulated in the faculty handbook and appointment letter requirements.
The Subject Matter Expert (SME) - (12-week courses):
• Advises and supports the student as needed throughout the ADE course sequence processes related to all areas of the Applied Doctoral Project process;
• Reviews and provides formative and summative written, constructive feedback of students’ submissions within submission documents and using the rubric for the requisite components as noted in the course syllabus:
• Ensures alignment to discipline specific approaches and that all points of view are addressed in the literature review through the development of topic depth; scope, currency, and relevance to the field;
• Maintains communication and responds to all messages sent by the Doctoral
Chair or student within 48 hours;
• Participates in teleconferences or other interactive modes of communication
o when requested by the Doctoral Chair or the Dean (or designee) of the disciplinary School/Department;
• Provides support specifically addressing rigor in methods, topic development, appropriate use of theoretical or conceptual context; and
• Complies with the expectations articulated in the faculty handbook and appointment letter requirements.
The Subject Matter Expert (SME) - (8-week supplemental courses):
Weekly deliverables are expected in line with the course syllabus as noted by the Chair and are designed to support the development and refinement of key components as noted from the 12-week course. The exact same deliverables are expected to be completed at the end of these supplemental courses (from the associated 12-week course) with the support of additional University resources as required by the Chair to meet minimum rubric standards and progress to the next 12-week course in the sequence.
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• Advises and supports the student as needed throughout the ADE course sequence processes related to all areas of the Applied Doctoral Project process;
• Provides support specifically addressing rigor in methods, topic development,
appropriate use of theoretical or conceptual context;
• Checks alignment to discipline specific approaches and relevance to the field;
• Completes rubric components as required;
• Participates in teleconferences or other interactive modes of communication
when requested by the Doctoral Chair or the Dean (or designee) of the content School/Department;
• Reviews revisions made by student as requested;
• Supports the student throughout any time off taken by the Chair; and
• Complies with the expectations articulated in the faculty handbook and appointment letter requirements.
The Academic Reader (AR):
• Reviews and provides written, constructive feedback both formative and summative of students’ submissions through the use of a checklist (feedback is required for all areas in need of improvement);
• Provides a review of the final draft (Chair and SME indicate the deliverable meets the minimum standards of all criteria of the rubric) of the Applied Doctoral Proposal and Applied Doctoral Manuscript (DIS-9912X and DIS-
9914X);
• Reviews the final drafts, focusing on evidence of the problem, alignment of
methods, ethical research guidelines and procedures, conformance to University policies, scholarly rigor, template guidelines, and rubric criteria;
• Provides support, as needed, to the Chair or SME in addressing any concerns or issues related to the development of the ADE course sequence deliverables;
• Maintains communication and responds to all messages sent by the Doctoral Chair within 48 hours; and
• Complies with the expectations articulated in the faculty handbook and appointment letter requirements.
Working with a Committee
All communication among students and Committee Members must be timely, open, and honest. All concerned should maintain positive, respectful, and professional relationships.
The student is responsible for notifying their Chair of any and all academic concerns prior to notifying anyone else in the institution. If the Chair has not been notified, the concern will not be considered. Examples of academic issues include, but are not limited to document contents, structure, and format; results of reviews by SMEs and
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ARs; alignment of SMEs to student discipline or topic; and changing degree program track.
Students and their Doctoral Chairs should communicate regularly with one another using NU provided communication tools. Chairs may also choose to communicate with students via telephone, teleconference, or videoconference. All communications outside the NU learning management system or communication tools must be documented by the Doctoral Chair in the course and/or other NU systems as appropriate.
Changes in Committee Assignments
Given the length of time required to complete Applied Doctoral Project research, it is not unlikely a student will experience changes to their Committee during their program. If such changes do occur, the student’s disciplinary school will work to make the transition as smooth and possible for the student. Such changes are not expected to negatively impact progress towards degree completion.
Students may request to replace a Committee Member only in unusual situations and only after consulting with their Academic and Finance Advisor and their disciplinary school’s Dean or designee. Students will contact their Academic and Finance Advisor to discuss the process to change a Committee Member. Prior to requesting any such change, students are expected to use conflict management strategies to resolve issues surrounding communication and feedback. The scholarly journey is an iterative process and although students may not always agree with feedback, they are expected to listen actively, reflect, and pose clarifying questions to overcome normal communication and personality differences.
In all situations involving requests for Committee changes, the decision of the Dean of the student’s disciplinary school (or designee) as to what is in the student’s best interest is final.
Considerations and Policies Time Limits
For current time limits, please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy in the
NU Catalog.
Academic Integrity
National University’s reputation depends on an uncompromising commitment to standards of academic integrity. The National University Academic Integrity Policy, to which all students and faculty members are bound, is available in the NU catalog.
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Doctoral students are expected to follow the highest standards of professional ethics, intellectual honesty, and academic integrity. All work submitted to a faculty member in any course is subject to originality confirmation. Faculty members have the responsibility to reject work failing to meet the standards outlined in the National University Academic Integrity Policy.
National University ADE-related work is checked to ensure they meet National University standards of Academic Integrity. Plagiarism, misrepresentation, or fabrication of information or research results will not be tolerated and may be grounds for immediate dismissal from the University.
Code of Conduct
All members of the National University community are bound by the National University Code of Conduct (COC) contained in the current National University Course Catalog and thus are expected to act in a professional manner at all times. Failure to adhere to the COC may lead to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from NU.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
For additional information regarding Satisfactory Academic Progress, please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy in the Catalog.
Minimum Grade to Move to Next Course
The University considers the following to be the minimum passing grade needed to move to the next ADE course:
Doctoral Sequence
(CMPXXXX+ and DIS9901A+)
NOTE: Doctoral students are required to have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA before entering into CMP courses (comprehensive exam or prospectus).
Incomplete Grades
Students may request an incomplete grade extension in the D supplemental course if have not met the deliverable in the course sequence. Incomplete forms must be submitted for approval prior to the end of the course.
NOTE: The following Doctoral courses are not eligible for an incomplete grade:
• DIS-9911A/B/C; DIS-9912A/B/C; DIS-9913A/B/C; DIS-9914A/B/C
B = 3.00
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ADA Course Accommodations
Students receiving ADA accommodations extending their original course completion date are also eligible for Dean approved course modifications and incomplete grade
extensions in the D course beyond approved ADA accommodation date. Students may also request accommodations for their final professional presentation or poster session.
Unsatisfactory Grades for ADE Courses
Students who are unable to earn a grade of ‘B’ or better by the fourth course within in an
ADE block (DIS-9911, DIS-9912, DIS-9913, and DIS-9914) are subject to dismissal from the University.
“RD” Grade Policy for the Doctoral Sequence
Students enrolled in course codes CMP-9600 through CMP-9799 and DIS-9911A
through DIS-9914C are eligible to earn a repeated Doctoral Sequence (‘RD’) grade for
courses originally completed with a non-passing grade of ‘C’ or ‘F’ if subsequent
attempts are completed with a ‘B’ or better. Courses awarded an ‘RD’ grade will not be
used in GPA calculations. Some courses may not be eligible for a repeated doctoral
grade; students should work with their Academic and Finance Advisor to determine
course repeat eligibility. A student may utilize the ‘RD’ grade for the CMP courses.
Dean (or dean’s designee) permission is also needed prior to attempting the CMP
course for a third and final time.
Refer to the NU Catalog for most current information and specific policy language.
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Appendix A How to Prepare for an Academic Reader Review
The Academic Reader (AR) is the third member of a dissertation committee who will
review, and provide feedback, on the Applied Doctoral Proposal (A-DP) and the Doctoral
Manuscript (A-DM). The AR reviews the major elements of the document for such
things as alignment between the problem, purpose, and research questions; required
elements of the current template; methodology and design. Resources are available in
the Academic Success Center (ASC). To effectively prepare for an AR review, a
suggested list of steps to follow is provided below, along with an evaluative checklist.
The evaluative checklist is optional, but students and Chairs are encouraged to use it to
ensure all elements are included in the students' A-DP and A-DM before submission for
AR review. Collaboration between the student and Chair may be needed to facilitate the
preparation of documents to be reviewed.
Tips in Preparing for an AR Review: Student Facing
• Check to ensure you have used the most current template for your degree. The
templates are located in the Applied Doctoral Center.
• Ensure all feedback provided by the Chair and SME on previous submissions to
the Applied Doctoral Record was incorporated (the use of a change matrix is
encouraged to document the revisions).
• Check alignment between problem, purpose, research questions, and applicable
hypotheses and the use of consistent wording and/or terminology throughout the
document.
• Check for correct verb tense was used throughout the document (e.g., future
tense for the doctoral proposal and past tense for the doctoral manuscript).
• Check to ensure the most recent version of APA has been used to format citations
in the text, references at the end of the document, figures, tables, and headings.
Consider using the Academic Writer in the ASC.
• Ensure all sections in the A-DP/A-DM template are in the draft submitted for
review.
Checklist for AR Review
Three Section Doctoral Proposal (A-DP) for Academic Reader
Entire Document
• The entire document follows most current NU template requirements and
fundamental APA formatting for Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures,
and in-text citations, reference list, etc. The proposal is in future tense.
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Section 1
• Research problem is specified and supported in the literature. The problem is
aligned with the degree and is feasible.
• Purpose statement is aligned with the problem statement. The purpose contains
the method, design, and geographic location of the study. The purpose includes a
description of the sample population for the study.
• Research question(s) and applicable hypotheses are aligned with the problem
and purpose. Research questions are answerable, well-formatted, does not elicit a
yes/no response, and only asks one question in a question.
• Literature review is aligned with the variables/constructs outlined in the problem,
purpose, and research questions and flows in a logical sequence. The Literature
Review meets the required page length and is current (i.e., approximately 80% of
the literature published within the last 3-5 years with the exception of seminal
works) and includes synthesis of ideas around themes, including how the study
fits within theoretical/conceptual framework. The literature must be comprised of
mostly articles, not books or other non-scholarly work. The literature review is
sufficient in breadth and depth to provide an understanding of the research
problem and meets the expectations outlined in the A-DP/A-DM template.
Section 2
• Research method and design are appropriate to address research questions and
justified with scholarly literature.
• With Recruitment and Data Collection, participant selection is clear and
appropriate to the study, ethical processes are described, the role of the
researcher is discussed, and data collection and analysis are articulated and
justified in scholarly literature.
• Data Collection description includes sufficient detail so the study could be
accurately replicated.
• Data Analysis description is clear, appropriate for the type of data collected, and
includes sufficient detail to the study could be accurately replicated.
Three Section Doctoral Proposal (A-DM) for Academic Reader
• Abstract contains the problem, purpose, findings, and recommendations.
Entire Document
• The entire document follows school-specific template requirements and
fundamental APA formatting for Table of Contents, List of Tables, List of Figures,
in-text citations, and references. The A-DM research is presented in past tense.
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Section 1
• Research problem is specified and supported in the literature. The problem is
aligned with the student's degree and is feasible.
• Purpose statement is aligned with the problem statement. Purpose contains the
method, design, and geographic location of the study. The purpose includes a
description of the sample population for the study.
• Research questions and applicable hypotheses are aligned with the problem and
purpose. Research questions are answerable, well-formatted, and does not elicit a
yes/no response.
• Literature review is aligned with the variables/constructs outlined in the problem,
purpose, and research questions and flows in a logical sequence. The Literature
Review meets the required page length and is current (i.e., approximately 80% of
the literature published within the last 3-5 years with the exception of seminal
works) and includes synthesis of ideas around themes and how the study fits
within theoretical/conceptual framework. The literature must be comprised of
mostly articles, not books or other non-scholarly work. The literature review is
sufficient in breadth and depth to provide an understanding of the research
problem and meets the expectations outlined in the A-DP/A-DM template.
Section 2
• Research method and design are appropriate to address research questions and
justified with scholarly literature.
• With Recruitment and Data Collection, participant selection is clear and
appropriate to the study, ethical processes are described, the role of the
researcher is discussed, and data collection and analysis are articulated and
justified in scholarly literature.
• Data Collection description includes sufficient detail so the study could be
accurately replicated.
• Data Analysis description is clear, appropriate for the type of data collected, and
includes sufficient detail to the study could be accurately replicated.
Section 3
• Results are organized by research question, provide sufficient data to address
each research question, with no interpretation of findings.
• Evaluation of findings include alignment with the literature review conclusions
and the employed theoretical/conceptual framework.
• Implications discussed in terms of findings for each research question; are
framed in the context of literature review, theoretical/conceptual framework,
significance of study; and includes discussion for practice (applied) or how the
study contributes to the research knowledge base.
• Recommendations and implications are based on the findings of the study and
include both practical and research suggestions for application and future study.
