Annotated Collection of the University's Academic Support Resources

For ADE or DSE: choose ADE: see the information below:

EdD Students

The Doctor of Education (EdD) is completed using the Applied Dissertation Experience (ADE). Per the ADE handbook (2020).

The applied doctoral project or dissertation-in-practice is a substantial, scholarly work conducted independently by a candidate under the guidance of faculty members comprising the candidate’s Doctoral Committee. Following the approved final manuscript, the candidate will present the findings and contributions to practice to the Doctoral Committee as a professional conference-level presentation or poster, or demonstrate that the manuscript has been accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed, professional journal (p. 3).

Many use the EdD as a way to continue practical, applied work in their field, be it in a PK-12 school system, non-profit organization, or another setting. This “boots on the ground” degree is meant to impact change and growth not only for the doctoral student but their professional environment. The EdD is a 48-54 credit program. The EdD dissertation is split into three sections, a departure from the traditional five-chapter dissertation (found in the PhD program).  The three sections are then further split into two “phases” of document readiness, the Applied Dissertation Proposal (DP) which includes both sections 1 and 2, and the Applied Dissertation Manuscript (DM), which includes sections 1, 2, and 3.  The ADE handbook (2020) notes that the final manuscript is comprised of three Sections:

You may be inspired to try and complete all of your coursework in the “A” courses – and that’s a GREAT goal. However, the only guarantee in research is that nothing is ever guaranteed. As a professional learner, you may have competing external demands (e.g., work, family) and internal demands (e.g., changes to your study, longer-than-expected data collection/analysis).  It’s important to remember that the B, C, and D sections are not a punishment, but rather an opportunity for you to complete your deliverable(s).

The ADE process is unique, and understanding the deliverables associated with each courses, and the progression of courses is vital to your success.

Remember, there’s a big deliverable at the end of each course – these courses will challenge you in many ways, so making use of the resources that we’ve introduced in this course will do nothing but help you succeed. While your dissertation is written only by you; it takes a monumental, team effort to reach the finish line. The more you are proactive, and the more you reach out for conversation, collaboration, and support, the easier this journey will be! See the attached ADE Manual for support as well.

For the Commons area:

The Commons serves as a space for students, faculty, and team members to engage with students, connect with faculty, and obtain resources to enhance their learning and teaching experiences. We encourage you to get involved in your school communities. When you joined NU you were automatically added to a few communities.

Another great resource that can be found within the GSSC and NCUOne is the Commons, your place to find support and engage with other students across the university. The Commons is an internal community-based platform that enables students and faculty to share resources and support with each other outside of the course room.

Investigating Academic Resources

To learn more about the variety of academic support options available to you, let’s go to Great Start’s Unit One: NU Resources  where you will learn more about the Academic Success Center, Graduate Studies Support Center (GSSC), Library, and Academic and Finance Advising Teams.

Academic Success Center (ASC)

The Academic Success Center (ASC) provides tiers of support to provide you with a variety of resources that can be personalized to support your unique needs. The ASC focuses on writing and statistics resources, including APA and editing resources. 

The Academic Success Center objectives are:

· Provide multimodal and accessible resources to the university community.

· Collaborate with faculty and staff to provide students with personalized learning experiences.

· Promote the building of connections (peer, faculty, coach) through academic coaching.

· Challenge students to become active participants in their academic journey.

· Promote inclusivity, anti-racism, accessibility, and interdependence. 

· Serve as a model of expertise for personalized online academic support that is known for inspiring student success by offering collaborative and inclusive student-centered assistance.

Academic Coaching Sessions are a larger part of the ASC’s services and objectives. These coaching sessions are both synchronous, asynchronous, group, and individual.

Graduate Studies Support Center (GSSC)

The Graduate Studies Support Center (GSSC) is dedicated to ensuring every student's academic success and providing faculty the necessary tools and resources to excel in teaching. The ultimate goal of the GSSC is the creation of a culture of engagement. To ensure a culture of engagement, the GSSC’s learning objectives are: 

· Provide university-wide leadership, and coordination of activities, aimed at supporting excellence in teaching.

· Promote engagement, and enhance the student learning experience, by supporting university technology and assisting faculty and other stakeholders in integrating cutting-edge technology.

· Provide effective, relevant training and resources to all academic units of the university.

· Nurture a culture of commitment to student success that stimulates dialogue, and fosters a sense of shared purpose across the entire NU (formerly NCU) community.

Library

The Library supports the academic research needs for students, faculty, and staff by providing timely access to quality, scholarly, and appropriate resources and library services. These services include research databases, interlibrary loan service, Ask a Librarian, One-on-One sessions, library workshops, and research consultations.

  

Academic and Finance Team

Your academic and finance advisor (AFA) is a very important piece of your academic journey. Think of this person as a guide on the side who can assist with your questions, concerns, and needs for academic and financial issues. 

See the attachment for the ADE