Student Experience

As a doctoral learner at University of Phoenix, you'll find that the structure and organization you set up in your first few courses will serve you well throughout your program. Doctoral studies are academically challenging! And they certainly require a commitment of time and concentration as you progress through the courses and develop your dissertation. With the University's innovative online learning model; however, you can maintain your daily obligations—at work and at home—while you pursue your educational goals.

It's simply a matter of finding "pockets of time" throughout each day.

5:30 a.m.
You wake up. The house is still quiet—it's one of your favorite times of day. You let the dog out and start the coffee. Time to check in to your online course forums to see what comments have been posted over night. In addition to your classmates from every different U.S. time zone, some also live or work in Europe, Asia and South America. Their time to participate in class is often happening while you sleep. But you'll never miss a point, thanks to the asynchronous learning model, which keeps class discussion organized in online forums.

Because you've completed your assigned reading during the first two weeks of this course, when there are no research assignments, you're prepared to respond to your instructor's discussion questions. Drawing references from the reading materials at your side, you frame your answer and comment on a few other learners' responses.

You've just "attended class" for the day. It's your second day of posting this week; you'll participate in class one more day before the week ends.

7:30 a.m.
You're on the train to work. Your laptop illuminates your seat as you read an article sent to you by a member of your learning team. There's a team assignment due at the end of this week, and the collaborative work is going well. Your son has a soccer tournament this weekend, and you've got far too much on your plate to put things off until the last minute.

The first few courses in your program, including the Doctoral Success Orientation and Communication Strategies truly made an impact on how you organize your time for schoolwork. You're midway through your program now, and happy with your progress.

12:00 noon
You're checking your email during your lunch break and a new message pops up. It's your peer-mentor checking in. The two of you met in the Year One Residency, and have been supporting each other's progress ever since. She's in the same field as you, but on the consulting side. Your experiences in class and your common profession allow the two of you to bounce questions and ideas off each other. The feedback has been invaluable for both of you. She's having a challenging week with business travel; you remind her to download whatever she needs prior to departure, in case Internet access is spotty at her destination.

4:00 p.m.
Your day is winding down, and you get online to check travel arrangements. Your Year Two Residency is coming up in just over a month, and you're making final plans to clear your calendar to be out of town. You're looking forward to re-connecting, face-to-face, with your peers and faculty.

Your faculty-mentor will be there, too. He will be your biggest supporter—and devil's advocate—over the next few months as you start to hone in on your dissertation prospectus. So far, the emails between the two of you have been very helpful, but the upcoming residency promises to be even more insightful, because then conversations can be in real-time.

9:00 p.m.
Dinner's over. The kids are doing their homework, and you are too. Another hour of reading and research for your paper, a quick check on responses to your comments in your class forum, and you're done for the day.

As you shut down your laptop, you reflect on the progress you've made in this program—and where it is taking you. You're studying issues that you are passionate about; you are motivated to learn more, and stimulated by the opportunity to make a difference in the world today.

You're fulfilling your dream. And creating a legacy.