Doctoral Residency at GCU’s Main Campus: What to Expect

Are you a member of Grand Canyon University’s doctoral community? You may be wondering what to expect from GCU’s residency program, which is held at the university’s Phoenix campus as well as at the GCU Hotel.

According to Dr. Michael Berger, dean of the College of Doctoral Studies, holding residency at the main campus and the hotel helps learners to feel energized and focused. Experiencing GCU’s vibrant main campus allows them to take advantage of all the campus has to offer. In addition to this, learners also can save money on hotel costs.

It is required for doctoral learners to attend two residencies before completing their dissertation. This year, GCU is expecting 2,600 learners to attend the week-long events, where they will have the opportunity to meet and collaborate with faculty members, other doctoral learners, and the doctoral graduation team as they work on research for their dissertation.

In addition, learners attending residency this upcoming academic year will have the chance to attend intensive seminars, gain experience presenting on their dissertation topic and learn from the presentations of their peers.

When it comes to writing your dissertation, GCU believes the sooner the better. Unlike many other doctoral programs, learners at GCU begin the dissertation process at the beginning of their program of study. This way, they are able to progressively gain the skills needed to critically synthesize doctoral research literature, identify a topic, develop theoretical framework, conduct the study and defend their dissertation. By getting a head start on this process, learners can improve their dissertation while they attend residency!

Overall, the residency experience at GCU provides learners with training and feedback for researching, so they are equipped to write their dissertation and earn their degree. By offering residency at the main campus and GCU hotel, the experience is even more memorable for doctoral learners!

Grand Canyon University’s College of Doctoral Studies creates a community where all learners, stakeholders and practitioners are focused on continual improvement and excellence. To learn more about the doctoral programs at GCU, visit our website or use the Request More Information button at the top of the page.