Expectations of a Doctoral Student

To succeed in a doctoral program at APUS, students must be actively engaged in the community of scholarship by seeking innovative applications of theory to professional practice issues. Students should be able to evaluate and synthesize scholarly literature and develop application strategies for their workplaces. Likewise, students advance their knowledge and practice in the field by critiquing theory and extending theory to real-world situations. To accomplish these tasks, students need to approach their study as an advanced practitioner and contribute new ideas to the scholarly dialogue through in-depth interactions with peers and faculty. In this program of doctoral study, engaging in conversation and debate throughout the program enables students to hone their ideas and develop an evidence-based dissertation project.

Academic Integrity and Professionalism

Students are expected to maintain scholarly integrity, adhere to the University’s Student Code of Conduct, demonstrate professionalism in their interpersonal interactions, and practice responsible conduct of research. In their coursework, students will receive research ethics training to help navigate the research process, including human subjects research. Note that violations of academic integrity or professionalism, whether through plagiarism, human subjects research, or inappropriate behavior, will result in penalties up to and including expulsion. The Student Code of Conduct can be referenced for more information on academic integrity, professional conduct, and the conduct process.