Gwynedd Mercy University 2026-2027 University Catalog
• Professional Practice Portfolio: In lieu of a Comprehensive Exam, doctoral students must submit a Professional Practice Portfolio approved by two faculty members selected by the Program Director. The Portfolio must be submitted 3 to 4 months prior to the end of required coursework and approved no less than one month prior to graduation.
• Dissemination of the Dissertation: All students are required to disseminate the results of the dissertation beyond the written dissertation and oral defense. Students may choose one of two modalities for dissemination: presentation or publication. In both cases, the outlet for the presentation or publication must meet the requirements in the Dissertation Handbook and be approved by the dissertation advisor. Students should consult with the advisor prior to submitting their work to any outlet as the outlet must be approved by the advisor. Advisors will also be listed as second author on publications. Students and advisors should consult the Dissertation Handbook for dissemination requirements.
• Dissertation and Oral Defense: The doctoral student’ s dissertation must be formally accepted by all members of the Dissertation Committee through two forms: a. In academic writing style that meets APA requirements. b. Through an Oral Defense of Dissertation. The Oral Defense shall be scheduled after all members of the committee agree that the dissertation is ready to be accepted. c. After acceptance of the dissertation in electronic form and through Oral Defense, the student must submit a bound copy and two electronic copies on flash drives to Keiss Library. d. The student must also submit form IRB 011, Research Completion Report, to the Institutional Review Board( IRB). After receiving form IRB 011, the IRB will issue a letter of receipt to the student for presentation to the Dissertation Advisor.
When the student has met all of the above requirements, the Program Director shall submit a written statement to the Dean attesting that the student has done so and is eligible to graduate. The student must formally apply for graduation with the Office of the Registrar. At graduation, a Doctoral Hood is conferred, pursuant to centuries-old tradition.
Course of Study and Curriculum Sequence: See Program Handbook for course of study and suggested curriculum sequence.
Option for the All But Dissertation( ABD), Doctoral Candidate, or Advanced to Doctoral Candidacy Student
Overview: This option, which utilizes a structured and rigorous Prior Learning Assessment( PLA) process involving comprehensive portfolio assessments of the level, quality and quantity of student competencies mastered through prior coursework, experiential learning, and scholarship, may permit a doctoral student to provide evidence of learning equivalent for up to 27 credit hours in a 54-credit hour doctoral program. This option is available only to applicants who have demonstrated competence by satisfactorily completing all coursework in a doctoral program in any discipline at an accredited college or university but have not completed the dissertation. For such students, typically designated as ABD( All But Dissertation) or Advanced to Doctoral Candidacy, this option may be a viable alternative for doctoral degree completion.
Eligibility— ABD in Any Academic Discipline: Through this option, the prior learning of students who are ABD in any academic discipline will be assessed through a two-part process. First, the student’ s application materials will undergo a preliminary assessment to determine if the ABD demonstrates
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