The DSc program utilizes a doctoral project versus a dissertation. This means that students will submit a total of two scholarly products for publication by the end of the program: one systematic review and one manuscript related to a clinical project.
Accommodations for Virtual Educational Environment
Because all of the coursework will be completed online and faculty, students and adjunct research committee will be in a variety of geographic locations with varying time zones, attention should be given to address these circumstances. Faculty and students will have to find mutually agreed upon times to meet in the virtual environment for both coursework assistance, research project mentoring, advising, and writing assistance. The use of Google Drive allows for smooth collaboration on writing projects since all individuals can be writing on one document at the same time without any limitation. In regard to communication and meetings, virtual meetings can easily be performed via Microsoft Teams.
For defending the overall doctoral projects, there are a variety of options that could be integrated and implemented into this DSc program. The individual(s) could present to the scientific panel in a virtual setting. A second option would be to find a time for the doctoral project defense at a specific conference. Often faculty and students will meet at national conferences to communicate regarding research projects, and this could be a venue where students could defend their overall doctoral product in a face-to-face environment.
Assistance with Writing
The Center for Academic Success, Teaching, and Learning Excellence (CASTLE) will be committed to support graduate students succeed in writing at all stages of their academic careers. The SSC will be staffed with individuals with expertise in writing, including composition and grammar, who are trained in providing feedback and guiding students through the writing process.
All students must be proactive in seeking writing help. Students will expect feedback within a week of submitting drafts. Drafts submitted a day or two before their due dates may not receive any feedback. Graduate students working on doctoral projects are highly encouraged to submit their first chapter to CASTLE for early feedback.
Institutional Review Board Information
Bellin Health’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) serves as the overseer of research proposals, both medical and allied health. Graduate students are required to seek IRB approval before proceeding with any research. Students in the DSc program are guided through the process of seeking such approval by their faculty mentors. All students who are involved in research must complete a “Training in the Protection of Subjects” online course per the IRB requirements and provide the completion certificate for verification. All research conducted through Bellin College, faculty, or student, is required to be submitted to and approved by the Bellin Health’s IRB.
Formation of Doctoral Project Committee
In DSC901 Research Methodologies and Doctoral Project I, students will be assigned research groups. In some special circumstances, students may be allowed to complete projects independently if it is determined the project will satisfy the requirements of the degree.
Committees will be formed, and specific committee member roles will be developed. One faculty member will be the doctoral project chair, or another individual external to the college may serve this role if it is deemed appropriate (strong track record of research specific to content of doctoral project, approved by Research Director and Program Director). The other committee members can be individuals who have clinical expertise in the area of study. The doctoral project chair will be the primary contact while the research is being completed, and they will provide feedback for project direction and manuscript writing throughout the process. The second and third committee members will be utilized as needed for their clinical expertise and will also provide feedback to the manuscript after the doctoral project chair has provided primary feedback. All three members will be present at the doctoral project defense.
Defense Process
Doctoral Project Defense
The final doctoral project defense will take place in DSC905 Research Methodologies and Doctoral Project V. The doctoral project defense will be done on an individual basis. The first portion of the student doctoral project defense presentation will be open to any individual who wants to be present (see 1a below), and the second half will be composed of only the doctoral project committee members and student (see 1b).
Prior to the doctoral project defense, the individual student must provide a final document that compiles all of the project content from beginning to end, including any grant applications that may have been submitted/accepted, copies of posters or slides from platform presentations, any accepted abstracts, and the overall manuscripts (systematic review and clinical project) that were submitted and/or accepted.
The doctoral project defense will proceed as follows:
- The overall doctoral project defense will take no more than three hours
- Student gives a 30-45-minute oral presentation addressing all of the required materials for the proposal
- Committee members will have up to 40 minutes to ask the student questions about the proposal
- The student is dismissed while the committee members vote on the student’s proposal (approve, approve with revisions, not approve)
- The student returns and is informed of the overall decision of their doctoral project defense