5 credits per term until completion
This course is the fourth capstone course in a series of four that represents the final phases of study for Walden University doctoral students enrolled in the Behavioral Health Leadership program. Walden requires the doctoral study to reflect a high level of scholarly effort and to either expand existing knowledge, or contribute to professional practice. In the capstone, doctoral students have the opportunity to integrate their academic learning with their applied skill set by demonstrating their ability to conduct an in-depth examination and/or assessment of a behavioral health practice problem. Students complete an applied practice-based study independently, with the guidance of their doctoral study supervisory committee chair and committee members, in a learning platform classroom in which weekly participation is required. The final product should have the level of detail and sophistication expected of a doctoral-level scholar-practitioner in the discipline. In this fourth course, students should complete and defend their doctoral study (Sections 1–5), present their findings and recommendations to leaders at the behavioral health organization (Options 1 and 2 only), and submit a public copy of their doctoral study to ProQuest for publication. If you do not complete your doctoral study requirements by the end of this course, you will need to re-enroll. “S/U” grading will still be applied for those who do not complete 80% of the coursework.