Doctoral Center

Not yet at the dissertation or applied doctoral project phase? Getting ready for your CMP course? Check out the CMP Course Frequently Asked Questions below:

What is the purpose of CMP course(s)?

The CMP course(s) are different than regular courses; they are designed to assess whether you have gained the skills needed to start your dissertation or applied doctoral project. The work done in a CMP course will act as the foundation for the dissertation or applied doctoral project.

How is the CMP course(s) different from other courses?

The CMP courses are not “one assignment per week on topic X”. The weekly activities are iterative and build towards a prospectus/portfolio that will serve as the foundation for the dissertation or applied doctoral project.

What is the structure of CMP course(s)?

All programs except Marriage and Family Sciences: Students will complete one 8-week CMP course before moving on to the dissertation or applied doctoral project courses (ADE and DSE). Each school or college has its own program/discipline-specific version of the CMP course.

Marriage and Family Science programs: The PhD-MFT and DMFT programs have three CMP courses, each 4 weeks long. The three courses are usually spread out with one near the beginning, middle, and end of the doctoral program.  

What are some strategies for success in the CMP course(s)?

• In week one, read the course information, course resources, and content to identify the course requirements, including the final assignment or deliverable you need to pass the course.
• Meet with your instructor, who will serve as your dissertation/applied doctoral project Chair. Ask how they would like you to integrate feedback into your work in this course.
• Create a schedule to ensure you have time throughout the week to complete activities. 
• Complete all the weekly course activities even if not graded.
• Read and implement all faculty feedback weekly in Dropbox.
• Utilize the resources at NU: Doctoral Center, Academic Success Center, and NU Library. 

What is required in the Pre-Candidacy Prospectus?

All Programs (excluding Marriage and Family Sciences): The Pre-Candidacy Prospectus is intended to ensure students have mastered knowledge of their discipline prior to candidacy status and demonstrated the ability to design empirical research as an investigator. Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize discipline-specific content with scholarly literature as they create a prospectus for a research study, focused on either furthering knowledge and contributing to theory or addressing a researchable problem that has practical applications.

In CMP courses, you will identify a researchable topic, along with preliminary method and design ideas, for your upcoming dissertation or applied doctoral project. This prospectus (mini-proposal) will likely become the foundation of your dissertation or applied doctoral project as several sections migrate into Chapter 1/Section 1 of your proposal. The CMP course is completed only after all foundation, specialization, and research courses have been completed. 

What is required in the DMFT/Doctoral Portfolio (Marriage and Family Science Programs)?

The PhD-MFT and DMFT programs have three CMP courses, each 4 weeks long. The three courses are usually spread out with one near the beginning, middle, and end of your doctoral program.  The purpose of these courses is for you to document your academic, scholarly, clinical, and professional knowledge and skills. You will prepare, add to, and refine the collection of documents or artifacts that represent your progress through the program, as well as the achievement of specific academic and professional goals. In these courses, you will identify goals you will work to accomplish during the program. You will refine your professional development plans and provide artifacts indicating you have acquired competencies in several key domains.  

Skill Up- Best Practice Strategies to be Successful in the CMP Course

For effective strategies and tips on being successful in your CMP course, watch the recording of the Skill Up via the link below: