Doctoral Symposium and Attendance

Doctor of Management (DM), Doctor of Computer Science (DCS), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students are required to attend a symposium event two times during their enrollment in the program.

DM, and DCS students will have a 2-credit Doctoral Symposium course scheduled during each of the terms in which the student attends a required symposium event.  SYMP801 will be scheduled to align with the student's first symposium, while SYMP802 will be scheduled to align with the student's second symposium. Each year, the majority of symposia are offered virtually, with one in-person opportunity per calendar year. The term of the in-person event may vary, depending on the academic calendar. The in-person symposium takes place at CTU's Colorado Springs campus.

The symposium events are scheduled in the second half of each applicable ten week term.  New full time doctoral students will attend their first symposium event in the second half of their second term of study.

DM, and DCS students will attend their second symposium event during their second or third year of study.  The student's doctoral coordinator will provide guidance as to the best timing to attend the second symposium given the progress made in the student's program.  DNP students will attend their second symposium event in the last quarter of the program. 

Symposium Attendance:
Attendance at the symposium event is required and vital to the success of doctoral students in their program.

If a DM or DCS student is registered in the SYMP801 or SYMP802 course and does not attend the scheduled symposium event and/or does not meet attendance requirements at the event, the student will receive a grade of non-passing, unless the student formally withdraws from the course.  Students will then be registered into SYMP801 or SYMP802 in the subsequent term.  Students who meet the symposium event attendance requirements but do not pass SYMP801 or SYMP802 are not required to re-attend the symposium event. They are required to retake the course.