It’s never too soon to start considering topics for a dissertation. Throughout the coursework portion of your doctoral program, you should save articles on topics that interest you, talk to faculty members and peers about your ideas, consider how papers you’re writing might be expanded into a dissertation, and spend time thinking about which specific areas of research excite you the most. 

In the C & I Ed. D program, you'll be taking asynchronous online seminars. These classes will be completely online though should feel very similar to a course taken on-campus. Asynchronous online seminars, for our program's purposes, can be defined as online classes in which you are required to login on time for class, keep your video on, & engage in class discussion.

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A great strategy to have is to always keep working even when nothing is due because there is always something you could be working on to keep a steady pace. Great time management habits will come in handy especially

as you work to  complete the milestones of your dissertation, from the initial dissertation proposal all the way to your oral defense. You’ll want to set aside regular blocks of time to work on your coursework and dissertation. 

Though not required, submitting papers for conferences regularly is advantageous for you because it looks great on your curriculum vitae, it can provide great networking opportunities if accepted to present, and it is great writing practice for your dissertation.

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If possible, from your first course, or even starting today if you're late to the game, keep a running annotated bibliography of all articles that seem slightly relevant to your possible dissertation topics. Think it's too much work for something so far away still? Think again! You're going to thank yourself later when you don't have to spend 3 weeks tracking down that quote from that article that you swore you read in one of your classes. Trust us, this annotated bib will save your life when it comes to the ACE Exams and your dissertation.