The Nova Scotia PhD Program in Educational Studies is designed to permit easy access to all program components for students living in Nova Scotia and at a distance.

• To help build a supportive research community amongst students and faculty from the three participating universities, each new intake of students begin their program with a four week intensive Summer Institute hosted in rotation by one of the participating universities.
• Fall and winter courses are offered via distance using web-based courseware.
• A series of face-to-face and web-based events ensure that students continue to experience a collaborative and supportive research environment throughout their programs, including as they develop their portfolios and complete their dissertations.
• As they complete the individualized components of their degrees (portfolio and dissertation), students engage with their supervisor and supervisory committee face-to-face or at a distance.

Although students work at a distance for much of the initial 14 month period of residency, they are required to attend the initial summer institute and are invited to attend portfolio presentations, etc. but are not required or expected to attend all of them.