This study examines doctoral student perceptions regarding learning acquired during a weeklong residency program wherein they were exposed to a strategic framework designed to help conceptualize the design for their dissertation study. Using a simple quantitative, pre-experimental, one group pre-post-test, design, a questionnaire was developed to measure student perceptions. During the residency, students are taught this framework which is founded on theories and models from the fields of education and psychology. The 10-point model provides a multifaceted approach to enabling doctoral students to conceptualize the design for their own doctoral dissertation working within an environment that supports cognitive and social development. This approach provides students with a model and faculty feedback to create an aligned research study early in their program of study. Students responded to 15 questions regarding their understanding of the 10 required components of the study on Day 2 and again on Day 4 of the residency. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxen Signed Rank Test. The results indicated there was significant improvement in student self-reported learning and understanding of the various elements of the 10 strategic points model between the pre-post-test results.