PhD in Nursing

Program Description

The PhD program is a research-intensive curriculum that prepares nurse scholars to conduct research independently and as part of interdisciplinary teams. To accomplish this, the program provides students with an understanding of the philosophical and theoretical underpinnings of nursing science, and a strong foundation in research methods (design, statistics, measurement) for clinical, translational and health services research. In addition, all students are mentored by research advisors as they move toward independent research and assuming the roles of doctorally prepared scholars.

Graduates of the PhD program will have the research skills necessary to make a major impact on health care nationwide and to further nursing knowledge at the local, national and international level. Specifically, graduates will be prepared to:

There are two admission options to the program. The traditional post-MS admission is for nurses who hold an advanced degree in nursing or a related discipline and desire doctoral preparation in research. The second option is for post-BSN applicants. This second option is designed for exceptionally well-qualified nurses whose career goals are research-focused and who desire doctoral preparation, but who do not opt for advanced nursing practice/nurse practitioner preparation at the master's level. Students in the traditional program take approximately 55 credits of doctoral study. Post-BSN students take approximately 85 credits, including 30 pre-doctoral credits. Prerequisite courses are determined individually for each student.

Admission

A complete application must be submitted by the first Monday in February of each academic year for consideration for admission the following September. Applications are reviewed and applicants may be invited to interview with at least two members of the Doctoral Program faculty. Admission decisions are generally sent by early April. Doctoral students are admitted for Fall entry only and, if accepted, students must be full time in the program.

Admission criteria include:

Curriculum

The PhD curriculum builds upon the foundation of nursing science. It provides the basis for graduates to expand the horizons of nursing by bringing together practice, policy, translational research, leadership and interdisciplinarity. The core courses provide the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct relevant, thoughtful and well-designed research studies. Electives can be used to strengthen an area of clinical interest or to intensify understanding of a specific research or analytic method.

Students must be registered as full time for the duration of the degree (typically 4-5 years). The minimum number of semester credits in required coursework is 39 beyond the master's degree (5 semesters). In addition to coursework, the student must successfully complete a comprehensive examination with written and oral components, and must write and successfully defend a dissertation reporting an original research study. Dissertation credits range from 4-8 credits per semester depending on the intensity of mentored work. Upon completion, graduates will have approximately 55-60 credits.

Required Coursework:

Additional Optional Courses:

Upon completion of the required courses, students will take a qualifying exam to progress to the dissertation phase. After which the following courses will be taken:

Last updated 08-25-2008