This program prepares scholars for nursing research and academic careers in public or private sectors of healthcare. Students receive education in the areas of clinical and health services research. These areas of study are reflective of the overall research interests and expertise of School of Nursing faculty members and resources available in the medical center, university, and School of Nursing. Signature areas are: Acute and Chronic Illness; Data Science and Health Technologies; Palliative Care Science; and Pregnancy Outcomes, Mother and Infant Health, Family Health.
Admission to the Ph.D. in Nursing Science program is through the Graduate School. Application materials are online. Successful applicants to the program are those whose applications clearly articulate their research career goals, research interests, research experiences, and research alignment with potential faculty mentors. Previous academic performance, writing samples, and letters of recommendation are also considered.
Course work is delivered using both face-to-face and technology-driven instruction. Students work with faculty mentors who guide and oversee their program of study from admission through degree completion. Students may have opportunities to participate in intensive research experiences connected with faculty research projects and are exposed to a variety of research designs and analytic techniques.
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
The program requires 72 credit hours of study, of which 15 may be transferred from master's course work, pending review and approval by the Graduate School. The core curriculum of the program includes 47 credit hours of required formal, didactic coursework with at least a B-, which includes 6 elective hours. An additional 10 credit hours of course work addresses the student's research (4 research practica and 6 dissertation research credits). Degree requirements include successful completion of advanced coursework, a qualifying exam, and a dissertation.