PhD, Nursing Science Degree Requirements

The PhD in Nursing Science program may be completed by finishing one of the following tracks:

  • BSN-to-PhD
  • Masters-to-PhD

The PhD in Nursing Science program is a lock-step program.  Students must complete the coursework as specified in the Plan of Study for the specific track under which they were admitted and as listed in the Academic Bulletin and the Student Handbook.  Students must also successfully complete the courses in each semester to progress to the next.  Questions related to degree requirements should be directed to the appropriate Associate Dean or Program Director, or staff member in the OSS.

To receive the PhD degree, the candidate must meet all the general requirements for the PhD degree with respect to course work, residency, the qualifying examination, 12 credit hours of dissertation, and successful defense of the dissertation.

Students in the SONHS are responsible for meeting their degree requirements.  It is the student's responsibility to understand fully and comply with all the provisions of the Academic Bulletin and written changes to their Plan of Study.  Students are provided assistance by faculty advisors and other faculty members.  Requests for deviation from the Plan of Study or SONHS requirements are granted only by written approval from the Associate Dean or Dean.  Students who are in violation of the provisions of this Academic Bulletin may be withdrawn from classes unilaterally or have a stop placed upon their future enrollment by appropriate SONHS officials.  The SONHS reserves the right to change academic requirements to include course offerings that ensure students receive the highest-quality and most-current education.  Classes may be held on weekdays or weekends and will be listed as such in the course schedule.  Any programmatic changes are transmitted by written notice in the Student Handbook or by an official in the SONHS.

Curriculum Requirements

BSN-to-PhD

NUR 602Doctoral Level Orientation/Nur0
NUR 652Introduction to Clinical Inquiry I3
NUR 653Introduction to Clinical Inquiry II5
NUR 662Nursing Epistemology3
NUR 665Quantitative Research Methods3
NUR 669Symptom Science in Nursing3
NUR 670Qualitative Methods in Research3
NUR 674Applied Intermediate Statistics: Generalized Linear Models4
NUR 679Applied Advanced Statistics: Structural Equation Modeling3
NUR 680Research Ethics2
NUR 681Measurement of Nursing Phenomenon3
NUR 696
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Proposal Part I
and
2
NUR 707Becoming a Successful Nurse Scientist2
NUR 708Scholarship in Nursing1
NUR 709Selected Topics in Nursing Research3
NUR 796
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Part 2
and
2
NUR 840Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research (New Course: Post-Candidacy Doctoral Dissertation)10
Electives9
At least one elective must be an approved methodology course
Total Credit Hours61

Note: Students in the BSN-to-DNP program must successfully complete 12 dissertation credits to complete their degree.

Masters-to-PhD

NUR 602Doctoral Level Orientation/Nur0
NUR 662Nursing Epistemology3
NUR 665Quantitative Research Methods3
NUR 669Symptom Science in Nursing3
NUR 670Qualitative Methods in Research3
NUR 674Applied Intermediate Statistics: Generalized Linear Models4
NUR 679Applied Advanced Statistics: Structural Equation Modeling3
NUR 680Research Ethics2
NUR 681Measurement of Nursing Phenomenon3
NUR 696
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Proposal Part I
and
2
NUR 707Becoming a Successful Nurse Scientist2
NUR 708Scholarship in Nursing1
NUR 709Selected Topics in Nursing Research3
NUR 796
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Part 2
and
2
NUR 840Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research (New Course: Post-Candidacy Doctoral Dissertation)10
Electives6
Total Credit Hours50

Note: Students in the Masters-to-DNP program must successfully complete 12 dissertation credits to complete their degree.

PhD, Nursing Science Plan of Study

The PhD in Nursing Science program is a lock-step program.  Students must complete the coursework as specified in the Plan of Study below and in the Student Handbook for the specific track under which they were admitted.  Students must also successfully complete the courses in each semester to progress to the next.  Questions related to degree requirements should be directed to the appropriate Associate Dean or Program Director, or staff member in the OSS.

BSN-to-PhD Plan of Study

Summer IHoursClass CreditsClinical CreditsClinical Hours
NUR 652 Introduction to Clinical Inquiry I 3 1 2 112
 Total for Semester312112
Fall I
NUR 602 Doctoral Level Orientation/Nur 0 0 0 0
NUR 662 Nursing Epistemology 3 3 0 0
NUR 665 Quantitative Research Methods 3 3 0 0
NUR 670 Qualitative Methods in Research 3 3 0 0
 Total for Semester99
Spring I
NUR 669 Symptom Science in Nursing 3 3 0 0
NUR 674 Applied Intermediate Statistics: Generalized Linear Models 4 4 0 0
NUR 680 Research Ethics 2 2 0 0
Elective   3 3 0 0
 Total for Semester1212
Summer II
NUR 653 Introduction to Clinical Inquiry II 5 1 4 224
NUR 708 Scholarship in Nursing (Scholarship in Nursing) 1 1 0 0
 Total for Semester624224
Fall II
NUR 679 Applied Advanced Statistics: Structural Equation Modeling 3 3 0 0
NUR 681 Measurement of Nursing Phenomenon 3 3 0 0
NUR 696
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Proposal Part I
and
2 2 0 0
Elective   3 3 0 0
 Total for Semester1111
Spring II
NUR 707 Becoming a Successful Nurse Scientist (Becoming a Successful Nurse Scientist) 2 2 0 0
NUR 709 Selected Topics in Nursing Research (Selected Topics in Nursing Research) 3 3 0 0
NUR 796
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Part 2
and
2 2 0 0
Elective   3 3 0 0
 Total for Semester1010
Summer III
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 2 2    
 Total for Semester22
Fall III
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 2 2    
 Total for Semester22
Spring III
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 3 3    
 Total for Semester33
Summer IV
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 3 3    
 Total for Semester33
 Total Program61556336

Note: The first summer session follows the Summer B Academic Calendar.  All other summer semesters follow the Summer C Academic Calendar.  Students in the BSN-to-DNP program must successfully complete 12 dissertation credits to complete their degree.

Masters-to-PhD Plan of Study

The Masters-to-PhD program is a lock-step program.  Students must complete the coursework as specified in the Plan of Study below and in the Student Handbook for the specific track under which they were admitted.  Students must also successfully complete the courses in each semester to progress to the next.  Questions related to degree requirements should be directed to the appropriate Associate Dean or Program Director, or staff member in the OSS.

Fall IHoursClass CreditsClinical CreditsClinical Hours
NUR 602 Doctoral Level Orientation/Nur 0 0 0 0
NUR 662 Nursing Epistemology 3 3 0 0
NUR 665 Quantitative Research Methods 3 3 0 0
NUR 670 Qualitative Methods in Research 3 3 0 0
 Total for Semester99
Spring I
NUR 669 Symptom Science in Nursing 3 3 0 0
NUR 674 Applied Intermediate Statistics: Generalized Linear Models 4 4 0 0
NUR 680 Research Ethics 2 2 0 0
 Total for Semester99
Summer I
NUR 708 Scholarship in Nursing (Scholarship in Nursing) 1 1 0 0
 Total for Semester11
Fall II
NUR 679 Applied Advanced Statistics: Structural Equation Modeling 3 3 0 0
NUR 681 Measurement of Nursing Phenomenon 3 3 0 0
NUR 696
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Proposal Part I
and
2 2 0 0
Elective   3 3 0 0
 Total for Semester1111
Spring II
NUR 707 Becoming a Successful Nurse Scientist (Becoming a Successful Nurse Scientist) 2 2 0 0
NUR 709 Selected Topics in Nursing Research (Selected Topics in Nursing Research) 3 3 0 0
NUR 796
& NUR 830
Crafting the Dissertation Part 2
and
2 2 0 0
Elective   3 3    
 Total for Semester1010
Summer II
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 2 2    
 Total for Semester22
Fall III
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 2 2    
 Total for Semester22
Spring III
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 3 3    
 Total for Semester33
Summer III
NUR 840 Post-Candidacy Dissertation Research 3 3    
 Total for Semester33
 Total Program5050

Note: All summer semesters follow the Summer C Academic Calendar.  Students in the Masters-to-DNP program must successfully complete 12 dissertation credits to complete their degree.

Mission

The purpose of the PhD in Nursing Science program in nursing is to prepare scholars and researchers to contribute to the growth of nursing science through recognized methods of scholarly inquiry and dissemination of research findings. Both qualitative and quantitative nursing research methods are emphasized from a multicultural perspective. Additionally, graduates of this program will be prepared to provide innovative leadership to the profession and make the practice of nursing more effective. 

Goals

The program prepares students to:

• Synthesize philosophical, theoretical and conceptual knowledge to guide scholarly inquiry and extend the science of nursing.

• Demonstrate cultural competence and ethical practices in conducting research.

• Conduct research in a focused area of scientific inquiry.

• Disseminate scholarly findings for the purposes of building and expanding the science of nursing.

• Develop leaders for the advancement of nursing science.

• Engage in scholarly interdisciplinary inquiry.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Students will demonstrate the ability to synthesize knowledge from nursing and other disciplines.
  • Demonstrate ethical practices in designing and conducting qualitative and quantitative research studies.
  • Students will develop proficiency in scholarly writing.