School of Nursing - Doctoral Program Description

The doctoral program provides a coherent series of courses, seminars, and discussions designed to develop in the student a mature understanding of content, methods, and values of the discipline of nursing and its relation to other fields. The curriculum includes courses in history and philosophy of science, nursing theory application, the structure of nursing knowledge, and issues influencing leadership in nursing and health. Additional courses include advanced statistics, quantitative/qualitative and advanced quantitative research methods, research methodologies, instrumentation, and several research practica with experienced research mentors. Students work with faculty nurse researchers and researchers in other disciplines. The dissertation is the culminating requirement in the course of study.

Research interests and expertise of doctoral program faculty reflect a diversity of educational backgrounds and research experience. Early in the program, the student selects an area of research emphasis. This research interest must match a faculty member's research emphasis. The research emphasis areas are in keeping with the goals and mission of the University, its resources and cooperating agencies, and with the expertise of the School of Nursing doctoral faculty.

The student also selects 12 credits of cognate study outside the School of Nursing. Courses may be taken in more than one department or school. This focal concentration is chosen to strengthen research competence by developing and enhancing the understanding of essential knowledge from related fields applicable to the area of study in nursing. Examples of such focal areas are research methodology, physiology, epidemiology, and child development.

Admission to the Doctoral Program

Admission to the doctoral program is assessed through interviews, references, standardized testing, and a written statement of goals. Documentation of academic success and achievement of suitable scores on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are necessary. The application materials are assembled by the applicant. Once all materials are received, they are reviewed by the Doctoral Program Coordinator. An interview is arranged with faculty who match the applicant's research interests. After the interview, the PhD Council votes to determine whether the applicant should be admitted to the program or not. Admissions are rolling with no due date necessary for receipt of the application.

Prerequisites to the advanced statistical courses in the curriculum plan are two parametric statistical courses, which are to prepare the student in descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. If the student does not possess such statistics background when entering the program, then the parametric statistics sequences offered in the Department of Biostatistics (BIOSTAT 2041 and BIOSTAT 2042, or PSYED 2014, 2015, and 2016) should be taken and completed with a minimum of a B grade. Students may fulfill these prerequisites at other universities. An evaluation of the content of a course taken elsewhere must be made by the Coordinator of the Doctoral Program to determine its comparability with the prerequisite knowledge base needed by all students. Prerequisite statistics course work can be reinforced by attending additional required courses during the student's doctoral program: a three-credit course in regression analysis (BIOSTAT 2049 or PSYED 3410) and a three-credit course in a specialty concentration of advanced statistics. The doctoral faculty strongly recommends that students develop knowledge of and experience with word processing, database management, and computerized literature searches prior to applying to the doctoral program.

Length of Program

The post-master's full-time student may complete the program in eight terms of study (64 credits minimum) depending upon the nature and complexity of research for the dissertation. The part-time student may complete the program in four to six years. The statute of limitations for completion of the program is eight consecutive calendar years from the first term of registration for credits that are in the required curriculum plan for the doctoral degree. (See Statute of Limitation/Leaves of Absence in the front section of this bulletin, for more information.)

Sample Curriculum Design: Post-Master's to PhD Program

Detailed below is a sample post-master's degree curriculum for a doctoral student in the School of Nursing:

Preliminary and Comprehensive Examinations and Dissertation Overview

The preliminary examination is taken following the completion of no less than 18 but no more than 24 credits of required course work. The examination is designed to assess the student's breadth of knowledge of the discipline of nursing and potential ability to apply research methods independently. Additional course work may be required if deficiencies are identified that may impede the student's success in program completion.

The comprehensive examination assesses the student's mastery of the general field of doctoral study, acquisition of depth and breadth of knowledge in a focused area of study, and the ability to use the research methods of the discipline. The comprehensive examination is taken after completion of all required course work.

The dissertation overview requires the student to formulate a research plan and to justify the selected approach for studying the topic before the student's dissertation committee.

Dissertation Committee

After completing the comprehensive examination and before admission to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, the student and research advisor propose, subject to approval by the Coordinator of the Doctoral Program and the Dean, a committee of four or more members, one of whom must be from another school within the University and the majority of whom must be from the School of Nursing. A majority must also be full members of the Graduate Faculty of the University.

This dissertation committee has the responsibility to advise the student during the progress of the candidate's research and has the authority to require high-quality research and/or the rewriting of any portion or of the entire dissertation. It conducts the final oral examination and determines whether the dissertation meets acceptable standards.

Meetings of the doctoral candidate and his/her dissertation committee must occur at least annually from the time the student gains admission to doctoral candidacy. During these meetings, the committee should assess the student's progress toward the degree and discuss objectives for the following year and a timetable for completing degree requirements. It is the responsibility of the student to give the Doctoral Coordinator a summary of the meetings.

Membership of the doctoral committee may be changed whenever it is appropriate or necessary, subject to the approval of the department chair and the Dean.

See Doctoral Committee under Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees of this bulletin.

Admission to Candidacy for the Doctoral Degree

Admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree constitutes a promotion of the student to the most advanced stage of graduate study and provides formal approval to devote essentially exclusive attention to the research and the writing of the dissertation. To qualify for admission to candidacy, students must be in full graduate status, have satisfied the requirement of the preliminary evaluation, have completed formal course work with a minimum quality point average of 3.00, have passed the comprehensive examination, and have received approval of the proposed subject and plan through Dissertation Topic Approval by the PhD Council.

Residency Requirement

Students seeking the PhD degree are required to engage in a minimum of one term of full-time doctoral study (nine credits), which excludes any other employment except as approved by their departments. The doctoral student must notify the Doctoral Program Coordinator in writing the term that this occurs.

Dissertation and Abstract

The date and title of the dissertation defense must be submitted to the Doctoral Program Coordinator one month prior to the final defense. For definitions and detail on what constitutes an acceptable dissertation, please see Dissertation and Abstract under Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees of this bulletin.

Doctoral Program Course Listings