Degree Options
Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science
Overview
Our Doctor of Philosophy program builds upon baccalaureate and masters nursing education and emphasizes the use of creativity in the development and formulation of ideas that contribute to nursing science. Through research, analysis, and evaluation, students are empowered to transform knowledge and critical data into viable propositions through effective communication, pedagogies, and clinical application. As students progress through the PhD program, they learn the value of research and interdisciplinary inquiry.
We believe that professional nursing is a distinct scientific discipline, with a specific body of knowledge obtained through research. Today’s PhD nursing scholar is entrusted with shaping and preserving the quality and vitality of professional nursing.
Curriculum and Career Preparation
We prepare scholars in clinical nursing science and health systems. Doctoral students work closely with faculty mentors, utilizing the available resources and participating in intensive research studies.
The two focus areas, clinical nursing science and health systems, reflect faculty research strengths.
Clinical nursing science
Clinical nursing science concentrates on the interrelationships of health promotion, health behavior, and quality of life in acute and chronic illness throughout the lifespan. This focus area includes the prevention and early detection of disabilities across the continuum of care and the enhancement of the health and well-being for individuals, families, and communities. Examples of scholarship and faculty research in clinical nursing science include:
- Family adaptation to chronic illness
- Improving quality of life in persons with chronic illness, including epilepsy and renal disease
- Behavioral oncology across the cancer continuum (including cancer prevention, detection, and symptom management)
- Improving quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease, particularly heart failure
- Tailored intervention studies to improve quality of life
- Patient care safety
- Childhood adaptation to chronic illness
Health systems
Health systems operate to create structures and resources that enable individuals and communities to achieve optimal health. This focus area includes the science of nursing education, informatics, health policy, and administration. Examples of scholarship and faculty research within the focus of health systems include:
- Teaching and learning in Web-based courses
- Clinical reasoning
- Assessment of learning and program evaluation
- Health policy and public policy analysis
- Computer systems to enhance care delivery
- Nursing informatics
- Narrative pedagogies
- Patient care simulations
- Community-based care coordination
For more information about the curriculum, please see the Degree Requirements for this program.
On-campus and Distance-accessible PhD Options
We offer both an on-campus and a distance-accessible option. The distance-accessible option offers master's prepared nurses access to our PhD program through a variety of distance technologies. Faculty and students use Web-based courses, videoconferencing, discussion dialogues, telephone conferencing, and other emerging technologies to communicate. Online courses and faculty mentoring are coupled with required two-week, on-campus summer sessions. Admission criteria and curriculum are the same for both options.
