Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Curricula MSN-PhD

24 credits from prior masters is credited (i.e. 72-24 = 48 required). These 48 credits require at a minimum:

I. Research Core (13 Required Credits)

A. Knowledge Development (KD) – (6 credits)

• KD – Core 1 – NUR 3285 Philosophical Underpinnings of Nursing Research (3 cr)
• KD – Core 2 – NUR 3286 Theoretical Foundations for Research (3 cr)

B. Methods and Analysis (MA) – (3 credits)

• MA – Core 6 – NUR 3290 Advanced Quantitative Analytic Methods Seminar (3 cr; 1 cr didactic, 2 cr lab)

C. Professional Development (PD) – (4 credits)

• PD – Core 7 – NUR 3291 Responsibilities and Activities of Scientists I (2 cr)
• PD – Core 8 – NUR 3292 Responsibilities and Activities of Scientists II (2 cr)

II. Statistics Core (9 required credits)

• Stats – Core 1 – NUR 3112 Applied Parametric and Non-Parametric Statistics for the Health Sciences 1 (3 cr)
• Stats – Core 2 – NUR 3113 Applied Parametric and Non-Parametric Statistics for the Health Stats Sciences 2 (3 cr)
• Stats – Core 3 – NUR 3114 Applied Regression for Health Science Research (3 cr)

III. Personalized Scientific Inquiry (PSI) (26 required credits)
A. PSI - NUR 3010 PhD Dissertation – (12 credits minimum)
B. PSI - NUR 3071 Apprenticeship Practicum – (6 credits)

• Throughout the Apprenticeship Practicum, the student affiliates with the mentor’s active research team, participating in team meetings and all components of responsible conduct of research; presenting apprenticeship study plan, results, and dissemination to the team; attending scientific area or center offerings and rounds; etc.

C. Personalized Scientific Inquiry Courses – (8 credits minimum)

• C1. Intensive Methods (4 cr minimum)
• C2. Intensive Professional Development
• C3. Advanced Statistics
• C4. Content Expertise

The advisor and student will prepare a gap analysis based on prior masters to determine the nature of the 8 additional needed credits (and more if necessary) to be taken across the remaining research core courses and the Personalized Scientific Inquiry C1 through C4 (a minimum of 4 cr from C1 Intensive Methods is required). Prior preparation in their master’s program (research focused or clinically focused) will drive the gap analysis. 

View the per-term chronologic sequence of courses for the MSN to PhD program, as well as the timeline for the mentored research experiences, the Apprenticeship Practicum and the Dissertation Project, and Milestones. This plan is subject to change based upon the findings of the gap analysis driven by the prior master's degree.

The University of Pittsburgh values personalization of students' educational experiences. To that end, the PhD program allows students to develop a personalized approach to choosing additional coursework congruent with knowledge and skill development in their chosen areas of focal research concentration.

Students are encouraged to take Personalized Scientific Inquiry (PSI) courses to develop an understanding of essential knowledge to a focused area of study in nursing.

• Consists of a minimum of 8 credits in the MSN to PhD track.
• Students are encouraged to take PSI courses outside of the School of Nursing and outside of the nursing discipline.
• It is suggested that one PSI course be an advanced statistics/research methods course.
• No more than one of the PSI courses is recommended to be taken as NUR 3060 Independent Study, so as to provide for a richer experience in the presence of other students and other disciplines.

The PhD program includes an apprenticeship model of research training that combines rigorous coursework and an apprenticeship with successful research mentors. This model includes a formalized series of Apprenticeship Practica (minimum of 6 credits under the direction of a research mentor), with recommended experiences and a series of defined deliverables. This experience allows for the opportunity to acquire individualized and tangible research skills within a mentored research application environment, which is additive to and precedes the dissertation experience.

All mentors are experienced nurse researchers. During their apprenticeships, students acquire tangible skills in research methodology, grantsmanship, professional skills, the responsible conduct of research, and dissemination of research findings through publications and presentations. Students receive an intense and comprehensive research experience resulting in publications and pilot data to support applications for independent research funding and dissertation work.