Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Dual Program

Application

Pitt Nursing accepts applications for admission to the Dual DNP and PhD Program via Apply Yourself. Each applicant must complete and submit the following:

1. Completed online application form
2. Application fee
3. Complete official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work
4. Admission test scores (see following sections)
5. Current CV or resume
6. Three letters of reference. letters of professional recommendation indicating the reviewer’s support of the student’s ability to successfully complete a demanding graduate level academic and clinical program. At least one recommendation should come from a current or recent direct supervisor. Before you submit your application, ask your references in which form they wish to submit their recommendation -- by paper or electronically. 
7.  Personal essay indicating professional goals, reason for want to earn both a PhD and DNP (dual DNP/PhD), and clinical research focal areas. 
8.  A second writing sample on which the applicant is the primary author.

Admission

Students, who are currently enrolled in their last term of a BSN program, may apply to the Dual DNP and PhD Program. If offered admission, it would be contingent on the student’s (1) successful completion of the BSN and (2) obtainment of the RN license.

 Admission Criteria

• Current RN license in U.S. state/territory or locale where student will complete clinical requirements
•  • ≥ 3.0 GPA in BSN from accredited program (ACEN, NLN, ACICS, or CCNE)
•  GRE scores taken within the last 5 years: Verbal & Quantitative sections ( competitive score), Analytical Writing  ( ≥ 3)
•  Pre-requisite statistics course with a grade B or better
•  A pre-admission interview. If the applicant resides at a great distance, a web-based interview may be substituted.
•  Evidence of an ability to communicate in writing that includes an essay addressing goals, focal area of research, and implications for global health. 

Applicants who do not meet all of the criteria may be admitted with provisional status. Please refer to Policy 231.

Information for GRE Preparation

Prospective students may find this information helpful when preparing for the GRE, courtesy of ETS:

• The GRE® General Test user interface, also known as the "look and feel," was updated in July. The test structure, content and question types did not change. Introduced in May, POWERPREP™ Online reflects the updated look and is available FREE to test takers from their ETS Account to help them prepare for the test.
• GRE Subject Tests scoring method changes: Beginning with tests administered in September 2017 and similar to the GRE General Test, test takers' scores on the GRE Subject Tests will now be based on the number of questions answered correctly. Nothing is subtracted from a score if a question is answered incorrectly. It is better to guess at an answer than to not respond at all.  

Graduate Clearances

Degree Program Application Deadlines

International Applicants

Tuition and Fees

Curriculum

Teaching assistanceships and scholarships are available for qualified students.

The University of Pittsburgh is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution. The complete Nondiscrimination Policy is available here.  

Contact Information