PhD - MSN to PhD Curriculum

• 13 cr. from the Research Core
• 9 cr. from the Statistics Core
• 26 cr. for Personalized Scientific Inquiry (PSI) courses (PSI consists of 12 cr. Dissertation, 6 cr. Apprenticeship Practicum, and minimum 8 cr. additional PSI credits)

The advisor and MSN to PhD Track student will, upon admission to the program, prepare a gap analysis based on review of the prior master's program to determine the nature of the 8 additional PSI credits (and possibly more if necessary), and also if additional Research Core coursework is needed. The student's prior preparation in their master's program (research focused or clinically focused) will drive the gap analysis.

The preliminary examination is taken after completing the following required courses.  

• NUR 3285
     Philosophical Underpinnings (3 cr)
• NUR 3286
     Theoretical Foundations for Research (3 cr)
• NUR 3287
     Research Design & Methods (3 cr) **
• NUR 3071
     Apprenticeship Practicum (2 cr)
• and Statistics Courses
  • NUR 2112
      Applied Parametric and Non-Parametric Statistics for the Health Sciences 1
    OR
  • NUR 3112
      Applied Parametric and Non-Parametric Statistics for the Health Sciences 1
  • NUR 2113
      Applied Parametric and Non-Parametric Statistics for the Health Sciences 2
    OR
  • NUR 3113
      Applied Parametric and Non-Parametric Statistics for the Health Sciences 2

**MSN-PhD students should have completed this course in their prior degree program

By following the established curriculum plan, all full-time students should sit for their Preliminary Examination in their third term of study. 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. Remediation work may be required if deficiencies are identified that may impede the student's success in program completion. See School of Nursing Policy 230.

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 and concurrent with the dissertation overview. See School of Nursing Policy 235.

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

Prior to the comprehensive examination and the dissertation overview, the student and research advisor propose, subject to approval by the director of the PhD 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, including the major advisor, must also be full members of the Graduate Faculty of the University.

See Doctoral Committee under Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees of the University bulletin.

Admission to Candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy

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 examination, have completed formal courses and the minimum dissertation credit requirements with a minimum grade point average of 3.00, have passed the comprehensive examination, and have received approval of the proposed dissertation research by the dissertation committee. Admission to candidacy is granted by the Dean.

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. The doctoral student must notify the PhD program director in writing the term that this occurs.

Dissertation and Abstract

The date and title of the dissertation defense must be submitted to the PhD program director 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 Degree of this bulletin.