History and Overview of the School of Nursing

The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing of Loyola University Chicago was founded in 1935 and is the oldest collegiate nursing program in Illinois. Since the establishment of the School of Nursing (SON), more than 7,000 nursing degrees have been awarded. The original focus was education of public health nurses to assume leadership roles in meeting the health needs of Chicago residents. The SON was the first division of the University to have women attend classes at the Lake Shore Campus (LSC). The four-year Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) program continues to attract students for their initial university experience, while the Accelerated BSN (ABSN) program, instituted in 1992, offers a fast-track to professional nursing for those already possessing a baccalaureate degree. In 1964, a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program was initiated to prepare expert clinicians. Currently the MSN program provides graduate education in nursing and healthcare administration. Beginning in the Fall 2009 semester, the SON initiated a Doctor of Nursing Practice program. During the 2020-2021 academic year, all programs for advanced practice preparation (NP, CNS) were transitioned to the DNP degree. The PhD in Nursing program was initiated in 1988 to meet the need for nurse scholars, teachers, and leaders. There are over 150 PhD in Nursing graduates who have assumed leadership roles in research, education, clinical practice, and health care administration. Our PhD in Nursing graduate students have been successful in obtaining pre-doctoral fellowships, and graduates have distinguished themselves through postdoctoral fellowships and research supported through National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.

Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) Mission and Vision

Mission Statement

The mission of the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) is to advance the science of nursing and provide a transformative education in the Jesuit Catholic tradition that prepares compassionate, innovative, diverse nurse leaders who provide care for the whole person and partner locally and globally to promote social justice and health for all.

Vision

The vision of the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) is to be a preeminent leader in transforming the health of persons, families, communities and populations, while promoting social justice, health equity, and quality care for all.

Values

The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (MNSON) at Loyola University Chicago is committed to the five “hallmark characteristics of a Jesuit education.” These characteristics provide the foundation for our core values. The MNSON core values challenge administrators, faculty, students, communities, and partners to think differently. Graduating professionals who are technically proficient is necessary, but not sufficient. Our graduates will shape the future of health and health care. To prepare them, we implement the following values:

• “Commitment to Excellence: Applying well-learned lessons and skills to achieve new ideas, better solutions and vital answers.”
• “Faith in God and the religious tradition: Promoting well-formed and strongly held beliefs in one’s faith tradition to deepen others’ relationship with God.”
• “Service that promotes justice: Using learning and leadership in openhanded and generous ways to ensure freedom of inquiry, the pursuit of truth and care for others.”
• “Values-based leadership: Ensuring a consistent focus on personal integrity, ethical behavior in business and in all professions, and the appropriate balance between justice and fairness.”
• “Global Awareness: Demonstrating an understanding that the world’s people and societies are interrelated and interdependent.”

Inclusive Excellence

Working toward inclusive excellence includes building intrapersonal and interpersonal awareness, engaging in curriculum transformation, teaching with an inclusive pedagogy, and building inclusive learning environments. We recognize that our community is strengthened by the diversity of our students, faculty, and staff along the social dimensions of race, color, religion, biological sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, parental status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We are especially committed to helping our nation create a culture of health, promote health equity to reduce health disparities, and improve the health and wellbeing of all, especially for those who experience the health system disparately due to systemic oppressions.

Chosen Name and Pronouns

Class rosters and university data systems are provided to instructors with only students’ legal names presented. Knowing that not all students use their legal names or identify with a gender that aligns with their sex assigned at birth, faculty members/I will use the name and/or personal pronouns you use. If you choose, you may email the faculty member/me directly to share your information. Additionally, if these change at any point during the semester, please let the faculty member/me know. For more information on how to change your name in LOCUS, please visit the Preferred Name Policy.

Land Acknowledge Statement

The Loyola University Chicago community acknowledges its location on the ancestral homelands of the Council of the Three Fires (the Ojibwa, Ottawa, and Potawatomi tribes) and a place of trade with other tribes, including the Ho-Chunk, Miami, Menominee, Sauk, and Meskwaki. We recognize that descendants of these and other North American tribes continue to live and work on this land with us. We recognize the tragic legacy of colonization, genocide, and oppression that still impacts Native American lives today. As a Jesuit university, we affirm our commitment to issues of social responsibility and justice. We further recognize our responsibility to understand, teach, and respect the past and present realities of local Native Americans and their continued connection to this land.

Overview of the PhD in Nursing Program

Accreditation

The baccalaureate degree in nursing, the master's degree in nursing, the doctor of nursing practice programs, and the post-graduate certificate program at Loyola University Chicago are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-877-6791.

PhD programs are not subject to professional accreditation.

Loyola University Chicago is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Program Goal

The goal of the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing program is to prepare scholars who improve human health through the development and expansion of knowledge.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of the program the graduate has the knowledge and skills to:

• Initiate a beginning program of research that expands nursing and healthcare knowledge.
• Incorporate social, cultural, political, economic, and ethical considerations into nursing scholarship and practice.
• Participate in the international community of scholars to further the Jesuit mission of generation and dissemination of knowledge in the service of humanity.
• Assume leadership roles in nursing research, education, practice, policy development, and/or administration in order to improve the health of society.

Program of Study

Academic Year Program

PhD courses meet online two late afternoon-evenings per week in the fall and spring semesters. Two additional days of intensive in person training sessions per semester (Spring and Fall) are required. In person intensives meet on a rotating basis between the Lake Shore and Health Sciences campuses.

Prerequisite Course Work for the PhD in Nursing Program

All students must present transcript evidence of having completed a graduate level course in basic statistics. If an admitted student has not fulfilled this prerequisite statistics requirement prior to admission, they should be advised to complete such a course in the summer prior to their first semester or during their first semester of matriculation to the PhD Program. They must also be advised that this course is a prerequisite and, therefore, will not be counted toward fulfilling the minimum semester hour requirements of the PhD Program. The prerequisite statistics course may be taken at Loyola or any other accredited college or university. To be acceptable, the course must cover both descriptive and beginning inferential statistical methods. Courses from other academic institutions should be evaluated by the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program to determine acceptability.

Prior Graduate Credits/Transfer Credits

Students may transfer up to 9 credits into their PhD in Nursing program. Transfer credits are normally limited to cognate requirements (6 credits) or elective coursework. All credits for transfer must be approved through the student’s academic advisor and the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing program. Transfer credit from courses completed before the time of admission to the program must meet the recency rules of the Graduate School (course completed within the previous 5 years) and the credits may not have been used to satisfy any other degree requirements (such as those taken during the master’s degree program).

Courses taken through an institution other than Loyola University Chicago and after a student has been admitted to the program must be pre-approved by the student’s Advisor and/or Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program prior to enrolling in the course. Transfer credits from an institution other than Loyola University Chicago are not factored into the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

Curriculum Plan

The PhD in Nursing Program currently includes five major areas of study: Nursing Science, Research Methods, Philosophy and Ethics, Teaching, and Cognates supporting the proposed area of research. In addition to course work, students are required to complete a scholarly dissertation. The courses offered for the five major areas of study are outlined on the following page.

The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program works with the student in the first semester to develop an individualized program of study. This program plan is created in LOCUS and can be accessed by the student, the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program, the student’s future Advisor/Dissertation Director, and the Executive Associate Dean for Academic affairs. It is recommended that the student and his/her Advisor/Dissertation Director update the program plan when necessary and notify the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program when the Program Plan has been revised in LOCUS.

The list of course requirements can be found here.

Students must be registered for GNUR 610 Doctoral Study for the semester in which the Qualifying Examination is being taken. This is ordinarily during the fall semester of the third year. Students can only register for GNUR 610 twice.

Students who are working on their dissertation research register for GNUR 600 Dissertation Supervision. Each Dissertation Director has a specific section of GNUR 600 listed in LOCUS. Students register for the section assigned to their Dissertation Director. GNUR 600 Dissertation Supervision is offered every semester. The number of times that a student may register for GNUR 600 is limited.

A sample program plan can be found here. An updated, current program plan must be maintained by the student and the student’s advisor and in LOCUS at all times. The timing and selection of cognate courses is determined collaboratively with the student’s Advisor/Dissertation Director.

The program plan for students entering the PhD in Nursing with a master’s degree is outlined here.  In addition to the coursework, milestones, deliverables, and research socialization elements are noted to develop into the role of nurse scientist and scholar.

Distinguishing Cognate and Elective Courses

Cognate coursework is taken in a substantive or methodologic area, and the coursework is meant to deepen the student’s knowledge and skills in a topic area related to their research. Cognate courses have a specific and discernible connection to each other, and the student’s research area.

Elective coursework is taken to broaden a student’s knowledge and skills. These courses may or may not be related to the student’s topic area.

Six credits of cognate coursework are required for the program.

BSN to PhD Option

The School of Nursing offers a BSN to PhD program for a select number of highly qualified students. Students in this option complete selected courses from the MSN and/or DNP program, and then progress directly to study in the PhD program.

An MSN or DNP degree is not awarded through this program of study, although students may choose to complete the additional requirements for the awarding of the MSN or DNP, either concurrently or after completing the PhD. A separate application to these degree programs would be required.

Approximately 22 credits of coursework at the MSN/DNP level are included in the BSN to PhD option.

Course Descriptions

Descriptions for all courses can be found here.

Progress Reporting

A PhD Student Progress Report form is available on the PhD in Nursing Sakai® site. Each time the student is enrolled in GNUR 600: Dissertation Supervision, this report must be completed by the student, and forwarded to the student’s Advisor or Dissertation Director. The Advisor or Dissertation Director enters the grade for the course. The report is due on November 15 for the fall semester, April 15 for the spring semester, and August 1 for the summer semester. Satisfactory progress must be documented for a passing grade to be issued for these courses.

A progress report is required for GNUR 610 only when the time to complete the qualifying examination exceeds two semesters, as outlined in a subsequent section of this handbook.

Any student who does not submit a progress report and receives a NP (no credit) grade will have a registration block placed on their record. Any student who receives a NP grade must provide a written explanation of the reason(s) for their failure to complete and submit the progress report, along with a rationale to support their continued enrollment in the program. This statement must be submitted to the student’s academic Advisor/Dissertation Director, with a copy sent to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing program. All instances of NP grades will be reviewed by the PhD in Nursing Program committee. Two grades of NP may be cause for dismissal from the program.

Program Progression

During the first semester after admission to the program, each student and his/her assigned Advisor or the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program completes a program plan. The program plan is filed in the student’s record. Students are expected to maintain close contact with their advisor regarding their progression through the program of study.

All students are required to maintain continuous registration (at a minimum, fall and spring semesters) until all degree requirements, including the dissertation, are completed. The PhD in Nursing Program does include some courses that are offered in only summer sessions as well. Once all coursework has been completed, students will typically register for the fall and spring semesters during their qualifying examination period and dissertation research. If, during these periods, students are using the resources of the university, such as faculty or library resources during a summer semester, enrollment during that semester is required.

Standards related to academic performance for satisfactory progression in the PhD in Nursing Program are detailed in the Academic Policies section of this handbook.

Post-baccalaureate students have a total of eight years from the time they first matriculate in the PhD in Nursing Program to complete the degree requirements, including the dissertation. Post-master’s students have a total of six years from the time they first matriculate in the PhD in Nursing Program to complete the degree requirements, including the dissertation.

If students prolong the program beyond these limits, they must petition to the Dean of the Graduate School for an extension of the time to degree limit. The Extension of Time form must be secured from Graduate Student Progress System (GSPS) website at https://gsps.luc.edu/Secure/login.aspx completed and submitted to the GSPS website. The form must be approved by the student’s Advisor or Dissertation Director, the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program, and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. The Graduate School has the final authority to approve or disapprove an extension of the time to degree. Approval of extensions is not guaranteed or automatic.

Academic Advising

Assignment of Advisor

The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program serves as the first-year advisor for all PhD students. During that first year, students schedule meetings with faculty who are conducting research related to the student’s phenomenon of interest or research area. By the end of the first year of course work, the student asks a faculty member to serve as their program advisor. The student works in consultation with the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program to finalize the choice of the advisor. In some, but not all cases, this advisor will go on to become the student’s Director of their Qualifying Exam and Dissertation Director.

The student’s advisor is entered into LOCUS.

Advisor/Dissertation Director Responsibilities

• Guide the student in program planning with the selection of appropriate courses to meet the degree requirements for the PhD in Nursing degree. The student’s initial program plan is developed in LOCUS by the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program. If there are any changes to the student’s program plan, the Advisor or Dissertation Director and student are responsible for making these changes and informing the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program of the changes, as needed.
• The Advisor or Dissertation Director should monitor the academic progress of the student through the program and should be available to the student for guidance as necessary. Monitoring academic progress includes and follow-up on “I” grades and final course grades of less than B.
• The Advisor or Dissertation Director should be aware of pertinent Graduate School and School of Nursing policies. Policies and processes particularly related to the qualifying examination, dissertation, leaves of absence, and incomplete (I) grades should be clearly understood by the Advisor and the student.
• The Advisor or Dissertation Director should assist the student who encounters personal problems that interfere with successful progression in the academic program and make appropriate recommendations that will facilitate academic progression, such as recommending a leave of absence, reducing course load, or similar actions.
• Evaluating coursework for transfer credit: If a course is being recommended to transfer credit, the Advisor or Dissertation Director must complete a transfer credit request form and submit the request and supporting documentation to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program. The Assistant Dean will process the request and submit to the Graduate School.
• The Advisor or Dissertation Director works with the student in the formation of the Qualifying Examination and Dissertation Committee.

Change in Advisor, Dissertation Director, or Committee Member

At any time during the program, if the student and/or the Advisor for any reason believe that an alternative advisor or committee member assignment would be more appropriate, the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program should be notified in writing using the Change of Advisor/Committee Member form available through the PhD in Nursing Sakai® site. The notification should indicate the reason for the request and should reflect the agreement of the initial advisor/committee member, the proposed advisor/committee member, and the student. The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program will notify The Graduate School of the change as needed.

Student Responsibilities Related to Advising

• The student is responsible for contacting his/her Advisor or Dissertation Director prior to each semester to verify the accuracy of the program plan and any needed updates, and plan course enrollment for the upcoming semester.
• The student is responsible for notifying the Advisor or Dissertation Director when:
  • An “I” grade is earned and make arrangements for its removal.
  • A grade of less than “B” is earned in any course.
  • There is a need to change the Program Plan of study.
  • There is a need to drop or add a course in the current semester.
  • There is a need to request a leave of absence (LOA) from the program or an extension of the time limit to complete the degree requirements.
• The student holds responsibility for being aware of all policies of the MNSON and the Graduate School pertinent to her/his program status.
• The student is responsible for collaborating with the Advisor or Dissertation Director in planning enrollment in an Independent Study (GNUR498) or Directed Study (GNUR 598) course.
• The student is responsible for collaborating with the Advisor or Dissertation Director in the selection of cognate coursework.

Academic Grievance Procedure

Students, faculty, and administrators are strongly encouraged to discuss informally and resolve problems they encounter in the academic process. Irresolvable issues or violations of the institution’s ethical standards may require the implementation of the grievance procedure.

The Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (the “MNSON”) has developed an Academic Grievance and Appeals Process that is consistent with the Loyola University Chicago (the “University”) Academic Grievance Procedure and the University’s Graduate School Academic Grievance Procedure. This process is meant to supplement, and may not supersede, any portion of the University or Graduate School Academic Grievance Procedures.

The MNSON Academic Grievance and Appeals Process provides specific direction for the academic grievance hearing and for appeals and is designed to achieve clarity, uniformity, and fairness in the handling of all academic disputes involving individual student complaints regarding course grades and accusations of academic dishonesty. Any MNSON student may initiate the formal academic grievance procedure in order to have a complaint or appeal regarding a course grade or charge of academic dishonesty reviewed in an impartial and thorough manner. Students enrolled in degree programs housed in the Graduate School may also invoke the procedures under the MNSON Academic Grievance and Appeals Process to address disputes relating to dismissal from a program. In accordance with best educational practices and University policy, this process must be based on relevant information and afford both parties (student and involved faculty member(s)) an equal voice in the proceedings.

Consistent with the University Academic Grievance Procedure, a disputed grade will be changed only if the grading meets one or more of the following criteria:

1. Is found to be in significant violation of clearly established written school policies; or
2. Is a result of improper procedures; or
3. Is found to be capricious. Capricious grading is the assignment of a grade to a student which is:
   1. Based partially or entirely on criteria other than the student’s performance in the course; or
   2. Based on standards different from those standards of grading applied to other students registered in the same course; or
   3. Based on a substantial departure from the announced grading standards for the course.

Pre-Hearing and Hearing Procedures within the MNSON

1. In all cases, a sincere attempt should be made by the student to resolve the problem through discussion with the involved faculty member(s). The student first discusses the grade or charge of academic dishonesty with the involved faculty member(s) of the course. Every attempt is made by the involved faculty member(s) to answer fully the student’s concerns at this level. If the involved faculty member(s) decides that a change-of-grade is appropriate (e.g., due to error by the involved faculty member(s)), the involved faculty member(s) will submit a grade-change request via the student information system. The grade change will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Undergraduate or Graduate programs.
2. If the attempt(s) to resolve the dispute (described in #1 above) fails, the student may submit a written request for an academic grievance hearing to the student’s Program Director. If the student’s Program Director is also the instructor, the written request would go directly to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate programs. This request must be submitted within 1 month after the beginning of the following semester. The student’s written request must:
   1. Specify the nature of the dispute; and
   2. Identify how the issue falls within the established criteria for an academic grievance (e.g., the grading was in significant violation of clearly established written school policies); and
   3. Describe the attempts made to resolve the matter; and
   4. Attach all relevant information or documentation to support the grievance.
3. If a student has been accused of plagiarism or dishonest examination behavior, and the student denies the charge, the student may request an academic hearing review. The Dean will then constitute a hearing committee composed of a Chairperson and four faculty members (“Hearing Committee”) to review the evidence of academic dishonesty and to consider the imposition of additional sanctions beyond failure in the course. This process is delineated in #6 below.
4. For instances of grade disputes, and upon receipt of the written request, the Program Director will ensure completeness of the above requirements (#2 a-d) and forward the request to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate or Graduate Programs. The Associate Dean for Graduate or Undergraduate Programs may decline to forward the case for a hearing if the dispute is not an academic dispute subject to the MNSON’s Academic Grievance Process, or the written request fails to allege any of the necessary criteria for a disputed grade to be changed. In such instances, the Associate Dean for Undergraduate or Graduate Programs must justify, in writing, the reason for this decision and communicate the decision to the student, involved faculty member(s), the Program Director and Dean.
5. If the Associate Dean for Undergraduate or Graduate Programs determines that the academic grievance is sufficient to proceed with a hearing, the Dean shall be notified. Within two weeks of the notification to the Dean, the Dean shall appoint a Chairperson and four faculty members to a Hearing Committee. Every effort shall be made to appoint faculty to the Hearing Committee who are not familiar with the student. It is recommended that the Hearing Committee members be familiar with the course outcomes and expectations that are the subject of the grievance.
6. All parties, including the student, involved faculty member(s), and Hearing Committee members, will receive the student’s name, written request for a grievance hearing, information identifying the charge of academic dishonesty and related information submitted by the student in #2 a-d above, and information related to the hearing date/time/location, at least three business days in advance of the scheduled hearing date. Both the student and involved faculty member(s) will be advised of their right to request assistance in presenting the case at the hearing by any member of the University community other than an attorney. No individual from outside the University may attend the hearing, including any legal representative for the parties involved in the dispute. The student and the involved faculty member(s) will be notified of their right to present witnesses at the hearing. If this notice is not provided at least 3 days prior to the hearing, or a party is unavailable to attend, the hearing will be re-scheduled.
7. Pre-Hearing Preparation:
   1. Responsibilities of the student: At least three business days prior to the hearing, the student shall provide the Hearing Committee Chairperson with:
      1. The documentation identified in #2 a-d above
      2. The names of any witnesses the student wishes to present and the name of any representative of the University community who will assist the student in presenting his/her case at the hearing.
   2. Responsibilities of the faculty member(s): At least three business days prior to the hearing, the involved faculty member(s) shall provide the Hearing Committee Chairperson with:
      1. A copy of the course syllabus to include course outcomes, if the hearing is focused on a grade dispute.
      2. Documentation and relevant information pertaining to the student’s performance in the course or clinical learning experience or related to the allegation of the student’s academic dishonesty.
      3. The names of any witnesses the involved faculty member(s) wishes to present and the name of any representative of the University community who will assist the involved faculty member(s) in presenting his/her case at the hearing.
   3. Responsibilities of the Hearing Committee: The Hearing Committee Chairperson may request additional materials from the student and involved faculty member(s) at any time during the hearing process.
8. The hearing will include: the student, involved faculty member(s), and designated representatives of the University community who will assist in presenting an individual’s case. Witnesses are typically excused from the hearing, except when their statements are needed. The hearing will be private, and all persons present at the hearing will consider all information presented to be confidential. Individuals appearing before the Hearing Committee have the responsibility of presenting truthful information. The Hearing Committee, in reaching its decision, will evaluate the credibility of the parties and any witnesses. The student and involved faculty member(s) may make an opening statement. Presentation of evidence will only be made during the hearing. During the hearing, the Hearing Committee members may address questions to any party or witness. Both the involved faculty member(s) and the student may present materials described in item #6 above (or as included with the student’s request for grievance hearing) before the Hearing Committee and in the presence of the other party. The conduct of the hearing is informal, and the Hearing Committee is not bound by rules of evidence or court procedures. Matters of procedure will be decided by the Chairperson of the Hearing Committee.
9. Within three business days of the hearing, the Hearing Committee will render a decision.
10. Within two weeks of the Hearing, the Chairperson of the Hearing Committee will communicate a summary of the Hearing Committee’s findings and decision, in writing, to the student, faculty member(s) involved, Program Director, and Dean. E-mail is permitted.
11. In cases of a grade dispute, if the Hearing Committee renders a decision in support of the student’s petition, the faculty member submits a grade-change request consistent with the Hearing Committee’s findings. If the Hearing Committee finds that the student’s petition is without merit, the grade shall remain unchanged.
12. If a student is grieving a grade associated with a clinical experience, and the Hearing Committee determines that the faculty grading was in significant violation of clearly established written school policies, or the result of improper procedures, or was capricious, the Hearing Committee will communicate the decision to the Associate Dean of the Undergraduate or Graduate program. Notwithstanding this decision, the Hearing Committee and/or the Associate Dean may require an independent re-evaluation of the student’s performance (knowledge, skills, or behavior).
13. If it is judged by the Hearing Committee or the Associate Dean that an independent reevaluation of the student’s performance is warranted, the Associate Dean will communicate the need for the evaluation to the Program Director, who will arrange for an independent reevaluation of the student that may involve a clinical, lab, or simulation session by a faculty member not known to the student. This independent reevaluation summary will be forwarded to the Hearing Committee and the Associate Dean for a final determination of the course grade.

Appeals Process

The procedure for an appeal of a Hearing Committee decision varies depending on whether the student is enrolled in a program in the MNSON or if the student is enrolled in a degree program housed in the Graduate School.

1. Students enrolled in a program in the MNSON have a right to appeal in writing to the Dean within 30 days of notice of the Hearing Committee’s decision. The decision of the Dean is final (except in cases of expulsion, in which case the sanction may be imposed only by the Senior Academic Officer upon recommendation of the Dean).
2. Students in the MNSON enrolled in degree programs housed in the Graduate School may appeal the MNSON’s Hearing Committee decision by requesting a Graduate School hearing in accordance with the Graduate School’s Academic Grievance Procedure at http://www.luc.edu/gradschool/academics_policies.shtml. The request must be made to the Graduate School Dean within 30 days of the decision by the Hearing Committee and must specify the nature of the grievance and prior attempts to resolve the matter. A party may appeal the decision of the Graduate School hearing board to the Graduate School Dean in writing within 30 days of notification of the Graduate School hearing board’s decision and must include an explanation of the basis for the appeal. The Graduate School Dean’s decision is final in all cases (including dismissal from a Graduate School program), except those involving possible expulsion from the University, which may be imposed only by the Senior Academic Officer.

Academic Integrity

Refer to Graduate School policy on Academic Integrity.

Academic Policies

In addition to the policies outlined below, students are also required to understand and adhere to the policies of the Graduate School, located here.

The Loyola University Graduate School Catalog identifies criteria for good standing, grade point average, probation and dismissal from the university. Consistent with The Graduate School, students are expected to maintain a grade point average of 3.0 (B) or greater. Students with a grade point average less than 3.0 may be placed on academic probation.

Only one instance of a grade of C+ or C is allowed in any of the required courses in the PhD in Nursing Program, and the student must maintain a grade point average of 3.0 or greater even with this C grade. If a second C+ or C grade is received during the course of study, the student’s progress will be evaluated by the PhD in Nursing Program Committee. Students with this pattern of grades may be considered for dismissal from the program.

Students with two C level grades (C+, C) will be required to repeat one of the courses in which a C level grade was obtained. The student’s academic advisor and the PhD in Nursing Program Committee will determine which course will be repeated.

Students earning a grade lower than the C level will automatically be brought to the PhD in Nursing Program Committee for review. Any course in which a grade lower than C is earned must be repeated.

For students enrolled in or, a grade of “credit” (P) or “no credit” (NP) is assigned. A grade of “no credit” indicates unsatisfactory progress. Students receiving a “no credit” (NP) grade will be automatically reviewed by the PhD in Nursing Program Committee. Progress reports must be submitted as part of the course requirements for. Failure to submit a progress report by the posted deadline may result in a “no credit” (NP) grade being assigned for the course.

Continuous Registration

All students are required to maintain continuous registration during the academic year until degree requirements are met, unless the student has received a leave of absence. Students meet the continuous registration requirement through enrollment in the fall and spring semesters.

Students who have completed all coursework and are either preparing for the qualifying examination, working on the dissertation proposal, or working on the dissertation must still maintain continuous registration by enrolling in GNUR 610 or GNUR 600 for the appropriate semesters.

Students who do not meet the continuous registration condition will be considered inactive and not in good standing. After a break in continuous registration for a single semester, a block will be placed on the student’s record, prohibiting enrollment in courses. A request for reinstatement must be submitted to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program who will evaluate the request, in collaboration with the PhD in Nursing Program Committee, and submit a recommendation on the request to the Graduate School.

Students who do not maintain continuous registration will be required to remit a reinstatement fee. The fee will be calculated using the dissertation supervision fee for the terms missed plus an additional penalty of $100.

Degree Conferral

Degrees are conferred on specific dates in May, August and December and this date is noted on the official transcript.

The conferring of a degree presumes the student has been properly admitted and classified, has completed all residency requirements, all coursework has been completed with acceptable grades, degree requirements have been met within the required time limit, an approved dissertation has been submitted and accepted by the Graduate School, all library books returned and fines resolved, and all financial indebtedness to the University has been eliminated.

Prior to the date of the degree conferral, a student cannot claim or indicate the PhD credential, even though all course, program, and dissertation requirements have been satisfied. Additionally, the School of Nursing does not recognize or endorse the use of (c) at any time during program matriculation [e.g., PhD(c)] to represent candidacy for the degree.

Students must apply to receive a degree. An application for a degree is good for a single degree conferral date (May, August, or December). The application for degree is completed through LOCUS. Go to the Student Self-Serve section and click on the tab for Degree Progression and Graduation.

Students are assessed a matriculation fee during their first semester of study and are not assessed a separate fee to apply for graduation. If the degree requirements are not met by the deadline for the degree conferral date included in the application, a new application for degree must be submitted through LOCUS.

The deadline for completing the application for degree is published in the Academic Calendar. Application for degree deadlines are typically August 1 for degree conferrals at the end of the Fall semester and December 1 for a degree conferral occurring at the end of the Spring semester, and February 1 for degree conferrals at the end of the Summer semesters.

Dissertation

The dissertation is an independent research project undertaken as the final requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy degree. The dissertation research is conducted under the supervision of the dissertation committee.

The Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee is officially appointed by the Graduate School. Committees are not official until this appointment is completed. The dissertation committee should be formed during the semester following the successful completion of the qualifying examination.

A dissertation committee will have a minimum of three voting committee members (one director and two readers). The student, in consultation with the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program and the faculty advisor, requests faculty to serve as committee members. At least one half of the committee members must be Full or Associate members of the faculty of the Graduate School. The Dissertation Director must be a full-time faculty member of the MNSON and a Full member of the faculty of the Loyola University Chicago Graduate School (Full and Associate members of the faculty of the Graduate School are listed on the Graduate School website; not all MNSON faculty member hold Graduate Faculty appointments). The Dissertation Director ensures that all policies and practices are adhered to throughout the dissertation process.

Readers may be Full or Associate members of the Graduate Faculty, or Loyola University Faculty who do not hold Graduate Faculty status. Individuals from other institutions may also be recommended to serve as readers. In situations where the reader is not a Loyola faculty member or does have Full or Associate membership in the Loyola University Chicago Graduate School, the student must submit a copy of the curriculum vitae with the Thesis/Dissertation Committee Form through the Graduate Student Progress System (GSPS) (https://gsps.luc.edu/Secure/Login.aspx). Readers from other institutions must possess credentials that are consistent with those required for Full or Associate faculty status with the Graduate School of Loyola University Chicago. For an individual from another institution to be considered as a reader on the committee, the individual must hold a terminal degree in their field of study.

Emeriti faculty of the MNSON may serve on dissertation committees. Emeriti faculty are considered to be full members of the faculty of the Graduate School for the purposes of constituting the dissertation committee.

Committee members should possess expertise that is relevant to aspects of the dissertation topic and research methods.

The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program is notified when a completed Thesis/Dissertation Committee Form has been submitted through the GSPS. The Assistant Dean will review and approve the committee.

Notification of the official appointment of the dissertation committee comes from the Graduate School. No dissertation proposal will be accepted in the Graduate School unless there is a dissertation committee officially appointed by the Graduate School. The dissertation committee must be appointed at least one semester prior to the defense of the dissertation.

Dissertation Proposal

A scholarly dissertation reporting original research on a topic related to nursing is required. Credit is not granted for dissertation research at Loyola University Chicago. During the period of the dissertation proposal development and the subsequent research, the student must register in GNUR 600: Dissertation Seminar (up to 2 times) and GNUR 600: Dissertation Supervision (after Dissertation Seminar is completed).

The dissertation proposal should include the first three chapters of the dissertation: 1) a discussion of the purpose or objective the proposed research; 2) review of the related literature, and 3) a discussion of the research methods being proposed to conduct the study. Students are encouraged to use the Formatting Manual for Theses and Dissertations https://www.luc.edu/gradschool/formatting.shtml as directed by their Dissertation Director, in the preparation of their proposal.

The dissertation proposal is submitted by the student to the Dissertation Director for review and approval. Once it has been approved by the Dissertation Director, the student will send the dissertation proposal to the committee members for review. Students should contact committee members to determine if they would prefer an electronic or hard copy of the dissertation proposal. Readers are given four weeks to review and evaluate the proposal. The student will work with the Dissertation Director to solicit feedback from the readers. This feedback will be used to determine if the student is ready for an oral defense of the dissertation proposal.

Dissertation Proposal Defense

The dissertation proposal defense is scheduled at a time of convenience for committee members and student. The student is expected to give an oral presentation of the proposal. The members of the committee will examine the student through critical questions related to the intended research. Unanimous approval is required for approval of the dissertation proposal.

After the unanimous approval of the dissertation proposal, the student must initiate the Ballot for the Approval of the Thesis/Dissertation Proposal to the oral defense of the proposal which can be found in the GSPS (https://gsps.luc.edu/Secure/Login.aspx) under the heading “Student Forms.” Please follow the directions on this form.

A one-page abstract of the proposed research must accompany the ballot. Approvals from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Loyola, and other institutions as necessary and appropriate, must be obtained.

Approval of Research by the Institutional Review Board

All research must have Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval before data collection can begin. The student’s Dissertation Director serves as the principal investigator (PI) for the submission of the IRB proposal. Students do not serve as the PI for any IRB submissions, or any grant submissions. The Dissertation Director must submit the IRB application to the Loyola University Health System (LUHS) Institutional Review Board. Students are listed as a co-investigator for the study. Even if human subjects are not involved (e. g., data mining) IRB approval is necessary. The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program must be listed as a “contact” on the IRB application. A copy of the IRB approval letter must be sent to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program, who will then forward the approval to the Graduate School.

If a student plans to collect data at Loyola University Health System (LUHS), they will need to complete the LUHS clinical nursing orientation, as directed. This process is also referred to as the on-boarding policy. Any student who is planning to collect data at LUHS or any of its affiliates must complete this process. It is recommended that the student allows up to at least two to three months to complete the clinical nursing orientation process. Please contact Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program who will work with you and the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Innovations to complete this process. Also refer to the appendices of this handbook for the policy and required form.

If data are being collected at another site, outside of LUC or LUHS, IRB approval as well as on-boarding requirements must be obtained from that institution as well as Loyola University Chicago. Data collection may not begin until all approvals have been obtained.

Students conducting their dissertation research through LUHS may need to present their proposal and completed research at the Nursing Research Council and Evidence Based Practice Council. Students should reach out to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program to obtain guidance and contact information for the Council.

It is mandatory, that two courses: 1) the Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) and 2) the Responsible Conduct in Research course (RCRS) are successfully completed prior to the Dissertation Director submitting your proposal to the IRB.

• Loyola University Chicago uses the online training course, provided by the University of Miami, called Collaborative IRB Training Initiative (CITI) course top provide convenient web-based training programs to the research community. Completion of the CITI course quizzes with an overall score of 80 percent is required for certification. To begin On-Line Training
  • Go to https://about.citiprogram.org/
  • Click on “Register Here”
• In accordance with Federal regulations, effective January 2010, Loyola University Chicago has implemented a new Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship (RCRS) course that incorporates research education into the curriculum for all students. Taught over a two-day period, students are presented with relevant information and background material on research integrity and ethics and given the opportunity to apply these ethical principles in a small group setting. Loyola RCRS program includes instruction in core areas such as:
  • research misconduct
  • conflicts of interest and commitment
  • data management practices: data ownership, collection, protection and sharing
  • mentor and trainee responsibilities
  • collaborative research
  • responsible authorship and publication practices
  • peer review
  • protection of human subjects
  • welfare of laboratory animals
• The RCRS training can be accomplished by taking either UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship. UNIV 370 is offered at the LSC once a semester. It is a no cost, 0 credit, 2-day course. Registration for the course is through LOCUS.
• Students and their dissertation advisor are responsible for the completion of all required IRB reports, such as annual reviews and adverse event reporting, in accordance with IRB policy. Proper closure and termination of the dissertation research study with all study-associated IRBs is required to be eligible for degree conferral.

Dissertation Fee

Once doctoral students have submitted all dissertation proposal materials, the Graduate School will conduct a doctoral candidacy review. This means that the Dean's office of the Graduate School will verify that all degree requirements, except for the completed dissertation, have been met.

Students will be assessed a one-time fee which will appear on their bill as “Matriculation Fee” during their first semester of study in the PhD in Nursing program. This fee replaces the proposal registration fee that was previously assessed by the Graduate School.

Candidacy

A student in good standing will be designated as a “PhD Candidate” upon:

• Completing all specifically required course work;
• Satisfying all research tool requirements;
• Successfully completing all aspects of the qualifying examination;
• Successfully defending and submitting an approved dissertation proposal.
• Obtaining the required approvals from the Institutional Review Board(s) to begin the dissertation research.

The Graduate School will notify the student of admission to candidacy and this milestone is then posted on the transcript.

The School of Nursing does not recognize or endorse the use of (c) at any time during program matriculation [e.g., PhD(c)] to represent candidacy for the degree. Students are not to use this designation in any form.

Dissertation Proposal Summary

After completion of Qualifying Examination:

• The student requests appointment of a dissertation committee using the Thesis/Dissertation Committee Recommendation Form available from the GSPS. This request is then forwarded through the GSPS to the Assistant Dean for Nursing Program. The committee should be formed the semester following the successful completion of the qualifying examination.
• Once the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program approves the committee, the committee recommendation is forwarded to The Graduate School who then informs the student of the approval (or not) of the committee.
• The student, working with the Dissertation Director and committee members, drafts the dissertation proposal.
• The proposal is reviewed and approved by the Dissertation Director and then submitted to the other readers for review.
• Committee members are given four weeks to review and evaluate the dissertation proposal.

Semester of Dissertation Proposal Defense:

• An oral defense of the proposal is scheduled.
• Once the dissertation proposal has been voted on affirmatively by all the members of the dissertation committee, the student submits:
  • one copy of the proposal (if needed, check current requirements at the time of the proposal defense).
  • the Ballot for the Approval of the Thesis/Dissertation Proposal, and
  • a one-page abstract of the proposed dissertation research to the GSPS system under Student Forms Dissertation Proposal Ballot.
• An application for IRB review of the proposed research is initiated.

General Content Guidelines for the Dissertation

The content of the dissertation is dependent on the approach taken in the study (i.e. quantitative or qualitative). In general, all dissertations consist of five chapters of text. The general guidelines for each chapter, as well as the abstract and appendices are outlined below. Students work closely with their Dissertation Director and committee members regarding the specific content in each chapter.

Abstract

A concise summary of the purpose, design, site, sample, intervention (if applicable), concepts (including measures if applicable), analyses, results, conclusions and implications.

Chapter 1: Introduction

Background on the problem; e.g., nature of the problem; magnitude and importance of the problem; overall purpose, rationale, and logical development for the study; specific research questions and hypotheses (if applicable).

Chapter 2: Literature review

The conceptual framework/model or theory to be used for the study (quantitative); why this framework/model or theory is appropriate; whether/how it has been used to study this type of problem; how the proposed study is guided by that framework/model or theory; any changes that need to be made in the conceptual framework/model or theory to make it more useful for the proposed study, as appropriate.

A concise synthesis and critique of the relevant literature, a summary of what is known about the problem, and the gaps in knowledge that exist; summary of how the study contributes to knowledge development and resolving some of the gaps in knowledge related to the problem.

Chapter 3: Methods

Review of the study purpose and research questions, aims, and hypotheses (as applicable); description of the study design, study site, sample characteristics and size, sampling method(s); any intervention(s); conceptual and operational definitions of variables, instrumentation (including psychometric evidence); study procedures and protocol; data collection and management; data analyses; and ethical considerations.

Chapter 4: Results

Summary of sample characteristics; detailed results for each research question, aim and hypothesis; results for any exploratory analyses conducted; or additional analyses completed that were not part of the original research plan. Summarize data in figures and tables as appropriate.

Chapter 5: Discussion

Summarize and integrate results for each research question, aim and hypothesis; derive conclusions and provide explanations for findings; integrate findings with extant literature, discussing areas of convergence and divergence; discuss how findings address knowledge gaps; identify and discuss realistic implications of the findings for theory, research, practice, education, administration, and health as appropriate; address strengths and limitations of the study; identify directions for further study.

Appendices

Use this section to report information and provide examples to amplify sections of the research report. Include such items as research instruments and interview guides, consent documents, Institutional Review Board approvals, supplemental tables, letters or permission and other information as appropriate.

Dissertation Seminar and Dissertation Supervision (GNUR 600)

After the required approvals have been obtained, students work closely with their Dissertation Director during the conduct of the research. Students must maintain continuous registration for the fall and spring semesters to remain in good standing with the university. Continuous, full time registration is accomplished by enrollment in GNUR 600 Dissertation Supervision. Dissertation seminar is conducted in a group format, and the seminar is led by one to two members of the PhD in Nursing Program Committee or other graduate faculty. The seminar is taken the 1-2 semesters after successful completion of the qualifying exam.

After the dissertation seminar courses have been completed, students enroll in GNUR 600 Dissertation Supervision. Students register for the section of GNUR 600 that is specific to their Dissertation Director.

If students are using faculty or university resources during a summer session, registration for that semester may also be required.

A progress report must be submitted to the Dissertation Director for each semester the student is enrolled in GNUR 600 Dissertation Supervision. A progress report is not required during enrollment in GNUR 600, unless specifically requested by the Dissertation Director.

A grade of credit or no credit is entered for GNUR 600 for each semester of registration. Failure to submit a progress report, failing to make sufficient progress in the dissertation research, or failing to keep in contact with the Dissertation Director may result in a grade of no credit being assigned. No credit grades will be reviewed by the PhD in Nursing Program Committee. A student may be recommended for dismissal from the PhD in Nursing program if satisfactory progress is not made on the dissertation research. Two grades of NP are grounds for dismissal from the program.

Final Dissertation Text and Scheduling the Oral Defense of the Dissertation

The Graduate School publishes an unyielding deadline for submitting final electronic copies of the dissertation prior to degree conferral. Circulation of the readers’ copy to committee members and scheduling the oral defense must be arranged with this deadline in mind in order to be eligible for a particular degree conferral date.

The student will work under the supervision of the Dissertation Director and committee during the course of the research. The Dissertation Director and student should agree on the process for submission of the dissertation (submit chapters as these are completed; submit entire document at once). The Dissertation Director should review the dissertation (which includes all chapters) and inform the student when the paper is of sufficient quality for it to be sent to other members of the committee for review. While students work primarily with the Dissertation Director during this period, students should maintain contact with all dissertation committee members to discuss issues relative to their expertise and keep the members informed of progress.

Once the Dissertation Director has informed the student to submit the paper to other members of the committee, readers are given four weeks to review the dissertation document. The student will work closely with the Dissertation Director in soliciting feedback from the readers. If all members of the committee are in agreement, the oral defense may be scheduled. The oral defense is not scheduled if the dissertation is incomplete and/or there are serious issues with the research and/or the quality of the paper is not acceptable to any of the committee members. Committee members must agree that the text is in substantially its final form, with no major revisions required, before the defense may be scheduled.

Dissertation defenses are public examinations of the student and are announced through the distribution of an Announcement of an Oral Defense.

The Sample Oral Defense Announcement is available at The Graduate School web site (https://www.luc.edu/gradschool/formatting.shtml) and the PhD in Nursing Sakai® site. Once the date, time, and location of the dissertation defense have been agreed up, the student is responsible for creating the Announcement of an Oral Defense and forwarding this document to the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program.

The Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program will distribute the announcement, and post notices of the announcement at the Lakeshore and Health Sciences campuses. Announcements must be posted and distributed at least two weeks prior to the defense. Zoom links should be included on the announcement, for use by faculty, guests, and PhD in Nursing students. All members of the committee must attend the defense in person, unless prior approvals for remote participation have been approved by the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing program.

Students are responsible for reserving the room for the defense and any audiovisual or other equipment needed for the defense. Students should contact the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program for assistance.

Format Check of the Dissertation Text

Students must make arrangements for a format check of their dissertation text. This format check must occur prior to the actual defense. Deadlines for the format check, in relation to the submission of final dissertation copies and degree conferrals, are published on the academic calendar for the Graduate School. During the format check, Graduate School representatives will ensure the dissertation document adheres to the formatting guidelines of Loyola University Chicago. Students will receive email notification of any formatting changes required by the Graduate School. A copy of the formatting guidelines is available through the Graduate School website.

Dissertation Defense

All voting members of the committee must participate in the defense. In all cases, the Dissertation Director must be present at the oral defense and typically, all readers are also present. In certain rare circumstances, and with prior approval of the Dissertation Director, and the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program, readers may participate in the oral defense via video conference.

The Dissertation Director presides over the defense. Prior to the presentation of the research, the Dissertation Director will explain the process for the defense and complete any necessary introductions.

The defense begins with a summary of the research and the significance of the research and findings. Candidates shall justify conclusions reached, identify implications of the findings, suggest areas for further investigation, and identify how the results of the study fill gaps in the extant literature. Plans for dissemination of the findings should be outlined. The presentation should take approximately 30 minutes.

Once the presentation has been completed, the Dissertation Director will preside over the question-and-answer session conducted between dissertation committee and the student. After the committee question and answer session is completed, the Dissertation Director may open the session up for limited comments and questions from the audience.

After the question-and-answer portion of the defense is completed, the candidate and any audience members will be excused while the members of the Dissertation Committee deliberate. Each committee member will be asked to comment on the candidate’s defense and dissertation document.

The committee will then vote on the candidate’s performance using a “pass/no pass” designation. The student is called back into the room and informed of the committee’s decision.

The committee may award “Distinction” to designate outstanding work in both the text and oral defense. Votes of “Distinction” must be unanimous among the committee members and this designation will be noted on the transcript.

The result of the committee’s deliberations on the text and oral defense is documented on the Ballot for the Approval of the Text and Oral Defense of a Thesis/Dissertation, available on the Graduate School website. Students should bring this document to the dissertation defense.

Once all signatures have been affixed to the ballot, the form is submitted to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program for signature, who will approve the form, and then submit the form to the Graduate School via the Graduate Student Performance System.

Terminating the Study with the Institutional Review Board

After a successful defense, the Dissertation Director, who served as the PI for the dissertation research, is responsible for terminating the dissertation research study through the Institutional Review Board. The application to close the study should be completed as soon after the defense as practical, as determined by the Dissertation Director.

Changes to Dissertation Text after the Defense

After the defense, committee members may require some changes to the dissertation text. These changes must be approved by the committee before submission of the final dissertation to the Graduate School. The committee members will determine the mechanism for approving post-defense changes. The Dissertation Director must complete the Thesis/Dissertation Approval Sheet, which is submitted to the Graduate School with the electronic final copy of the dissertation. The Approval Sheet must have the signature of the Dissertation Director.

Final Copies of the Dissertation

After all required revisions have been completed and the Dissertation Director has completed the Thesis/Dissertation Approval Sheet, the dissertation text and other required documents are submitted electronically to the Graduate School. Instructions for final submissions are outlined in the policies for Dissertation/Thesis Formatting on the Graduate School website: https://www.luc.edu/gradschool/formatting.shtml.

All submissions must be completed on or before the published deadlines in the academic calendar. Students who miss the published deadline will not have their degree conferred and must complete a new application to receive a degree.

According to Graduate School policy, students must submit final copies of their dissertation, with the approved revisions, within one semester of a successful dissertation defense (e.g., if a student defends their dissertation successfully in the fall semester, the final copies of the dissertation must be submitted to meet the spring semester deadlines). If the deadline for submission of the final copies is not met, the student may be discontinued from the program and be required to apply for reinstatement to the program.

Dissertation Process Summary

Semesters following Dissertation Proposal Approval

• Work with Dissertation Director in the submission of the proposal to the required Institutional Review Board(s)
• Register for GNUR 600, Dissertation Seminar for up to two semesters, and GNUR 600, Dissertation Supervision for each semester thereafter, while working on the dissertation.
• Complete a progress report and submit to Dissertation Director each semester (November 15th for fall semester or April 15th for spring semester).
• Conduct the research and write the dissertation.

Semester of, or the Semester Prior to, the Dissertation Defense

• Submit copies of dissertation to committee members after approval by the Dissertation Director.
• Solicit feedback from dissertation committee members.
• Schedule defense when the Dean, Assistant Dean for the PhD Program, all committee members and Dissertation Director agree; arrange room, audiovisual equipment and assistance, and arrange for a zoom meeting so that distance students, faculty, and guests may attend.
• Arrange for notice of dissertation defense using the Sample Oral Defense Announcement (see the Sakai site for PhD Students and the appendices of this handbook). Notice of the defense must be posted at the Health Sciences and Lakeshore campuses at least two weeks in advance of the dissertation defense date. Submit the announcement to the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program, who will then distribute and post the announcement.
• Obtain Ballot for Approval of the Text and Oral Defense of a Thesis/Dissertation from the Graduate School website. Bring this form to the defense.
• Arrange for a format check of the dissertation text through the Graduate School.

After the Defense

• Make any necessary revisions to the dissertation text as requested by the dissertation committee and/or the Graduate School. Obtain Dissertation Director approval of revisions request by the dissertation committee through the Thesis/Dissertation Approval Sheet.
• Initiate the process to close the study through the Institutional Review Board(s)
• Submit required electronic copies of the dissertation and supporting documents to the Graduate School within one semester of the successful defense, according to published deadlines.
• Verify all financial indebtedness and other obligations (such as closure of the IRB protocol) to the University have been satisfied.

Formal Complaint Policy by Student

A formal complaint is defined by Loyola University Chicago’s (the “University”) Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (the “MNSON”) as any substantive complaint or concern, put forth in writing, by a student which requires a response from the administration of the MNSON.

Formal complaints may originate within the MNSON, or through a mechanism external to the MNSON, such as a University grievance process or the Ethics Line Reporting Hotline.

The MNSON adheres to all applicable University policies regarding the filing, review and resolution of formal complaints, as defined herein. The nature of the complaint dictates the review and resolution processes, as detailed further in this policy.

General Guidelines

• Student Complaints Related to Academic Issues.
  • Formal student complaints related to academic disputes involving the appropriateness of course grades and accusations of academic dishonesty are addressed through the MNSON’s Academic Grievance and Appeals Process. Students enrolled in degree programs housed in the Graduate School may also invoke the procedures under the MNSON Academic Grievance and Appeals Process to address disputes relating to dismissal from a program. Students enrolled in degree programs housed in the Graduate School whose disputes are related to course grades, accusations of academic dishonesty, or dismissal from a program, are not resolved after a hearing within the MNSON may continue the academic grievance process in accordance with the Graduate School’s Academic Grievance Procedure.
  • Formal student complaints relating to decisions affecting undergraduate academic standing or progress are addressed through the University’s General Academic Appeals process.
  • Formal student complaints relating to undergraduate changes of academic records or dismissal for poor scholarship are addressed through the University’s Special Academic Appeals process.
• Student Complaints Related to Non-Academic Issues.
  • The University admits students without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, parental status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law to all the rights, privileges, programs, and other activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, parental status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs, or in any aspects of its employment of faculty and staff. Students within the MNSON with questions about this policy or who believe they have been discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, parental status, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law, may contact the Ethics Line Reporting Hotline at (855) 603-6988 or submit a report online.
  • Questions regarding Title IX may also be referred to the University’s Title IX Coordinator, Tim Love, Executive Director for Equity and Compliance, or to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights.
  • Questions regarding Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VI”) may be referred to the Office of Equity and Compliance, via email or 773-508-7766.
  • Questions regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) may also be referred to Tim Love, Executive Director for Equity and Compliance tlove@luc.edu or another member of the Office for Equity & Compliance staff, at (773) 508-7766 or via email.
• Complaint Referral.
  • University administrators may refer certain formal complaints from MNSON students, including complaints made through the Ethics Line Reporting Hotline, to the MNSON Dean’s office for appropriate action, including assistance in the investigation of a report. Where appropriate, the Dean will assign an administrator from the MNSON to assist in the investigation. Such assignments are made with consideration of the need for the investigation to proceed in an objective and non-biased manner.
• Complaints Received through the Ethics Line Reporting Hotline.
  • The Ethics Line Reporting Hotline exists as a means for University faculty, staff, students, administrators or other concerned parties to report activities that involve misconduct or violation of University policies. Reports may be made online at https://www.luc.edu/hr/ethics/ or by calling 855-603-6988.
  • As explained at on the EthicsLine website:
    • The University strongly encourages all faculty, staff, students, administrators or other concerned parties to use this Reporting Hotline to report suspected or wrongful acts of conduct by Loyola University Chicago community members. No University administrator, faculty, staff or student may interfere with the good faith reporting of suspected or actual wrongful conduct; no individual who makes such a good faith report shall be subject to retaliation, including harassment or any adverse employment, academic or educational consequence, as a result of making a report.
    • The University is committed to the highest ethical and professional standards of conduct as an integral part of its mission of expanding knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice and faith. To achieve this goal, the University relies on each community member's ethical behavior, honesty, integrity and good judgment. Each community member should demonstrate respect for the rights of others.
  • All reports to the Ethics Line Reporting Hotline are made available to specific individuals within the University on the University’s Ethics Line Reporting Hotline Resource Team (the “Resource Team”) who are charged with carefully reviewing and evaluating the report and assigning it to an appropriate case manager/investigator on the Resource Team, based on the type of alleged violation and location of the incident. The Ethics Line Reporting Hotline System does not create a new category of prohibited behavior or a new process for members of the University community to be disciplined or sanctioned. The Resource Team has no authority to discipline any student or member of the faculty or staff. When reported conduct is subject to existing University disciplinary or judicial procedures, appropriate referrals will be made by the Resource Team.
  • Reports submitted through the Ethics Line Reporting Hotline are handled as promptly and discreetly as possible, with facts made available only to those who need to investigate and resolve the matter. Individuals filing a report may follow-up online on the status of a report and to determine if further information is needed to proceed with an investigation.

Forms

School of Nursing Forms

Located in the PhD in Nursing Sakai® website

• PhD in Nursing Program Planning Worksheet¹
• Course Contract with Faculty Mentor - GNUR 498, GNUR 532, GNUR 610¹
• Qualifying Exam Eligibility Form¹
• Course Contract for Qualifying Exam¹
• Change of Advisor or Committee Member¹
• GNUR 600 Student Progress Report¹

Graduate Student Progress System Forms

Located on the GSPS system under Student Forms

• Change in Degree Seeking Status¹
• Comprehensive Examination
• Degree Requirements
• Doctoral Candidacy
• Extension of Time¹
• Leave of Absence¹
• Research Tool Requirement
• Thesis/Dissertation Committee¹
• Thesis/Dissertation Proposal¹
• Thesis/Dissertation Defense¹
• Thesis/Dissertation Overview
• Transfer Credit

Note: Check the Graduate Student Progress System for any updated versions of forms before submission

Graduate School Forms

Located on the Graduate School website; Select “Current Students” and “Forms.”

• Audit Request
• Late Application to Receive a Degree¹
• Re-Application for Admission¹
• Reimbursement Form Instructions¹
• W-9 form required for reimbursement; International students must complete W-8 form.
• Reinstatement Request¹
• Request for Course Title¹

Thesis/ Dissertation Forms

• Instructions for Thesis and Dissertations
• Ballot for the Approval of the Text and Oral Defense of a Thesis/Dissertation (students print out and bring to the defense)¹

¹ Indicates student initiates the form

Funding and Financial Aid Information

Office of Student Financial Assistance

The Office of Student Financial Assistance houses resources and references about financial aid for students, at the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses.

Office of Student Financial Assistance | Website | 773.508.7704 | Email

To determine eligibility for financial assistance students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If a student receives federal loans they must be enrolled at least half-time. A graduate student must be enrolled in at least 4 graduate semester hours in the fall and spring semester and at least 2 semester hours in the summer semester to be considered half-time. Full-time enrollment is defined as 8 graduate semester hours in the fall and spring semester and 6 semester hours in the summer semester. However, when students enroll in clinical practicum courses, they are classified as full-time status.

School of Nursing Policy on Graduate Assistantships

A graduate assistantship is intended to help support a student work toward completion of a degree; assigned tasks should be consistent with this purpose. All graduate assistants are assigned relevant professional work for 16 to 19.5 hours per week. Examples of “relevant professional work” include teaching or assisting in a course (under the supervision of a director or mentor); grading for courses; working in a department-sponsored laboratory or instructional center; assisting a faculty member on a grant-sponsored or other research project; professional conference development; and tutoring.

Assistantships are competitive and are awarded for a period of one academic year. A recipient must reapply for each additional year of desired funding. Please let the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program know if you are interested in applying for a position as a Research or Teaching Assistant.

Research Assistantships

Research Assistantships may include working with a faculty member on an existing research grant or providing general research support to one or more faculty members in the School of Nursing.

Teaching Assistantships

Teaching Assistantships are focused on providing instructional support to faculty who are teaching in the nursing programs within the School of Nursing. This support may include clinical or laboratory and simulation experiences, as well as supporting classroom instruction

Terms of the Award

Research Assistants’ duties are assigned by the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Innovation or the faculty member for whom the student is working on a project (in consultation with the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Innovation). Teaching Assistants’ duties are assigned and coordinated by the Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

An assistant’s workload is distributed evenly and flexibly during the term of the award. During University study days, final examination periods, mid-term breaks, and between academic terms, the student and supervisors(s) should negotiate a mutually agreeable schedule at the beginning of the assistantship assignment, subject to the guideline that no student should be required to work on University holidays or during the entire period of mid-term breaks or the entire period between terms.

It is expected that the student holding a full graduate assistantship (i.e., an assistantship requiring a maximum of 19.5 hours of work per week) will refrain from taking an additional position of employment during the term of the assistantship so that the student may have adequate time to devote to graduate studies.

Evaluation and Criteria for Renewal of Assistantship

The evaluation process and criteria for the renewal of an assistantship will be reviewed with the student RA/TA by the faculty member that they are working with and the Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Innovation and/or the Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Policy Regarding Graduate Student Tuition Scholarships through Assistantships

The School of Nursing pays the tuition for only those courses that are to count toward the fulfillment of degree requirements; in addition, the number of credit hours of tuition eligible for payment by the tuition scholarship is limited to the number of credit hours required for the student to complete the program’s degree requirements (e.g., if a student is in a program that requires 45 credit hours of graduate course work, once the student has completed the 45 credit-hour degree requirement, the tuition scholarship will not pay tuition for additional credit hours). It is the student’s responsibility to register for and complete appropriate courses while receiving a tuition scholarship; the student is responsible for paying tuition for any courses not eligible for payment by the tuition scholarship.

The Associate Dean for Research and Scholarly Innovation and Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs consider this policy when recommending the number of credit hours for which a student’s tuition scholarship is to pay.

The Nurse Faculty Loan Program

The Nursing Faculty Loan is available to provide funds to DNP and PhD students who commit to obtaining a position as a faculty member in a school of nursing at the conclusion of their program. Funding is available to assist with the cost of tuition. Room and board, transportation, and personal expenses cannot be included. To be eligible to receive a Nursing Faculty Loan, the student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
• Complete the FASA application;
• Not be in default on a federal education loan;
• Be enrolled full- or part-time in an advanced nursing program which includes a specific component to prepare students for nurse faculty roles in schools of nursing;
• Be in good academic standing with the Niehoff School of Nursing and the Graduate School.

Funding each year is subject to the available funds. Students may be awarded loans through this program for up to five years. If funding is not sufficient to make awards to all qualified applicants, preference will be given to continuing students who have previously participated in the program.

For further information related to this program, please contact the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program.

All NFLP recipients must take  and.is taught as a hybrid course every summer andis taught in the fall semester each year.

The Jonas Foundation Scholarship

The Jonas Nurse Leaders Scholar Program was created in 2008 to support educational development of new nursing faculty and stimulate models for joint faculty appointments between schools of nursing and clinical affiliates. The grants, made through institutional awards, also prepare doctoral candidates to help students address the needs of future patients – from dealing with co-morbidities and chronic illnesses to providing culturally competent care. Since the program's inception in 2008 with six Scholars in New York City, it has grown to include more than 1,000 Jonas Nurse Leader Scholars at 140 schools across all 50 states plus DC. The Jonas Scholarship supports PhD students who are in the last 2-3 years of their program.

National Research Service Award

These competitive individual awards from the National Institutes of Health are available to promote the training of persons intending a career in research. A major requirement is that the applicant be working with a recognized researcher in that person’s area of expertise. These awards are intended to assist the applicant on the first stage of a program of research that will extend to the post-doctoral period and to an independent program of research. Faculty serve as sponsors for these awards. Therefore, contact your advisor about this opportunity.

Tuition Term Payment Plan

The University offers two tuition payment plan options for students.

Term Payment Plan (TTP)

This plan enables students to pay for each term’s tuition and fee charges in installments. Semester students may choose from the available two, three, or four-month plans.

Employer Reimbursement and Deferred Tuition Plan (ERP)

This plan is designed to enable students who are eligible for tuition reimbursement from their employer to defer payment of tuition until reimbursement is received.

Information and applications on these plans are available through the Bursar’s Offices at the Lake Shore and Water Tower campuses and online.

General Information

Registration

Registration is completed through LOCUS (Loyola’s Online Connection to University Services). LOCUS can also be found from the drop-down menu on the LUC website. It is a web-based, self-service system that enables students to access information and services online. LOCUS will provide you with the most current class information. A schedule of graduate nursing courses can also be found a month before classes start at the LOCUS website. Students are responsible for information on tuition and fees that is available at the Bursar’s Office website (www.luc.edu/bursar).

The Graduate School requires enrollment for eight hours per semester to be classified as a full-time student during the fall and spring semesters and enrollment for six hours to be classified as a full-time student for the summer semester. Enrollment in GNUR 600 and GNUR 610 also classifies students as full time.

Graduate Course Offerings

Some graduate-level nursing courses are reserved each semester and are listed as “Permission Only”. Before a student can be enrolled in a Permission Only course, course specific requirements must be met. Registration for “Permission Only” courses is accomplished through the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program.

If a student wishes to register for a course offered by another LUC college or school, department, and the specific course has been approved by the student’s Advisor, the student will need permission to enroll in the course. The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program will facilitate the enrollment.

Location of PhD in Nursing Courses

PhD in Nursing courses during the fall and spring academic year session are alternately scheduled on the Health Sciences Campus in Maywood and the Lakeshore Campus in Rogers Park.

Most graduate courses in nursing (with the exception of practicums, GNUR 509 Teaching Methods and GNUR 513 Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research) are taught 5 weekends each semester (fall and spring). GNUR 600 Dissertation Supervision, typically has 3-4 evening class meetings over the course of a semester. Summer courses are taught in a hybrid immersion format, with some online coursework and an on-campus immersion for class meetings.

Courses in departments other than the School of Nursing may be taught more than one day a week, either during the day or in the evening. The most current information regarding class scheduling is available through course schedule posted on LOCUS.

Student Login ID

Each student is assigned a Loyola University Chicago e-mail account upon acceptance into the program. The user id (also known as the Universal ID or UVID) and password are used to access various systems such as LOCUS, the Lakeshore Campus library from an off-campus location, the course information system, Sakai® and the Loyola University Chicago e-mail account. The password for the Universal ID is managed through password self-service. 

E-mail Communication

Each student is assigned a Loyola University Chicago e-mail account and all official university communications are routed to that account. Students are responsible for monitoring their Loyola University Chicago email account on a regular basis. Official university communications, including communications from faculty during coursework, will not be sent to a student’s personal email account.

Student Identification Card

Identification badges are needed by students to access campus buildings.

All students should upload their ID picture to the LUC website here. 

The school of nursing will then facilitate the generation of a student identification card for the Health Sciences Campus. IDs will be distributed at the first class meeting.

A student ID is needed for the Lakeshore Campus as well. After the photo is uploaded, please email the Campus Card office and copy the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program, authorizing the Assistant Dean (by name) to pick up the LSC ID card on your behalf. IDs will be distributed at the first class meeting.

Security

The Security Department strives to maintain a safe environment on the various campuses of the University, 24 hours a day, and seven days a week. Escort service on the Lake Shore (LS) and Loyola University Medical Center (LUMC) campuses is available. Students should report any suspicious or hazardous conditions on or near campus to the Security Department. LS: 773-508-6039, LUMC: 708-216-9077.

Parking

To obtain information about parking at LUMC, contact the Parking Office at 708-216-9092. Daily parking in Lot A is $5.00. At the Water Tower Campus (WTC), reduced rate parking is available at some local parking lots after 4:15 p.m. To receive a reduced rate, your parking ticket must be stamped at the 25 East Pearson Building on the main level by the security desk. Daily parking at the LSC is available in the Main Garage and the Fordham Garage.

Research Computing Services

Services are available for doctoral students. These services include consultation in statistical computing, research database management, and the use of software packages on microcomputer and mainframe computer systems. Research computing services are available through the Information Technology Services department. Requests can be made through their website or the help desk at 773-508-4487.

Statistical Support

Statistical support services for students during their dissertation is available through the School of Nursing. Students should first discuss the nature and scope of support with their Dissertation Director. Questions regarding statistical support may be directed to the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing Program for information on how to access these services. The initial meeting of the PhD student and the statistical consult must include the Dissertation Director.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a federal law that provides for the protection and privacy of personal health information. The Privacy Rule and the Security Rule of this law affect health care providers, including students enrolled in clinical education activities. The Privacy Rule of the HIPAA defines protected health information as:

“information, including demographic data, that relates to the individual’s past, present, or future physical or mental health or condition; the provision of health care to the individual; or the past, present, or future payment for the provision of health care to the individual; and, that identifies the individual or for which there is a reasonable basis to believe it can be used to identify the individual”

All students must follow the HIPAA Privacy Rules and Guidelines when participating in clinical educational activities. Compliance with these rules and guidelines includes, but is not limited to, maintaining confidentiality of paper and electronic health records and protected health information.

All students are required to complete HIPAA training, as mandated by their educational program. In addition to program-specific training, all students are required to complete any additional training mandated by the clinical facility where their clinical education is occurring.

When a concern is raised that a student has violated the confidentiality and privacy of patient information, the concern is addressed through the formal disciplinary process of the student’s school or college of Loyola University Chicago.

Immunization Policy

Proof of immunity is an Illinois state requirement. All Loyola students enrolled in seven or more credit hours must complete the process to verify proof of immunity. Incomplete immunization information will block access to registering or changing classes. All students must enter immunization requirements into Loyola Health and upload supporting documents before the 10th day of the term.

All immunizations are to be uploaded to Loyola Health. Required Illinois state immunizations are Tetanus, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Meningococcal.

A series of three tetanus vaccines is required; One of them must be a TDAP that was given within the past ten years of enrollment.

Two MMR vaccines are required; the first dose must be given four days before your first birthday or after. The second dose must be given a least 28 days after the first dose.

Students who cannot provide proof of immunization may provide laboratory (serologic) evidence of measles, mumps, rubella immunity.

A Meningococcal ACWY vaccine that was given four days before your 16th birthday or after is required for students who enrolling under the age of 22.

Meningitis B does NOT meet this requirement.

All immunization records must be in English or accompanied by a certified translation or they will not be approved.

Guide to Upload Immunization Record

1. Go to Loyola Health (https://campushealth.luc.edu/loyolahealth/login)
2. Sign in with UVID and password
3. Click UPLOAD HEALTH RECORDS then UPLOAD VACCINE RECORDS
4. Select ‘STATE MANDATED IMMUNIZATION’ under Vaccine Type
5. Select your Vaccine Name (Tdap, MMR, Meningococcal)
6. Input the date you received the vaccines (this must be done for each section)
7. Upload photo file (ONLY PDF, JPEG, JPG, JPNG, DOCX, or MOV) of record
8. Click ‘Submit for Approval’
9. You will receive an upload confirmation email.

Incomplete Grades

The Graduate School expects students to complete all coursework by the end of the term during which the courses were taken. However, if a student and the instructor decide in advance, a student may receive a grade of “I” (Incomplete) at the end of the term. The student is to complete the outstanding work and submit it to the instructor according to a schedule approved by the instructor, subject to the following Graduate School policies.

The student must complete and submit all outstanding work to the instructor by the last day of the semester following the term in which the “I” grade was assigned. (For purposes of incomplete grades, the summer sessions are counted together as one term.) If the student does not turn in the work by the deadline, the “I” will automatically become an F. The Graduate School will not approve a change of grade if the student does not complete and submit the work to the instructor within one term of the assignment of an “I” grade.

Independent Study and Directed Study

Students and faculty mentors must complete and submit a completed course syllabus form to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program prior to start of the semester in which the independent study or directed study will be conducted. Students will not be registered for GNUR 498 Independent Study or GNUR 598 Directed Study course until this submission is completed. In most instances, GNUR 598 Directed Study, will be used.

At the discretion of the director of the independent or directed study and with agreement of the student, an annotated title may appear on the student’s transcript for an independent or directed study course. This annotation will enable future reviewers of the student’s transcript to understand the nature of the student’s coursework.

The Request for Course Title form must be completed and submitted when the Independent or Directed Study syllabus form is submitted to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program.

Independent Study or Directed Study as Substitute for a Scheduled Course

Courses that are regularly offered in the PhD in Nursing Program cannot be taken as independent study unless the scheduled course offering was cancelled in the semester that the student needed the course for degree requirement completion.

Leave of Absence

It is expected that a student will maintain continual registration in the University from the time of initial matriculation up to graduation. If this is not possible, an approved Leave of Absence will mean that those semesters in which the student does not take courses will not be included in the time limits set for completion of the degree.

A Leave of Absence (LOA) must be requested by the student in writing. The letter should contain reasons for the leave and length of time being requested. This letter with the Leave of Absence Form must be completed and submitted to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program in the School of Nursing. A LOA should be requested prior to the anticipated date of the leave. The Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program will make a recommendation regarding the LOA to the Graduate School. If the LOA request is granted, the student’s program plan must be revised by the academic advisor to reflect this change. A request for a LOA may not exceed one academic year.

Library Services

PhD in Nursing students have access to all university libraries. The main library is housed at the Lakeshore Campus in Rogers Park. The Health Sciences Campus library is located on the 1st floor of the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing on the Health Sciences Campus.

To access the services and resources of the main library, visit here.

To access the services and resources of the Health Sciences Campus library, visit here.

When accessing resources from off-campus, such as databases and electronic journals, login with the UVID and password are required.

Professional Activities for Graduate Students

In the GSPS system, there is a section for recording professional activities. Please visit this site and enter any information about internships, presentations, and/or publications each semester. Inform the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program of any publications, presentations, or grant submissions/funding.

Professional Behavior and Conduct

Students are expected to maintain professional behavior at all times while participating in the School of Nursing programs. Consistent with the mission of the SON mission, respect for clients, faculty, staff, and student colleagues is expected. Goals of the SON are to nurture an atmosphere of collegiality among students, preceptors, and faculty in order to foster a positive learning environment. Graduate students are expected to display professional behavior, such as honesty, punctuality, maturity, and respectful communication with faculty at all times. Unethical or unprofessional behavior may result in disciplinary action to the student, ranging from verbal or written warning, to withdrawal from the theory course or clinical setting, or to dismissal from the program. See the general guidelines for this policy in the appendix under Unprofessional Behavior and Conduct area.

Progress Report

All PhD in Nursing students who have completed course work and are at stage of the qualifying examination or dissertation are required to complete a Progress Report Form at the end of each semester, until the dissertation defense is passed, and the dissertation is accepted by The Graduate School. This form may be found on the PhD in Nursing Sakai® site. Specific activities with deadlines are to be used to outline intended goals for progress towards completion of the program.

The completed form must be submitted to the Advisor/Dissertation Director by the specified deadline. Failure to submit the progress report by the specified deadline may result in the assignment of a “no credit” grade for the course in which the student is enrolled for that semester.

Any student who does not submit a progress report and receives a NP (no credit) grade will have a registration block placed on their record. Any student who receives a NP grade must provide a written explanation of the reason(s) for their failure to complete and submit the progress report, along with a rationale to support their continued enrollment in the program. This statement must be submitted to the student’s academic Advisor or Dissertation Director, with a copy sent to the Assistant Dean for the PhD in Nursing Program. All instances of NP grades will be reviewed by the PhD in Nursing program committee. Two NP grades may be a cause for dismissal from the program.

Qualifying Examination

Purpose

The purpose of the Qualifying Examination (QE) is to assess the depth, comprehension, integration and synthesis of knowledge that forms the foundation for the student to conduct dissertation research after completing required course work. It is not intended to assess the students’ knowledge of course material, which has already been evaluated in each course. Rather the QE is intended to assess the students’ ability to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of philosophy of science, ethics, concepts, theory, and advanced research methods within their developing program of research. Successful completion of the QE is required to progress to PhD candidacy.

Timing and Eligibility for the Qualifying Examination

Eligibility for the QE is in accordance with Graduate School policies. The exam should be scheduled after students have completed the required coursework for their program. Students who may be required to complete GNUR 510 Teaching Practicum may sit for the QE before this course has been completed. The QE may be taken before cognates are completed, at the discretion of the advisor. The QE is typically completed during the Fall Semester. Exceptions to the timing of the QE will be considered on a case by case basis.

A student will not be eligible to sit for the QE if there are any outstanding incomplete (I) grades. The student’s Advisor is responsible for verifying all course requirements for any outstanding incomplete grades have been satisfied.

Eligibility for the QE is determined by the faculty advisor.

QE Committee

The QE Committee is convened the semester before the student is scheduled to take the QE. The QE committee is composed of a Director and 2 committee members.

The Director and the committee members must be full-time faculty members in the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing. The student in consultation with the Director, requests faculty to serve as committee members.

The QE Director must be a Full member of the faculty of the Graduate School. At least one of the committee members must be Full or Associate member of the faculty of the Graduate School. The third committee member may or may not be a member of the Graduate Faculty.

(Full and Associate members of the faculty of the Graduate School are listed on the Graduate School website. Not all MNSON faculty members hold Graduate Faculty appointments)

Process and Timeline

The QE is composed of two consecutive parts: a written and oral component. A pass/no pass grade is awarded based on the culmination of the student’s responses on both the written and the oral components. However, an unsatisfactory written component will preclude progression to the oral component.

Written Component

There are two options for the written component of the QE. The sequencing and process will depend on the option chosen. The decision regarding which option a student will take will be determined by the student in collaboration with the student’s Director. Once the option has been chosen it cannot be changed to the other option during that semester.

Option 1. Written Set of questions

For the written set of questions, the QE committee will develop three questions for the student to demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of philosophy of science, ethics, concepts, theory, and advanced research methods within their developing program of research.

Semester Prior to the Exam

• The student chooses a QE Director and 2 committee members.
• The Director and committee members develop the three exam questions.

Semester of the Exam

• In the first week of the semester, the committee and the student agree upon the timeline for exam questions to be distributed to the student, the due date of the exam, responses to the questions due to the committee and the date for the oral component.
• The student will receive the questions via email.
• The student can request to meet with the Director and committee members to clarify the questions within the first 3 calendar days of receiving the questions.
• The student will have two weeks (14 days) from the date the questions are sent to the student complete the responses.
• QE responses must be submitted via Turnitin® on the PhD in Nursing Sakai® site.
• The responses to the exam should adhere to the following criteria.
  • Single Microsoft Word® document with page numbers
  • 12-point Times New Roman font
  • Double space
  • 1-inch margins
  • Start each question response by retyping the question to start your response.
  • For each question, responses may be between 8-10 pages, exclusive of citations, tables and appendices.
  • Adhere to APA style.
  • Students may use inanimate sources (e.g. books, articles) as needed to answer the QE questions. However, they may not consult any person about the questions during the 2-week writing process.
• Criteria for evaluating the QE exam responses are as follows:
  • The degree to which the response answers the question. If the question includes multiple components, the response reflects a balanced answer to each component of the question.
  • Responses demonstrate synthesis of coursework where appropriate.
  • Responses present a logical flow with justification, elaboration, and conclusions.
  • Responses are well organized, well written and understandable.
• Committee members will have two weeks to review the responses to the exam.
• Committee members will provide written feedback to the Director within two weeks of receiving the exam responses.
• Based on the committee feedback, the Director will notify the student if he/she is ready to advance to the oral component.
• The Director will summarize the committee’s comments as a cohesive written product and present it to the student.
• If the student successfully advances to the oral component of the QE, the Director will arrange a time to meet and give committee feedback to the student prior to the oral portion of the QE. The oral portion of the QE is completed as scheduled.
• If the student does not advance to the oral component portion of the QE, the entire committee will meet with the student and review the written feedback regarding the exam responses. More information about repeating the QE can be found on p. 26 of the PhD in Nursing Handbook.

Option 2. Paper

For the paper, the student demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge of philosophy of science, ethics, concepts, theory, and advanced research methods within their developing program of research.

Two Semesters Prior to the Exam

• The student chooses a QE Director and 2 committee members.
• The Director, committee members, and the student determine the focus of the paper.

Semester Prior to the Exam

• The student submits a detailed outline of the paper to the QE Director one month prior to the end of that semester.
• The Director will distribute the outline to the Committee
• The Committee meets to provide written feedback to the student before the end of that semester.

Semester of the Exam

• In the first week of the semester, the committee and the student agree upon the outline of the paper, timeline for the due date of the paper, and the date for the oral component.
• In accordance with the timeline set by the committee, the student will have approximately two months to complete the written portion of the paper.
• The QE paper must be submitted via Turnitin® on the PhD in Nursing Sakai® site.
• The paper should adhere to the following criteria.
  • Single Microsoft Word® document with page numbers
  • 12-point Times New Roman font
  • Double space
  • 1-inch margins
  • The paper is a maximum of 30 pages, exclusive of citations, tables, figures and appendices.
  • Adhere to APA style.
  • Students may use inanimate sources (e.g. books, articles) to complete the QE paper. However, they may not consult any person about the substance of the paper during the writing process.
• Criteria for evaluating the QE paper are as follows:
  1. Problem statement; rationale; concept chosen to study phenomenon of Interest; critique of existing theories related to the phenomenon of interest - Present the topic of study: a) frame the problem in the extant literature, discuss the rationale for this area of research; b) describe the central concept; c) describe and critique key theoretical or conceptual framework(s) pertinent to the problem.
  2. Literature review - Synthesize the literature related to the problem and include a) description of what is known; b) critique the research related to the problem (e.g., conceptual clarity, design, psychometrics of measures, and interpretation of findings).
  3. Identification and discussion of knowledge gaps and implications for research - Discuss implications for practice, research and policy around the gaps identified in the literature review. This may include a brief discussion of the next steps in addressing the problem through a program of research.
• Committee members will have two weeks to review the paper.
• Committee members will provide written feedback to the Director within two weeks of receiving the paper.
• Based on the committee feedback, the Director will notify the student if he/she is ready to advance to the oral component.
• The Director will summarize the committee’s comments as a cohesive written product and present the summary to the student.
• If the student successfully advances to the oral component of the QE, the Director will arrange a time to meet and give Committee feedback to the student prior to the oral portion of the QE. The oral portion of the QE is completed as scheduled.
• If the student does not advance to the oral component portion of the QE, the entire committee will meet with the student and review the written feedback regarding the exam responses. More information about repeating the QE can be found on p. 29 of the PhD in Nursing Handbook.

Note: The procedures for Oral Component refer to both Option 1 and Option 2

Oral Component

• The oral component of the QE is attended on the scheduled day only by the members of the QE committee and the student.
• The student and all members of the committee will attend the oral component in the same room.
• The oral component will be scheduled to allow for at least a two-hour period.
• The student gives a formal presentation of no more than 30 minutes. After the presentation, questions are be posed to further evaluate the student’s mastery of philosophy of science, ethics, concepts, theory, and advanced research methods within their developing program of research.
• At the conclusion of the oral component, the student will be asked to leave the room while members of the committee discuss the student’s performance and determine if the student passed or did not pass the examination.
• The student is notified of the decision, immediately after the committee finishes deliberations.
• Once the student has passed the combined written and oral components of the QE, the Director notifies the Assistant Dean of the PhD in Nursing program of the outcome. The Assistant Dean records this milestone in the Graduate Student Performance System and enters the grade for GNUR 610 into LOCUS.

Passing the QE is based on the culmination of the student’s responses on both the written and the oral components. However, an unsatisfactory written component will preclude progression to the oral component. If the QE committee determines that a student has not met the minimum standard on the oral component of the QE, student must repeat the entire QE process. The student will receive a No Pass grade for that semester and will register for GNUR 610 again for the following semester.

Repeating the QE exam

The committee will meet with the student and provide written feedback and recommendations. The student will be required to take both components (written and oral) of the exam in repeating the QE. The student may choose either the written questions or paper as an option. The process will then follow as described under the chosen option in the semester immediately following the first attempt.

If a student does not pass on the second attempt, the PhD in Nursing Program Committee will be convened to discuss the results and decide on the student’s progression in the program.

Student Accessibility Center

The Student Accessibility Center (SAC) provides support for students with disabilities through innovative services, programs, and partnerships. The SAC leads the campus community in its commitments to recognize disability as a valued aspect of diversity, to embrace access as a matter of social justice, and to design more welcoming and inclusive environments.

If individuals encounter academic, physical, technology, or other barriers on campus, SAC staff is available to help implement reasonable accommodations or partner to find good solutions.

To receive accommodations, students must be registered with the SAC. Please visit their website or contact them directly at 773.508.3700.

Unprofessional Behavior and Conduct of Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing Students

Exemplary behavior of students in Loyola University Chicago’s (the “University”) Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing (the “MNSON”), consistent with the standards of the nursing and health professions, is expected at all times. Students in the MNSON are expected to abide by the policies regarding professionalism in applicable student handbooks as well as the syllabi for each course, including professional behaviors with respect to attendance, punctuality, dress, demeanor, integrity and ethical conduct relative to the nursing and health professions. Professional conduct by the student facilitates learning opportunities and fosters good working relationships within the MNSON and between the MNSON and clinical agencies or institutions.

Complaints related to unprofessional behavior and conduct by students within the MNSON may originate from faculty, staff, other students, or from outside the University, such as a clinical site.

Issues of unprofessional behavior or conduct that occur during a clinical learning experience are addressed through the evaluation of student performance in the course, as detailed in the course syllabus. If a student believes the grading related to his/her professional behavior and conduct is the result of a significant violation of clearly established written school policies, is the result of improper procedures, or is capricious, the student may pursue a grievance in accordance with the MNSON Academic Grievances and Appeals Procedure as written in the Undergraduate and Graduate Program Student Handbooks.

Complaints of unprofessional behavior or conduct within a classroom, simulation, or lab experience, or outside a clinical learning experience, are addressed through a formal complaint resolution process, as specified below.

1. The first attempt at resolution of the complaint should occur between the student and the other parties involved.
2. If the complaint of unprofessional behavior or conduct is not resolved among the parties involved, a formal complaint, in written form, is forwarded to the Program Director of the student’s degree program.
3. The Program Director reviews the complaint, any supporting documentation submitted by any of the parties, and meets with the parties involved individually. If the Program Director is directly involved in the complaint, the complaint instead is forwarded to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs.
4. If the complaint is not resolved at the level of the Program Director, the Program Director submits a recommendation for any action to be taken, along with any supporting documentation, to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs with jurisdiction over the degree program in which the student is enrolled.
5. The Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs, upon review of the recommendation, complaint and supporting documentation, meets with the parties to the complaint.
6. The Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs may dismiss the complaint or, upon finding that the student has engaged in unprofessional behavior and conduct, institute progressive corrective action with the student. Progressive corrective action typically begins with a verbal warning (documented) to the student, which details the nature of the complaint, corrective actions to be taken, and notifies the student that failure to correct the unprofessional behavior or conduct may result in more severe corrective action. The nature of the behavior dictates the severity of the action. The behavior may warrant immediate action beyond a verbal warning.
7. If the unprofessional behavior or conduct continues, the Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs may issue a written warning, which details the nature of the continuing concern related to unprofessional behavior or conduct, further corrective actions that are required, and notifies the student that failure to correct the unprofessional behavior or conduct may result in the student’s withdrawal from a course or a recommendation for dismissal from the academic program. The decision to recommend a withdrawal or dismissal is based on the nature and severity of the unprofessional behavior.
8. If the unprofessional behavior or conduct continues, the Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate programs will either withdraw the student form a course or make a recommendation for dismissal from the academic program.
9. If the student is withdrawn from the course, the student will receive a W or WF for the course depending on the time the decision is made.
10. The Associate Dean of Undergraduate or Graduate Programs may submit to the Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs a recommendation for the student’s dismissal from the academic program, after the verbal and written warning steps are completed, if the unprofessional behavior or conduct continues. The Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may authorize the student’s dismissal from the program of study, in all cases except where expulsion from the University is also recommended (see #12 below).
11. A student who wishes to appeal a decision impacting his/her academic standing or progress at the University may make a written request for an appeal within 30 calendar days of the disputed decision being rendered, consistent with the University’s policy on General Academic Appeals at https://www.luc.edu/media/lucedu/academics/catalog/undergrad/pdf/version_6_16_1.PDF. The appeal will be reviewed and considered by the MNSON Dean within 30 calendar days of the receipt of the written student request for an appeal. The appeal decision made by the Dean is final and is ineligible for further appeal.
12. In cases where a student’s expulsion from the University for Unprofessional Behavior and conduct is considered, the Executive Associate Dean for Academic Affairs forwards all relevant documentation to the MNSON Dean for review. Upon recommendation from the Dean, an action of expulsion from the University rests with the Senior Academic Officer (the Provost of the University).

Wellness Center

• Lakeshore Campus - (773) 508-2530
• Health Sciences Campus – (708) 216-2250

Appointments can be made online, or by calling Dial-a-Nurse at 773-508-8883.

Writing Center

To help students, improve their writing skills, tutors are available to help during any point of the writing process, from brainstorming to organizing to putting the final touches on any assignment. For more information about the Writing Center, or to schedule an appointment for a tutoring session, visit the Writing Center website or by calling 773.508.7708.