Nursing (PhD)
Preparing nurse scholars to improve health through research, education, and leadership. The PhD in Nursing prepares graduates to advance the scientific foundation of nursing practice and health care delivery. Under the guidance of our faculty, students are prepared to launch a program of research addressing the social, cultural, political and ethical issues related to an area of nursing scholarship.
Related Programs
Doctoral
Curriculum
The PhD in Nursing requires a minimum of 46 credit hours for students entering with a master’s degree.1 Students entering with a BSN complete an additional 24 credit hours of graduate level nursing courses.
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.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| GNUR 432 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| GNUR 440 | Systematic Inquiry I: Scholarly Writing | 2 |
| GNUR 500 | Phenomena and Theories for Nursing Science I | 2 |
| GNUR 501 | Phenomena and Theories for Nursing Science II | 2 |
| GNUR 508 | The Nurse Scientist Role | 2 |
| GNUR 509 | Teaching Methods | 3 |
| GNUR 512 | Quantitative Methods & Design for Nursing Research | 3 |
| GNUR 513 | Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research | 3 |
| GNUR 519 | Measurement for Nursing Research | 3 |
| GNUR 520 | Systematic Inq II: Reviewing & Synthesizing Lit | 2 |
| GNUR 523 | Health Care Policy and Economics | 3 |
| GNUR 539 | Innovative Science, Theory and Methods | 3 |
| GNUR 542 | Grant and Proposal Writing | 3 |
| GNUR 546 | Advanced Statistics I 2 | 3 |
| GNUR 547 | Advanced Statistics II | 3 |
| GNUR 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Two (2) Courses in Cognate Area | 6 | |
| Total Hours | 46 | |
- 1
GNUR 510 Teaching Practicum is required for students who receive funding through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. Students in that program will complete 49 credit hours of coursework.
- 2
Students who have not taken a graduate level statistics course prior to entering the PhD program may be required to take an additional three credit hour graduate statistics course before enrolling in GNUR 546 Advanced Statistics I or GNUR 547 Advanced Statistics II. The pre-requisite will not replace one of the above required courses and students will graduate with 49 credit hours.
Qualifying Examination
At the completion of coursework, students are required to successfully complete a qualifying examination consisting of both written and oral components. The examinations are designed to assess the depth, breadth, comprehension, integration, and synthesis of knowledge that forms the foundation for conducting dissertation research.
Dissertation
A directed dissertation is required to complete a PhD in Nursing. All students in the Graduate School who write a dissertation must successfully complete UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship. It is recommended that this course be taken prior to beginning research.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| GNUR 432 | Philosophy of Science | 3 |
| GNUR 440 | Systematic Inquiry I: Scholarly Writing | 2 |
| GNUR 500 | Phenomena and Theories for Nursing Science I | 2 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 501 | Phenomena and Theories for Nursing Science II | 2 |
| GNUR 508 | The Nurse Scientist Role | 2 |
| GNUR 512 | Quantitative Methods & Design for Nursing Research | 3 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| GNUR 513 | Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research | 3 |
| Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| GNUR 519 | Measurement for Nursing Research | 3 |
| GNUR 520 | Systematic Inq II: Reviewing & Synthesizing Lit | 2 |
| GNUR 546 | Advanced Statistics I | 3 |
| Hours | 8 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 523 | Health Care Policy and Economics | 3 |
| GNUR 539 | Innovative Science, Theory and Methods | 3 |
| GNUR 547 | Advanced Statistics II | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Summer | ||
| GNUR 509 | Teaching Methods | 3 |
| Cognate Course | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| Teaching Practicum 1 | ||
| GNUR 610 | Doctoral Study | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 542 | Grant and Proposal Writing | 3 |
| GNUR 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| GNUR 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 600 | Dissertation Supervision | 0 |
| Hours | 0 | |
| Total Hours | 46 | |
- 1
GNUR 510 Teaching Practicum is required for students who receive funding through the Nurse Faculty Loan Program. Students in that program will complete 49 credit hours of coursework.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Program Goal
The goal of the PhD in Nursing program is to prepare scholars who improve human health through the development and expansion of knowledge.
Learning 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.
- Differentiate between managing a career as a nurse scientist and stewarding the nursing discipline.