PhD in Nursing
Major: Nursing
Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy
Calendar Type: Quarter
Minimum Required Credits: 90.0
Co-op Option: None
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 51.3801
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 29-1141
About the Program
The College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP) offers a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science, a research-based program embedded in social justice, which aims to prepare nurse researchers to design, conduct and lead research studies as emerging nurse scientists. The objective of the PhD in Nursing is to prepare professional nurses as scholars and researchers who will make a substantive contribution to the body of knowledge for the discipline of nursing and thereby improve health services for those who receive nursing care. Graduates are expected to plan and launch an independent program of research, seek needed support for initial phases of the research program, and begin to involve others (i.e., students, clinicians, and other researchers) in their activities.
Students who have earned a master's degree in nursing are eligible to apply. In addition to structured coursework, the program builds upon a research mentorship model which recognizes that research skills are learned most effectively by working with a faculty mentor, who provides opportunities to use the tools to conduct research and design, and execute an original research within a focused program of study.
Innovation, leadership, civic engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration are strong educational values which are reflected in the Drexel University emerging strategic plan. The PhD in nursing program represents leadership in the fields, with interdisciplinary collaboration and critical consciousness as core administrative and curricular values basic to its philosophy and epistemology. Innovation is also central to this doctoral program as evidenced in its curriculum and research philosophy.
The College of Nursing and Health Professions (CNHP), Graduate Nursing Division in which the Doctoral Nursing Program is housed, is regarded as a forward-thinking, progressive, and interdisciplinary healthcare school within the university as well as in the larger context of advanced healthcare education.
Additional Information
For more information, contact:
Anna Pohuly
College of Nursing and Health Professions
1601 Cherry Street, Mail Stop 10501
10th Floor, Room 1011
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: 267-359-5872
ap469@drexel.edu
Admission Requirements
Applicants must possess a master’s degree in nursing for admission consideration. Criteria for admission include:
- GPA of 3.5
- GRE scores
- OREs (and TOEFLs, if international)
- Letters of recommendation (3)
- Written essay that articulates research interests, career goals, scholarly aspirations, and insights into important issues in the profession
- Professional accomplishments as evidenced by a submitted vitae or resume
- Fit with available faculty research interests and expertise
- Personal interview
Degree Requirements
The student is required to successfully complete a Candidacy Examination, Dissertation Proposal Defense, and Final Dissertation defense in addition to the Program Requirements noted below.
| Required Courses | ||
| Nursing Courses | ||
| NURS 802 | Epistemology, Ontology, and the Philosophy of Nursing Science | 3.0 |
| NURS 806 | Scientific Appraisal and Knowledge Development | 3.0 |
| NURS 819 | Qualitative Research Methods in Nursing Inquiry | 3.0 |
| NURS 820 | The Science of Therapeutics | 3.0 |
| NURS 863 | Mixed-Methods Research | 3.0 |
| Research and Statistics Competencies | ||
| RCRG 600 | An Introduction to the Responsible Conduct of Research | 0.0 |
| RSCH 700 | Foundations in Quantitative Research | 3.0 |
| RSCH 720 | Foundations of Biostatistics | 3.0 |
| RSCH 721 | Intermediate Statistics in Health I | 3.0 |
| RSCH 722 | Intermediate Statistics in Health II | 3.0 |
| RSCH 723 | Interpretation of Data | 3.0 |
| Writing Competencies | ||
| Students are required to take both of the following: | ||
| RSCH 742 | Scientific Writing | 3.0 |
| RSCH 743 | Grantsmanship | 3.0 |
| Dissertation Research * | ||
| NURS 988 | Dissertation Proposal Development | 3.0 |
| NURS 992 | Dissertation in Nursing Science * | 36.0-72.0 |
| Research Apprenticeship | ||
| Research Apprenticeship ** | ||
| Independent Study in Nursing *** | ||
| Electives † | 12.0 | |
| Research Elective †† | 3.0 | |
| Total Credits | 90.0-126.0 | |
- *
Students enroll in 9.0 credits of dissertation for no fewer than 3 quarters per academic year until successful dissertation defense except for international students who are required to enroll in 9.0 credits of dissertation for no fewer than 3 quarters per academic year until successful dissertation defense.
- **
NURS 850 is required for all students with the exception of Research Fellows. International students are required to enroll in 3.0 credits of NURS 850 during summer quarter of Year 1 and Year 2. Non-international students who are not participating in research fellowships are required to enroll in NURS 850 for minimum of 3.0 credits in each of Year 1 and Year 2.
- ***
International students will require 6.0 credits of independent study planned with the approval of the faculty advisor to provide research apprenticeship experiences during Year 1 and Year 2 summer quarters.
- †
Courses within these ranges require advisor permission: CHP 600-899, PBHL 600-899, EPI 600-899, CIT 600-698, IPS 700-899, RSCH 600-899, NURS 550-899.
- ††
Course selection for the research elective requires advisor approval and includes RSCH 600-RSCH 899.
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| NURS 802 | 3.0 | RCRG 600 | 0.0 | NURS 806 | 3.0 | Vacation* | |
| NURS 819 | 3.0 | RSCH 700 | 3.0 | RSCH 722 | 3.0 | ||
| RSCH 720 | 3.0 | RSCH 721 | 3.0 | RSCH 723 | 3.0 | ||
| RSCH 742 | 3.0 | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| RSCH 743 | 3.0 | NURS 820 | 3.0 | NURS 988 | 3.0 | Vacation* | |
| Elective** | 3.0 | NURS 863 | 3.0 | Elective** | 6.0 | ||
| Research Elective† | 3.0 | Elective** | 3.0 | ||||
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 0 | ||||
| Third Year | |||||||
| Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits | Summer | Credits |
| NURS 992†† | 9.0 | NURS 992†† | 9.0 | NURS 992†† | 9.0 | NURS 992†† | 9.0 |
| 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | ||||
| Total Credits 90 | |||||||
- *
NURS 850 is required for all students with the exception of Research Fellows. International students are required to enroll in 3.0 credits of NURS 850 during summer quarter of Year 1 and Year 2. Non-international students who are not participating in research fellowships are required to enroll in NURS 850 for minimum of 3.0 credits in each of Year 1 and Year 2.International students will require 6.0 credits of independent study planned with the approval of the faculty advisor to provide research apprenticeship experiences during Year 1 and Year 2 summer quarters.
- **
Courses within these ranges require advisor permission: CHP 600-899, PBHL 600-899, EPI 600-899, CIT 600-698, IPS 700-899, RSCH 600-899, NURS 550-899.
- †
Course selection for the research elective requires advisor approval and includes RSCH 600-RSCH 899.
- ††
Students enroll in 9.0 credits of dissertation for no fewer than 3 quarters per academic year until successful dissertation defense. The actual number of credits required will vary dependent upon student's dissertation and research topic. Consult with dissertation advisor.
