Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D.) in Nursing
Objectives
The Ph.D. in Nursing prepares nurse leaders to: 1) design and conduct research that contributes to the advancement of nursing science and global health; 2) conduct culturally sensitive research to guide nursing practice; 3) incorporate research outcomes to formulate policies pertinent to nursing and global health; and 4) disseminate innovative and creative strategies to improve health through nursing research, practice, and education.
Admission Requirements
In addition to the general requirements for admission to doctoral study at The University of Texas at Tyler, the following criteria must be met for entry into the program:
- A baccalaureate or master's degree in nursing from a college or university approved by a recognized national accrediting body.
- Submission of satisfactory Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores taken within the last five years.
- A current license to practice professional nursing.
- International applicants will be evaluated for equivalency on criteria 1-3.
- International students must score a minimum of 550 (paper), 213 (computer), or 79 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). For more information on International applications, please see the general graduate section of this catalog.
- A 3-5 page paper linking professional goals and research interests to health issues emphasized in this program.
- Three academic and/or professional letters of reference.
Consideration for admission to the PhD in Nursing program will also be given to one or more of the following: the applicant’s demonstrated commitment to his or her chosen field of study, socioeconomic background, first generation college graduate, multilingual proficiency, geographic region of residence, and level of responsibility in other matters including extracurricular activities, employment, community, service, and family responsibilities.
Degree Requirements
This degree program is delivered online. Students are required to attend an orientation on the UT Tyler campus prior to beginning coursework and an annual summer workshop. Students may be required to be present for other special activities throughout their program of study (e.g. dissertation defense).
-
Minimum Credit Hours (60 hrs.)
-
Required Courses - 39 hrs.
-
Cognates - 9 hrs.
-
Dissertation - 12 hrs.
-
Special degree requirements (for details on university doctoral requirements, see the general graduate section of this catalog and the Graduate Nursing Handbook available on the College of Nursing Graduate Programs website)
-
The Proficiency Examination is taken after the student has completed a significant portion, if not all, coursework. Students may not advance to candidacy or register for dissertation hours until all coursework is completed and all portions of the Proficiency Examination have been passed satisfactorily.
-
Students have a maximum of nine years to complete the program. Students will have five years to complete the program after entering candidacy. Students unable to complete the program within the designated time limits must file for an extension.
-
A dissertation of original research contributing to the body of knowledge in nursing will be required. Students must enroll for dissertation hours during each long semester while in the dissertation process. A minimum of 12 hours of dissertation credit is required.
-
Students must meet all doctoral degree requirements of the University.
-
Transfer work: Students may transfer up to twelve hours of coursework with the approval of their advisor and the Doctoral Program Director. Students will be responsible for providing necessary documentation of course equivalency.
Below is a typical outline of program progression for a full-time student.
Year 1
Summer (1)
Fall
Spring
Summer (2)
Year 2
Fall
| NURS 6330 | Quantitative Research Designs & Methods | |
| NURS 6350 | Research in Transcultural Health | |
| Elective/Cognate | |
Spring
| NURS 6352 | Health Care Policy Development | |
| NURS 6337 | Advanced Research Design & Methods | |
| NURS 6339 | Mixed Methods Research Design | |
| Proficiency Exam | |
Summer
Year 3
Fall
NURS 6160-6660
| Dissertation | |
Spring
NURS 6160-6660
| Dissertation | |