Nursing, PhD
This is the first version of the 2026–27 General Catalog. Please check back regularly for changes. The final edition and the historical PDF will be published during the fall semester.
Learning Outcomes
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program prepares scholars to advance nursing science and contribute to transdisciplinary efforts to improve health outcomes. Graduates of the program are prepared to be leaders who engage in the three roles highlighted by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN): develop the science, steward the discipline, and educate the next generation of nurses.
Graduates will:
- master in-depth knowledge in a substantive area of nursing;
- conduct original research that generates new knowledge;
- disseminate research results and articulate implications for policy, practice, and the profession; and
- assimilate evolving roles and responsibilities of a nurse scholar.
The Doctor of Philosophy in nursing requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Students must maintain a UI cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.00.
The program prepares students to advance nursing science and contribute to the body of nursing knowledge. It emphasizes student participation with faculty members on research teams, focused coursework, presentation and publication of research-based knowledge, and interdisciplinary learning experiences.
Graduate students in the College of Nursing must adhere to all Graduate College policies regarding academic standing, probation, and dismissal. Coursework taken 10 or more years before a student plans to graduate from the PhD program must be updated according to university policy.
Foundational Training
Student complete required Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) online modules in the first semester.
Students are required to take WRIT:1650 Essentials of Writing: Nursing. However, courses numbered below 3000 do not count as graduate credit and therefore cannot be applied toward the 72 s.h. minimum for the PhD.
Required Coursework
Students complete a total of 42 s.h. in scientific inquiry, methods, lens, and application coursework.
Scientific Inquiry Coursework
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| NURS:7000 | Philosophy and Sociology of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS:7006 | Theory and Model Development | 3 |
| NURS:7801 | Seminar: Research Scholarship Role Development | 1 |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health (taken twice, once for 0 s.h. and once for 1 s.h) | 0-1 |
Methods Coursework
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| All of these: | ||
| NURS:6035 | Informatics and Emerging Technologies (or alternate graduate informatics course, as approved by faculty advisor) | 3 |
| NURS:7001 | Qualitative Research | 4 |
| NURS:7002 | Designing Research | 3 |
| NURS:7003 | Quantitative Research | 3 |
| NURS:7310 | Measurement in Health Research | 3 |
| BIOS:4120 | Introduction to Biostatistics | 3 |
| BIOS:5120 | Regression Modeling and ANOVA in the Health Sciences | 3 |
| BIOS:5130 | Applied Categorical Data Analysis | 3 |
Lens Coursework
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| NURS:6036 | Health Policy and Advocacy (or alternate graduate health policy course, as approved by faculty advisor) | 3 |
| NURS:7404 | Biological Markers in Health Research | 2 |
Application Coursework
| Course # | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Both of these: | ||
| NURS:7803 | Research Practicum I | 2 |
| NURS:7804 | Research Practicum II | 2 |
Dissertation Research
Students complete 11 s.h. in NURS:7805 Dissertation Research.
Electives
Students complete 19 s.h. of elective coursework. Students select from courses numbered 3000 or above from the following areas: nursing (prefix NURS) excluding NURS:7805, biostatistics (prefix BIOS), community and behavioral health (prefix CBH), epidemiology (prefix EPID), global health studies (prefix GHS), health and human physiology (prefix HHP), health management and policy (prefix HMP), graduate informatics (prefix IGPI), occupational and environmental health (prefix OEH), psychological and quantitative foundations (prefix PSQF), and statistics (prefix STAT).
Students often take NURS:7509 Research Residency, NURS:7620 Advanced Seminar in Nursing Research and Inquiry, and NURS:7800 Independent Study.
Additional coursework from specialization areas, cognates, or additional methods courses are also possible with the permission of the student's faculty advisor. Students are highly encouraged to take elective courses outside the College of Nursing.
Graduate education prepares students with advanced knowledge and skills in specialized fields. At the University of Iowa, the Graduate College advocates for student-centered graduate education and supports equitable application of rules and policies across graduate programs.
Academics
University of Iowa graduate credentials are regulated by policies and requirements found in the Graduate College Manual of Rules and Regulations. This includes minimum grade-point average (GPA) requirements for academic standing and degree conferral. The Graduate College sets the minimum requirement. Individual graduate programs may establish higher GPA requirements.
Admissions
Graduate student applicants must meet admission requirements for both the Graduate College and the program to which they have applied. University of Iowa graduate admission requirements are published by the Graduate College and on the Graduate Admissions website.
Financial Support
Graduate students might be eligible for financial support. Several contingencies apply, including degree program and award type, satisfactory progress toward degree, satisfactory completion of all duties related to an appointment, and availability of funding. Graduate students should inquire directly with their program for more information about funding availability. The Graduate Student Employment Standards govern the employment relationship between the University of Iowa and all graduate teaching and research assistants in all matters except wages, which are covered by an existing collective bargaining agreement or the conditions of an applicable federal grant.
Applicants to College of Nursing graduate programs must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations on the Graduate College website.
PhD applicants must fulfill the following for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program:
- One of the following credentials from an accredited program:
- Bachelor's degree in nursing
- Associate's degree in nursing with a bachelor's or advanced degree in any field
- Advanced degree in nursing
- Advanced degree in a health-related field
- Applicants must have a grade-point average of at least 3.00.
- Successful completion an upper-level statistics course within five years prior to the application deadline.
A criminal background check is required for all students upon admission. The College of Nursing has additional application requirements, as follows.
Admission to the PhD Program
PhD applicants who have completed an accredited basic nursing program must hold a current license to practice nursing.
Applicants must apply to the Graduate College as part of the process for admission to the College of Nursing PhD program. The first step is to complete the online application through the Graduate Admissions Nursing (PhD) webpage and pay the appropriate fee. As part of the second step, Graduate Admissions will contact you by email to provide instructions on uploading supporting documents, which include the following:
- Two-to-three-page statement describing their educational objectives, career goals, and an area of research for their doctoral study;
- Three recommendations from nursing professionals that speak to the applicant's potential as a scholar;
- Current résumé or curriculum vitae; and
- Official transcripts of all college programs and courses.
Applicants whose first language is not English must score at least 81 (internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL); at least 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no subscore less than 6; or at least 120 on the Duolingo English Test (DET).
To be reviewed, the applicant's file must be complete with all materials submitted by the application deadline of December 1.
The PhD program prepares scholars to move nursing and health science forward. Graduates are prepared for careers as faculty members in college and university settings as well as researchers, consultants, and leaders in military, academic, or industry venues and in other nonacademic settings.
Sample Plan of Study
Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor. For additional sample plans, see MyUI.
Nursing, PhD
This sample plan is currently being reviewed and will be added at a later date.