The Doctor of Philosophy program in nursing requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. 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 Ph.D. program must be updated according to University policy.
The Ph.D. with a major in nursing requires the following work.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS:6802 | Health Policy, Law, and Advocacy | 3 |
| NURS:6811 | Social Determinants of Health and Health System Inequities | 3 |
| NURS:7000 | Philosophy and Sociology of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS:7001 | Qualitative Research | 4 |
| NURS:7002 | Designing Research | 3 |
| NURS:7003 | Quantitative Research | 4 |
| NURS:7006 | Theory and Model Development | 3 |
| NURS:7310 | Measurement in Health Research | 3 |
| NURS:7404 | Biological Markers in Health Research | 3 |
| NURS:7801 | Seminar: Research Scholarship Role Development | 3 |
| NURS:7803 | Research Practicum I | 2 |
| NURS:7804 | Research Practicum II | 2 |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health | 0, 1 |
| Specialization courses (B.S.N.-Ph.D. only) | 6 | |
| Intermediate statistics | 3-4 | |
| Advanced statistics | 3-4 | |
Cognate Area
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Cognate courses (B.S.N.-Ph.D. only) | 6 | |
Comprehensive Exam and Dissertation
Students must complete a written and oral comprehensive examination before they begin work on the dissertation. They must write the dissertation and defend it orally.
Dissertation
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| A minimum of 11 s.h. in this course: | ||
| NURS:7805 | Dissertation Research | arr. |
Applicants to College of Nursing graduate programs must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College on the Graduate College website.
The program is open to individuals who have earned a bachelor's degree in nursing, an associate's degree in nursing with a bachelor's or advanced degree in any field, an advanced degree in nursing, or an advanced degree in a health-related field.
A criminal background check is required for all students upon admission. The College of Nursing has additional application requirements, as follows.
Admission to the Ph.D. Program
Ph.D. applicants who have completed an accredited basic nursing program must hold a current license to practice nursing.
Applicants must have a g.p.a. of at least 3.00. They also must have successfully completed an upper-level statistics course within five years prior to the application deadline.
Applicants must submit along with their application:
a 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;
a current résumé or curriculum vitae; and
a complete transcript 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); or they must score at least 7.0 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), with no subscore less than 6.
Application deadline for the Ph.D. program is January 15. In order to be reviewed, the applicant's file must be complete, with all materials submitted.
The Ph.D. 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, Ph.D.
Master's to Ph.D. Program
| Academic Career | ||
|---|---|---|
| Any Semester | Hours | |
| 72 s.h. of graduate level coursework must be completed; graduate transfer credits allowed upon approval. More information is included in the General Catalog and on department website. a | ||
| See General Catalog and website for list of coursework; must include 3-4 s.h. of intermediate statistics courses, 3-4 s.h. of advanced statistics courses, 6 s.h. of other coursework, and at least 11 s.h. of dissertation credit. Work with faculty advisor to determine courses and sequence. | ||
| Hours | 0 | |
| First Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| CITI Training b | ||
| NURS:7000 | Philosophy and Sociology of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS:7801 | Seminar: Research Scholarship Role Development | 3 |
| PSQF:6243 | Intermediate Statistical Methods c, d | 4 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS:6811 | Social Determinants of Health and Health System Inequities | 3 |
| NURS:7006 | Theory and Model Development | 3 |
| PSQF:6244 or BIOS:5120 |
Correlation and Regression e or Regression Modeling and ANOVA in the Health Sciences |
3 - 4 |
| Hours | 9-10 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NURS:7002 | Designing Research | 3 |
| BIOS:5130 | Applied Categorical Data Analysis d, f | 3 |
| NURS:7310 | Measurement in Health Research | 3 |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health | 0 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS:7003 | Quantitative Research | 4 |
| NURS:7803 | Research Practicum I | 2 |
| CPH:7270 | Principles of Scholarly Integrity: Public Health | 1 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Comprehensive Exam g | ||
| NURS:6802 | Health Policy, Law, and Advocacy | 3 |
| NURS:7001 | Qualitative Research | 4 |
| NURS:7804 | Research Practicum II | 2 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS:7404 | Biological Markers in Health Research | 3 |
| NURS:7509 | Research Residency h | 1 - 3 |
| Hours | 4-6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NURS:7805 | Dissertation Research i | 1 - 4 |
| Hours | 1-4 | |
| Spring | ||
| NURS:7805 | Dissertation Research i | 1 - 4 |
| Hours | 1-4 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| NURS:7805 | Dissertation Research i | 1 - 4 |
| Hours | 1-4 | |
| Spring | ||
| Final Oral Exam (Dissertation Defense) | ||
| NURS:7805 | Dissertation Research i | 1 - 4 |
| Hours | 1-4 | |
| Total Hours | 52-67 | |
| a | Students must complete specific requirements in the University of Iowa Graduate College after program admission. Refer to the Graduate College website and the Manual of Rules and Regulations for more information. |
| b | Online training modules to be completed during first semester. |
| c | Take PSQF:6243 if doing the PSQF stats sequence or take other coursework if doing the BIOS stats sequence. |
| d | Other coursework includes the following: electives, additional methods courses, Research Practicum, or Research Residency. Work with faculty advisor to determine courses and sequence. |
| e | Take PSQF:6244 if doing PSQF stats sequence or take BIOS:5120 if doing BIOS stats sequence. |
| f | Take BIOS:5130 if doing BIOS stats sequence or take other coursework if PSQF stats sequence already completed. |
| g | For students admitted fall 2017 or later, the Comprehensive Exam must be completed no later than the end of the fall semester of year three. |
| h | Or take an advanced/specific methods course, third stats course, or an elective. |
| i | Minimum of 11 s.h. Dissertation Research credits required, generally distributed over multiple semesters until degree completion. |