Nursing Ph.D.

Return to: School of Nursing 

Individuals who complete the PhD in Nursing Program will be prepared for roles as leader, scholar/researcher, and educator in academia, the health care industry, or government and private organizations focused on health care. Graduates will demonstrate the following program outcomes:

• Provide leadership in the advancement of nursing as a scientific and practice discipline through the conduct of culturally competent scholarship and identification of implications for policy, the discipline, and the profession.
• Conduct and communicate original research that generates new knowledge.
• Develop, implement and evaluate innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

Program Entrance Requirements

Admission into the nursing doctoral program is contingent upon the qualifications of the applicant and the availability of positions. Students are admitted once a year in the fall. Applicants must have submitted all required materials by February 1.

Admission Requirements

1. For the Post-DNP to PhD option an earned Doctorate in Nursing Practice degree from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education is required.
2. Earned master’s degrees in nursing (MSN) from programs accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; persons educated outside the United States need to demonstrate proof of equivalent education and advanced degrees.
3. Persons holding a bachelor’s degree in nursing and master’s degree in a health-related discipline from an accredited institution are eligible for admission but will need to successfully complete
   NURS 705
     or 
   NURS 755
    ,
   706
    ,
   707
    , and 
   713
     from the MSN program prior to taking doctoral courses.
4. A minimal grade point average of 3.5 (4.0 = A) earned in a nursing or health-related master’s program of study.
5. Successful completion of graduate course work in statistics and research.
6. Licensed as a Registered Nurse in at least one state or territory of the US.
7. Applicants must present competitive GRE scores on verbal, quantitative and analytic measures. The exam must have been taken within the last five years.
8. Three letters of recommendation are required from individuals who can evaluate the applicant’s motivation, academic capability, scholarship potential, and personal integrity for doctoral study in nursing.
9. Evidence of current health and malpractice insurance. Accepted applicants must, prior to enrollment, show proof of completion of the Hepatitis B vaccine series, a titer indicating presumptive immunity, or a statement from a health care provider indicating that vaccination is contraindicated for health reasons and validation of a negative drug screen. Other immunization and health data requirements are identified in the student handbook.
10. Applicants must submit the following written materials for review: a. Two representative samples of scholarly work (e.g., thesis, demonstration project, publications, etc.). b. Written statement of personal career, educational and scholarship goals including identification of research interests. The applicant’s research interests must be within the realm of our faculty expertise in order to pursue a doctoral degree in this program. c. Curriculum Vita or resume.
11. Applicants are required to participate in an interview with members of the Admissions Committee, either in person or by telephone.

Course Offerings

Doctoral courses offered by the School of Nursing are web-based. However, students are required to be on campus three days at the beginning of each fall semester. These meeting times and dates are set in advance to allow students adequate time to plan their schedules and most likely occur on Friday and/or Saturday.

Programs of Study

There are three options in the current PhD in Nursing Program: “Nursing Education” Option,“Urban Sustainability:Health” Option and the “Post-DNP to PhD” option. The UNLV SON PhD in Nursing Curriculum Framework outlines the shared required core courses in the PhD Nursing Program.

Students enrolled in the “Nursing Education” Option who have completed appropriate nursing education courses prior to admission will complete a reduced number of credits for a total of no less than 53 graduate credit hours. Students can enroll for either part-time or full-time study.

Students enrolled in the “Post-DNP to PhD ” Option, who have completed a DNP degree obtained from an accredited program prior to admission, will complete a reduced number of credits for a total of no less than 45 graduate credit hours. Students can enroll for either part-time or full-time study.