The PhD in Nursing program prepares nursing professionals for advanced careers in nursing research, practice, and education. With a focus on readying students to contribute to nursing science, advance knowledge in nursing practice, and improve healthcare services, practices, and policies, course topics include: advanced quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods research design; quality improvement systems and leadership; and theoretical and scientific perspectives in nursing. The doctoral dissertation enables students to conduct and publish original research that contributes to the body of knowledge in their chosen specialty. Based on their educational and career goals, students will choose from among five focus areas: Education, Healthcare Administration, Interdisciplinary Health, Leadership, and Public Health Policy. Students wishing to continue their studies may also pursue a second, optional focus area.
Graduates of this program will be prepared to:
The PhD in Nursing offers two entry options: BSN-PhD and MSN-PhD. See specialization pages for details on minimum required credits by specialization and entry option.
BSN-PhD entry: This entry option is for registered nurses (RN) who have earned their bachelor’s in nursing degree.
MSN-PhD entry: This entry option is for registered nurses (RN) who have earned their master’s in nursing degree.
BSN-PhD entry students take 45 credits of core courses. See each focus area for MSN level core course information.
20 credits of MSN level core courses based on the focus area
MSN-PhD entry students take 20 credits of core courses.
OR
OR
See each focus area for course information.
Students take this course for a minimum of four quarters and are continuously enrolled until completion of their dissertation with final chief academic officer (CAO) approval.
To complete a doctoral dissertation, students must obtain the academic approval of several independent evaluators including their committee, the University Research Reviewer, and the Institutional Review Board; pass the Form and Style Review; gain approval at the oral defense stage; and gain final approval by the chief academic officer. Students must also publish their dissertation on ProQuest before their degree is conferred. Learn more about the dissertation process in the Dissertation Guidebook.
The BSN-PhD entry course sequence is as follows.
|
Quarter |
Course |
Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
Quarter 1 |
NURS 8003 – Foundations and Essentials in Nursing |
1 credit |
|
BSN-PhD Entry Core Course #1 |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 2 |
BSN-PhD Entry Core Course #2 |
5 credits |
|
BSN-PhD Entry Core Course #3 |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 3 |
BSN-PhD Entry Core Course #4 |
5 credits |
|
NURS 8100 – Healthcare Policy and Advocacy |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 4 |
NURS 8710 - Doctoral Seminar I |
1 credit |
|
NURS 8112 – Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing Research |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8401 – Residency 1 Complete Residency 1 prior to RSCH 8110. |
||
|
Quarter 5 |
RSCH 8110 – Research Theory, Design, and Methods |
5 credits |
|
NURS 8301 – Effectively Leading Organizations in Quality Improvement Initiatives |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 6 |
NURS 8720 – Doctoral Seminar II |
1 credit |
|
NURS 8210 – Transforming Nursing and Healthcare through Technology |
5 credits |
|
|
NURS 8250 – Advanced Theoretical and Scientific Perspectives in Nursing |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 7 |
NURS 8730 – Doctoral Seminar III |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8210 – Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8402 – Residency 2 Complete Residency 2 prior to NURS 8750 (Doctoral Seminar V) |
||
|
Quarter 8 |
NURS 8740 – Doctoral Seminar IV |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8310 – Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
Focus Area Course #1 |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 9 |
Focus Area Course #2 |
5 credits |
|
Focus Area Course #3 |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 10 |
NURS 8750 – Doctoral Seminar V |
1 credit |
|
Advanced Research Course Choose 1 course from the options below. RSCH 8260 – Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis RSCH 8360 – Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis RSCH 8460 – Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8403 – Residency 3 Complete Residency 3 prior to NURS 9000 (Dissertation) |
||
|
Quarter 11 + |
NURS 9000 – Dissertation |
Continuous enrollment in 5 credits per term for a minimum of 4 terms; taken continuously until completion |
|
RESI 8404 – Residency 4 Taken after prospectus approval. |
||
The MSN-PhD entry course sequence is as follows.
|
Quarter |
Course |
Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
Quarter 1 |
NURS 8003 – Foundations and Essentials in Nursing |
1 credit |
|
NURS 8710 - Doctoral Seminar I |
1 credit |
|
|
NURS 8112 – Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing Research |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8401 – Residency 1 Complete Residency 1 prior to RSCH 8110. |
||
|
Quarter 2 |
RSCH 8110 – Research Theory, Design, and Methods |
5 credits |
|
NURS 8301 – Effectively Leading Organizations in Quality Improvement Initiatives |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 3 |
NURS 8720 – Doctoral Seminar II |
1 credit |
|
NURS 8210 – Transforming Nursing and Healthcare through Technology |
5 credits |
|
|
NURS 8250 – Advanced Theoretical and Scientific Perspectives in Nursing |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 4 |
NURS 8730 – Doctoral Seminar III |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8210 – Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
Focus Area Course #1 |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8402 – Residency 2 Complete Residency 2 prior to NURS 8750 (Doctoral Seminar V) |
||
|
Quarter 5 |
NURS 8740 – Doctoral Seminar IV |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8310 – Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
Focus Area Course #2 |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 6 |
NURS 8750 – Doctoral Seminar V |
1 credit |
|
Advanced Research Course Choose 1 course from the options below. RSCH 8260 – Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis RSCH 8360 – Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis RSCH 8460 – Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
Focus Area Course #3 |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8403 – Residency 3 Complete Residency 3 prior to NURS 9000 (Dissertation)
|
||
|
Quarter 7+ |
NURS 9000 – Dissertation
|
Continuous enrollment in 5 credits per term for a minimum of 4 terms; taken continuously until completion |
|
RESI 8404 – Residency 4 Taken after prospectus approval.
|
||
|
Quarter |
Course |
Credits |
|---|---|---|
|
Quarter 1 |
NURS 8003 – Foundations and Essentials in Nursing |
1 credit |
|
NURS 8112 – Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Nursing Research |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8401 – Residency 1 Complete Residency 1 prior to RSCH 8110. |
||
|
Quarter 2 |
NURS 8710 – Doctoral Seminar I |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8110 – Research, Theory, Design, and Methods |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 3 |
NURS 8720 – Doctoral Seminar II |
1 credit |
|
NURS 8250 – Advanced Theoretical and Scientific Perspectives in Nursing |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 4 |
NURS 8730 – Doctoral Seminar III |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8210 – Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8402 – Residency 2 Complete Residency 2 prior to NURS 8750 (Doctoral Seminar V) |
||
|
Quarter 5 |
NURS 8740 – Doctoral Seminar IV |
1 credit |
|
RSCH 8310 – Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
Quarter 6 |
NURS 8750 – Doctoral Seminar V |
1 credit |
|
Advanced Research Course Choose 1 course from the options below. RSCH 8260 – Advanced Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis RSCH 8360 – Advanced Qualitative Reasoning and Analysis RSCH 8460 – Advanced Mixed Methods Reasoning and Analysis |
5 credits |
|
|
RESI 8403 – Residency 3 Complete Residency 3 prior to NURS 9000 (Dissertation) |
||
|
Quarter 7 + |
NURS 9000 – Dissertation
|
Continuous enrollment in 5 credits per term for a minimum of 4 terms; taken continuously until completion |
|
RESI 8404 – Residency 4 Taken after prospectus approval.
|
||
Students who start or readmit to doctoral programs at Walden University in the university catalog for academic year 2017 or later will complete the university’s required doctoral writing assessment. Designed to evaluate incoming doctoral students’ writing skills, this assessment aims to help prepare incoming doctoral students to meet the university’s expectations for writing at the doctoral level.
In general, students are continuously registered in the dissertation/doctoral study course until they complete their capstone project and it is approved. This usually takes longer than the minimum required terms in the dissertation/doctoral study course shell.
Students have up to 8 years to complete their doctoral degree requirements (see Enrollment Requirements in the student handbook). Students may petition to extend the 8-year maximum time frame, but an extension is not guaranteed.
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