Nursing

The graduate programs emphasize productive scholarship and research in the development of nursing knowledge and the translation of knowledge into practice. Advanced study is in human health and development throughout the life span, and in nursing’s role in providing health services to individuals, families, and communities.

The Ph.D. program, the dual-title Ph.D. program in nursing and bioethics, and the dual-title Ph.D. program in nursing and clinical and translational sciences prepare scientists to provide leadership in nursing education, practice and research. Individualized curricula prepare graduates to assume positions as faculty, researchers and leaders in educational, community, governmental, or institutional settings.

The D.N.P. degree program consists of a base program and five options. The options include:

• Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
• Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
• Leadership
• Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Nurse Practitioner options are designed to help prepare the professional nurse to function in an expanded nursing role providing direct care to specific groups of clients in a variety of health care settings. Since that practice is inherently interdisciplinary in nature, advanced knowledge and research from nursing is combined with knowledge from science, medicine, and related disciplines. The Nurse Practitioner may also function in supervisory, consultative, education, and research roles.

The Leadership option prepares nurses to assume leadership roles in practice settings in the community, governmental agencies, or healthcare institutions.

The M.S.N. and D.N.P. degree programs in Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

The M.S.N. degree in Nursing consists of a base program and two options. The options include:

• Nurse Administrator
• Nurse Educator

The Nurse Administrator option enables the student to acquire advanced knowledge of organizational leadership, health policy, and evidence-based health care delivery. The program is designed to prepare students for leadership and administrative roles in a variety of health care settings.

The Nurse Educator option enables the student to acquire advanced knowledge of evidence-based teaching and learning principles, curriculum development, and evaluative techniques. The program is designed to prepare students for educator roles in a variety of academic and health care settings.

Admission Requirements

Applicants apply for admission to the program via the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School application for admission. Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-300 Admissions Policies.

For admission to the Nursing program, an applicant must hold either:

• a bachelor's degree in Nursing from a U.S. regionally accredited institution or
• a postsecondary degree in Nursing that is equivalent to a U.S. baccalaureate degree earned from an officially recognized degree-granting international institution. Students entering the doctoral program via the traditional post-master’s route must have earned a master’s degree with a major in nursing from a program accredited by a national accrediting agency for nursing. Well-qualified Ph.D. applicants with a baccalaureate degree in nursing and master’s degree in a related discipline (e.g., public health) will be evaluated individually to assess the need for prerequisite master’s-level course work in nursing for doctoral program admission.

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. For M.S.N. applicants, a cumulative grade-point average of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) for the baccalaureate degree is expected with a B or better in all science and nursing courses. College chemistry and statistics are also required (chemistry is not required for the nurse administrator option). B.S.N. to D.N.P. applicants are expected to have a cumulative undergraduate grade-point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) with a B or better in all science and nursing courses. College chemistry and statistics are also required (chemistry is not required for the leadership option). For master's to Ph.D. or D.N.P. applicants, a cumulative grade-point average 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for master's and subsequent course work is expected.

Two letters of reference are required for the M.S.N. degree program and three letters of reference are required for the D.N.P. and Ph.D. degree programs. The letters should be solicited from professional supervisors and faculty who can attest to the applicant's ability. If a degree was completed in the last 5 years, an academic reference is required.

All applicants must submit a statement of purpose. In addition, D.N.P. and Ph.D. degree applicants must also submit a published or unpublished scientific paper, thesis, or other scholarly writing sample and a complete curriculum vitae.

GRE scores are optional for admission to the Ph.D. program. GRE scores are not required for the M.S.N. or D.N.P. applicants, but if the scores are submitted to Penn State they will be reviewed as part of the application.

The language of instruction at Penn State is English. English proficiency test scores (TOEFL/IELTS) may be required for international applicants. See GCAC-305 Admission Requirements for International Students for more information.

Applicants to the Nursing program must have a minimum TOEFL total score of 80 with a 25 on the speaking section for the internet-based test (iBT). For the paper-based test, taken prior to July 2017, a minimum of 580 is required. The minimum composite score for the IELTS for applicants to the Nursing program is 7.

Applicants to the M.S.N. options and D.N.P. degree offered online via the World Campus must hold a current license to practice professional nursing in at least one U.S. state or in a foreign country. Those applying to a nurse practitioner option must hold a current Pennsylvania license to practice professional nursing. Nursing applicants to the Ph.D. degree program must be licensed to practice professional nursing in at least one state or in a foreign country.

Applicants to the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Option are required to have two years of acute care hospital experience.

Applicants to the M.S.N. and D.N.P. degree program are encouraged to discuss program options with the faculty; however, an interview is not required.  PhD applicants will be contacted by the College of Nursing to schedule a required interview (either in person or via internet-based video conferencing).

Degree Requirements

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-700 Professional Degree Policies.

The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) requires a minimum of 30 credits at the 400, 500, or 800 level, with a minimum of 18 credits at the 500 or 800 level, and at least 6 credits at the 500 level, including:

• 9 credits of M.S.N. Program Core courses,
• 18 credits of electives, and
• at least 3 credits in a capstone course or project.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
M.S.N. Program Core
NURS 501	Issues in Nursing and Health Care	3
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
Electives
Additional courses that will count as electives towards this degree can be chosen from a list of approved elective courses maintained by the graduate program office.		18
Culminating Experience
Students in the M.S.N. degree program are required to complete a capstone course or project, which demonstrates the application of theory and research to a clinical problem based on review of the literature and research utilization for that problem. For M.S.N. students who do not choose to complete an option, a capstone project is completed while enrolled in NURS 596 (3 credits).		3
Total Credits		30

The two advanced role options offered in the M.S.N. degree program include nurse educator and nurse administrator. Students in these options complete the 9 credits of M.S.N. Program Courses as described above. The option-specific course requirements described below replace the requirement for 18 credits of electives.

Nurse Administrator Option

Students must earn a minimum of 36 credits for the M.S.N. with the Nurse Administrator option.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
NURS 501	Issues in Nursing and Health Care	3
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
Nurse Administrator Option Required Courses
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 846	Leadership Concepts and Theories for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 847	Human Resource and Work Force Issues for Nurse Administrators	3
Electives
Students in this option are required to take 6 additional elective credits chosen from a list of approved elective courses maintained by the graduate program office.		6
Culminating Experience
NURS 848	Synthesis and Application of the Nurse Administrator Role (Capstone Course)	6
Total Credits		36

Nurse Educator Option

Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-700 Professional Degree Policies.

Students may enter the program directly with a B.S.N. degree or following completion of a Master's degree in nursing.

For the B.S.N. to the D.N.P., a core of master's courses is required. A minimum of 60 credits, 1000 hours of practicum time, and a DNP project is required. The 60 credits include:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
Master's Core Courses
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
Advanced Practice Clinical		3
If needed to meet the 1000 hour practicum requirement. Students in one of the Nurse Practitioner options do not need NURS 834.
NURS 834	Doctor of Nursing Practice Clinical Practicum	3-4
Other Required Courses for Base Program (Students not in an option)
NURS 501	Issues in Nursing and Health Care	3
NURS 588	Healthcare Policy for Nurse and Healthcare Scholars	3
Electives
14-15 credits of electives chosen from a list of approved elective courses maintained by the graduate program office		14-15
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project (Only 4 credits of NURS 835 needed for the NP Options)	6
Total Credits		60

The Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) to D.N.P. program requires a minimum of 30 post-master’s degree credits completed at Penn State. The curriculum is individualized based on previous course work and number of practicum hours completed during the master’s program. A maximum of 550 practicum hours from the previous master’s program will be accepted to fulfill the 1000 hours of required practicum hours. The curriculum is composed of 5 components, for a minimum of 38 credits:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
D.N.P. Core Courses
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 833	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership II	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
Electives
6 credits of electives chosen from a list of approved elective courses maintained by the graduate program office		6
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project	6
Total Credits		38

In addition to the minimum 38 credits, up to 7 credits of NURS 834 may be required for M.S.N. to D.N.P. students, depending on the number of practicum hours completed in the student’s M.S.N. program.

For students in the Leadership Option, students are required to participate in 2 intensives offered at the University Park or Hershey Medical Center campus. For full-time students, the first intensive is August of semester I for M.S.N. to D.N.P. and Semester III for B.S.N. to D.N.P. students. Intensive 2 is at the end of semester II for M.S.N. to D.N.P. and semester IV for B.S.N. to D.N.P. students. For students in the Nurse Practitioner Options, three intensives are required at the University Park Campus or the Hershey Campus. The first intensive is Semester 2 in August prior to the beginning of the Fall Semester. The second intensive is during Semester 4 at the end of July or early August. The third intensive is at the beginning of Semester 7 (Summer) during May. For part-time M.S.N. to D.N.P. students the first intensive is August of semester III and intensive 2 is the end of semester IV.

In addition to course work, all students are required to complete a series of three benchmarks, Qualifying Examination, Comprehensive Examination, and a Final Oral Presentation.

D.N.P. Doctoral Committee Composition

The doctoral committee will consist of the student’s academic adviser and two additional members of the Graduate Faculty. The academic adviser will be the chair of the committee.

Qualifying Examination

All students must satisfactorily complete the qualifying examination, which is designed to evaluate the student’s past performance and potential for successfully completing the program. The qualifying examination occurs prior to the 2nd intensive, which follows completion of one semester of full-time study for the M.S.N. to D.N.P. student, and within three semesters of full-time study for the B.S.N. to D.N.P. student. Students who fail the examination on the first attempt may repeat it once. Students who fail the examination the second time are terminated from the program.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination marks the student’s progression into their D.N.P. project. Students will present their D.N.P. project proposal. The comprehensive examination needs to be successfully completed prior to the submission of the proposal for human subjects’ review or carrying out the project (if it does not require a review). Students who fail the examination on the first attempt may repeat it once. Students who fail the examination the second time are terminated from the program.

Final Oral Presentation

Upon completion of the project, the Final Oral Presentation is scheduled. Students are required to present the project for approval by their doctoral committee. The Associate Dean for Graduate Education & Research will sign off on the final paper, following completion of the paper during NURS 835 and the student’s passing of the oral presentation. Students who fail the presentation on the first attempt may repeat it once. The student’s final paper will be made publicly available through ScholarSphere.

Options

The five options offered in the D.N.P. degree program include: Leadership, Family/Individual across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner, Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Students in these options complete the D.N.P. Program Courses as described above. The option specific course requirements described below replace the required elective credits.

Leadership Option

Students must earn a minimum of 61 credits and complete a minimum of 1000 practicum hours for the D.N.P. with the Leadership option.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
D.N.P. Core Courses
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
Leadership Option Required Courses
NURS 501	Issues in Nursing and Health Care	3
NURS 833	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership II	3
NURS 846	Leadership Concepts and Theories for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 847	Human Resource and Work Force Issues for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 848A	Synthesis and Application of the Nurse Administrator Role	4
STAT 507	Epidemiologic Research Methods	3
Advanced Practice Clinical (Needed to meet the 1000 hour practicum requirement)
NURS 834	Doctor of Nursing Practice Clinical Practicum	4
Electives
6 credits of an administrative elective chosen from a list of approved elective courses maintained by the graduate program office		6
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project	6
Total Credits		61

Family/ Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Option

Students must earn a minimum of 67 credits and complete a minimum of 1125 practicum hours for the D.N.P. with the Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner option.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
D.N.P. Core Courses
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
Family/ Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Option Required Courses
NURS 802	Advanced Health Assessment of Adult Populations	3
NURS 803	Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 804	Pharmacologic Therapy for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 588	Healthcare Policy for Nurse and Healthcare Scholars	3
NURS 870F	Family Nurse Practitioner Role with Healthy Family/Individual	3
NURS 871F	Family Nurse Practitioner Role with Individuals and Families with Complex and/or Chronic Health Prob	3
NURS 802A	Advanced Health Assessment of Pediatric Populations	1
NURS 872F	Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum I	2
NURS 873F	Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum II	3
NURS 874F	Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Integrative Doctoral Practicum	5
NURS 875	Nurse Practitioner Role with Children and Families	2
NURS 876F	Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum in Child Health	1
NURS 877F	Clinical Practice Synthesis for Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner	3
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project	6
Total Credits		67

Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Option

Students must earn a minimum of 64 credits and complete a minimum of 1125 practicum hours for the D.N.P. with the Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Option

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
D.N.P. Core Courses
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Option Required Courses
NURS 802	Advanced Health Assessment of Adult Populations	3
NURS 803	Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 804	Pharmacologic Therapy for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 588	Healthcare Policy for Nurse and Healthcare Scholars	3
NURS 870	Nurse Practitioner Role with Healthy Individuals and Families	3
NURS 871	Nurse Practitioner Role with Individuals and Families with Complex and/or Chronic Health Problems	3
NURS 872D	Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum I	3
NURS 873D	Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum II	3
NURS 874D	Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Integrative Doctoral Practicum	5
NURS 877	Clinical Practice Synthesis for Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner	3
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project	6
Total Credits		64

Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse practitioner Option

Students must earn a minimum of 66 credits and complete a minimum of 1125 practicum hours for the D.N.P. with the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Option

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
D.N.P. Core Courses
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Option Required Courses
NURS 802	Advanced Health Assessment of Adult Populations	3
NURS 803	Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 804	Pharmacologic Therapy for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 588	Healthcare Policy for Nurse and Healthcare Scholars	3
NURS 860	Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Role I	3
NURS 861	Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Role II	3
NURS 862D	Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum I	3
NURS 863D	Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum II	3
NURS 864D	Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Integrative Doctoral Practicum	5
NURS 865	Pharmacology for Acute Care Nurse Practitioners	1
NURS 866	Health Assessment of the Adult Gerontology Population in Acute Care	1
NURS 867	Clinical Practice Synthesis for Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner	3
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project	6
Total Credits		66

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Option

Students must earn a minimum of 72 credits and complete a minimum of practicum 1125 hours for the D.N.P. with the mental health individual.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
D.N.P. Core Courses
NURS 510	Theoretical and Scientific Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	1
NURS 830	Evidence-Based Practice I: Inquiry and Research Methods	3
NURS 831	Evidence-Based Practice II: Translating Inquiry into Practice	3
NURS 832	Doctor of Nursing Practice: Leadership I	3
NURS 836	Healthcare Informatics	3
NURS 837	Evidence-Based Practice III: Project Development	3
NURS 845	Healthcare Economics and Policy for Nurse Administrators	3
NURS 887	Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice	1
NURS 808	Population Health Perspectives	3
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Option Required Courses
NURS 802	Advanced Health Assessment of Adult Populations	3
NURS 802M	Psych MHNP Integrative Biopsychosocial Assessment & Differential Diagnosis Across the Lifespan	2
NURS 803	Pathophysiology for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 804	Pharmacologic Therapy for the Advanced Practice Nurse	3
NURS 807	Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 809	Crisis and Trauma-Informed Care for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 810	Theoretical Foundation and Application of Psychotherapy with Individuals, Groups, and Families	3
NURS 811	Family and Organizational Systems Across the Lifespan for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 870M	Neuroscience and Psychobiology of Mental Illness and Across the Lifespan	3
NURS 871M	Neuropsychopharmacology and Biologically Based Treatments Across the Lifespan	3
NURS 872M	Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum I	3
NURS 873M	Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Doctoral Practicum II	3
NURS 874M	Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Integrative Doctoral Practicum	5
NURS 877M	Clinical Practice Synthesis for Psychiatric Mental Health Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner	3
Culminating Experience
NURS 835	Doctor of Nursing Practice Project	6
Total Credits		72

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Requirements listed here are in addition to Graduate Council policies listed under GCAC-600 Research Degree Policies.

Students may enter the program directly with a B.S.N. degree or following completion of a B.S.N. and a Master's degree (either in Nursing or non-Nursing).

Students entering with an M.S.N. will complete a minimum of 43 credits. The curriculum is composed of 3 components:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
Nursing Science Core Courses
NURS 580	Theoretical and Philosophical Basis of Nursing	3
NURS 582	Literature Synthesis for Nursing Sciencce	4
NURS 583	Advanced Seminar in Nursing Science	3
NURS 587	Ethics in Health Research	1
NURS 588	Healthcare Policy for Nurse and Healthcare Scholars	3
NURS 590	Colloquium	2
Research Methodology and Statistics
Minimum of 15 credits approved by the student's adviser and/or Ph.D. committee		15
Courses for Individual Specialty
Minimum of 12 credits; minimum of 15 credits for a minor		12-15
Total Credits		43

¹

Required of students who are not research assistants on an active faculty research study.

In addition to course work, all students are required to complete a series of examinations: the Qualifying Examination, the Comprehensive Examination (written and oral components), the Dissertation Proposal Defense, and Final Oral Examination. Students are required to pass the Final Oral Examination, have the dissertation approved and submitted, and graduate within five years of passing the qualifying examination.

Qualifying Examination

All students must satisfactorily complete the qualifying examination, which is designed to confirm the student's mastery of basic nursing theory and research methods. For students entering the doctoral program with a master's degree, the qualifying examination must be taken at the end of the first year of full-time study or the equivalent. Students who fail the examination on the first attempt may repeat it once. Students who fail the examination the second time are terminated from the program.

Comprehensive Examination

The comprehensive examination is designed to test the student's mastery of and ability to synthesize and integrate the theoretical basis for nursing science, advanced research methods, and the chosen specialty area. This examination is taken when a student has substantially completed all course work. Students who fail the examination on the first attempt may repeat it once. Students who fail the examination the second time are terminated from the program.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination (the Dissertation Defense)

Upon completion of the doctoral dissertation, the candidate must pass a final oral examination (the dissertation defense) to earn the Ph.D. degree. Each student is required to conduct an original and independent research project which adds to nursing's body of knowledge, and to communicate the research report in a written dissertation. A written dissertation proposal is required and must be approved at a proposal hearing by a majority vote of the student's Ph.D. committee. A majority vote is also required for approval of the completed written dissertation at the Final Oral Examination (the dissertation defense). The dissertation must be accepted by the Ph.D. committee, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School.

Dual-Titles  

Dual-Title Ph.D. in Nursing and Bioethics

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in GCAC-208 Dual-Title Graduate Degree Programs.

Nursing Ph.D. students may pursue additional training in bioethics through the dual-title Ph.D. program in Bioethics. Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program in Nursing and the Graduate School before they can apply for admission to the dual-title degree program. Admission to the dual-title is determined upon review of all application materials (forwarded from the College of Nursing) by the admissions committee in Bioethics. Refer to the Admissions Requirements section of the Bioethics Bulletin page. Students must apply and be admitted to the dual-title degree program in Bioethics prior to taking the qualifying exam.

To qualify for the dual-title degree, students must satisfy the requirements of the Nursing Ph.D. program. In addition, they must satisfy the requirements described below, as established by the Bioethics program committee. Refer to the Degree Requirements section of the Bioethics Bulletin page. Within this framework, final course selection is determined by the student, their Nursing adviser, and their Bioethics program adviser.

The dual-title Ph.D. in Nursing and Bioethics requires a minimum of 1 credit of course work beyond the requirements for the Ph.D. in Nursing (17 credits of the 18 Bioethics credits are part of the current degree requirements in Nursing), as follows:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses 1
BIOET 501	Perspectives and Methods in Bioethics	3
BIOET 502	Perspectives in Macro-Bioethics	3
BIOET 590	Bioethics Colloquium	1
At least 3 additional BIOET credits at the 500 level.		3
Electives
8 additional credits from a list of approved electives at the 400 or 500 level, at least two of these courses must be at the 500 level. 2		8
Total Credits		18

¹

These credits can be applied to the Courses for Individual Specialty requirement for the Nursing Ph.D.

²

Many of the available electives that students may wish to take are 3-credit courses, so 9 additional credits may be a more typical number for most students. The list of elective courses will be maintained by the Director of the Bioethics Graduate Program in consultation with the Bioethics Program Committee. The Nursing Science core constitutes 7 of these elective credits.

Qualifying Examination

Students must meet the Ph.D. qualifying examination requirements specified by Nursing; a single qualifying examination will be administered that includes assessment of both Nursing and Bioethics. At least one member of the qualifying examination committee must have a Graduate Faculty appointment in Bioethics. Because students must first be admitted to a graduate major program of study before they may apply to and be considered for admission into a dual-title graduate degree program, dual-title graduate degree students may require an additional semester to fulfill requirements for both areas of study and, therefore, the qualifying examination may be delayed one semester beyond the normal period allowable.

Comprehensive Examination

In addition to the general Graduate Council requirements for Ph.D. committees, the Ph.D. committee of a Nursing and Bioethics dual-title Ph.D. student must include at least one member of the Bioethics Graduate Faculty. Graduate faculty members who hold appointments in both programs may serve in a combined role. If the chair of the committee representing Nursing is not also a member of the Graduate Faculty in Bioethics, the member of the committee representing Bioethics must be appointed as co-chair. The faculty member (or members) affiliated with the Bioethics Program will be responsible for administering a portion of the comprehensive exam that will require the student to demonstrate an understanding of various theoretical and methodological approaches to bioethics, and an ability to apply them to issues and problems (including, where appropriate, practical problems) in their nursing.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination (the Dissertation Defense)

Upon completion of the doctoral dissertation, the candidate must pass a final oral examination (the dissertation defense) to earn the Ph.D. degree. Students enrolled in the dual-title program are required to write and orally defend a dissertation on a topic that is approved in advance by their Ph.D. committee and reflects their original research and expertise in Nursing and Bioethics. The dissertation must be accepted by the Ph.D. committee, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School.

Dual-Title Ph.D. in Nursing and Clinical and Translational Sciences

Requirements listed here are in addition to requirements listed in GCAC-208 Dual-Title Graduate Degree Programs.

Nursing Ph.D. students may pursue additional training in CTS through the dual-title Ph.D. program in CTS. Students must apply and be admitted to the graduate program in Nursing and the Graduate School before they can apply for admission to the dual-title degree program. Admission to the dual-title is determined upon review of all application materials (forwarded from the College of Nursing) by the admissions committee in CTS. Refer to the Admission Requirements section of the Clinical and Translational Sciences Bulletin page. Students must apply and be admitted to the dual-title degree program in CTS prior to taking the qualifying exam.

To qualify for the dual-title degree, students must satisfy the requirements of the Nursing Ph.D. program. In addition, they must satisfy the requirements described below, as established by the CTS program committee. Refer to the Degree Requirements section of the Clinical and Translational Sciences Bulletin page. Within this framework, final course selection is determined by the student, their Nursing adviser, and their CTS program adviser.

The CTS dual-title requires 26 credits:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
CTS 590	Colloquium	2
Select 6 credits from the following:		6
CTS 595A	Clinical Science Internship
CTS 595B	Translational Science Internship
BMS 571	Graduate Clinical Rotation
Electives
18 credits from a list of approved electives in each of the following areas (at least half of which must be at the 500 or 800 level):
Statistics		3
Epidemiology		3
Bioinformatics		3
Experimental Design and Interpretation		3
Regulatory Environment		3
Scientific Communication		3
Total Credits		26

Qualifying Examination

Students must meet the Ph.D. qualifying examination requirements specified by Nursing; a single qualifying examination will be administered that includes assessment of both Nursing and CTS. At least one member of the qualifying examination committee must have a Graduate Faculty appointment in CTS. Because students must first be admitted to a graduate major program of study before they may apply to and be considered for admission into a dual-title graduate degree program, dual-title graduate degree students may require an additional semester to fulfill requirements for both areas of study and, therefore, the qualifying examination may be delayed one semester beyond the normal period allowable.

Comprehensive Examination

In addition to the general Graduate Council requirements for Ph.D. committees, the Ph.D. committee of a Nursing and CTS dual-title Ph.D. student must include at least one member of the CTS Graduate Faculty. Graduate Faculty members who hold appointments in both programs may serve in a combined role. If the chair of the committee representing Nursing is not also a member of the Graduate Faculty in CTS, the member of the committee representing CTS must be appointed as co-chair. The faculty member (or members) affiliated with the CTS Program will be responsible for administering a portion of the comprehensive exam that will require the student to demonstrate an understanding of various theoretical and methodological approaches to CTS, and an ability to apply them to issues and problems (including, where appropriate, practical problems) in their nursing.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination (the Dissertation Defense)

Upon completion of the doctoral dissertation, the candidate must pass a final oral examination (the dissertation defense) to earn the Ph.D. degree. Students enrolled in the dual-title program are required to write and orally defend a dissertation on a topic that is approved in advance by their Ph.D. committee and reflects their dissertation research and expertise in Nursing and CTS. The dissertation must be accepted by the Ph.D. committee, the head of the graduate program, and the Graduate School.

Minor

A graduate minor is available in any approved graduate major or dual-title program. The default requirements for a graduate minor are stated in Graduate Council policy GCAC-218 Minors.

Student Aid

Graduate assistantships available to students in this program and other forms of student aid are described in the Tuition & Funding section of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School’s website. Students on graduate assistantships must adhere to the course load limits set by the Fox Graduate School.

World Campus students in graduate degree programs may be eligible for financial aid. Refer to the Tuition and Financial Aid section of the World Campus website for more information.

Courses

Graduate courses carry numbers from 500 to 699 and 800 to 899. Advanced undergraduate courses numbered between 400 and 499 may be used to meet some graduate degree requirements when taken by graduate students. Courses below the 400 level may not. A graduate student may register for or audit these courses in order to make up deficiencies or to fill in gaps in previous education but not to meet requirements for an advanced degree.

Nursing (NURS) Course List

Learning Outcomes

Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.)

1. Lead change to improve quality outcomes (KNOW, APPLY/CREATE)
2. Advance a culture of excellence through lifelong learning (PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE)
3. Build and lead collaborative interprofessional care teams (APPLY/CREATE, COMMUNICATE, THINK)
4. Navigate and integrate care services across the healthcare systems (KNOW, APPLY/CREATE).
5. Design innovative nursing practices (APPLY/CREATE)
6. Translate evidence into practice (APPLY/CREATE)
7. Demonstrate option-specific competencies based on the national guidelines (KNOW, APPLY/CREATE, COMMUNICATE)

Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.)

1. Lead change through transformational leadership to improve health and healthcare outcomes. (THINK)
2. Lead as highly qualified advanced practice nurses to promote the translation of research into practice and deliver expert nursing care. (APPLY/CREATE)
3. Build and Lead collaborative interprofessional care teams. (COMMUNICATE)
4. Advance a culture of excellence through lifelong learning (PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE)
5. Demonstrate option-specific competencies based on the national guidelines for the role (KNOW)
   1. FNP (Family/Individual across the Lifespan): National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (2022). Population-Focused Nurse Practitioner Competencies; National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties. NP Core Competencies (2022).
   2. AGPCNP: National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (2016). Adult-Gerontology b. Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies; National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, NP Core Competencies (2022).
   3. AGACNP: National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (2022). Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Competencies; National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, NP Core Competencies (2022).
   4. Leadership: American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE), American Organization of Nurse Leaders, Nurse Executive Competencies (2022).
   5. PMHNP: National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (2022).Psychatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Competencies: National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties, NP Core Competencies (2022).

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

1. Demonstrate appropriate breadth and depth of scientific knowledge, and comprehension of the major issues of the discipline of nursing (KNOW)
2. Design and conduct research according to scientific principles to create new knowledge (APPLY/CREATE)
3. Demonstrate effective teaching and communication skills for dissemination of scientific knowledge to appropriate stakeholders (KNOW, COMMUNICATE)
4. Advance science through interdisciplinary collaboration to improve the health of individuals, families, and communities (APPLY/CREATE, COMMUNICATE, THINK).
5. Lead the discipline of nursing to influence change and practice, education, policy, and research in accordance with the highest ethical standards. (PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE)

Professional Licensure/Certification

Many U.S. states and territories require professional licensure/certification to be employed. If you plan to pursue employment in a licensed profession after completing this program, please visit the Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures by State interactive map.

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