Nursing

Degrees Offered

PhD

Special note: Students in the PhD program in the School of Nursing are expected to adhere to the policies and guidelines outlined in the nursing school’s student handbook and Catalog, as well as those of the Graduate School.  

Program Description

This program is designed to meet the educational needs of students who are committed to advancing discovery nursing science and undertaking research-focused careers in academic health sciences settings. . The program’s purpose is to prepare nursing scientists  who will advance the theoretical and empirical basis for nursing practice and expand research design and methodology. Specialty courses allow students to develop individualized programs of study.  Graduates from the PhD program will be prepared to: 

• Design, conduct, analyze, and disseminate research findings to expand knowledge in nursing and related disciplines. 
• Initiate, facilitate, and participate in interdisciplinary research with nurses and scholars from related disciplines. 
• Assume leadership roles in academic and health care settings. 

Ideal candidates for the PhD program are bachelor’s- or master’s-degree prepared nurses who are interested in a research career. Non-nurses will be considered based on their research interests and match with research faculty. Current research foci of School of Nursing faculty are available on the School of Nursing website; faculty accepting PhD students are identified in the faculty directory.  

Program Admissions

Candidates for admission must meet the minimum standards of admission established by the PhD program in nursing and by the Graduate School and must provide the requisite credentials. Admission to the PhD program is highly selective.  A U.S. bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a non-U.S. educational institution is required.  Graduate Record Examinations and an interview may be required for some candidates for admission. Applicants are encouraged to contact the PhD program office at nrsphd@umaryland.edu early in the application process to explore the fit of the applicant’s research interest with current faculty expertise. The program is committed to providing financial support for full-time students through scholarships and graduate research assistantships. 

Degree Requirements

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 to remain in good standing in the program. PhD candidates must successfully complete a minimum of 12 credits of doctoral dissertation research and all required classes.

Required Courses

Doctor of Philosophy Curriculum 

* Incudes 12 dissertation credits

TBD: Course numbers to be determined.