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PhD in Nursing

Interested in learning more about the UT Tyler School of Nursing Online?

Expand Nursing’s Influence on Healthcare Outcomes

Conduct innovative, independent research and push the boundaries of how nursing impacts patient outcomes, community wellness and healthcare delivery. The University of Texas at Tyler’s nationally ranked online PhD in Nursing program will prepare you as a nurse scientist through advanced education in qualitative and quantitative research, scholarly writing and publication, and healthcare policy and education.

Study in your own community while enhancing your professional expertise and making progress on your dissertation. Graduate prepared for career opportunities in academia and healthcare organizations, where you can generate nursing knowledge through research and shape the next generation of nursing professionals.

Why Earn a PhD in Nursing From UT Tyler?

The PhD in Nursing builds on the extensive knowledge and intellectual curiosity you acquired through professional experience and previous education. The University of Texas at Tyler’s online program equips you with the advanced knowledge and skills to design, conduct and evaluate your original research with the guidance of your dissertation Chair. Look forward to discovering possible solutions to daunting healthcare challenges throughout your meaningful career in nursing research.

Fulfill your professional goals with a flexible yet academically rigorous program:

• Flexible Format : Online courses let you balance your work responsibilities with your academic pursuits. Finish your requirements and complete your dissertation from any location you wish.
• Scheduled In-Person Activities : Meet classmates, faculty and potential collaborators during our on-campus workshops to enrich your experience and enhance your understanding of the material.
• Research Intensive : Learn to identify gaps in research literature, so that you may formulate important research questions, design an appropriate research proposal, conduct your study, collect and analyze data, and produce a field-influencing doctoral dissertation.
• Community-Focused : Complete your studies right in your community. Apply your advanced knowledge to service-learning activities, like volunteering for national organizations or participating in statewide disaster planning.
• Outstanding Faculty : Train under the guidance of distinguished nursing educators and researchers. Our actively engaged professors often present at events like the American Academy of Nursing, Sigma International, American Association of Colleges of Nursing, National League for Nursing and the Southern Nursing Research Society Annual Research Conference.
• Affordable : Achieve the highest educational level in nursing at a fraction of the cost of other comparable programs.

The School of Nursing offers two different tracks to obtain your PhD, depending on your academic needs: the BSN-PhD program and the MSN-PhD program.

The BSN-PhD in Nursing degree consists of 72 credit hours: 51 hours are dedicated to required classes, nine to electives and the remaining 12 to fulfill the dissertation. After completing the majority, if not all, of the coursework, you will take a Proficiency Examination before moving on to dissertation work. This path allows you to earn your PhD degree in four years of full-time study.

The MSN-PhD in Nursing degree consists of 60 credit hours, with 36 hours dedicated to fulfilling the PhD requirements and 12 to electives; the remaining 12 credit hours are devoted to the dissertation. MSN-PhD candidates must also pass the Proficiency Examination in order to advance to candidacy and enroll in dissertation credit hours.

Our thoughtfully designed curriculum prepares you to:

• Design and conduct research contributing to the advancement of nursing science and health innovations.
• Conduct culturally sensitive research to guide evidence-based practice.
• Incorporate research outcomes to formulate policies pertinent to nursing and global health.
• Disseminate innovative and creative strategies to improve health through nursing research, practice and education.

Review All PhD in Nursing Courses and Requirements

Careers With a PhD in Nursing

As a terminal degree and the highest-level nursing credential achievable, the PhD emphasizes independent scholarship and opens the doors to teaching in academia at a time when a nursing faculty shortage affects universities and other higher education institutions. The degree also creates a pathway to leadership roles and research positions in private industry, government, healthcare organizations and clinical settings. Institutions seek out PhD prepared scholars for their ability to transform research findings into healthcare policy, strategy and operations.

Graduates of UT Tyler’s PhD in Nursing program embark on careers as consultants, administrators, entrepreneurs, researchers, professors and policymakers. They teach or develop studies for many colleges and universities, as well as other institutions and organizations.

How to Apply

Bsn-phd in nursing.

• A bachelor's degree in nursing from a college or university approved by a recognized regional accrediting body.
• A grade point average of at least 3.2 for the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.
• Have a current unencumbered license to practice professional nursing.

MSN-PhD in Nursing

• Hold or obtain a master's degree from a college or university approved by a recognized accrediting body before the first day of classes.

International Students

Applicants from countries other than the United States must also meet the admission requirements for international students seeking a graduate degree. Review all admission requirements for international students.

Applicants must submit evidence of English proficiency before the university grants admission. Applicants whose primary language is not English (the undergraduate degree is from a foreign institution) must submit results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language, the Pearson Test of English or the International English Language Testing System. The minimum score requirements are as follows:

• 79 TOEFL iBT (internet-based test)
• 550 TOEFL PBT (paper-based test)
• 6.5 overall band score and 6.0 in each subsection IELTS

Admission Consideration

UT Tyler also gives consideration for admission to one or more of the following:

• The applicant's demonstrated commitment to their chosen field of study.
• Socioeconomic background.
• The involvement and level of responsibility in other matters, including extracurricular activities, employment and community service.
• First generation of family to graduate from an undergraduate program.
• Family responsibility or raising children.
• Multilingual proficiency.
• Geographic region of residence.

STEP 1: Apply to the University

All applicants must apply to the university prior to applying to the nursing program.

BSN to PhD application.

MSN to Phd application.

Current or previous UT Tyler students must complete a new application if applying for a higher level of degree (i.e., BSN to MSN, MSN to PhD, MSN to DNP, MSN to post-master’s certificate).

If you are an online out-of-state applicant, please be aware of reciprocity agreements that may impact clinical hours: State Authorization .

How Much Does It Cost to Apply?

The application cost is $50 for domestic students; $75 for international students. The fee is nonrefundable and required before your application is processed. Make credit card payments at the time of application by Visa or MasterCard only.

The university waives fees for all UT Tyler alumni. Please select the “Pay by Check” option. UT Tyler waives the fees once your application is processed. Please do NOT send a check, as there are no refunds.

STEP 2: Submit Official Transcripts

• Submit official transcripts showing the completion of a BSN or MSN from an accredited institution (do not submit community or junior college transcripts).
• UT Tyler graduates do not have to forward transcripts from the Registrar’s Office.

STEP 3: Submit Nursing Documents

Please submit an essay, proof of your current nursing license and three professional or academic references through the following link: SON PhD Application and Documentation .

• With a 3-5 page paper, link research interests and professional goals to the School of Nursing's emphasized areas: Vulnerable Populations, Health & Wellness and Innovations in Practice. Please see the SON PhD Application for details.

Current License

• Provide your state of licensure and license number within the application.
• Three professional or academic references are required.
• Submit all reference information via the Reference Form .
• Once you have filled out the reference link, prepare to receive a confirmation email.

The UT Tyler School of Nursing offers programs year-round with multiple start dates. Applications are accepted throughout the year, and prospective students need to be admitted two weeks before the session start date. In case of non-admission by that date, the start date will be deferred to the next session. For inquiries about the application process, please contact an enrollment advisor.

Applicants offered acceptance into a graduate nursing program may be assessed a nonrefundable seat deposit of $200 by the date indicated in the acceptance letter. Failure to pay the deposit results in forfeiture of the acceptance. The university applies the $200 toward the first semester’s tuition. Applicants who accept an offer of admission but later decide not to attend forfeit the seat deposit.

Make an Impact Through Scholarship

To expand the influence of the profession, our PhD candidates conduct innovative, original nursing research. Recent dissertations have focused on topics like emotional intelligence, simulation-based education, cultural competence and trauma-informed care in nursing.

Cindy Mendez, PhD in Nursing, 2016

Explore Related Programs

MSN in Nursing Administration

MSN in Nursing Education

Coordinated MSN/MBA

Chart the next phase of your career. Discover how a PhD in Nursing from UT Tyler can open the doors to your future.

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PhD—Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science

A Holistic View of Nursing Science

The UW School of Nursing Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Science (PhD) program faculty are global leaders in nursing science. Students from all over the world create a community of scholars and learn from expert researchers. Our expert nursing scientists provide mentorship tailored to student needs using technology-driven instruction.

The UW PhD program is ideal for students with diverse backgrounds who want to become premier leaders in nursing research.

We maintain a holistic view of nursing science and our faculty’s scholarship represents a broad array of research projects and innovative methodologies. Some examples include:

• Symptom science
• Laboratory sciences
• Health promotion and disease management across the lifespan
• Policy analysis and advancement of cost-effective health care systems
• Health equity
• Innovative methodologies

Hear from #HuskyNurse Sarah McKiddy and her experience with the PhD program.

A Community of Scholars

We welcome applicants with a baccalaureate degree in any field. We encourage post-baccalaureate students, as well as most master’s and DNP students who are ready to begin intensive study of nursing science, to apply.

UW PhD students have a wide range of academic backgrounds, including:

• Public health
• Complementary and alternative medicine
• Healthcare systems and policy
• Music therapy

Our PhD program is highly individualized to create independent thinkers with demonstrated ability to articulate, investigate, and report on original research that substantially contributes to health care knowledge.

The flexible program reflects the enormous scope and impact of the latest nursing research and policymaking. Although the PhD curriculum can be completed in three years of full-time study, individual student program lengths are expected to vary.

Once offered admission as a PhD student, you are matched with a faculty adviser. Your adviser provides guidance and helps answer questions until you select a supervisory committee chair (between years one and three). Your chair then serves in an advisory capacity and as the supervisor for your dissertation.

View the PhD Sample Curriculum Grid PhD Required and Elective Courses

• Optional: Statistics Concentration

The first year of the full-time PhD program and the first two years of part-time focus on required core courses emphasizing nursing philosophy, conceptual frameworks, theory, and research methodologies.

In addition, students complete their statistics sequence and may take selected electives or engage in research or teaching practicum. Students complete the preliminary exam at the end of the first year of full-time study and the end of two years of part-time study.

Students who enter the PhD program with a BSN can earn an MS in Nursing Science during the program following successful completion of the first year of the PhD program and the preliminary examination.

After the first year of full-time study and the first two years of part-time study, courses and other scholarly activities are determined by you and your supervisory committee to comprise your individual program of study. The supervisory chair is a School of Nursing graduate faculty member whose research approach, interest, or research methods align with your proposed dissertation project.

You and your chair complete the supervisory committee by selecting faculty members from the School of Nursing, the UW at large, and other appropriate experts outside the University. This committee approves your program of study and guides you through the general examinations, dissertation research, and final defense.

The Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration requires a minimum of 14 credits of advanced statistical methods coursework above and beyond the 10 credits of statistics required for the PhD degree. Of these, two credits are fulfilled by the CSSS Seminar, and a minimum of 12 credits are fulfilled by at least four advanced statistics courses, three of which must come from the list of CSSS courses approved for the concentration.

All courses taken as part of the statistics concentration must be graded.

However, a 500-level course that is graded credit/no credit may be considered for inclusion in your Area of Concentration proposal if:

• In the course, you submit an individual project (i.e., not a group project); and
• Major course assignments are submitted to your Supervisory Committee for review

CSSS seminar: minimum two credits

A minimum of two quarters in CS&SS is required. The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .

Approved CSSS advanced statistics course options

The most up-to-date course descriptions for statistics course options can be found on the CSSS website .

Variation in area of concentration coursework

One advanced methodological course in nursing, political science, psychology, public health, sociology, statistics, economics, educational psychology, social welfare, and other related fields may be considered as part of the Nursing Science Statistics Area of Concentration four course requirements if it contributes to the overall coherence of the student’s program of study and is consistent with the student’s research goals.

This course would be in addition to the ten credits of statistics courses required for the PhD in nursing.

Admissions Requirements

• An in-process or earned bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in any discipline
• A minimum cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0, or a 3.0 GPA for the last  60 semester/90 quarter graded college/university credits
• Meet the  Essential Behaviors for PhD Students
• International applicants   who plan on taking clinical nursing courses  must have an active, unrestricted U.S. RN license  at the time of application
• If your native language is not English,  proof of proficiency in English  (reading, writing, and comprehension)

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Learn about our commitment to social justice and health equality and anti-racism.

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Admissions at a glance.

Learn more about Admissions at Columbia Nursing, including important dates and deadlines, and how to apply to all of our programs. 

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Explore the research areas of focus conducted by our faculty, postdocs, and students.

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The ColumbiaDoctors Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Group, combines evidence-based practice with a personalized approach to provide quality care.

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Global opportunities for students.

Global opportunities for clinical practicum and research may be available for MDE and doctoral students at Columbia Nursing.

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Doctor of philosophy, phd admissions, estimated funding package.

• Columbia University School of Nursing provides three years (eight semesters) of funding for tuition, related fees, health insurance, and stipend.
• Estimated Funding Package for the PhD Program

Admission Criteria

• Bachelor's or master's degree in nursing, or 
• Note: Official transcripts from all institutions attended will be required prior to enrollment in the program.
• New York State RN licensure or eligibility
• International Applicants Only: TOEFL Exam Score

For our general application requirements, please visit the  Apply to the PhD Program  page.

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants must complete prerequisite coursework for an accredited college or university. It is required that completed courses have a grade of a C or better.  Note: Grades of C- or below are not sufficient as successful completion of the course. Applicants must plan their courses accordingly where if they need to retake the course, they have enough time to do so during the application process. This will guarantee completion prior to enrollment in the program.

• Graduate Level Health Policy Course - This type of course can vary. A pplicants may mail the Office of Admissions to request review and approval of a proposed health policy course or for suggestions for approved courses. 

Prerequisite courses are required to be completed by the start of the program, not by the application deadline.

PhD and MDE/PhD applicants may be invited to an interview by the PhD program. The timeframe on when interviews take place are as follows:

• PhD applicants - December 
• Accepted Applicants Admitted Students Days – January 

International Applicants

Columbia Nursing will fund international PhD students. Funding includes tuition and fees, Student Health Services health insurance, and a stipend. International applicants are encouraged to visit the Columbia University International Students & Scholars Office  for information about housing, Visas, and other topics.

Contact the Office of Admissions

• 212-305-5756
• [email protected]

Walk-in Hours: Mon, Tue, and Fri: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Appointments Only: Wed and Thu: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Note: We are not accepting any walk-ins or in-person appointments until further notice.

Join our mailing list and receive our digital brochure:

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Apply to the PhD Program

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Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

YOU ARE BOUVÉ

Advance the science of nursing through innovation and interdisciplinary inquiry .

The PhD in Nursing program at Northeastern University prepares future nurse-scientists to advance nursing through innovation and interdisciplinary inquiry to improve the health of individuals and communities. Graduates are expected to lead research initiatives that advance nursing science through knowledge development and interdisciplinary scholarly inquiry.

Students will study with nursing faculty who collectively have a variety of expertise and interests and whose research addresses questions that extend across a broad health spectrum.

In addition, students have an opportunity to study with faculty from other Northeastern departments, as well as with other Boston-area researchers. This collaboration allows students to work across disciplines and to access populations and sites essential for completing a dissertation.

Degree: Nursing PhD

Application deadline: December 6

GRE: Optional

Study Options: Full-time/part-time

Please Note: PhD students in the Bouvé College of Health Sciences may not request enrollment deferrals. If you are admitted for a given term but wish to be considered for a future term instead, you must re-apply to the program in order to be considered for admission and funding.

Video: Chelsea Kirker, MSN, CRNA describes why she is doing a PhD at Northeastern

Chelsea Kirker, MSN, CRNA describes why she is doing a PhD at Northeastern

Post-master’s students  (also referred to as Advanced Entry)  will build on their prior degrees and clinical foundations by completing  48 semester hours , including the dissertation. 

Post-baccalaureate  students will complete  60 semester hours , including the dissertation.

On a full-time basis, students entering with a master’s degree can expect to commit a  minimum of three years  to completing the program; if entering with a bachelor’s degree, a minimum of four years. Both full- and part-time options are available to all students. Course descriptions can be found in the PhD Handbook.

Graduates are expected to lead multidisciplinary research initiatives that advance nursing and health care through knowledge development and interdisciplinary scholarly inquiry. Students will work with nursing faculty whose research address innovative questions that seek to advance knowledge for improvement of care. In addition, students will have an opportunity to collaborate with faculty across the broader Northeastern University community in addition to Boston area research and healthcare institutions. This collaboration allows students to work across disciplines and to access populations and research sites essential to the success of their original dissertation study.

The Baccalaureate, Master’s and Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Northeastern University School of Nursing are accredited by the  Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education ,  655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791

Handbooks and Manuals

Sample curriculum.

Sample curriculum, subject to change.

Prerequisites

Both post-BSN and post-MSN students are expected to show satisfactory completion of a basic statistics course . Note:  Post-BSN students will be required to take an epidemiology course as part of their PhD coursework.

Full-time Sample Curriculum

Research core.

8 courses, 3 credits each unless otherwise noted — 22 credits

NRSG 7700  Science of Nursing

NRSG 7705  Theoretical and Conceptual Foundations in Nursing Science

NRSG 7709  Qualitative Research Methods

NRSG 7712  Quantitative Research Methods

NRSG 7715  Measurement in Clinical Research

NRSG 7750  Health Care of Urban Populations

NRSG 7770  Research Colloquium (1 credit)

NRSG 7755  Intervention Research: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation

Research Practicum

2 courses, 1-4 credits each · 6 credits

NRSG 9984 Students are required to complete 6 credits of supervised research practicum with a seasoned researcher. The purpose of the practicum is to develop student research skills through engagement with an active research project. Students must have a viable MA RN license. Research practicum activities vary and may include any or all of the following aspects of the research process:

• Assisting/conducting critical literature reviews
• Developing proposals
• Developing human subjects guidelines
• Recruiting and consenting participants
• Collecting data
• Managing data
• Analyzing data
• Developing presentations
• Writing scholarly research paper(s)

Post-Bac Required Courses

In addition, post-baccalaureate students are required to take:

NRSG 5121  Epidemiology and Population Health

NRSG 7104  Foundations in Nursing Research (3

2 Elective Courses (6 credits)

Electives may be taken in nursing or in an area related to the student’s dissertation research, including appropriate methodology and statistics courses.

2 courses, 3 credits each · 6 credits

Cognates are courses that are taken outside the School of Nursing and should provide depth and breadth to the student’s phenomenon of interest.

PHTH 5210  Biostatistics

PHTH 6210  Applied Regression Analysis

Dissertation

4 courses, 3 credits each unless otherwise noted · 8 credits total

NRSG 9845  Dissertation Seminar 1

NRSG 9846  Dissertation Seminar 2

NRSG 9990/9991  Dissertation

Admissions Requirements

*Note: A Massachusetts RN license is required by matriculation in the PhD program in order to do the research practicum component of the program. If you are a registered nurse, you may enter the PhD program after completing a baccalaureate or a master’s degree. A degree in nursing is preferred.

To apply to the PhD in Nursing you will need the following:

Current U.S. RN License *

Minimum GPA of 3. 5

Official transcript(s) of ALL college-level study-to-date resume

Personal statement  indicating applicant’s personal goals for obtaining a DNP and expectations of the program

GRE optional

Three letters of recommendation  that address your potential in a career in nursing research

Satisfactory completion of a basic statistics course

For international applicants  TOEFL scores or IELTS scores

Got questions?

Amanda Choflet, DNP, RN, NEA-BC 617-373-3488 [email protected]

Graduate Admissions 617-373-2708

Past PhD Dissertation Topics

Utilization of the Pain Catastrophizing Scale for Postoperative Pain in Anesthesia Chris Gill

Understanding college students’ motivations for the use and discontinued use of fitness related technology in relation to their physical activity behaviors Jessica Wallar

Experiences of School Nurses Caring for Newly Arrived Immigrant and Refugee Children Jacqueline Brady

An Exploration of the Influence of Stigma and Trauma in the Illness Representations of those Veterans who Decided to Initiate Treatment for Hepatitis C Virus Casey Garvey

Toward an Understanding of Suicidal Ideation Among Career Firefighters Elizabeth Henderson

Mold Exposure Levels in Inner-City Schools and Homes: An Examination of the Relationship Between Fungal Exposure and the Prevalence Rate of Asthmatic Symptoms Among Children Ages 5 to 15 Evin Howard

New-onset Delirium among Elderly Acute Care Orthopedic Trauma Patients: Sleep Disturbance and Nutritional Status as Modifiable Risk Factors Susan Maher

Stress, Resilience and Reintigration Among Post-9/11 US Veterans: A Holistic Investigation Anna Etchin

Exploring the Issues of HIV Post Exposure Prophylaxis and Sexually Assaulted Individuals Meredith Scannell

Charting the Path from Diagnosis to Treatment: A Grounded Theory Study of Ovarian Cancer Rachel Pozzar

Frequently Asked Quesions

What’s the difference between the dnp and phd programs.

Northeastern offers two different doctoral degrees in nursing: the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). The PhD is a research-oriented degree, while the DNP is practice-oriented. Nurses interested in leadership might be interested in the DNP, whereas those interested in becoming nurse scientists would be a good fit for the PhD program.

What financial support is available for students?

A select number of competitive Graduate Assistantships are available for doctoral students. Graduate Assistantships cover tuition and include a stipend in exchange for working 20 hours/week as a research or teaching assistant.

NOTE: Graduate Assistantships are awarded each academic year.

Can I transfer credits towards the program ?

You may be able to transfer in up to 9 credits that have not been previously used towards another degree and were taken at the graduate level for a grade of B or better. Students must receive approval from the program director prior to transferring courses and must be enrolled in the program in order to begin the transfer process.

More information about Northeastern University’s transfer policy can be found in the  Bouve Transfer Policy.

Can I attend the program on a part-time basis ?

Full-time or part-time enrollment is available. Students who attend full-time complete the degree in five continuous semesters (21 months).

Students who attend part-time usually complete the degree in three years . Students must consult with the financial aid office to assure PT status is acceptable for loan eligibility . All students (full-time or part-time) must take the NRSG7100 Leadership in Advanced Nursing Practice course as the first course which is offered in the Fall.

Can I speak with faculty in the PhD program that share my research interests ?

Yes, we would be happy to put you in touch with our faculty. Please send your query along with a description of research interests so that you can be appropriately matched to:

Dr. Rhonda Board Program Director [email protected]

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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing or Midwifery

Undertake a phd in nursing or midwifery.

Help be the change and create better care and better systems.

There are a large range of exciting PhD opportunities aligned to the ground-breaking Flinders Caring Futures Institute, Australia’s first fully-dedicated research organisation for the study of self-care and caring solutions leading to better lives, better communities, better care and better systems across the population’s lifespan.

Our team is part of the Flinders Caring Futures Institute, working with leading organisations, professionals, community partners and people with disability to pioneer outcome-driven research that makes a positive impact on people’s lives.

Through our research in Nursing and Midwifery, we aim to help facilitate change and positively influence health care practice, leading to better health across the lifespan. We drive innovation and policy development, shape healthcare practices, and address the complex challenges faced by the global community.

We support diversity and warmly welcome applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander candidates and those with lived experience of disability or marginalisation. Health Care and Social Assistance is Australia’s largest industry and is projected to have strong employment growth through to November 2026.*

Research supervisors 

How to apply 

Enquire 

Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing)

Duration: 4  years

Delivery mode: In Person

Location: Bedford Park

CRICOS code:  106270H

Annual fees: 2025: $42,700

Further information on fees listed

Master of Science (Nursing)

Duration: 2  years

CRICOS code:  106281E

Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing) / Master of Business Administration (Future Business)

Duration: 5  years

CRICOS code:  113534H

Annual fees: 2025 MBA (Future Business): $42,700 2025 PhD (Nursing): $42,700

Why undertake a PhD in Nursing or Midwifery at Flinders

• Be involved in research from the Caring Futures Institute. The institute develops evidence to inform our health and social systems services, which helps them support caring solutions for the community across the lifespan.  
• Join our highly collaborative research culture in the Caring Futures Institute, working alongside and with highly qualified researchers and supervisors who are nationally and internationally recognised in their fields.
• Benefit from our partnerships with government, service providers, industry and community both nationally and internationally to collaborate and deliver evidence-based transformative change to industry, individuals and community.
• Follow your own pathway in the health care sector by putting the wide suite of transferable skills you have to practice in a range of research areas.

PhD opportunities

PhD opportunities and supervisors within the Caring Futures Institute are available in the following research areas of focus and across the disciplines of Nursing or Midwifery. However, we also welcome and encourage your own research project ideas that may not fit into the areas of focus.

Areas of focus:

• Healthy Start to Life 
• Fundamental Care
• Cancer Care
• Cardiac Care
• Healthy Ageing and Aged Care
• Disability and Community Inclusion
• Palliative Care and End of Life
• Health and Social Care Economics
• Digital Health and Technology
• Knowledge Translation and Implementation Science

Your career

Potential occupations include:.

• Health leader and practitioner
• Research clinician
• Industry advocate
• Health manager
• Senior scientist
• Teaching academic.

Potential employers include:

• Universities
• Local Health Networks
• Governments
• Research Institutes
• World Health Organisation
• Caring Futures Institute.

Caring Futures Institute

The Caring Futures Institute is Australia’s first fully dedicated research centre for the study of self-care and caring solutions leading to better lives, better communities, better care and better systems across the population’s lifespan.

Potential research supervisors

Flinders’ Nursing and Midwifery researchers are experienced scholars and practitioners.

They are leaders in contemporary research across areas such as cancer, cardiovascular care, fundamental care, and healthy start to life. Our research supervisors draw on their extensive knowledge and clinical experience to translate new knowledge to the health and care setting. 

Learn what to prepare before approaching a potential research supervisor.

Ready to find the perfect supervisor for your research journey?

Explore Research @ Flinders by Discipline

Explore Research @ Flinders by Area of Focus

• Healthy Start to Life

How to apply

Review the course rule

Check your eligibility

Find a research supervisor

Find out about scholarships and fees

Prepare your application

Enquire now

Review answers to regularly asked questions about applying for a higher degree by research (FAQs).

After reviewing the Study HDR web pages and FAQs above, if you still have questions that have not been answered, complete the form. You must provide details about the Reason for your enquiry in the text box 'Ask a question here’.  

For queries relating specifically to a project, direct your enquiry to the  College where you plan to study.

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PhD Program in Nursing

Advance equitable care and improve health outcomes across diverse populations with a phd in nursing..

Prepare to lead and transform nursing practice, policy and research to promote health equity and social justice with Duke University School of Nursing’s PhD Program in Nursing.

Our nursing PhD empowers you with the skills and confidence to develop and test nurse-led models of care that enhance the health of all people, especially those experiencing health inequities. You’ll learn to drive change in nursing practice, influence health policies and conduct research that champions health equity and social justice. Plus, PhD student tuition and 12-month stipends are fully funded for up to five years.

We pride ourselves on welcoming a select group of talented and diverse students each year. As a nursing PhD student, you’ll have the unique opportunity to work closely with our expert faculty members, benefiting from one-on-one mentorship alongside your formal studies.

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PhD Program in Nursing Highlights

Our PhD in nursing equips you with exceptional expertise, setting the stage for transformative career opportunities in nursing science and leadership. Through coursework, unparalleled mentorship from expert faculty and exposure to hands-on research opportunities, our nursing PhD shapes the next generation of nursing leaders with a strong emphasis on championing health equity:

Connections with expert faculty: Our nursing PhD faculty will socialize you into the role of a nurse scientist, ensuring you gain the necessary knowledge and skills to launch a successful independent research program post-doctorate. Your connections with nursing research experts will prepare you for an entry-level role as a nurse scientist in various research settings, including academic, clinical or industry environments.

Empowering research opportunities: Gain experience in traditional and innovative research methodologies and thorough statistical training. Our PhD nursing program emphasizes the importance of mentored research and teaching experiences to enhance knowledge and skill development.

Championing health equity: The PhD Program in Nursing offers a comprehensive understanding of the philosophy of science, focusing on addressing complex health issues, especially those concerning health equity, social determinants and justice.

What Can You Do With a Nursing PhD?

Nurses with PhDs play a pivotal role in shaping the future of health care. Our graduates pursue post-doctoral education and move into leadership positions in academia, industry, research institutions and government, advancing nursing theory and practice.

With Duke University’s PhD in nursing program, you’ll be able to:

• Master key concepts in health equity and nurse-led models of care to improve health outcomes.
• Design and conduct research using interdisciplinary.
• Evaluate research with a focus on health equity and nurse-led models of care.
• Maintain ethics and integrity in research.
• Apply advanced methods to research design and analysis.
• Collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
• Publish and present research to advance nursing and promote social justice.

This expertise will prepare you to improve access and equitable health care through roles in:

• Academia: As faculty, PhD prepared nurses equip the next generation of nurses and nurse scientists, blending education, research and service, which may include practice and policy work.
• Leadership and advocacy: A nursing PhD positions you as a leader in clinical settings, health policy and governmental agencies, driving innovations in nursing practice, health care delivery and policy.
• Research: Lead the design and conduct of research studies, secure grants, analyze scientific data and disseminate findings through presentations and publications with your nursing PhD Our program prepares you to conduct high-impact research, design studies, write grant proposals and analyze data using a health equity lens.

With health care ranking among the most in-demand and fastest-growing fields, many of these opportunities offer excellent salary and growth potential. Professional nurse researchers, for instance, earn an average annual salary of $97,336, according to PayScale.com. Also, nursing instructors at colleges and universities can expect a median annual salary of $84,380, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, with the highest 10% earning more than $182,710.

PhD Program in Nursing Description

The program requires a minimum of 52 credit hours of graduate coursework. Students will work on research projects; it is expected most will graduate with several publications. Coursework is structured with a substantive core of nursing science and research methods to be taken in the School of Nursing. This core is expanded with elective courses that typically support the student’s dissertation and future research career. These can be taken in other Duke University departments or other Universities that have arrangement with Duke (i.e., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University). Additional requirements include research practicums and elective credits that may count towards specialty certificates (i.e., teaching, global health, data science, entrepreneurship, etc.).

In addition to course work, the PhD Program in Nursing will require each student to develop a scholarly portfolio, successful completion of a preliminary examination, and a dissertation. Students are expected to disseminate their work through scholarly venues such as publications and conference presentations.

Terminal Objectives

After the PhD Program in Nursing, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced knowledge and understanding of health equity, social determinants of health (SDOH), and nurse-led models of care to improve health outcomes for a population and/or system of care.
• Apply conceptual models and theories from nursing and other relevant disciplines to design and conduct.
• Use a health equity, SDOH, and/or nurse-led models of care lens to critically evaluate and synthesize research conducted in nursing and other disciplines.
• Demonstrate scientific integrity and ethics in research across phases of the research process.
• Apply appropriate methods and analytic strategies to design, conduct, and evaluate research across phases of the research process, from discovery to translation.
• Collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams to perform research using socioculturally aligned approaches.
• Disseminate research findings through publications, presentations, and other scholarly venues to advance the evidence base for nursing and healthcare, with a focus on promoting health equity and social justice.

Program Director

Sharron L. Docherty PhD, PNP, FAAN

As Vice Dean for Research, Dr. Sharron Docherty aims to improve outcomes for children, adolescents, young adults and families undergoing treatment for life-limiting and chronic conditions. Dr. Docherty studies how to improve care models, symptom management and decision-making from diagnosis through end of life. She has methodological expertise in using qualitative, mixed-methods, trajectory science and visualization methodologies for complex data exploration and intervention development and testing.

Learn more about Sharron Docherty:  Scholars@Duke

Meet Our PhD in Nursing Program Faculty

Get to know our distinguished nursing Ph.D. faculty. These renowned experts bring extensive knowledge and specialized research expertise to our Ph.D. program, ensuring that you’ll learn from leaders who are at the forefront of nursing science and innovation.

The Duke Difference

Earn your Duke nursing degree or certificate while you continue to work.

Discover our unwavering focus on creating innovative, nurse-led models of care.

Learn from experts in distance-based and hybrid education for over 20 years.

Learn & practice at one of the most advanced health systems in the world.

Our faculty are leaders in their field, with real world clinical experience.

We have exceptional students, learning alongside talented & dedicated classmates.

PhD Nursing Admissions

The Nursing Ph.D. Program employs a holistic admissions strategy to evaluate prospective students. Our team assesses an applicant’s unique experiences in addition to traditional academic metrics, considering a wide array of factors indicative of the applicant’s potential for academic and professional success.

If you need additional assistance, contact our admissions team by email or phone: 877-415-3853 .

Caroline Kee, BSN, RN is interested in adolescent health and improving the treatment of patients with substance use disorders. Caroline graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in 2023. In partnership with the Rollins School of Public Health and the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, Caroline researched barriers to care for patients with substance use disorder at the pharmacy level and ED utilization in patients with substance use disorder. This work led her to complete an honors thesis exploring the compounding influence of race and substance use disorder on ED utilization in the acute care setting. During this time, Caroline also cultivated a passion for adolescent health at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honors Society of Nursing and the Southern Nursing Research Society. While at Duke, Caroline plans to continue research on patients living with substance use disorder and adolescent health while exploring essential changes in the healthcare system surrounding treatment for these populations.

Somin Sang, BSN, MSN, is dedicated to enhancing healthcare systems through systems engineering to ensure safety and efficiency. With an academic journey at the College of Nursing, Yonsei University in South Korea, Somin earned her BSN and MSN, laying a solid foundation for her pursuits. Her experience as a surgical nurse at the Seoul Asan Medical Center, coupled with her role as a nurse at the International Healthcare Center of Gangnam Severance Hospital, empowers her with a comprehensive perspective on patient care and global healthcare dynamics. Building on her clinical expertise, Somin's research focus lies at the intersection of patient safety and technology. Through her research, she aims to harness mobile monitoring data and electronic health records, to predict patient safety events and strategically intervene to mitigate patient harm.

Bridget Dobson, BSN, RN is passionate about eliminating sexual health education disparities, specifically related to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), sexual violence prevention, and promoting inclusivity regarding sexual orientation. Her goal is to research best forms of providing sexual health education that empower people of all communities, orientations, and abilities to make informed decisions about their bodies. She is also interested in taking advantage of opportunities in health policy and global health at Duke. Coming from Louisville, Kentucky, Bridget worked for over 2 years as a trauma surgical intensive care nurse, where she was able to observe the impact that social determinants of health had on patient outcomes. During this time, Bridget was involved in implementing a “Trauma Informed Care” education module on the unit to improve cultural competence amongst nursing staff. She also served as a research assistant for UL Health’s Nursing Education Department, where we she assisted in the data collection and collaborative manuscript for the study: Institution-Wide Moral Distress Among Nurses: Post-COVID-19 Pandemic. Bridget learned lessons in active communication and importance of community engagement when she volunteered with Kentucky Refugee Ministries. There she assisted residents in acclimating to the city through resource and conversational English education. Bridget is inspired to get involved in Durham’s community and discover how her research goals can impact sexual health equity on a larger scale.

Osborn Owusu Ansah, BSN, RN is a registered nurse from Ghana who has keen research interests in the fields of oncology and palliative care. He graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and has since gained significant nursing experience from working across different healthcare settings in both Ghana and the United Kingdom for the past four years. His passion for oncology and palliative care research stems from the worrying statistics on the high mortality rates associated with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa and the low number of opportunities available for individuals to extensively study on the merits of incorporating palliative care into the healthcare system in Africa. Osborn’s purpose for pursuing doctorate-level studies is to acquire competencies that will help him discover and develop cost-effective interventions that can enhance symptom management and well-being of people with cancer.

Jill Sergison, MA, CNM, RN is a certified nurse-midwife with nearly 20 years of experience in maternal and family planning care. In addition to her clinical experience, Jill conducted novel contraceptive research at FHI360 to promote availability and sustainability of family planning services worldwide. She was the NC Director of Policy for a reproductive health organization before co-founding Points True North (PTN) Consulting in 2022 and is currently engaged in the implementation of pharmacist-initiated contraception in NC. She has many years of experience working with progressive organizations on a range of critical health, gender, racial and social justice issues and expertise in building coalitions and driving policy change. Notable recent policy achievements include work in the extension of Medicaid for Pregnant Women and 12-month dispensing of contraception through Medicaid. Jill is founder and Executive Director of North Carolina Nurses for Reproductive Rights and co-developed reprohealthnc.org, dedicated to providing reproductive health access information to NC residents. She is tri-chair of NC’s Reproductive Life Planning group, board chair of the C4 arm of Pro-Choice NC, and member of the NC Perinatal Equity Collaborative. She obtained her BS from Wake Forest University and her MA from New York University.

Financial Aid for PhD Nursing Students

Ph.D. student tuition and 12-month stipends are fully funded for up to five years. As a Ph.D. student, you’ll receive a competitive package that should provide financial support (tuition, stipend, health insurance) for the majority of the time you are registered and working toward your degree. Ph.D. students are supported in various ways, including funding from the School of Nursing, Graduate School and other governmental and private sources.

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

The School of Nursing is committed to assisting all full-time PhD students for four years of tuition, fees, stipend, and health insurance.

PhD Tuition and Financial Aid

Students may be funded internally or externally, depending on funding options available. The PhD program leadership will determine which funding is most appropriate for all incoming students. Students who choose part-time enrollment are responsible for paying for their own tuition, fees, and health insurance.

Internal Funding

In exchange for a nine-month stipend (September-May), students may be funded as a Teaching Assistant to support School of Nursing courses at up to 16 hours a week. Incoming Teaching Assistants will receive a ten-month stipend (August-May).

The stipend amount for 2024-2025 is $39,425.

External Funding

Supplemental employment, international students, scholarships & grants, academic practice partnership scholarship for employees of penn nursing’s academic partners, future of nursing scholars program, independence blue cross nurses for tomorrow scholarship.

Eligible to candidates for a Doctoral of Nursing Practice or Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree and intend to pursue a career as a nurse educator or an advanced practice nurse. Recipients will be selected by committee and awards may vary, minimum award amount will be $2500. To qualify, you must be able to provide proof of residency (RN license, driver’s license, car registration, or voter registration) in one of the following areas:

• Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware, Chester or Montgomery Counties in Pennsylvania
• New Castle County in Delaware
• Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem and Mercer Counties in New Jersey

Jonas Scholars Program

The program was created in 2008 to support doctoral nursing students to increase the number of doctorally-prepared faculty available to teach in nursing schools nationwide, as well as the number of advanced practice nurses providing direct patient care. Through an institutional grant to the school, the Program provides financial assistance, leadership development and networking support to expand the pipeline of future doctorally-prepared nurse faculty and advanced practice nurses.

Nurse Faculty Loan Program

Available to MSN, Post-Master’s, and PhD students who are interested in pursuing a career as a nursing educator, this loan forgiveness program is funded by HRSA – up to 85% forgivable. Awards may vary and can be awarded as high as $35,500, and require a 4-year work commitment as a full-time faculty member at any school of nursing.

Understanding Your Aid

Preparing financially for your doctoral program, program funding for full-time doctoral students, financial aid for part-time doctoral students.

Part-time doctoral students are responsible for their tuition, fees, and health insurance. You can submit a FAFSA if you would like to borrow Federal loans for your tuition, fees, health insurance, and living expenses.

Federal Direct Loans & Direct Graduate Plus Loans are available for full-time and part-time students who are attending at least half time (2 CUs). You can request $20,500 of unsubsidized Direct Loan funds every academic year. Keep in mind you must make a progression of 6 CUs to receive each new level of borrowing.

You can use Grad Plus Loans to cover your expected contribution and any difference between your needs and the combination of your grants, scholarships, and loans.

Loan forgiveness program

Working while enrolled in the doctoral program.

You are permitted to work in the School of Nursing to supplement your income:

• U.S. Citizens or permanent residents: Up to 10 additional hours per week
• International students: Up to 8 hours per week in addition to your primary appointment.

Many doctoral students work a secondary appointment in the school as a lecturer, clinical instructor, or as classroom support.

 As always, if you have any questions, we are here to help!

Related Links

See yourself here.

PhD: Doctor of Philosophy

Good news! There are no application fees ever for PhD applicants!

For more than four decades, the University of Maryland School of Nursing's PhD program has prepared scholars and researchers to tackle the greatest challenges facing health care.

Learn more about research at UMSON:

• explore our faculty members' areas of expertise
• read  profiles on our nurse researchers
• browse our web directory , where faculty available to chair PhD student committees are noted as "accepting PhD students"
• see a list of  recent PhD dissertation projects

As a PhD student at UMSON, you'll:

• conduct important research that not only builds a foundation for your career, but also contributes to the advancement of nursing science
• study under accomplished faculty members from UMSON's organized research centers while taking full advantage of our state-of-the-art health sciences campus.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is the state's public health, law, and human services university devoted to excellence in professional education, research, patient care, and public service.

How the Program Works:

• Half of your coursework is delivered in a seminar format with some online modules.
• The other half includes electives, practicum experiences, and dissertation research.
• Electives are available in varied formats across University System of Maryland schools.
• Full-time and part-time options are available.

You're an ideal candidate for the PhD program if you are a bachelor's- or master's-prepared nurse or other health-related professional who wants a research career focused on some of the most important disciplines, topics, and trends, including:

• Aging Populations
• Cardiovascular Health
• Health Systems Outcomes
• Implementation Science
• Women's Health and Birth Outcomes
• Occupational Health
• Pain and Symptom Science
• Palliative and End-of-Life Care

The UMSON PhD program was initiated in 1979 as the 16th doctoral nursing program in the nation. Every student is carefully chosen and matched to the faculty member who can offer the greatest opportunity to succeed in developing his or her research program. As a graduate, you will join a thriving group of alumni—many of whom hold key leadership positions in academia, research, and administration across the country. 

What You'll Do

After graduating from the phd program, you'll 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

Courses You'll Take

For financial aid purposes, there are credit minimums for full-time status that may differ from the plans of study. See details .

In this Section:

• Full-Time Plan of Study All full-time students with Graduate Research Assistantships must consult with their advisor and the associate dean for the PhD program before registering to ensure that their credits align with the requirements of the GRA.

Part-Time Plan of Study

Full-time plan of study.

*Grant Writing Seminar: Offered only in spring.

**Research Rotation: A total of 2 research rotation credits are required for all students – 1 credit equals 3 hours/week or 45 hours over the semester.

***Research Practicum: A total of 6 credits of NURS 818 are required – these are intended to focus on the student’s research area where time is spent preparing for comprehensive exams, learning new techniques, conducting preliminary analyses, etc. As with NURS 819, for 1 credit students are expected to devote 45 hours over the semester. P - Prerequisite C - Concurrent

*Grant Proposal Writing: Offered only in spring.

Scholarship Opportunities

Your nursing education is an important investment. financial aid and scholarships can help make your goals a reality..

UMSON offers multiple opportunities to help you afford your graduate education.

Learn More About Financial Aid and Scholarships

All students receiving funds through the University must:

• be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits) in a degree-seeking program
• complete a  Free Application for Federal Student Aid  (FAFSA) each year by UMB's award priority deadline
• FAFSA Submission deadline:  June 30, 2023
• FAFSA School code:  002104

The  UMB Office of Student Financial Assistance & Education  is available to guide prospective and current students through the FAFSA application process and the financial aid award package.

Contact Us:

UMSON Scholarships and Grants Office 410-706-0489 | [email protected]

UMB Student Financial Assistance and Education Office 410-706-7347 | [email protected]

PhD Admission Information

Phd applicants apply through umb’s graduate school., in this section:.

• Qualifications
• Application Materials and Instructions  *There are  no application fees ever  for PhD applicants!
• Fall Enrollment:  Dec. 1

PhD applicants apply through UMB’s Graduate School . Your application and all supplemental materials must be received by this date.

Qualifications:

Applicants should possess a bachelor's or master's degree with a major in nursing or a related health field from a regionally accredited college or university or an equivalent degree from a comparable foreign institution.  For International Applicants or those with a degree outside the United States, please review the International Applicants webpage.

Application Materials and Instructions: 

There are no application fees ever for PhD applicants!

PhD applicants apply through UMB’s Graduate School. All applicants must satisfy the general requirements of the University of Maryland Graduate School and submit the following materials:

Submit/request these materials via the Admissions Dashboard .

If you have questions regarding the admissions requirements or process, contact  [email protected]  to avoid errors that could delay the processing of your application.

Recent Dissertation Topics

View the List of PhD Dissertations.

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PhD in Nursing Funding Opportunities

Most full-time Johns Hopkins Nursing PhD students are  100% funded  with a stipend for the first three years of study. Additional financial support is made available in following years. For full eligibility of scholarship opportunities, apply by  December 1 .

Qualified students interested in the PhD program may be eligible to receive tuition and stipend support through the School of Nursing. The following types of funding are available:

• Interdisciplinary Training in Cardiovascular Health Research
• Graduate Partnership Program (GPP)

Graduate assistantships provide an opportunity for acquiring valuable research and/or teaching experience for qualifying students. Selection is competition-based with priorities given to those who have a good academic standing in the doctoral program. PhD students hired as graduate assistants receive a full-tuition waiver (base tuition payment for up to 6 credits for those in their 3rd year of doctoral study or after) and a stipend of $22,920 for the academic year 2015-2016. The full-tuition benefit is based on the number of hours worked at 20 hours per week . It is highly encouraged that the responsibilities of the graduate assistant position be consistent with the academic goals of the student.

• Full-time PhD students are expected to prepare and submit an application for external funding at the conclusion of the 1st academic year. Policies and guidelines
• Graduate assistantships are prepared to help ease financial strain which may be experienced by students during the application process and hence should not replace the effort to apply for external funding.
• Current students wishing to apply for a graduate assistant position can submit an application to the Doctoral Program Administrator, Kristen Hasch at [email protected] .

Award: $22,920 for 12 months, plus tuition Graduate assistantships are made possible by generous support from donors and SON general funds, including:

A. T. AND MARY BLADES FELLOWSHIP Established by A.T. Blades in loving memory of his wife Mary H. Blades who was a nurse.

CAYLOR FELLOWSHIP Established by Mrs. Caylor, a 1947 graduate of the School of Nursing, to support graduate students.

ELLEN LEVI ZAMOISKI DOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP Established in honor of Ellen Levi Zamoiski who was instrumental in forming the Consortium of Nursing Education, Inc. Zamoiski fellowships support future leaders of nursing.

SON FELLOWSHIP Given to current doctoral students with an excellent academic standing in the program and those who have excellent research and/or teaching skills.

TARGETED FELLOWSHIPS The following fellowships are part of the School’s strategic efforts to enhance the educational experience for all students.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARD Established by Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing Professor Maryann F. Fralic, DrPH, RN, FAAN to provide financial support for students in the PhD nursing program. The Professional Development Award is designed to support selected full-time doctoral students in honing their professional skills. These students will receive financial support to invest in themselves through professional development opportunities that best fit their needs and personal interests.

Award : $2,500

Additional Information for Professional Development Award

JOHNS HOPKINS HOSPITAL CLINICAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP The Johns Hopkins Hospital Fellowship in Clinical Research provides a qualifying PhD student with the opportunity for direct practice in a rich and diverse clinical practice environment.

Applicants for this Fellowship will be students who:

• Have a dissertation interest related to hospital-based practice or care problems
• Are interested in designing and submitting funding to Dorothy Evans Lyne or another funding source to study nurse-initiated protocols of care and impact on patients
• Are knowledgeable about evidence-based practice as the foundation for clinical research in a practice setting, and facile in research appraisal
• Have experience or an interest in measuring clinical outcomes and data management to interpret and make inferences about its meaning for improving practice or care
• Have the expertise to educate staff about research methods, analysis and interpretation, developing databases, data management, and data mining

Award : $22,032, plus tuition

JONAS SCHOLARS PROGRAM Established by The Jonas Foundation, funds are made available to students who are committed to teach future generations of nurses.

Award: $5,000 per year matched with $5,000 from the School for two years Learn more about the Jonas Scholars Program

As a research intensive university, Johns Hopkins is committed to having faculty and students engage in discovery of knowledge, inventing new technologies, and applying knowledge in the community and abroad. The School of Nursing offers a variety of post-doctoral opportunities to students eager to engage in this process. Opportunities include:

• Blaustein Fellowship in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Research
• Fellowship in Aging
• Fellowship in Global Health and Gender-Based Violence
• Interdisciplinary Research Training on Violence in the Family
• Interdisciplinary Training Program in Biobehavioral Pain Research

JOHN A. HARTFORD FOUNDATION, “BUILDING ACADEMIC GERIATRIC NURSING CAPACITY” The American Academy of Nursing seeks applicants for its Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity (BAGNC) Predoctoral Scholarship Program. This 2-year scholarship program supports full time doctoral education for nurses committed to careers in academic geriatric nursing. Through generous funding from The John A. Hartford Foundation , the BAGNC Program awards a total of $100,000 ($50,000 per annum) to each selected Predoctoral Scholar candidate. The Mayday Fund provides an additional $5,000 award to selected candidates whose research focuses on pain in older persons.

Award: $50,000/year for 2 years (additional $5,000 for research focusing on pain) Deadline : January

NURSE FACULTY LOAN PROGRAM Funding is used to provide loans to students enrolled in advanced education nursing programs that prepare graduates to serve as faculty in a school of nursing. Loans can be provided to students in the MSN, DNP and PhD programs who pursue the Nurse Educator certificate option. All Nurse Educator courses must be completed prior to the completion of the student’s degree program.

Apply to the Nurse Faculty Loan Program

ONCOLOGY NURSING SOCIETY The Oncology Nursing Society offers several one time, unrestricted awards. Additional small research grants that can be used for nursing research conduct (not stipends).

Award: $3,000-$5,000 doctoral scholarships; $10,000 small research grants (one-time awards) Deadline: February 1 for doctoral scholarships; November 1 for small research grants (letter of intent due October 1)

Apply for Oncology Nursing Society Awards

SIGMA THETA TAU INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) offers several small research grants which are open to doctoral students who are members. Grants are usually smaller and can be used to cover costs related to dissertation research. There are several different types with different focuses. Local STTI chapters often provide their own small research grants as well. The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing is home to the STTI Nu Beta chapter .

Award: Approximately $5,000 small research grant awards Deadline: Varies depending on award (see website)

Apply for STTI awards

SOUTHERN NURSING RESEARCH SOCIETY The Southern Nursing Research Society (SNRS) offers two dissertation awards to support doctoral students in the Southern region (includes Maryland) enrolled in research-focused programs as they initiate a program of nursing research to advance nursing science and practice.

Award: Up to $3,000 one time dissertation award Deadlines: March and September (dates can vary)

Apply for Southern Nursing Research Society Award

STATE OF MARYLAND GRADUATE FACULTY SCHOLARSHIPS Funding for the Graduate Nursing Faculty Scholarship and Living Expenses Grant is provided by the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) through the Nurse Support Program II (NSP II) to address the issues of recruiting and retaining nurses in Maryland hospitals.

Award: $13,000 per academic year ($6,500 per fall and spring semesters) up to $26,000 Deadline: August 1 for fall entry

Apply for State of Maryland Graduate Faculty Scholarships

TRISERVICE NURSING RESEARCH PROGRAM The Department of Defense provides research awards through the TriService Nursing Research Program to nurses in the armed services, including a predoctoral award. Active duty and Reserve students pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing are eligible. Dissertation topics must focus on one of the TriService priority areas:

• military deployment health
• generating and translating research into practice in a military context
• recruitment and retention of the military workforce
• developing and sustaining military nursing competencies

The topic of “military deployment health” is broad and includes the management of diseases such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension as well as issues in mental health. Award recipients must attend TriService Grant Camp for guidance on applying for and managing this award prior to being selected for the award.

Award: Up to $30,000 in direct costs Deadline: January 4

Apply for the TriService Nursing Research Program

We recognize that it can be financially burdensome to relocate to a new city to attend a PhD program. Students who are admitted to PhD programs at JHU can apply to receive a $1500 need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to JHU.

These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program.

This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN One of the world’s largest sources of funding exclusively for graduate women, the AAUW Educational Foundation supports aspiring scholars around the globe, teachers, and activists in local communities, women at critical stages of their careers, and those pursuing professions where women are underrepresented. Scholarships are not nursing-specific.

Award: $20,000 dissertation fellowships (final year of dissertation work); $30,000 post-doctoral research leave fellowships; $6,000 short-term research publication grants Deadline: Mid-November

Apply for the American Association of University Women’s award

FAHS-BECK FUND FOR RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENTATION Grants are to help support doctoral dissertation expense of students in the United States or Canada. Proposals must have clear relevance to major social problems affecting families or individuals, including education and literacy issues, or to interventions designed to assist individuals, couples, or families in their functioning and well-being.

Award : Up to $15,000 dissertation awards Deadline : May 1 and November 1

Apply for the Fahs-Beck Fund for Research and Experimentation

GRADUATE WOMEN IN SCIENCE Award: From $5,000 to $10,000 Deadline : January 15

Apply for Graduate Women in Science award

GUGGENHEIM FOUNDATION Ten or more fellowships are awarded to fund final-year dissertation projects in the natural and social sciences and the humanities that promise to increase understanding of the causes, manifestations, and control of violence, aggression, and dominance. Highest priority is given to research that can increase understanding and amelioration of these issues. Students become eligible at the writing stage of their dissertation.

Award: $15,000 one-time dissertation award Deadline: February 1

Apply for Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship

THE MELISSA INSTITUTE FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT Established in the memory of Melissa Aptman, a Miami native who was murdered in May 1995, The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment is a non-profit educational, training and consultative organization that awards scholarships to graduate students from any discipline who address issues of violence prevention and/or treatment. The award must be used to support expenses that are directly related to the dissertation research. It may not be used for tuition, books, fees, personal travel, or personal expenses.

Award: $2,000 one-time award Deadline: April 1

“Johns Hopkins is strategically situated in the inner city of Baltimore. There are many disparities that minorities face within the community; I wanted to situate myself in a place where I could be most effective.” Morgan Dupree

• Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
• Graduate School
• Prospective Students
• Graduate Degree Programs

Go to programs search

The Ph.D. program prepares graduates who will provide leadership in the generation, integration, and implementation of knowledge aimed at improving health and health care. Our graduates have expanded spheres of influence in academic institutions, practice settings, and policy arenas. Students join a community of scholars where supervisors are committed to supporting educational programs that meet students’ interests and growth in scholarly engagement with the nursing discipline. All doctoral students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination, an oral candidacy examine, and a research dissertation meeting the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requirements. Program applicants are admitted based on outstanding achievement in their master's program; evidence of leadership potential for research and scholarship; self-direction; and goals that fit with program resources. Canadian students must hold practicing nurse registration in BC or another province. International students must meet general eligibility criteria for nurse registration in BC. Transfer from the M.S.N. to the Ph.D. program occurs based on Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies regulations.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

This exciting program prepares researchers and leaders to advance research knowledge, and the dissemination and application of findings to nursing and health care. Students join research supervisors in a community of scholars (other students and faculty members) to develop a program that takes them to new levels of knowledge and skill with career relevant competencies. In addition to core courses, students are encouraged to gain advanced expertise in research methods and other skills through rich course offerings, seminars, colloquia, conferences and independent studies available at UBC. Interdisciplinary collaboration is promoted.

The UBC School of Nursing is a world-renowned centre for research and training. Its reputation in producing and training highly successful nurse scholars with a strong foundation of course work ranks it as one of the top universities worldwide.

Manpreet Thandi

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is required by some applicants. Please check the program website.

2) Meet Deadlines

September 2025 intake, application open date, canadian applicants, international applicants, deadline explanations.

Deadline to submit online application. No changes can be made to the application after submission.

Deadline to upload scans of official transcripts through the applicant portal in support of a submitted application. Information for accessing the applicant portal will be provided after submitting an online application for admission.

Deadline for the referees identified in the application for admission to submit references. See Letters of Reference for more information.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

• Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Applicants are expected to identify a faculty member who has agreed to serve as supervisor before the application will be assessed. All applicants are strongly encouraged to speak with the Graduate Programs Admission Officer and/or PhD program coordinator prior to completing the application form, and to seek assistance (as necessary) in identifying a potential supervisor. Applicants should also browse faculty profiles to identify faculty they are interested in working with.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

All full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD from September 2024. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 10 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 10 students was $11,004.
• 2 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 2 students was $25,222.
• 11 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 11 students was $6,411.
• 28 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 28 students was $16,129.
• 6 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 6 students was $32,500.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

34 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 is in a non-salaried situation; for 0 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 33 graduates:

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, career options.

Graduates of our PhD Program have advanced competencies in nursing research and scholarship, research team participation and management, interdisciplinary collaboration, teaching, entrepreneurship, and translating results to action. They are innovative in their approaches to finding solutions to problems in nursing and healthcare delivery. Our graduates follow a long tradition of being recognized leaders in the field of nursing, who are working to advance the profession for future generations. Graduates take leadership roles within the health authorities or business and faculty positions at university and colleges worldwide.

Alumni on Success

Heather McDonald

Job Title Health Director

Employer Seabird Island Band

Sandra Lauck

Job Title Clinician Scientist

Employer St. Paul's Hospital

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

Upcoming doctoral exams, tuesday, 17 september 2024 - 9:30am.

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Abdulai, Fatawu (Clinical nursing, primary (preventive care); Health informatics; human-computer interaction; Health technology design; Informatics/Digital health; Sexual health equity)
• Auxier, Jennifer
• Baumbusch, Jennifer (long-term residential care, family caregiving, Intellectual Disability, nursing care of older adults )
• Boschma, Geertje (History of nursing and health care, with special emphasis on mental health and mental health nursing)
• Brown, Helen Jean (Maternal-infant and women)
• Browne, Annette (Health inequalities, indigenous peoples, women's health, cultural safety, primary health care interventions to improve health outcomes, marginalized populations, health policy)
• Bungay, Vicky (sexuality, sex work, harm reduction, drug use, intersectionality, ethnography, communication technologies, community based research, Health inequities affecting men and women working in the commercial sex industry and people who are street-involved, leadership, public health nursing, mental health, sexual health, HIV, and harm reduction programming)
• Campbell, Suzanne (Clinical nursing, primary (preventive care); lactation support; interprofessional health professional education; health communication; Interpersonal Communication; leadership in nursing; Community Health / Public Health; Health Promotion; Educational Technologies; Health Care Technologies; simulation nursing education; social determinants of health; Adult Education and Continuing Education; global maternal-infant-child health)
• Clark, Drew (Health sciences; healthcare ethics; Health Equity; healthcare decision making; transgender health)
• Currie, Leanne (Nursing; Health Care Technologies; Health information systems; Biomedical and Health Informatics)
• Dahinten, Susan (Social determinants and processes of child development, identification, intervention and the prevention of developmental problems)
• Dev, Rubee (Pediatrics and reproductive medicine, n.e.c.; Nursing; women's health; maternal & child health; sexual & reproductive health; chronic disease prevention & management; health system & services)
• Garrett, Bernard Mark (Nursing; Health Care Technologies; Ethics and Health; Deception in Healthcare; Media Influence on Behavior; Virtual Reality (VR); Augmented reality; Evidence-based practice; Alternative Medicine; CAM; Healthcare Regulation)
• Haase, Kristen (Nursing, n.e.c.; oncology; Older Adults; Geriatric oncology; Health systems research; Mixed Methods Research; Qualitative research; Self-management; E-health)
• Havaei, Farinaz (Nursing; factors that influence nurses’ ability to provide effective patient care; health human resource optimization)
• Hirani, Saima (Psychosocial, sociocultural and behavioral determinants of health; Mental health nursing; Social sciences; mental health; Mental health promotion; psychosocial interventions; Vulnerable Groups; social support; resilience)
• Howard, Fuchsia (health service needs of vulnerable, high-risk survivors of acute life-threatening illness, specifically, cancer survivors and survivors of critical illnesses; hereditary cancer prevention and risk management and psychosocial and ethnocultural factors that shape health and illness experiences)
• Hung, Lillian (Geriatric nursing; Medical and biomedical engineering; Impact of technology and environment on the care experiences of persons with dementia; dementia education; quality improvement; Participatory action research)
• Jenkins, Emily (optimizing mental health and substance use outcomes; collaborative mental health promotion strategies; health services and policy development and redesign; knowledge translation approaches; healthy public policy development)
• Lauck, Sandra (health service delivery to support the implementation of innovative approaches to cardiac disease, minimally invasive treatment of valvular heart disease)
• Ojukwu, Emmanuela (Health sciences; Social sciences; Humanities and the arts; Racial and gender health disparities and inequities; African, Carribbean and Black Immigrant Health; Women, Maternal-Infant, Youth Health; Psycho-social and Socio-ecologic determinants of health; Mental health, HIV/AIDS and other STIs; intersectionality)
• Oliffe, John (Care; Sociology and related studies; Men's Health Promotion; Male Depression and Suicide; Psychosocial Prostate Cancer Care; Smoking Cessation)
• Phinney, Alison (Capacities of older people for successfully coping with the functional consequences of aging and disease)
• Ramsay, Scott (impact of neurological disorders on children and youth, their families, and the health care system; health inequities; health and wellbeing of children and youth)
• Ranger, Manon (Neurodevelopment; Clinical nursing, secondary (acute care); neurodevelopment; Early-adversity; Biomarkers of early stress exposure; Brain development; pain; Prematurity)

Doctoral Citations

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Nurse practitioners' perceptions of quality of virtual care : a mixed methods study
• A computerised ontology to represent complex nursing knowledge for indicators of localised wound infection in chronic wounds
• Concussion among children and youth in British Columbia : follow-up visits and health outcomes
• A case study exploration of harm reduction implementation and related barriers and facilitators in an emergency department in British Columbia, Canada
• Intersecting social statuses, health inequities, and macro-social influences on HIV risk behaviour among adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa : a structural determinants exploration
• Characterization and management of technology-mediated adverse events in primary and community care
• Adaptation and validation of the U.S. hospital survey on patient safety culture 2.0™(SOPS®) : the Saudi version
• Development and application of destigmatising design principles in sexual health-related technologies
• Learning from experiences of peer support at an integrated youth service organization : a qualitative study
• Testing the theoretical framework of the Runaway Intervention Program
• Cervical cancer screening uptake and experiences of Black African immigrant women in the context of a comprehensive provincial screening program in B.C. Canada

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

Same Academic Unit

• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Informatics (GCCI)
• Master of Health Leadership and Policy in Clinical Education (MHLP)
• Master of Health Leadership and Policy in Seniors Care (MHLP)
• Master of Nursing - Nurse Practitioner (MN)

At the UBC Okanagan Campus

Further information, specialization.

The program focuses on improving health care delivery, advancing and applying nursing knowledge, and evolving health policy.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Bonnie Leung

The UBC School of Nursing is Canada's top-ranked nursing program and is internationally renowned for their contributions to nursing and health research, nursing philosophy and health system leadership.

Olivia Maracle

I have a BA in Psychology and Sociology from the U of A, but that was many years ago. As I no longer live in Alberta, the communities I know now are situated in Vancouver, so it made sense to complete my BSN and MSN at UBC. This is the University I personally feel most comfortable at. I have felt...

Sammy Iammarino

I chose UBC because of its reputation for high quality education and proximity to harm reduction environments that allow me to stay connected to my nursing practice. Studying at UBC has made it possible for me to be a PhD student, nursing leader in public health, and mama to two little kids. I am...

Eunice Bawafaa

I am drawn to the University of British Columbia’s Nursing program because of Faculty’s research expertise in areas of international nurse education, primary care areas, health leadership, community health, and health equity. In particular, my research interests align well with Suzanne Campbell in...

Why should you choose UBC?

From academic excellence and modern facilities to our diverse degree program listings to being named one of the “most innovative universities” by Reuters in 2019, UBC has a lot to offer.

• Why Grad School at UBC?
• Application & Admission
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Strategic Priorities

• Strategic Plan 2019-2024
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• Advancing Indigenous Inclusion
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• Reimagining Graduate Education
• Enriching the Student Experience

Initiatives

• Public Scholars Initiative
• 3 Minute Thesis (3MT)
• PhD Career Outcomes

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Tackle the biggest challenges in biology, medicine and health in a world leading research environment, and prepare for your future career.

Attend an open day

PhD/MPhil Nursing / Overview

Year of entry: 2025

• View full page

We require:

• An honours degree (minimum Upper Second (2:1)) or the overseas equivalent in a relevant subject
• AND a very good MSc/MPhil/MRes degree from a recognised institution
• OR satisfactory work at postgraduate level (which must include some research training) undertaken for the equivalent of at least one year full-time.

NB In exceptional circumstances, we may consider an application from a student without both an undergraduate and post-graduate degree. For example, if they have a first/distinction and research experience. 

We also have a four-year programme which is strongly recommended for anyone who:

• has not studied in the UK before;
• has not completed specific research methods training at master's level and received 'very good' grades;
• has not completed a research dissertation at master's level and received 'very good' grades;
• has not scored at least 6.5 in all areas of the IELTS (or equivalent) if English is not their first language.

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Before applying you must:

• Choose a programme or find a project you want to apply for and check you’re eligible.
• Speak to the listed supervisor about your suitability for their project or programme.
• Understand how your project is funded and, if it is self-funded, consider how you plan on funding it.
• Read our ‘How to apply’ page to find out more and ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission.

Visit our Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Postgraduate Research page to find out more.

Programme options

Programme overview

• Undertake research in a field you’re passionate about and join a project addressing leading challenges in the area while working with some of Europe's leading researchers and academics.
• Choose to research at a university ranked and 6th in the UK (QS World University Rankings, 2025) and 2nd in the world for social and environmental impact (THE Impact Rankings, 2024), where 93% of research activity is ‘world leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ (Research Impact Framework, 2021)
• Access some of the best research facilities in the world at the University, through our industry partners, and at hospitals around Greater Manchester.
• Benefit from dedicated support throughout your PhD journey, from pre-application to graduation and everything in between, through our Doctoral Academy
• Undergo training in transferable skills critical to developing early-stage researchers and professionals through the Doctoral Academy's training programme and progress into a career in research, academia or industry.

Visit our Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Postgraduate Research page to find out about upcoming open days and events.

Fees for entry in 2025 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2024 were as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250
• PhD (full-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £4,786, Low £11,000, Medium £17,500, High £23,000 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £27,000, Low £28,500, Medium £34,500, High £40,500
• PhD (part-time distance learning) UK students (per annum): Standard £2393, Low £5,500, Medium £8,750, High £11,500 International, including EU, students (per annum): Standard £13,500, Low £14,250, Medium £17,250, High £20,250

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Contact details

Programmes in related subject areas.

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

• Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

• School of Nursing >
• News & Events >
• The Nurses Report >

Advice for International Students Who Want to Pursue a PhD in Nursing

MARCH 23, 2017 | BY MISOL KWON, BS '13, RN, PHD IN NURSING STUDENT

Attending an international school in India throughout my elementary, middle and high school education and being an international student at the University at Buffalo has shaped who I am as a person, a researcher and a compassionate nurse. As a first year Post BS to PhD student in nursing, I am still growing in ways I could have not predicted when I first arrived here. 

Focus on improving your language skills

Language is a huge barrier for most international students who want to pursue a PhD. There are so many great ideas in that intricate brain of yours, yet addressing them in the form of a second language may be challenging. I know. But also know that’s ok because every day you will see yourself improving – whether in English or terminologies used in your research – as you invest more time, energy and heart.

Be mindful that writing is a critical part in any PhD program, but that does not mean you have to be perfect. The great thing about my experience in the nursing graduate program is that the coursework prepares me to be a better writer every day.

I cannot stress enough how important reading is not only for the program, but also for your future and life in general. In the past few months, by reading hundreds of academic journals and articles, I have started to recognize the joy of reading in English. This does not mean you should give up your love of reading in your language. Reading in general has a positive impact on life.  

Be confident! Do not be afraid to share your perspective

Speak up, raise your hand, voice your opinion, be the first to initiate a conversation – you will see there is no harm in doing so, especially in an American educational community.

Is a fear of language, accent or use of incorrect grammar an obstacle for speaking up? My advice is to be confident – the only way you will overcome this is by speaking aloud.  

Improve your understanding of statistics

When I hear the word “statistics,” I used to frown or sigh. But I have really trained myself to change this bad habit. The best tip I can give to any incoming PhD nursing student is to try to understand the meaning of statistical representation in one of your favorite articles or journals, even if it is in your language. This will be a first step to success in statistics. 

Get involved with the wider community of nurse scientists and other researchers

Your involvement in your nursing school, university, research society and community matters. Familiarize yourself with not only resources in your department, but also with what the university or community can offer you. You will be surprised how many great ideas you will have by getting involved. 

Cherish and explore every opportunity

Many people from around the world come to UB to achieve academic excellence, and in the process, they bloom in all aspects of who they are. The result is the wonderful combination of unique individuals that make up the UB community. Wherever you pursue your doctorate in nursing, you will find that there are so many opportunities related to your research and others’ research – you may even discover opportunities in other fields, like epidemiology or medicine.

I strongly recommend you pursue each appropriate opportunity and cherish it, especially if you are a first year PhD student – but be mindful of your own limits and learn to say no so that you don’t overextend yourself. 

Embrace your passion and keep a positive attitude

Last but not the least, have a positive outlook and attitude. When growing up, my father used to tell me, “If you can’t avoid it, you might as well try and enjoy it.” Pursuing a PhD is a path you choose, though you may encounter some unavoidable obstacles along the way. I am sure you decided to pursue a PhD in nursing because you can see the bigger picture of health care that is accessible through nursing research. Kudos to you for your passion. Now, embrace your passion and walk the path of your PhD program with strong faith and a positive attitude. This will be the greatest weapon and shield for success on your journey.  

" The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. The hilltop hour would not be half so wonderful if there were no dark valleys to traverse .” – Helen Keller

I am a nursing student from Rutgers. That is very encouraging and helpful. Thank you! I will start to speak up!

-Weiming Wang

Nursing Scholarships for International Students

NurseJournal.org is committed to delivering content that is objective and actionable. To that end, we have built a network of industry professionals across higher education to review our content and ensure we are providing the most helpful information to our readers.

Drawing on their firsthand industry expertise, our Integrity Network members serve as an additional step in our editing process, helping us confirm our content is accurate and up to date. These contributors:

• Suggest changes to inaccurate or misleading information.
• Provide specific, corrective feedback.
• Identify critical information that writers may have missed.

Integrity Network members typically work full time in their industry profession and review content for NurseJournal.org as a side project. All Integrity Network members are paid members of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.

Explore our full list of Integrity Network members.

Are you ready to earn your online nursing degree?

Nursing students from around the globe come to the United States to attend world-class nursing programs in advanced clinical facilities. Many international students, nursing students included, turn to financial aid to help pay for their education.

Financial aid comes from various sources, including nursing schools and private organizations.

Explore a list of scholarships for international nursing students. We’ve included awards for both undergraduate and graduate-level training paths, including students pursuing the associate degree in nursing (ADN) , bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) , and master of science in nursing (MSN) .

Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

International Nursing Student Scholarships

East tennessee state university international merit scholarship.

• Who Can Apply: Any international student who is interested in attaining a degree from Eastern Tennessee State University may apply for this award if they have a record of academic achievement comparable to a 3.0 GPA. Recipients must have an F-1 or J-1 student visa.
• Amount: Up to $9,000

March of Dimes Undergraduate Nursing Diversity Scholarship

• Who Can Apply: This scholarship is awarded to an undergraduate from an underrepresented racial or ethnic group in the nursing profession. Eligible applicants include students attending an accredited nursing school with plans to work in maternal and infant health .
• Amount: $10,000

Slippery Rock University International Student Tuition Waiver

• Who Can Apply: Pennsylvania’s Slippery Rock University offers financial aid to all new international undergraduate students, including nursing students, regardless of need. Students who maintain a 3.0 GPA or better receive additional support.
• Amount: Approximately $3,500 plus up to $2,000 for academic achievement

University of Illinois Chicago Laurette Kirstein Scholarship for International Students

• Who Can Apply: The University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) awards scholarships to current international UIC students pursuing a full-time undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree in any field of study, including nursing. Students must hold a minimum cumulative 3.5 GPA at UIC.
• Amount: $5,000

University of Missouri Sinclair School of Nursing Bobby Joe Waggoner Memorial Scholarship

• Who Can Apply: The Waggoner scholarship, created for graduate students at the school, gives first preference to non-traditional students demonstrating financial need.
• Amount: Undisclosed

Emergency Nursing Diverse Voices Research Fellowship

• Who Can Apply: Created by the Emergency Nurses Association, this scholarship supports first-time nurse researchers who focus on emergency healthcare and are members of underrepresented populations.
• Amount: Funding for research and related travel

Epsilon Sigma Alpha Alice/Jeanne Wagner Memorial Scholarship

• Who Can Apply: U.S. and international students who plan to attend undergraduate or graduate nursing programs in the U.S. may apply. Candidates must demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, service, and financial need. Epsilon Sigma Alpha is an international service-oriented nonprofit.
• Amount: $800

University of California San Francisco School of Nursing Styles International Student Scholarship

• Who Can Apply: USCF is known for its commitment to training advanced researchers and specialists. The scholarship, in honor of former dean, Margretta Styles, is awarded to international master’s and doctoral nursing students.

THEDREAM.US National Scholarship

• Who Can Apply: Immigrant students who came to the U.S. before November 1, 2018, and before turning 16 years old. Successful applicants must be able to qualify for in-state tuition at one of the organization’s partner colleges. (There is a separate scholarship for certain students who are unable to qualify for in-state tuition.)
• Amount: Up to $16,500 for associate degrees and $33,000 for bachelor’s degrees

Esperanza Education Fund Scholarship

• Who Can Apply: This scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors residing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia, or who have earned a high school equivalency in the same areas within the last four years. The applicant and/or both parents must have been born outside the United States.
• Amount: Up to $20,000

Page last reviewed on July 15, 2024

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• Research article
• Open access
• Published: 13 June 2011

The experience of international nursing students studying for a PhD in the U.K: A qualitative study

• Catrin Evans 1 &
• Keith Stevenson 2  

BMC Nursing volume  10 , Article number:  11 ( 2011 ) Cite this article

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Educating nurses to doctoral level is an important means of developing nursing capacity globally. There is an international shortage of doctoral nursing programmes, hence many nurses seek their doctorates overseas. The UK is a key provider of doctoral education for international nursing students, however, very little is known about international doctoral nursing students' learning experiences during their doctoral study. This paper reports on a national study that sought to investigate the learning expectations and experiences of overseas doctoral nursing students in the UK.

Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted in 2008/09 with 17 international doctoral nursing students representing 9 different countries from 6 different UK universities. Data were analysed thematically. All 17 interviewees were enrolled on 'traditional' 3 year PhD programmes and the majority (15/17) planned to work in higher education institutions back in their home country upon graduation.

Studying for a UK PhD involved a number of significant transitions, including adjusting to a new country/culture, to new pedagogical approaches and, in some cases, to learning in a second language. Many students had expected a more structured programme of study, with a stronger emphasis on professional nursing issues as well as research - akin to the professional doctorate. Students did not always feel well integrated into their department's wider research environment, and wanted more opportunities to network with their UK peers. A good supervision relationship was perceived as the most critical element of support in a doctoral programme, but good relationships were sometimes difficult to attain due to differences in student/supervisor expectations and in approaches to supervision. The PhD was perceived as a difficult and stressful journey, but those nearing the end reflected positively on it as a life changing experience in which they had developed key professional and personal skills.

Conclusions

Doctoral programmes need to ensure that structures are in place to support international students at different stages of their doctoral journey, and to support greater local-international student networking. Further research is needed to investigate good supervision practice and the suitability of the PhD vis a vis other doctoral models (e.g. the professional doctorate) for international nursing students.

Peer Review reports

Globally, a key strategy for the attainment of the millennium development goals and health system improvement is the development of nursing capacity. There is increasing investment by governments in nurses to attain doctoral degrees with the expectation that these graduates will then be able to lead the advancement of nursing in their respective countries [ 1 ]. There is a global shortage of doctorally qualified nurse educators and of doctoral nursing programmes however, which means that many international nurses have to go overseas to obtain their doctorates [ 2 ]. The USA, Canada, the UK and Australia currently comprise the major destination countries [ 3 , 4 ].

Study abroad involves a large personal, social and financial investment on the part of individuals, their families and employers. High hopes are being pinned on the shoulders of doctorally prepared nurses [ 5 ], yet relatively little is known about the learning experiences of these students during their studies overseas [ 6 ]. What is it like to try and achieve the highest possible academic award in an unfamiliar context? Is the PhD programme what students expected? What are the challenges? How useful and relevant is the doctorate perceived to be? How can supervisors and other doctoral educators best support this student group? This paper describes a study that set out to explore the international doctoral journey in the UK. In doing so, it adds to a slowly growing body of evidence exploring the nature, quality and appropriateness of different doctoral nursing programmes in a globalised context [ 7 – 10 ]

The UK Doctoral Nursing Context

Currently, UK nursing doctorates consist of two main programme routes - the professional doctorate and the 'traditional' PhD. The former is offered in many universities and, although there are some local variations, it usually includes an initial structured programme of cohort-based taught courses followed by a period of autonomous research leading to a dissertation. The professional doctorate is aimed primarily at practitioners who wish to apply a more evidence based approach to their work. Hence, it is orientated towards applied clinically relevant research and its taught elements usually include research training, clinical leadership and practice development. The practice-based doctorate that is gaining popularity in the USA as the entry level for advanced nursing practice is not yet offered in the UK, but one such programme has recently started in Ireland [ 11 ].

Students undertaking a PhD are usually also required to undertake formal research training in the form of taught courses, however, the training programme can be more flexible as the PhD has traditionally been envisaged as a more individualised programme of self-directed study relating to the planning and completion of a piece of original research. The majority of UK doctoral programmes also include substantial provision of transferable skills training to enhance graduate employability [ 12 , 13 ]. These are primarily delivered through inter-disciplinary 'Graduate Schools' and cover the following areas: research skills and techniques, research environment, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, team-working and networking skills, and career management [ 14 ].

In the UK, both the PhD and the professional doctorate take approximately 3-4 years full-time or 6-8 years part-time. In most UK universities, students are supervised by a team of 2 supervisors who meet with their student to discuss progress at least once a month.

According to the UK Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), in 2007/08, approximately 15% of UK doctoral nursing students were international (124 EU/non-EU students, 692 UK resident students) [ 15 ]. The majority of UK-resident doctoral nursing candidates are on part-time programmes however, so international students constitute the majority of full time doctoral students in many nursing departments [ 15 ].

The International Doctoral Nursing Student Experience

A recent literature review carried out by the authors synthesised a wide body of evidence relating to overseas doctoral students [ 6 ]. The review highlighted the transitional nature of the international doctoral student experience, suggesting that students face a range of cultural, pedagogic, linguistic and social adjustments [ 16 , 17 ].

A particular issue that many studies identified was the challenge of adapting to student-centred, self-directed learning practices common to western countries (as opposed to more didactic approaches that are often found in other parts of the world) [ 18 , 19 ]. The review also points out that the nature of the student experience is strongly influenced by their disciplinary affiliations and traditions and that this is turn is related to the kind of supervisory relationships that can develop [ 20 , 21 ]. In faculties of science for example, doctorates tend to be undertaken as part of a team of researchers whereby students have opportunities to gain support from peers and supervisors on a regular basis [ 22 ] . In social science doctorates however, the study context may be much more isolated making the process of adjustment more difficult [ 23 ]. Very little is known about how the particular disciplinary context of nursing affects the international doctoral student learning experience.

To our knowledge there have only been 3 nursing-related studies published on the international doctoral student experience One (published in 1995) was a retrospective phenomenological interview study conducted amongst 23 Taiwanese nursing graduates of US educational programmes, 4 of whom had completed doctorates [ 24 ]. Although they were now proud of their academic success, the respondents described their study abroad period as one of enormous stress, hard work and loneliness, characterized by little interaction with US nursing students. Another study (published in 2007) from one institution in the UK presented data based on a survey completed by 5 international doctoral students and 11 research supervisors [ 25 ]. Both staff and students saw great value in international education. However both groups identified the need for greater support to facilitate adjustment in a number of areas, including: understanding the PhD process, studying in a second language, working within a different academic culture, managing the supervision relationship, and finding a sense of community. Recommendations included staff training and the development of additional in-puts to support students. A larger scale study published in 2002 in the USA reported on a national survey exploring the international student experience completed by 24 different Schools of Nursing [ 26 ]. Challenges for students identified by the faculty included language and communication, development of critical thinking skills, inadequate financial support, loneliness and isolation. The faculty reported enjoying working with this student group but felt unable to give sufficient time to meet their needs, suggesting that more help from the wider university systems was required. This survey was followed up with one focus group with 5 international doctoral students at one US university. The students identified a range of similar challenges: lack of familiarity with US health care system; lack of familiarity with US teaching practices; lack of opportunity to participate in faculty research; communication problems and stress from trying to cope with a heavy workload. Although rather small scale, all three studies indicate that studying overseas can be stressful, although more in-depth data on the nature of specific challenges or ways in which students might be supported through these was rather limited. These studies are now rather out of date. Doctoral programmes and infrastructure are changing rapidly, particularly in response to enhanced global student mobility. More in-depth and contemporary research is required to build up a picture of the current situation.

Research Aim

The study aimed to explore the international doctoral student journey; specifically, to investigate the learning experiences of international doctoral nursing students at different points in their PhD journey and to identify best practice in supporting effective learning in this student group.

Research Design and Methodology

The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach. A descriptive approach is considered appropriate when the features of particular phenomenon are not yet well understood. The study employed semi-structured interviews to give primacy to students' own perspectives and to the uniqueness of their individual experience [ 27 , 28 ]. A cross-sectional design was adopted whereby each participant was interviewed once at a particular point in their doctoral journey. The research adopted a constructivist methodological approach [ 29 ], recognising that students' accounts of their learning experiences were socially constructed, reflecting their own unique lives and backgrounds and reinterpreted for a researcher during the interview process.

Recruitment and Data Collection

Data was collected in 2008/09. Information letters were sent to all Schools of Nursing in the UK that were identified as running a doctoral programme (n = 44). The letters requested permission to access their doctoral student groups. Of the initial 44 Schools, only 21 reported having any international doctoral students. Of these, 3 declined to participate and 5 did not respond to repeated follow ups. The Heads/Deans of the remaining 13 Schools were then requested to forward one initial and one follow up research information email to their doctoral students and to put up research recruitment posters in student offices. Seventeen students from 6 different universities across the UK volunteered to be interviewed. It is not clear why students from only 6 universities responded - we did not attempt to ascertain whether all 13 participating Schools had indeed followed through with the requests to advertise the study. The interviews were arranged and conducted by a research assistant at a location of the students' choice and lasted between 1-3 hours. The research assistant was an international doctoral graduate (although not a nurse), whereas the other researchers were UK academic staff who led doctoral programmes. The latter were not directly involved in interviewing since it was felt that students would feel more able to open up freely about their experiences to a researcher who was not a UK academic member of staff. In order to enhance reliability or dependability [ 30 ], all the interviews were listened to by the principal investigator and a de-briefing meeting was held after each one to monitor quality, to discuss any issues that arose and to ensure consistency within the interviewing process [ 31 ].

Ethical approval for the study was granted by the University of Nottingham Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Ethics Committee. All students who agreed to participate signed a consent form and were provided with a book voucher as a token of appreciation after completing the interview.

Data Analysis

All the interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and checked for accuracy. Field notes were taken immediately following each interview to provide context and individual case summaries were developed to facilitate analysis of each individual's doctoral experience.

The interview guide asked students to explain why they had chosen the UK and their particular university and type of doctoral programme. They were then asked to talk freely about their experiences in the UK and with the doctorate so far.

Analysis was an on-going iterative process. Trustworthiness of the study was enhanced by a variety of analytical strategies, as suggested by Lincoln & Guba [ 30 ]. To maximise credibility, the data was initially analysed jointly by the research team with the aid of NVIVO. Each researcher read the transcripts a number of times and assigned a code to significant units of the text. There was significant inter-coder agreement, but inevitably, the researchers' different experiences and standpoints influenced the coding process to some extent. We engaged in numerous reflexive exercises to clarify our own positions and preconceptions [ 32 ]. Any variations in coding were extensively discussed and the transcripts repeatedly revisited until a jointly agreed coding framework was developed which continued to be revised and refined over time. The codes were then clustered into a range of emerging themes and sub-themes which were then grouped into 3 major categories - see table 1 [ 33 , 34 ]. Careful attention was paid to atypical cases and specific examples of these are noted in the findings [ 35 ].

The Participants

The 17 participants represented approximately 14% of the possible international doctoral nursing student population (n = 124) [ 15 ]. Table 2 summarises the broad socio-demographic characteristics of the research participants. Some details have been kept deliberately non-specific (e.g. nationality) in order to protect the anonymity of the participants. The number of students interviewed per university ranged from 1 to 5. The students came from 9 different countries. The majority of students were mid-career, both in terms of age and position. Many students (n = 9) were already working in higher education (e.g. as clinical instructors or junior lecturers) and needed a PhD in order to progress further. The majority of these were involved in pre-registration nurse training (rather than specialist post-registration or MSc level education). Likewise, some participants (n = 7) felt that they had reached the end of their clinical career ladders and that their only way forward was a lateral move into higher education which necessitated a PhD. Three of these were senior nursing administrators in hospitals, one was a palliative care specialist, one was a diabetes specialist and two had backgrounds in critical care nursing. Most participants (n = 15) saw their future careers in higher education. The majority (n = 13) were supported via government scholarships and all of those who were married had been able to bring their families. Six participants were male. Four of these were in the UK with their families. The other two were unmarried. Out of the eleven female participants, six were in the UK with their husbands/children; five were unmarried and had come alone. All of the participants were undertaking traditional 3 year PhD programmes involving the student carrying out a piece of original empirical research, presented in a thesis written in English and examined by viva conducted in English.

A Journey of Transitions: Adjusting to Doctoral Study in the UK

For many of the study participants, undertaking a PhD in the UK involved a number of significant transitions requiring a process of adaptation, learning and adjustment.

The first of these was the need for some students to adjust their expectations of the PhD programme structure and content to the reality that they encountered. Many participants had expected a highly structured academic programme with a strong emphasis on course work as well as research (more akin to the professional doctorate). They expressed great surprise that they were expected to develop their own programme of work according to their own learning needs:

When I came and start doing my PhD I never thought it would become purely dependent on the student, and the supervisor just will give you headings, or guidelines, I thought it was like, just a total programme......... I didn't think it would be pure research, just by learning by yourself (S.16)

Likewise, many students (n = 13) noted that they had expected a greater focus on professional nursing issues within their programme and were surprised at the almost exclusive emphasis on research. Some students had expected to undertake clinically-oriented specialist courses alongside clinical practice, as was their experience from their own countries:

Clinical theory it's more important, it's like we already told our Dean of the department here - we need it because we come here and you can find nothing. There is always a gap between your theory and the practice. And why we do PhD but we don't have clinical experience? It's so tricky you know; you know it's a problem but you still not operate. In my country I do my Master's, I still need to do the placement in hospice ward, I learn it, and my supervisor had to go to the hospice ward to supervise me and discuss meeting about my case study. Yes, I think it's important (S.8).

Others were not specifically seeking further specialist courses but had expected the PhD programme to include more input on understanding the UK nursing situation. Only two mentioned having spent time visiting clinical settings during their time in the UK. A number of students commented that this lack of engagement with UK nursing had hindered their ability to reflect critically upon nursing in their own countries or to act as agents of change upon their return:

This is the problem we all have now. If we go back to our country someone will say 'what is UK healthcare system'? We don't know, because we don't have a chance to go into the field, we didn't have a chance to observe. We just do our research, in our field only, in office, face the computer. How can we know nursing here? It would be very useful because we are looking for international comparisons... especially for me as a change agent. My government to send me here to the UK, so it's expected when I go back to my home country I will make some changes and so would like to learn more about what is going on in the UK here so I can transfer that knowledge to my home country. (S.14)

When asked why they had chosen the PhD rather than the professional doctorate, the majority of participants said that they had never heard of the professional doctorate programme and did not know anything about it. Those that had heard of it thought it required a compulsory clinical practice component (which is not the case in the UK model of the professional doctorate) and therefore excluded themselves on the grounds of not having UK nurse registration. In addition, most participants felt that it would not be recognised in their own countries.

A second transition for students was the need to adapt to the self-directed autonomous nature of learning at doctoral level. Many participants found this extremely difficult, especially in the first year, when they were trying to find a focus and identify their research questions. Some students described how the need to define and take the lead on their own projects had created deep anxiety and a desire for more guidance:

I think I spent quite a lot of time trying to understand what I need to do. The project is specific just for me, so I cannot ask anything from my classmates. Then, I cannot make this plan because I want my supervisor to tell me it is right or wrong, but every time my supervisor asked me what are you going to do next? What's your plan? And I just can't think, oh I don't know, I thought you would tell me, you know, like that. (S17)

Others however noted that, although deeply challenging, independent learning had been a liberating and exciting endeavour:

There's a certain freedom in the PhD.............but you always need to motivate yourself and mobilise yourself in different ways in order to get the results. This is sometimes exciting, sometimes it's disappointing, frustrating, but in total I would say it's an enviable experience for me. (S.13)

A third transition was the need to understand and adjust to the expectation of originality and criticality in doctoral level work. Many students noted that their educational backgrounds had trained them to describe and replicate knowledge rather than to create it. They commented that their doctoral work had initially reflected this descriptive approach and that developing criticality was a long and slow process. Students frequently associated personal development in this area with particular supervisory practices (see below) such giving detailed feedback and discussing specific texts with students. Several students noted that, although challenging, they had come to enjoy 'finding their own voice', noting that their growing ability to articulate their own ideas and to contribute to academic debates was empowering:

In my country, for exams we had to memorise. In assignments, I used to prepare them by taking paragraphs from different books, this one here and that one there - a collection of paragraphs is a Masters assignment. But now, finally, I know how to create - I can find out evidence - I can create an original draft from my original ideas, - not plagiarised, it's my own. I can accept others' argument, but at the same time now I can argue my own argument, that is a skill I learnt from learning here for two year. (S3)

A fourth transition that affected 16 of the sample was the need to learn and write in a second language. These students strongly emphasised the enormous challenge of studying in English. For them, social interaction and academic study initially demanded a huge effort which created stress and anxiety because of the extra time and energy that every task required. In addition to learning to study in a different language, students also commented that they needed to adapt to different expectations of academic writing, particularly conventions of how to structure longer pieces of work and how to develop a critical academic argument. For many, this had also been a significant challenge:

I think the cultural difference, the way we express ideas - the logic - is different. I think English is very straightforward, you tell the reader what's the purpose, or what's the content, to the paper, and then like a free structure - a,b,c. But in Chinese the logical is different, we just tell you maybe the background and then the story and the end will be a circle to work out whole story and then you work with the end. (S10)

Most of the participants felt that English classes provided by their universities were not very helpful in meeting their language needs. These were considered too basic and too generic. Rather, one to one feedback or discipline-specific language training would have been preferred.

For many students, the transitions described above were most pronounced at the beginning of their doctoral programme study (the first year was often mentioned as a particularly difficult time). In spite of the challenges of adjusting to doctoral study, several students described how their sense of academic capability had grown over time:

If I compare with the first year I felt myself lost when I start, because I wasn't able to plan to exactly what I'm going to do, or to put a timetable for myself, but I think myself now more control over my study, I'm able to do what I'm planning to. I can see the difference, I feel like I have more skills now. (S.4)

A Journey of Relationships: Finding Support for Doctoral Study

Given the range of adjustments that needed to be made to UK doctoral study, many students described a strong need for support during their doctoral journey. This need for support was identified in the context of three sets of relationships: through supervisors, through interactions with the department/institution and through relationships with other students and wider social networks.

The supervision relationship revealed itself as by far the most significant element of the students' learning experiences. Expectations of the supervision relationship were strongly influenced by the participants' past educational experiences. For example, many participants described their previous student-teacher relationships as having been rather hierarchical whereby students were expected to demonstrate extreme respect and where students were not encouraged to ask questions or to voice their own opinions. This had an impact on the way in which participants engaged with their UK supervisors with many students describing an initial uncertainty in how to approach the supervisory relationship:

I don't know, it's maybe for our culture, we don't talk out, I don't know if it's good or not, because we are afraid to confront teacher, yes. And because I'm afraid that she think that I'm kind of like challenging her or something, but maybe they don't think that way, but we, I think she will kind of like feel differently with me. (S.1)

Likewise, many participants noted that in their own countries, supervisors would be expected to actively lead a project by telling students what to do. For these students, the British expectation of student-led project management was a real challenge:

In my country, if I was doing a Masters or PhD your supervisor would tell you what to do, but here it's different, so I'm kind of like waiting for my supervisor to tell me what to do, but my supervisor is waiting for me to tell them what I'm going to do. (S.8)

In other cases however, the participants favourably contrasted UK supervisors with their home experience and appreciated the time and attention given as well as the more egalitarian and collegiate ethos:

In my country supervisors really don't take time to meet with you like the way we have here. Here, they're very concerned about your welfare, about how you're getting on. (S.16)

In discussing supervision experiences, participants were very clear about what constituted good or poor quality supervision practice - as summarised in table 3 . Interestingly, although students clearly valued particular supervisory characteristics such as being knowledgeable or accessible, the most highly valued supervisory attribute was the demonstration of a personalised student-centred approach. This was seen as foundational to the development of trust in the supervisor:

They were friendly, if I want to speak to them for my research or ask a question, first they ask me about myself, about my family and everything, how I'm living, what I'm doing, if everything is OK - this make me believe in my supervisors. When it was critical for me, when I had blocks and couldn't move forward, I trusted their suggestions. The trust is the first important thing and I had that experience in fact, and it helped me to progress with them (S13)

The personalised approach was contrasted unfavourably with supervisors who adopted a task-oriented 'professional' approach or with supervisors who were inconsistent in the way they dealt with students. There was a strong sense that students wanted their supervisors to understand them as people as well as to care about their projects:

I didn't have any interest from my supervisors in terms of sort of emotional support, they were more concerned about research and research only, but not 'is she feeling ok, is she feeling settled'? There are loads and loads of issues, and I think that I wasn't given that much attention from that particular side. You know when there's not that much interest in the student or in their work, you know, how to explain it, the student cannot trust that supervisor. (S.3)

One EU student had a different point of view, expressing satisfaction with purely project focused 'professional' interactions. This student was already highly skilled in project management however and was a senior figure in his field. Unlike many other international students, he was perhaps less reliant on his supervisors to maintain his confidence and to reduce anxiety.

Several participants who were in years 3-5 noted that the supervisory relationship changed over time commenting that there was a gradual development of greater control of their own progress:

There are times when you feel you are very vulnerable with your supervisor. I think for all first year and maybe second year students, they feel they are more led by their supervisors rather than they are in control, but once you sort of gain that sort of confidence and experience and you know your topic which I think you will know your topic more than your supervisors, in that sense you will be able to lead the way. (S.15)

The student experience of finding support from their departments or from social relationships in addition to their supervisors was rather variable. For example, two students felt very isolated because they were the only international students in their departments (and part of a small group of PhD students more generally). Others noted that they had developed good links with other international doctoral students (primarily due to physical proximity when sharing an office) but all commented that it was difficult to get to know UK PhD nursing students. Many commented that UK PhD nursing students are usually part-time and are thus rarely in the department. Others mentioned that they felt shy about approaching UK students and several expressed a feeling that the UK students seemed too busy or not particularly interested in their international peers.

You know, most of the British students study part-time, so we don't see them all the time. I had in fact several attempts to be involved with them, but I think that it is like I am shy. When we meet them in some classes they are good, they are helpful but they are busy on their own or maybe I'm not friendly enough to them so that I can continue with them (S.8)

Some Schools organised regular PhD student and/or staff research seminars and students placed great value upon these as useful arenas for relationship building:

The seminars helped me meet other PhD students. When you meet and chat with other people you will feel that it's not only you in this world, you're not on your own, because sometimes you feel 'I'm the only one who's doing a PhD, no one else is doing it'. So they will tell you about their problems or their difficulties, and they're living in misery now because they couldn't do so and so. So it's also social event let's say, yes. We exchange telephone numbers and email - it becomes a network (S.11)

The ability of students to develop relationships with other staff in their School was also variable. In some cases students felt that academic staff did not always take the time to get to know them and did not recognise the skills and experience that they brought with them:

We didn't see much initiation or willingness from some of the staff to know the students. When people will ask you 'oh where are you from, you are from [country name]'. OK - fine, then they just assume that you don't know nothing. I think they need to learn about, or to know about the background of international students (S.9)

Where good relationships developed however, students had sometimes found opportunities to work as research or teaching assistants and felt that they had gained valuable transferable skills, as well as building wider social networks.

A large number of students commented that a whole-School approach to international students was needed, in which all staff, including administrative and cleaning staff displayed a positive approach and where systems were in place to meet student support needs:

I feel that helping the international students and being successful with the international students is not one person's work, it is team work and imagine that one member of the team is not professional and not helpful, the whole process will fall down, it is like a chain and part of this chain is the administrative staff, the cleaners, the technicians, it's not the academics only and that is a very, very important part (S.5)

Outside the department, some students had been able to develop enjoyable and supportive social links (although these were primarily within their own religious or ethnic communities or with other international students). A number of participants mentioned that social events organised by the university had been an important factor in developing friendships and having an occasional break.

Those students with stronger social networks (particularly those who had come with their families) seemed more positive about their overall PhD experience.

A Journey of Challenge and a Journey of Growth

The majority of participants indicated that the PhD felt like a long, emotionally and academically challenging journey - see table 4 . The academic transitions and challenges took place in the context of adjustment to leaving home and learning to live in a new country and culture. Thus, many participants described struggling with loneliness, isolation and the cost of living in the UK:

Sometimes you feel you are an alien here. How to say? The world feels upside down. I am away from my home country, from my family. I feel very lonely because I come from an extended family with many people living with me, so I found staying alone in this country is very difficult. Here you are totally in charge of doing everything by your own, this puts a lot of stress on you (S.9)

Most participants carried the weight of high expectations from family, colleagues and sponsors on their shoulders which, in some cases, had clearly led to chronic anxiety about whether they would succeed. In some cases, this prevented students from being able to engage in social aspects of life in the UK and prevented them from being able to enjoy their PhD experience:

I can say, I am inventing a new knowledge. So that's internal satisfaction. When my supervisors say 'good' I feel a reward and a relief. But externally there is, you know, there is nothing - just worry. At home everyone is waiting for me. So then I am thinking - will I do it? can I finish this? I mean I'm not really enjoying you know the PhD life. Sometimes I try to enjoy in the UK, but I feel I have to finish, only then can I enjoy (S.14)

As noted above, students who had come with their families had wider social networks and some spoke positively of the support they had received from their spouse and children. On the other hand, both male and female married participants commented that their families required precious time, attention and financial resources, noting that it was sometimes very stressful trying to juggle conflicting demands. However, amongst the 7 unmarried participants, the 5 females in particular expressed considerable loneliness. This was especially marked amongst those from the Middle East who were used to living in extended family situations in a context where everyday activities of life were often undertaken collectively and who now found themselves having to manage everything alone:

Living on my own, and having to manage everything by my own, it was completely different from how I used to live back home. I had, you know - there are always your brothers, your sisters around you, your mum, your father supporting you, but here you have to do everything on your own (S.8)

Almost all the participants were used to being high achievers and, in some cases, had enjoyed social prestige from being in highly respected positions in society (e.g. a lecturer). The interviews showed that, for a significant number of students, this self identity was challenged as they struggled to adjust to UK academic practice but also to the social status of being a student again:

My supervisors accused me of poor work after I spend so long on the writing. You know this really hurts your self esteem, yeah. When I think - before - you know - I had my own office. People come and take my bags, bring me tea but now, you know, I'm here as a small stuff, suddenly everything change. This hurts our confidence (S.12)

On a more positive note, students at a more advanced stage in their studies talked at length about how much they had developed throughout the course of the PhD. Much of their discussion focused on the personal development that stemmed from adaptation to a new country as well as academic development as a result of their studies. Many noted that their confidence and their ability to manage their life and work independently had grown tremendously. This appeared to be particularly pronounced for the female participants, especially those from the Middle East:

Well it's been a massive experience for me, massive. I mean personally, emotionally, intellectually, mentally, I think I have grown up a lot. My confidence has increased most. Before, when I worked as a nurse I didn't want to talk to others, but now I'm more confident, I can talk with people in different way, I can express myself in a different way. I think part of it is to do with the topic and the project itself and the other part is about living in the UK. Being on my own in the UK all these years, I think that was the biggest challenge and that taught me a lot. I think I will definitely apply the skills that I have gained from living here, whether it is in building my confidence, whether it is interpersonal skills, communication skills, I think I have learnt a lot. Now I'm totally independent person. (S.15)

Interestingly, although adjusting to 'independent study' was one of the biggest challenges that students said they faced, many also described tremendous satisfaction at having developed independent research and problem solving skills. Some participants described how their whole outlook had changed as a result of their experiences in the UK, noting a general development in their intellectual maturity:

The way how we analyse things after you have completed your PhD is different than when you started. You see different way of analysing, you see different perspectives, and you learn how the others think about the same events. You just have one way of thinking and the others have others, so we can share the perspectives. I learn how to be a high professional person, and to respect others obedience, I learnt how to present myself at my study, I learnt also how to be open and accept the others opinions, accept the criticism. I learn too many things, I feel like I really become a different person than when I just came here. (S.16)

In sum, for many participants, the PhD was experienced as a stressful but transformative journey.

This study has identified five factors associated with doctoral study in the UK that affected the nature of the learning experience for overseas doctoral nursing students.

First, there was a gap between students' expectations of PhD study and the reality that they encountered. Whilst PhD programmes will inevitably vary from one institution to another, many students expected their PhD to include a stronger professional nursing focus in addition to the research emphasis - more akin to the taught professional doctorate model. Several students expressed regret that their PhD had not afforded them with greater opportunities to learn more about UK health care practice, and, therefore, to equip them with a broader vision of global healthcare. Although students clearly wanted greater engagement with professional nursing issues, they all felt that any doctorate other than a PhD would not have been recognized in their own countries. This finding relates to a wider debate on the growth, recognition and international relevance of the professional doctorate in nursing and suggests that there may be a need for greater promotion of professional doctorate programmes to the international nursing community [ 10 ]. In the short term however, this finding also indicates that existing PhD programmes may need to create a formal system by which to facilitate clinical insight visits and to provide courses or seminars that enable students to understand and critically compare UK healthcare practice from an international perspective. Likewise, research supervisors could be trained to help students to make relevant clinical connections.

Second, our findings show that many of the participants initially struggled to understand and develop key doctoral level skills within the context of UK academic practice (specifically criticality, self-directed learning and English language/writing) - although those students with previous experience of UK study seemed to have an easier transition into doctoral academic practice. As the interviews focused only on the nature of the student experience (rather than evaluating the content and structure of each institution's doctoral programme), it is not possible to draw any firm conclusions regarding which aspects of a doctoral programme can best support the development of these skills. This is an area that requires further research [ 36 , 37 ].

It is important to point out here that the move to doctoral level being and thinking is a transition that all doctoral students need to take, not just international students [ 36 , 37 ]. By focusing upon international students, we do not wish to artificially problematise this group [ 38 ]. There is still much to be learned about how institutions and supervisors can best support the development of doctoral students into confident autonomous researchers, and how the needs of specific student groups can be addressed within this process [ 36 , 37 ]. A number of authors have commented that the current model of doctoral education can create hurdles for many types of 'non-traditional ' student (e.g. older students or part-time students), and it may be that many of the challenges raised by the international students in this study are shared by other student groups [ 39 – 42 ]. Indeed, we suggest that several issues raised in this study may well apply to other groups of doctoral nursing students. For example, studies on the professional doctorate suggest that UK nursing students also face challenges in making the transition to independent research and that their adjustment is hampered by their part-time status which acts as a barrier to engagement with peer networks and an institution's wider research environment [ 43 – 45 ].

Third, many participants wanted more structure within their PhD programme (expressed as wanting more taught input and more guidance). The majority of UK Nursing PhD programmes do in fact offer extensive research methods courses and encourage students to undertake these. These courses are taken on the basis of individual need however rather than as part of pre-defined structured programme so many of the study participants still expressed a sense of uncertainty and lack of direction regarding their progress and plan of work. This uncertainty was most acute during the first year of doctoral study - a finding that has been reported in other studies [ 46 , 47 ]. Whilst this suggests a need for more support, there is also a growing recognition that going through a degree of anxiety/uncertainty is an almost inevitable part of developing a doctoral identity as research students slowly come to find their own epistemological positions, to define their own research questions and to create their own voice [ 48 ]. The participants' accounts of self-transformation suggest that they did indeed experience their doctoral study as life changing. Those in the later stages clearly valued their new research-related knowledge and skills but also appreciated more generic changes in their own personalities (e.g. becoming more confident and independent) and in the way in which they approached the world (e.g. becoming more open minded, tolerant and more able to solve problems).

Fourth, the research found that the doctorate was an emotionally laden journey and that many students experienced high levels of stress and anxiety during their studies. Whilst some of this stress was associated with the personal, academic and cultural transitions that were demanded, it was also strongly related to the perceived quality of the supervision relationship. The research found that supervisors constitute students' primary sources of support and guidance and play a key role in the development of doctoral level attributes. As in other studies [ 16 , 17 , 19 ], our findings suggest that the experience of 'good' supervision is predicated upon a personalised relationship of trust and emotional support. Doctoral supervision is still an under-researched and little understood area of pedagogical practice [ 49 , 50 ], and there is a particular need for more work to be done to identify and disseminate models of good practice in supervising international doctoral students [ 51 , 52 ]. Our study also indicates that supervisors may need more training and support to understand and work effectively with this student group [ 53 ].

Fifth, the dependence upon supervisors found in this study may also have been related to the fact that only a few students had developed strong links with other elements of a university's research environment. For example, relatively few participants had been able to forge close links with other (UK) doctoral nursing students and relatively few seemed to have become engaged in wider departmental research activities. This finding has also been reported in previous studies of international doctoral nursing students [ 24 – 26 ]. Thus, the PhD seemed to have been experienced as a journey taken in isolation rather than in the context of a supportive peer community [ 21 ]. Increasingly, the development of professional networks are considered essential for socialisation into the role of independent researcher [ 14 ]. Moreover, the development of international-home student links is important in order to build future communities of practice of nurse researchers. Given the students' initial unfamiliarity with the UK context, the onus appears to be on the School and/or the supervisors to proactively create regular opportunities for networking and relationship building [ 40 ]. The research also shows that other staff (including administrative staff) need to be made aware of international student needs and encouraged to make an effort to make them feel welcomed and supported.

Recommendations for Best Practice in Supporting Learning for International Doctoral Students

Overall, the findings suggest that Schools of Nursing need to create an infra-structure and whole-systems approach to 'scaffold' the learning of international students within their doctoral programmes. Such an approach should aim to support the transition to doctoral level study, to create a sense of confidence in their direction of travel, to support the development of productive supervisory relationships and to support engagement with other social and academic/research networks. A range of possible scaffolding inputs is summarised in table 5 . A key element of this approach is supervisor training to ensure that supervisors understand the particular needs of this student group and develop effective strategies for providing feedback and guidance.

Limitations

The most significant limitation of this research is its cross-sectional design which provided only a snap-shot of student views at a particular point in time, and in so doing limited the conceptualization of the PhD as a long term learning process. The fact that the sample included students at different stages of the PhD overcame this limitation to some extent, but a longitudinal design would provide opportunities to gain a more in-depth understanding of how the PhD experience unfolds. It is not clear how representative the sample was. Due to self-selection, it is possible that it included students with particularly strong views.

Respondent checking to enhance trustworthiness (particularly credibility) is a contested concept in qualitative research, and this was not undertaken in a formal manner as many of the participants had graduated and returned home by the time the final study report was completed [ 54 ]. Nonetheless, a number of seminars about the research were held with international doctoral students based at one UK University and at one national event on teaching international students. All those present strongly endorsed the analytical framework presented here, commenting that it mirrored their own experiences. In addition, the findings are highly consistent with the existing literature in this area, lending some support to their wider transferability [ 55 ].

The further development of doctoral educational practice in nursing is hindered by a very limited evidence base. Quality criteria have been defined [ 8 ], but, with some exceptions, there have been very few evaluations of doctoral programmes for nurses [ 7 , 56 – 58 ]. It is unclear to what extent the issues reported in this study are similar or different to the experience of international doctoral nursing students in other popular 'doctoral provider' countries or to the experience of 'home' doctoral nursing students. Given the strategic importance (and scarcity) of doctorally qualified nurses, more research is needed to ensure a high quality doctoral provision and a satisfactory student experience.

This particular study has provided important insights with regard to the learning experiences of international doctoral nursing students in the UK and has suggested areas where further support and programme development may be beneficial. Further research is needed to investigate the suitability of the PhD vis a vis other doctoral models for this student group.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge Dr. Mohsen Tavakol for his assistance with conducting the research interviews. We are grateful to all the students and faculty who assisted with, and participated in, the study. The study was funded by a grant from the University of Nottingham Learning and Teaching Development Fund.

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CE conceived of the study. CE and KS supervised data collection and conducted the analysis. CE drafted the initial manuscript. KS revised parts of the manuscript. Both authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Evans, C., Stevenson, K. The experience of international nursing students studying for a PhD in the U.K: A qualitative study. BMC Nurs 10 , 11 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6955-10-11

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PVCC Student Nurses’ Association Embarks on Medical Mission to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico

The Student Nurses’ Association (SNA) at Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC) recently had the opportunity to partner with the International Service Learning (ISL) group for a nine-day medical mission trip to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. This transformative experience was not only educational but also deeply rewarding as the future health care workers immersed themselves in the local community and medical society.

“During our time in Puerto Peñasco, we had the privilege of visiting several healthcare facilities, including the IMSS Bienestar hospital and a local medical center,” explained Mikayla Hinton, a recent PVCC graduate and former president of SNA. 

Hinton, who is a RN at Banner Thunderbird neonatal intensive care unit (NICO), described setting up pop-up clinics at churches in various neighborhoods, which allowed the group to provide medical care and assessments directly to community members, making a tangible difference in their lives. 

“As the faculty advisor for SNA, I'm incredibly proud of our nursing students for their dedication and compassion in organizing this medical mission trip,” said Tina Barney, MSN-Ed RN CCRN CHSE®, PVCC Nursing faculty. “Their commitment to helping others is inspiring, and it's heartening to see them taking the initiative to make a difference in communities in need. This mission trip provided essential care to those lacking healthcare access and offered our students a deeper understanding of the impact they can have as future nurses. Their hard work and generosity are commendable, and I couldn't be more proud to be just a small part of their incredible journey.”

Hinton recalled, “One of the most unforgettable experiences was witnessing an emergent cesarean section surgery, giving us first hand insight into the challenges and practices of healthcare in different settings.”

Beyond the clinical experience, the group was fortunate to have the support of a local team leader and translator, who not only guided the group through their work but also ensured they experienced the local culture, enjoying local dishes and sweet treats; local neighborhood families welcomed the group warmly. 

“Their kindness and hospitality truly made our mission unforgettable and underscored the importance of community and connection in healthcare,” said Hinton. “We hope that more students get the chance to experience such a transformative journey, as it not only enhances our nursing skills but also broadens our understanding of the world and the power of compassion in healthcare.”

To learn more about PVCC’s Nursing Program visit our website or email   [email protected] . To get involved with the Student Nurses’ Association, click here or contact [email protected] .