Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.)
Michele Upvall, PhD, RN, CNE, FAAN
Professor of Nursing and Program Director
Program Overview
The Doctor of Philosophy or PhD in Nursing is a research-oriented degree program. Students are exposed to nursing and interdisciplinary core research courses and have opportunities to learn with students from other disciplines. Students can enter the PhD program after completion of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN or equivalent) or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP or equivalent) degree. The PhD program offers a part-time study option for all levels of entry. To graduate with a PhD, post-BSN students must complete a minimum of 68 credits; post-MSN students must complete a minimum of 50 credits; post-DNP students must complete a minimum of 30 credits. These part-time programs of study are offered to meet the needs of working students. Doctoral students collaborate with faculty advisors to select electives appropriate to their career choices. Doctoral coursework and dissertation research are based on a broad focal area that is critical to the future of nursing and practice: social determinants of health. The faculty and administration of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences believe that the University is a community of scholars. Its central aim is the commitment to search for and disseminate knowledge through scholarship, inquiry, and creative activities.
Purpose
The PhD curriculum is designed to develop a research trajectory in one’s area of expertise. The purpose of the program is to prepare nurse scientists who, upon graduation, will assume leadership positions in research, education, and in healthcare systems.
Goals
In fulfilling the mission of the University, the PhD program will foster the development of a community of scholars grounded in the Catholic intellectual tradition. The goals of the program are to prepare graduates as nursing scholars who:
- Use multiple perspectives of knowing and practice to acknowledge multi-disciplinary contributions to knowledge generation and use of evidence-based research in practice;
- Generate, test, utilize, and extend knowledge through relevant research and theory development and disseminate their findings to the broader nursing and scientific community;
- Contribute to ethical solutions that advance health care in a culturally diverse global society through the formulation and implementation of strategies that serve the public interest;
- Are informed by philosophical, social, cultural, ethical, technologic, economic, and political issues; and
- Provide leadership in nursing with innovative solutions that positively influence regional, national, and/or global communities.
Ph.D. Objectives/Expected Learning Outcomes
In accordance with the research focused doctoral program in nursing of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN, 2010), all graduates will have acquired the ability to:
- Generate new ideas based on a critical evaluation of existing knowledge;
- Conduct original research;
- Contribute to ethical solutions that mitigate the negative effects of social determinants of health in a culturally diverse global society;
- Provide leadership in nursing with innovative solutions that positively influence nursing practice, education, and research;
- Communicate scholarship through peer-refereed publications and presentations for professional interdisciplinary audiences;
- Develop as a scholar in teaching, research and/or service.
Application Process
Admission to the doctoral programs is based upon a criteria indicative of potential success. These criteria, in addition to professional experience, are evaluated as a composite. The potential for success is determined by the admissions committee. The outcome of this admissions assessment is acceptance, deferment, or denial. PhD students will be admitted in the fall semester. Students who wish to begin their studies earlier (spring or summer semester) may work with an assigned faculty advisor to discuss enrolling in courses before joining the incoming fall semester cohort.
Admission requirement information for specific programs (post-BSN, MSN, or DNP) are detailed below.
International Students
Students from other countries are encouraged to apply for admission to the doctoral program. A faculty advisor will provide details regarding required on-campus attendance during fall and spring semesters. Summer course work is also required, but in some cases may be completed via computer-based distance learning technology.
Faculty Advisement
Advising in the doctoral program is a critical ongoing process concerned with students’ progress and development. Each doctoral student will be assigned a faculty academic advisor. When dissertation planning is in process, doctoral students will choose dissertation committee members best suited for their particular research topic of interest.
Candidacy
All required/core courses must be completed before the student is eligible to apply for candidacy. Students work with their dissertation committee from the beginning of candidacy and must create their committee before registering for candidacy. To begin the candidacy process, doctoral students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and no incomplete (I) grades. The student must register for NUR-703: Candidacy (section CA) - 3 credit hours, for the semester that the candidacy examination is being taken. Any student who receives a "No Credit" (NC) grade in Candidacy may repeat the course a second time and must obtain a grade of "Credit" (CR) in order to progress to dissertation.
Dissertation Sequence
Following admission to candidacy, students enroll in NUR-798:Dissertation Seminar. Students continue to work with their dissertation committee. When the dissertation proposal is approved by the student’s committee and the Barry University Institutional Review Board (IRB), doctoral candidates enroll in continuous dissertation advisement under the direction of the dissertation chair. The defense of the dissertation must take place within four years of the approval of the dissertation proposal, maintaining the overall eight-year doctoral program length.
Dissertation Requirements
Approval of a dissertation proposal involves two steps: approval by the College dissertation committee followed by approval by the University IRB. Approval by other external hospital, agency, or academic Institutional Review Boards may also be required. A dissertation proposal cannot be implemented until all of these approvals have been secured.
It is essential that the dissertation constitute scholarly, independent original research which will illuminate a matter of relevance to the profession, and must contribute substantively to the field of nursing and health care. Dissertations will not be restricted to any one research method or design, but will be held to the highest criteria of rigor for the chosen method of inquiry.
Dissertation Advisement
Candidates must be continuously enrolled in advisement until successful completion of the dissertation defense. Doctoral candidates will be required to register for NUR-800 (3 credit hours) each semester. Credits for advisement do not count toward degree.
Progression Requirements
- All students must obtain a grade of at least a “B” in all courses and maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale to progress in the program.
- Any student who receives a grade of “C” in a course will be required to repeat the course and obtain a grade of "B" or better.
- Any student who receives two "C" grades will be dismissed from the program.
- Any student who receives an “F” grade in a course will be dismissed from the program.
- Students may not progress in the program while on an approved Leave of Absence.
- A student must successfully complete a semester to progress to the next semester
- Students may not begin a new semester with a grade of “Incomplete” (I) from the previous semester without the permission of the program director.
- Summer doctoral students may choose to receive "I" grades at the end of the summer term in order to complete their assignments during the following semester.
- Any student who receives a "No Credit" (NC) in Candidacy may repeat the course a second time and obtain a grade of "Credit" (CR).
- Any student who receives a "No Credit" (NC) in Dissertation Seminar may repeat the course a second time and obtain a grade of "Credit" (CR).
- Any student who receives two "NC" grades will be dismissed from the program.
- Students who are enrolled in NUR-800: Continuous Dissertation Advisement will receive grades of "In Progress" (IP) until they have completed the requirements for dissertation.
- The Academic Dishonesty Policy described in the Policies and Procedures section of this catalog is strictly adhered to.
Graduation Requirements
Post-BSN Program completion requires a minimum of 68 credits. Post-MSN Program completion requires a minimum of 50 credits. Post-DNP Program completion requires a minimum of 30 credits. All requirements for the PhD must be met within an eight-year time period.
Transfer of Credits
Acceptance of transfer credits is at the discretion of the program director. A maximum of six graduate credits may be transferred from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized institution of higher education at the time of matriculation. Only courses with a final grade of B or higher will be considered for transfer. Transfer credits must meet the criteria established by Barry University.
Continuous Matriculation
Fully matriculated doctoral students must register for continuous matriculation during semesters when they are not registered for formal classes. Failure to register for continuous matriculation or courses for two consecutive semesters will result in automatic termination from the program. To re-apply, a student will submit a new application, be reviewed by the Admissions Committee, and be interviewed.
Matriculation in the program shall not exceed eight years from the time of admission, with the exclusion of an approved Leave of Absence.
Grading Policy
The grading policy for students in the PhD in Nursing program will be as follows:
| A |
90%–100% |
| B |
80%–89% |
| C |
70%–79% |
| F |
0%–69% |
Receipt of a failing grade is cause for dismissal from the Program.
| I |
= |
Incomplete |
| IP |
= |
In Progress |
| Withdrawal from a course after the add/drop period of the semester constitutes a failure. |
Students who are dismissed from the program may re-apply for admission. Readmission is not guaranteed.
An "Incomplete" (I) grade is not automatically given for absence from class or incomplete work. An “I” grade will need to be requested in writing by the student to the course instructor when course assignments have not been satisfactorily completed. A substantial portion of the required coursework and assignments/assessments, as determined by the faculty member, should be completed to qualify for an “I” grade. Students who are granted an “I” grade in a course must complete all the course requirements by the end of the next semester. The exact date is published in each course schedule and is sent to each student in a letter from the Registrar. An “I” grade becomes an “F” is assignments are not completed, and a final grade is not reported by the published date.
The PhD in Nursing program requires special program fees.
Post-BSN Ph.D. (68 credits)
Admission Requirements
- A BSN from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized school.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.
- Successful completion of a statistics course within the past five years.
- Three professional recommendations of leadership competencies or potential, including a letter of recommendation from an academic adviser or a professor.
- Evidence of professional activities as reflected in current curriculum vitae submitted with the application.
- The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may be required. If required, GRE scores must have been completed within the past five years. GRE scores are used as part of the data in which admission decisions are made. The scores, however, are never the sole criteria for admission. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Admissions Committee for alumni of Barry University with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or greater.
- A personal interview with the admissions committee may be requested.
- Intensive scholarly writing is expected in the doctoral program. As a result, it is an expectation that students independently seek additional writing assistance.
- Upon the start of the program, accepted candidates are required to possess a notebook computer with specified software which conforms to criteria established by the Program. Applicants are advised that portions of the didactic coursework are web-based and also provided in conjunction with telecommunications or video teleconferencing instruction. Candidates should possess basic computer literacy skills, including the use of word-processing, Windows operating systems, electronic mail, and navigation of Internet applications. Students without these prerequisite skills are encouraged to take CS 180 Introduction to Computers. This course will not count towards degree requirements.
- The School of Nursing reserves the right to make any exceptions to the above admission requirements based on an applicant’s overall file.
Semester I (6 credits)
Semester II (7 credits)
| NUR-654 | PUBLIC POL. STRAT. FOR NURSE | 3 |
| NUR-615 | ADV PHARMACOLOGY | 3 |
| NUR-618 | SCIENTIFIC FOUNDATIONS OF ADV PHARMACOL | 1 |
Semester III (4 credits)
| NUR-678 | ADV HLTH ASSESSMENT/DIAG REASONING | 3 |
Semester IV (6 credits)
Semester V (9 credits)
| HSN-707 | QUAN METH OF INQUIRY | 3 |
| NUR-725 | STRUCTURE OF NURS. KNOWLEDGE | 3 |
| NUR-714 | ANTHROPOLOGICAL PRIN/SOC DETER HLH | 3 |
Semester VI (6 credits)
Semester VII (6 credits)
| HSN-708 | QUANT METH ADV INQUIRY | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| HSN-706 | QUAL METH OF ADV INQUIRY | 3 |
-
| | |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate: Student must complete 9 credits to build a cognate that supports research focus. Cognates must be approved by advisor or dissertation chair.
Semester VIII (9 credits)
| RES-716 | MIXED METHODS RESEARCH | 3 |
| NUR-724 | ALTERNATIVE PARADIGMATIC INQ | 3 |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate: Student must complete 9 credits to build a cognate that supports research focus. Cognates must be approved by advisor or dissertation chair.
Semester IX (6 credits)
| NUR-727 | HEALTHCARE INFORMATICS FOR DNP | 3 |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate: Student must complete 9 credits to build a cognate that supports research focus. Cognates must be approved by advisor or dissertation chair.
Semester X (3 credits)
Student will complete 3 credits of NUR 703: Independent Study (Candidacy)
Semester XI (3 credits)
Semester XII (3 credits)
Upon completion of NUR-798 student registers each semester until graduation (continuous matriculation).
Post-MSN Ph.D. (minimum of 45 credits)
Admission Requirements
- A MSN from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized school or a master’s degree in a related field with a BSN degree from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized school.
- If a student does not have a MSN degree, successful completion of a graduate level nursing theory and graduate level nursing research course is required within the past five years.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.
- Graduate level research course or completion of a graduate level project or thesis.
- Two professional recommendations of leadership competencies or potential, including a letter of recommendation from an academic advisor or professor at the MSN level.
- Evidence of professional activities as reflected in current curriculum vitae submitted with the application.
- The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) may be required. If required, GRE scores must be completed within the past five years. GRE scores are used as part of the data in which admission decisions are made. The scores, however, are never the sole criteria for admission. This requirement may be waived at the discretion of the Admissions Committee for alumni of Barry University with a graduate GPA of 3.3 or greater.
- A personal interview with the admissions committee may be requested.
- Intensive scholarly writing is expected in the doctoral program. As a result, it an expectation that students independently seek additional writing assistance.
- Upon the start of the program, accepted candidates are required to possess a notebook computer with specified software which conforms to criteria established by the Program. Applicants are advised that portions of the didactic coursework are web-based and also provided in conjunction with telecommunications or video teleconferencing instruction. Candidates should possess basic computer literacy skills, including the use of word-processing, Windows operating systems, electronic mail, and navigation of Internet applications. Students without these prerequisite skills are encouraged to take CS 180 Introduction to Computers. This course will not count towards degree requirements.
- The School of Nursing reserves the right to make any exceptions to the above admission requirements based on an applicant’s overall file.
Semester I (6 credits)
Semester II (6 credits)
Semester III (6 credits)
| NUR-725 | STRUCTURE OF NURS. KNOWLEDGE | 3 |
| NUR-741 | EPIDEMIOLOGY & BIOSTATISTICS | 3 |
Semester IV (6 credits)
| HSN-708 | QUANT METH ADV INQUIRY | 3 |
-
| Or | |
| HSN-706 | QUAL METH OF ADV INQUIRY | 3 |
-
| | |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate: Student must complete 9 credits to build a cognate that supports research focus. Cognates must be approved by advisor or dissertation chair.
Semester V (9 credits)
| NUR-720 | LEADERSHIP FOR INNOVATION | 3 |
| NUR-742 | GLOBAL HEALTH AWARENESS | 3 |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate: Student must complete 9 credits to build a cognate that supports research focus. Cognates must be approved by advisor or dissertation chair.
Semester VI (6 credits)
| RES-716 | MIXED METHODS RESEARCH | 3 |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate: Student must complete 9 credits to build a cognate that supports research focus. Cognates must be approved by advisor or dissertation chair.
Semester VII (3 credits)
Student will complete 3 credits of NUR 703: Independent Study (Candidacy).
Pre-requisite: completion of all courses.
Semester VIII (3 credits)
Semester IX (3 credits)
Upon completion of NUR-798 student registers each semester until graduation (continuous matriculation).
Post-DNP Ph.D. (minimum 30 credits)
Program Length
A total of 30 to 48 credit hours of required course work depending on need for pre-requisite and cognate/elective courses. An individualized plan of study will be developed with the faculty academic advisor. Courses may be delivered via computer-based distance learning technology.
Pre-requiste Courses
- Successful completion of a 3 credit graduate level epidemiology and bio-statistics course or equivalent
- Successful completion of a 3 credit graduate level populations-based or health policy course or equivalent
- Pre-requisite courses can be incorporated into individualized plan of study
Cognate / Elective Courses
- Graduate level specialization courses may meet cognate requirements depending on dissertation topic. Students should discuss need for up to 9 credit hours of cognate / elective courses with academic advisor or program director.
- Cognate/elective courses can be incorporated into individualized plan of study.
Admission Requirements
- A DNP (or equivalent) from a regionally accredited or internationally recognized school.
- A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale in the DNP program.
- Statement of professional and educational goals.
- Proof of successful completion of a DNP Scholarly or Capstone Project.
- Two professional recommendations of leadership competencies or potential, including a letter of recommendation from an academic advisor or a professor in a DNP program.
- Evidence of professional activities as reflected in current curriculum vitae submitted with the application.
- A personal interview with the admissions committee may be requested.
- Intensive scholarly writing is expected in the doctoral program. As a result, it is an expectation that students independently seek additional writing assistance.
- Upon the start of the program, accepted candidates are required to possess a notebook computer with specified software which conforms to criteria established by the Program. Applicants are advised that portions of the didactic coursework are web-based and also provided in conjunction with telecommunications or video teleconferencing instruction. Candidates should possess basic computer literacy skills, including the use of word-processing, Windows operating systems, electronic mail, and navigation of Internet applications. Students without these prerequisite skills are encouraged to take CS 180 Introduction to Computers. This course will not count towards degree requirements.
- The College of Health and Wellness reserves the right to make any exceptions to the above admission requirements based on an applicant’s overall file.
Semester IV (3 credits)
Semester VII (3 credits)
Student will complete 3 credits of NUR 703: Independent Study (Candidacy).
Pre-requisite: completion of all courses.
Semester VI (3 credits)
Semester I (6 credits)
Semester II (6 credits)
Semester VIII (3 credits)
Semester IX (3 credits)
Semester III (3-6 credits)
| NUR-725 | STRUCTURE OF NURS. KNOWLEDGE | 3 |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Note: Elective/Cognate if needed
Semester V (3-6 credits)
| NUR-720 | LEADERSHIP FOR INNOVATION | 3 |
-
| Elective/Cognate | 3 |
Elective/Cognate if needed
*Upon completion of NUR 798 student registers for NUR 800 each semester until graduation (continuous matriculation)