PhD in Nursing Program
Our PhD in Nursing prepares students to lead advancements in nursing science and practice by conducting impactful research, generating new knowledge and preparing the next generation of nurse educators and scientists.
PhD in Nursing Program Highlights
- Coursework fosters development of deep scholarly inquiry and independent research
- Students receive guidance and support from experienced faculty
- Training in grant writing and opportunities to apply for research funding
- Small cohorts that promote collegiality, stimulating dialogue and scholarly growth
- Option to add a Nurse Educator Certificate to your degree
- Access to a network of accomplished alumni
Kimberly D. Johnson, PhD, RN, CEN, FAEN | PhD Program Director
Meet our PhD Program Director
An emergency and trauma nurse, Kimberly D. Johnson is passionate about quality and process improvement. Her work mitigating the negative impact of triage interruptions on patient care in the ED has been funded through AHRQ, the Emergency Nurses Association Foundation and Sigma Theta Tau.
Dr. Johnson's current projects focus on translating her work in the ED to other patient care areas, developing multi-modal interventions to minimize interruptions, and working on EHR data to identify interruptions and develop models to determine the financial impact of interruptions.
PhD in Nursing Program Structure
The on-campus program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Full-time students can complete the program in three years, while part-time students' time for completion varies based on the number of courses they take in any given term. The full-time program is structured as:
- Two years of coursework, building a strong foundation in theory and research methods.
- Candidacy Exam—presented as a comprehensive portfolio—to demonstrate mastery and readiness for dissertation.
- Dissertation and original research conducted with faculty mentorship.
PhD in Nursing Program Admissions
The PhD program admits students for a fall semester start.
| Date | |
|---|---|
| Priority Application Deadline | Dec. 15 |
| NursingCAS Fee Due | Apr. 15 (if seats remain) |
| Transcripts, References & Test Scores Due | May 15 |
The priority application deadline helps ensure applicants who submit their NursingCAS application and fee by this date will be considered for the Fall cohort. Applicants who have not submitted the NursingCAS application fee by the time all seats are filled could be considered for the following Fall cohort at the discretion of faculty.
PhD Program Admission Requirements
Students seeking admission to the PhD program at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing must have either a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing or a master's in a health-related field and potential to develop new scientific knowledge related to nursing and/or health care.
Candidates for admission to the program are evaluated with attention to all aspects of the individual's qualifications. The following qualifications are highly desired:
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (Graduate GPA cannot be submitted in place of undergraduate GPA.)
- Minimum graduate GPA (if applicable) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Goals are well-articulated and are compatible with faculty expertise and availability.
GRE scores are not required for admission.
PhD Program Application
Applicants should complete Part 1 by April 15.
All application materials, including transcripts, must be submitted to NursingCAS, not the University of Cincinnati. Once in NursingCAS, you will be required to enter the following information:
- NursingCAS fee of $80
- Resume or CV
- Names of three to six leaders who worked directly with you in a service or academic setting to provide a recommendation letter (You will enter their names and email addresses in NursingCAS and they will receive a request to write a letter for you.)
- All higher education institutions attended and dates
- Coursework entry: Either complete your coursework entry from official or complete unofficial transcripts, or submit payment for optional Professional Transcript Entry (PTE) service.
- Personal statement: Respond to the four prompts below in separate documents with a maximum of 300 words per response. Please include the prompt you are addressing at the top of each document.
- Career Goals: What are your career goals and how do you see the PhD program contributing to meeting them?
- Significant Area of Research: Within your particular area of interest, identify some problems you see as offering promise for research.
- Personal Strengths: What particular strengths do you think you bring to this program that would enrich the learning environment of your peers?
- UC Faculty Research Match: Identify one or two potential advisers from our college scientists who may be a good match for your research interests and provide a rationale for your choice. Visit our Researchers page to view our current PhD program faculty.
- Writing sample: In a separate document no longer than three to four paragraphs, address the following statement: "Differentiate between the research scholar (PhD, or a Doctor of Philosophy) and the practice scholar (DNP, or a Doctor of Nursing Practice)." Use APA formatting and include citations, if used.
- Other documents:
- Optional — copy of RN License, or equivalent for international applicants
- Test scores:
- English Proficiency Score: International applicants who are not originally from a country where English is the first language or have not completed a higher education degree (bachelor's, master's or doctorate) in a country where English is the first language must upload their scores into their application and have official scores reported to the University of Cincinnati Graduate School. Required scores:
- Optional — GRE Score: The GRE is NOT required for our PhD program, but applicants who feel it may strengthen their application may upload an official score report and have scores sent to the University of Cincinnati Graduate School (code 1833).
The NursingCAS application includes instructions for ordering electronic transcripts for submission, which most institutions allow.
If your institution does not allow this, request the issuing institution mail your transcripts directly to NursingCAS, P.O. Box 9201, Watertown, MA 02471. Materials must be received by the posted deadline.
Applicants should complete Part 2 by May 15.
The following must be received by NursingCAS by the Part 2 deadline:
- Official transcripts from all schools previously attended
- International applicants (except Canadian applicants with transcripts in English) must have their transcripts translated and certified by the World Education Service (WES) or another NACES member. Please start this process at least three months before the Part 2 deadline to ensure that the documents arrive on NursingCAS or the Graduate School on time
- Recommendation letters from individuals providing recommendations
For more information, contact our Office of Student Recruitment at 513-558-3600 or nursingbearcats@uc.edu.