Nursing, PhD (DNP to PhD Pathway)

PhD in Nursing for those with a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) is designed to develop nurse scholars who are prepared to conduct advanced research in nursing education. Graduates will synthesize knowledge from nursing and related disciplines as they assume leadership roles in diverse educational environments.

The program is designed for nurses interested in pursuing a career in academia with a research focus on nursing education. This accelerated PhD program pathway awards advanced standing based on prior work completed in a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) program. Twenty-seven credits from the DNP program will fulfill the requirements of the PhD program. A minimum of 33 credits of doctoral coursework taken at IUP will be required. Upon completion of the PhD in Nursing program, the graduate is prepared to:

• Assume leadership in diverse educational environments.
• Synthesize knowledge from nursing and related disciplines to facilitate learning and foster development of students and educators.
• Conduct advanced nursing research that contributes to the generation of knowledge within nursing education.
• Model the role of nursing scholar and effective nurse educator.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking admission to the PhD in nursing program for those with a DNP must satisfy the minimum School of Graduate Studies and Research requirements. Applicants must also submit the following for review by the doctoral program committee: official higher education transcripts, nursing license, current curriculum vitae, writing sample, and letters of recommendation. A DNP degree and a total of at least 60 credits in nursing beyond the bachelor’s degree are required to enter the accelerated PhD program option. Additionally, all applicants must possess and maintain a current nursing license. Refer to the nursing doctoral student application packet for additional information about the admission process. Additional information about the program can be found at http://www.iup.edu/rn-alliedhealth/

Curriculum

The accelerated PhD in Nursing program pathway requires a minimum of 33 semester hours of graduate credits. Each student must also satisfactorily complete the comprehensive examination and the dissertation.