HELP 2010-2011 University Catalog Nursing, PhD Print-Friendly Page

Banner Code:  HH-PHD-NURS

Unit: School of Nursing 

The PhD in Nursing Program builds on the MSN degree and requires a minimum of 48 credit hours beyond the master’s. The objective of the program is to prepare nurses for leadership roles in a variety of organizations, health-related agencies and educational institutions. Graduates of the program conduct and support research in nursing and health care and influence the formation and implementation of public policy in health care through analysis of sociocultural, economic, fiscal, political, ethical, and governmental processes.

Admission Requirements

In addition to fulfilling admission requirements for degree status in CHHS, applicants must hold a master’s degree in nursing from an accredited program equivalent to 30 credits or a master’s degree in a related health field with a baccalaureate degree in nursing. They must have earned a minimum GPA of 3.50 on a 4.00 scale in a master’s program. They also must show evidence of one year of experience as an RN prior to enrollment.

Other requirements are as follows:

• For international students, a TOEFL score of at least 250 (computer-based exam) or 600 (paper-based exam)
• Evidence of current licensure to practice professional nursing. Students on foreign student visas must present evidence of their country’s nursing licensure or the equivalent.
• Three letters of recommendation from professional or academic sources, with at least two of the references from people who have had contact with the applicant within the past two years
• Interview with one or more members of the doctoral admissions committee
• Written statement of professional goals
• Evidence of prerequisite graduate-level course work in applied statistics (past two years)
• A résumé of professional experience

Students are admitted for fall semester only. All materials for admission must be submitted to the CHHS Admissions Office by March 1 of the year of application.

Program Requirements

To complete the PhD in nursing, students must:

• Complete the program of study outlined in the PhD curriculum.
• Pass written doctoral candidacy comprehensive exam after completing all PhD credit requirements, except NURS 998 and 999.
• Pass the final oral dissertation defense and submit a doctoral dissertation approved by the doctoral dissertation committee, the Assistant Dean of doctoral program, and the Director of the School of Nursing. (The dissertation is submitted in the approved format to University Libraries and the director of the doctoral program.)
• Complete application material for graduation and the PhD degree in accordance with prevailing Mason policies.

Advancement to Candidacy

After students have completed the qualifying exam and all required course work, the director of the School of Nursing approves advancement to candidacy.

Dissertation Proposal

The proposal must focus on a topic in nursing and be approved by the doctoral dissertation committee, the Assistant Dean of the doctoral program, and the Director of the School of Nursing. The dissertation proposal and dissertation must be consistent with the guidelines outlined in Mason’s Guide for Preparing Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Projects.

Doctoral Dissertation

Before enrolling for dissertation credit, the student must have advanced to candidacy. The completed dissertation must be approved by the doctoral dissertation committee, the Assistant Dean of the doctoral program, and the Director of the School of Nursing.

Final Oral Doctoral Exam

The doctoral dissertation committee chair, on preliminary approval of the doctoral dissertation by the committee, petitions the Assistant Dean of the doctoral program in the School of Nursing to schedule the final oral doctoral exam, which includes a defense of the doctoral dissertation. The final oral exam also demonstrates the candidate’s intellectual command and maturity of judgment in the area of emphasis chosen by the candidate and approved by the dissertation committee. At the close of the final oral exam, the committee makes a final judgment regarding approval of the doctoral dissertation and completion of PhD degree requirements.

Time Requirements

Students must complete all planned course work, including electives, and advance to candidacy within six years of admission to degree or provisional status in the PhD program. The student must successfully complete the doctoral dissertation, final oral doctoral exam, and all PhD degree requirements within five years following the semester of advancement to candidacy.