HELP 2009-2010 University Catalog Nursing, PhD Print-Friendly Page

Banner Code:  HH-PHD-NURS

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 executive and educational roles in nursing and health care and to conduct research. Graduates of the program exemplify the administrative and the leadership characteristics essential to assuming executive roles; conduct and support research in nursing and health care ethics, health care administration, health policy, and nursing education; 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
• Writing sample describing goals in pursuing preparation for the PhD
• 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.

Students must supply official transcripts documenting satisfactory grades for graduate-level semester credits (as designated by the educational institution where taken), as well as official catalog descriptions of each course petitioned for transfer. Students may transfer up to 12 credits from other academic institutions. Transfer credits may be applied to degree requirements pending approval from the director of the program.

Other requirements are as follows:

• Successfully complete the program of study outlined in the PhD curriculum.
• Successfully complete a written doctoral candidacy comprehensive exam after completing all PhD credit requirements, except NURS 998 and 999.
• Successfully pass the final oral doctoral dissertation defense, and submit the doctoral dissertation approved by the doctoral dissertation committee, the director of doctoral program, and the CHHS dean. (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 successfully completed the qualifying exam and all required course work, the director of the School of Nursing doctoral program approves advancement to candidacy.

Dissertation Proposal

The proposal must focus on a topic in nursing and be approved by the doctoral dissertation committee, the doctoral program director, and the CHHS dean. The dissertation proposal and written 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 doctoral program director, and the CHHS dean.

Final Oral Doctoral Exam

The doctoral dissertation committee chair, on preliminary approval of the doctoral dissertation by the committee, petitions the doctoral program director in the School of Nursing to schedule the final oral doctoral exam, which includes a defense of the doctoral dissertation. The final oral doctoral 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 doctoral dissertation committee. At the close of the final oral doctoral exam, the committee makes a final judgment regarding approval of the doctoral dissertation and successful 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.