Frequently Asked Questions

February 1
The program begins in the summer semester with an on-campus residency in May. Students begin by taking a three-credit course, GPNG 901 State of the Science and Discovery.
PhD students have three residency requirements during the three- or four-year program. These include Doctoral Week, Study Abroad and Topic and Committee Approval.
The statistics prerequisite is designed to provide you with the basis for advancement in the PhD program. The content of the courses should include inferential statistics, linear and nonlinear regression, logistic regression, analysis of variance, repeated measures and generalized linear models.

No later than the fall semester prior to beginning the program.

*Please note the course must have been completed within the last 5 years.

Duquesne University School of Education offers an online statistics course each fall, GREV 510 - Statistics I. For PhD in Nursing and PhD in Nursing Ethics students, this must be completed the fall term prior to beginning your summer coursework. To enroll in this course, please follow the special status application process.

If our GREV 510 does not meet your timeline, courses will be accepted from any accredited university with prior approval from the PhD chair. To assist applicants, our PhD faculty have identified online courses through Portage Learning and the University of Phoenix that meet the prerequisite requirements.

If you identify another course that you would like to attend in person or online, please submit the course information for approval prior to enrollment.

If you have any questions, please contact Director of Admissions Brian Bost at (412) 396-6539 or via email.

Yes, candidates with a master's degree in another area will be considered on an individual basis.
We consider all parts of the application and make admission decisions based on the qualifications of the individual to complete doctoral study, ability to complete an online program and the match between the applicant's proposed dissertation research area and our PhD faculty's research interests.
Yes. A maximum of nine PhD level credits from an accredited university and approved program may be transferred toward completion of the requirements for the PhD in Nursing degree. Please complete the form below for credit considerationRequest for Credit Consideration
Students may enroll in either the three-year PhD program or the four-year PhD program. Completion within these timeframes requires the student take six credits of coursework each semester. Completion of the dissertation stage is planned for the final year of the program.
Yes. Students in the three-year program are expected to complete all coursework (core, electives, cognates) within two calendar years. The dissertation is then completed in the third year. Students in the four-year program are expected to complete all coursework (core, electives, cognates) within three calendar years. The dissertation is then completed in the fourth year. The degree must be completed within eight calendar years from the semester in which the student completes the first course for the degree.
Using a computer and an Internet Service Provider (ISP), a student can work on coursework whenever and wherever it is most convenient. Even though the online class may be more accessible to a student’s schedule, the content and workload are comparable to a face-to-face course.
All graduate nursing courses are available online.
Yes. See our Financial Aid section for important links.
Please visit the Office of Admissions for current tuition information.
Yes. There are a variety of ways in which you may be eligible for our Tuition Discount Program.
Applicants must meet the admissions criteria of the Duquesne University School of Nursing. The admissions process for nursing graduate students is handled exclusively by the School of Nursing.
Please contact Director of Admissions Brian Bost at (412) 396-6539 or via email.