Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Over the past 25 years, more than 100 nurse scientists have graduated from our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing program and have gone on to careers in nursing education, research and organizational leadership in the United States and abroad.
The goal of our PhD in Nursing program - the first completely online PhD program in the country - is to engage you in an intensive, rigorous manner that prepares you to be a nurse scholar. Applied research courses in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies will prepare you to function as an independent researcher upon graduation.
PhD Program Outcomes
The overall purpose of the PhD in Program in Nursing is to prepare graduates for a lifetime of intellectual inquiry, creative scholarship, and research. Graduates of the program will be competent in research, scholarship and leadership within the profession of nursing. The graduate must possess and demonstrate specific competencies. These include the ability to:
- Function as an independent researcher and conduct original research that builds upon prior research and expands the science of nursing.
- Integrate theoretical frameworks and research finding from other disciplines to enhance the practice of professional nursing.
- Produce scholarly work that contributes to the science and profession of nursing by communicating creative solutions to problems in nursing and health care.
- Demonstrate leadership and collaborative strategies to reduce health care disparities on a local, national and international level.
- Help improve the health of the community by generating new evidence for nursing practice that solves problems related to health care delivery.
- Evaluate issues that affect health care and advocate for change in health care policies based on evidence and the principles of social justice.
Students may not be enrolled in more than one doctoral program at any given time.
Period of Candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy
A student is required to satisfy the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD) degree requirements within eight (8) calendar years from the semester in which the student completes the first course for the degree. A student is required to complete all PhD Program course work, including core courses, electives, cognates, and practica, within five (5) calendar years from the semester in which the student completes the first course for the degree. Under unusual circumstances, the student may apply for an extension of the statute of limitations. Extensions of up to one (1) year (maximum total program – 9 years) may be granted under special circumstances. Students should consult the Nursing Graduate Student Handbook for additional information.
Program Information
The PhD in Nursing online program (3 or 4 year options) prepares you to become an independent researcher and nurse scholar through doctoral courses in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methodologies. A Doctor of Nursing Practice to PhD online option is also available.
Program Type
Major
Degree
Doctorate
School
Duration
3 or 4 years
Required Credit Hours
56
More about the PhD in Nursing
PhD Overview
Various PhD Program Options
The program begins in May with the start of the summer semester. We offer three-year and four-year curriculum options, as well as a DNP to PhD program, which permits nurses with a DNP degree to gain valuable skills that will enable them to function as independent researchers.
All options are offered online with residency requirements at our Pittsburgh, PA, campus as well as at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland as part of one study abroad experience.
3-Year and 4-Year Curriculum Options
The School of Nursing offers both a three-year and a four-year option for pursuing a PhD in Nursing program, allowing you to apply to the program that best fits with your goals and lifestyle. The three- and four-year options are identical but differ in intensity and duration.
The three-year option typically requires six to 10 credits to be completed per semester, whereas the four-year option typically requires six credits per semester. If you are interested in applying to the three-year program, you must have a commitment to prioritizing your time in order to complete the program, unencumbered by expectations of an over-demanding life/work/job.
DNP to PhD Program
Apply the knowledge and skills you learned in your DNP program to this DNP to PhD option which allows you to conduct research related to your DNP Project. The DNP to PhD program requires completion of 38 credits, which typically takes two-and-a-half years, including dissertation.
Program coursework schedule by year
The program can be completed in either three or four years. Both options total of 56 credits, and the coursework remains the same. View the two curriculum schedules for both three- and four-year options.
Progam requirements include four residencies
Residency 1: Doctoral Week (Summer of Year 1)
Every student admitted to the PhD program is required to come to the Pittsburgh, PA, campus for the first residency, usually held during the second or third week of May. This week includes an orientation to the PhD program and provides an opportunity for students to meet faculty and participate in live classes for the courses in which they are enrolled that summer.
Residency 2: Study Abroad (Summer of Year 2)
Students enrolled in GPNG 924 Methods of Scientific Inquiry II will take part of the course as a study abroad experience (approximately 10-14 days) in locations such as Dublin, Ireland, where students will have housing at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Please note that any tuition discounts that graduate students receive are not applicable to study abroad courses.
Residency 3: Topic and Committee Approval (Year 2 for 3-year Program and Year 3 for 4-year Program)
This residency provides an opportunity for the student to meet with their faculty mentor either at Duquesne University or another location, such as a conference setting, for intensive discussion and writing around dissertation topic development in preparation for approval.
Progam requirements include two
Each student must write and defend a dissertation on a topic of their choosing, and you can view a list of recently defended dissertation topics for ideas. As part of the PhD curriculum, you will be required to make a proposal defense and a final defense.
Proposal Defense
The Proposal Defense is an oral defense of a written dissertation research proposal.
Final Defense
The Final Defense is an oral defense of the completed dissertation. Students make one public oral defense. The University sets a deadline date for the final defense. Prior to this deadline, students must have already:
Successfully defended their dissertation.
Made any corrections requested by their dissertation committee.
Submitted an approved electronic (ETD) version of their dissertation.
Students need to work with their committee chairs to schedule their final defense
dates at least four to six weeks prior to the University deadline.
You may reference the for the latest date to submit an approved thesis.
Meet the PhD Faculty
The PhD faculty includes several fellows and department chairs. All faculty have areas of research expertise, and we invite you to connect.
PhD Program Scholarships
Two $17,000 new student scholarships are available. Students who are accepted, deposited and enrolled in the PhD in Nursing program are eligible to apply.
PhD Student Professional Development Fund
As a welcome to newly enrolled PhD students, the School of Nursing supports students' future scholarship by providing a one-time $2000 award to be used for professional development activities.