PhD Admission Requirements

Step 1: What you will need to apply

• Please review the list of PhD faculty and identify at least one potential faculty match in your area of interest. You must contact and meet with your proposed faculty match(es) as you prepare your application to discuss whether they will be a strong match to guide you through the program. After the meeting, have the proposed faculty match(es) complete the PhD Application Faculty Support Form. The proposed faculty match(es) will then email the completed form directly to the Cizik School of Nursing PhD Admissions Committee at [email protected].

• A written essay identifying a specific area of research interest, research and professional goals, and how your proposed faculty match(es) will assist you in attaining your goals. This template should be used to complete your essay. Once finished, email the completed essay directly to the UTHealth Registrar's Office at [email protected]. 

• Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. Official transcripts may be sent directly from the institution previously attended electronically to [email protected]. Transcripts will not be accepted if emailed from the student. It is not necessary to request a transcript from any University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) schools that you attended. Transcripts with print dates that are more than 6 months old will not be accepted.

• One letter of reference is required from an individual with a doctoral degree who can address the applicant’s ability to conduct independent research and potential for success in a PhD program. The person providing a letter of reference should complete the Doctorate Reference Letter Form, as well as provide a written statement describing how you are well-suited for a PhD program.

• A professional curriculum vitae which documents practice and/or teaching expertise, scholarly activities, and publications.

• International applicants must submit official TOEFL scores. TOEFL scores can be no more than two (2) years old and a minimum score of 550 is required on the paper exam, a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based exam, or a minimum score of 86 on the internet-based exam.

• A course by course evaluation of international credentials must be completed by Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE).

• A completed online application for admission.
  
  

Minimum admission requirements

• For those applying to the BSN to PhD program, applicants must have a baccalaureate degree in nursing earned from a CCNE accredited program with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  
  
• For those applying to the PhD program (post-master's entry), applicants must have a master’s degree, preferably in nursing, from a CCNE accredited school with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
  
  
• All applicants must have an unencumbered registered nursing license to practice in Texas. Evidence of national certification in a nursing specialty is desired, but not required for admission.
  
  
• International applicants must submit an official TOEFL scores. TOEFL scores can be no more than two years old. A minimum score of 550 is required on the paper exam, a minimum score of 213 on the computer-based exam, or a minimum score of 86 on the internet-based exam.

Step 2: Apply!

• Check the application deadline for the PhD program.
• Complete the online application for admission and submit the nonrefundable $60.00 application fee.
• Submit all required application materials to:

Office of the Registrar

The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
PO Box 20036
Houston, Texas 77225-0036

Once an application is received, you will be assigned a seven-digit application ID and granted access to applyUTH, where you can track the status of your application materials. If you have questions about whether transcripts or documents have been received, please contact the Registrar’s Office at 713-500-3361.

Step 3: Admission decisions 

Qualified applicants will be interviewed by faculty members to assess whether the program aligns with applicant’s educational needs and career goals. The match of the applicant’s interest and goals with a faculty members’ areas of research is also assessed.

Cizik School of Nursing’s admission policy describes multiple factors taken into consideration in the admissions process. These admission factors are not assigned a specific weight or point value. Cizik School of Nursing considers the totality of each application and considers each of these factors.

Notification:

Once a decision is made, ApplyUTH is updated with the application status. If you are admitted, you will receive an email and a letter in the mail. If you are denied, you will receive a letter in the mail.

Please see the applications deadline page for approximate notification dates.

Step 4: Pre-enrollment requirements for accepted students

If admitted, enrollment is contingent upon successful completion of pre-enrollment requirements including but not limited to immunization screening; immigration status clearance; documentation of Texas nursing license; documentation of American Heart Association Basic Life Support (AHA-BLS) certification; and clearance of the mandatory criminal background check and drug screening. You may choose to take the AHA-BLS through Cizik School of Nursing’s Simulation and Clinical Performance Laboratory.

Get all the details in our New Student Guide.

Essential Skills in Nursing

Nurses must be able to demonstrate cognitive skills in critical thinking and logical/analytical thinking. Nurses must also have psychomotor skills, including fine motor dexterity, physical strength, coordination, and proper body mechanics. Observational skills are also required, such as the ability to hear within the normal decibel range, the ability to read English in regular to extra-fine print, and the ability to palpate/auscultate. Students must be able to demonstrate these skills, with or without reasonable accommodation. See HOOP 101, Disability Accommodation.