The curriculum for the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston includes 66 semester hours for MSN-prepared students and 90 hours for BSN-prepared students. The course sequence is designed to prepare nurse scientists to develop, test, and implement innovation in health care delivery and to teach the next generations of nurses in research and practice.
During the sequence of courses, the student participates in development of a research program that includes interdisciplinary interactions. The student works with an interdisciplinary team of faculty mentors who have established research programs. Courses in the nursing sequence are focused on the health care delivery system, theory, and research.
The student also takes one elective and three cognate courses to develop knowledge in a focused area of interest. The theory, research, and practice links provide the basis for the student to develop a dissertation that is focused on preparing a nurse scientist who will improve health and health care.
MSN to PhD (66 hours)
Full-time Plan
-
Semester 1 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7501
|
Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
|
N7530
|
Analysis of the Context of Health Care*
|
3
|
|
N7555
|
Research Practicum****
|
3
|
-
Semester 2 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7540
|
Advanced Research Designs and Methods I*
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate I**
|
3
|
|
N7505
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I
|
4
|
-
Semester 3 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7506
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II
|
4
|
|
N7542
|
Advanced Research Designs and Methods II
|
3
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 4 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7541
|
Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical and Health Science Research*
|
3
|
|
N7543
|
Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate II**
|
3
|
-
Semester 5 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Research Methods Elective**
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate III**
|
3
|
|
N7550
|
Research Proposal Development*
|
2
|
|
N7550B
|
Research Proposal B*
|
1
|
|
N7590
|
Candidacy - Can Enroll Spring or Summer
|
1
|
-
Semester 6 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Elective
|
3
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum ***
|
1
|
-
Semester 7 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7552
|
Research Planning and Implementation*
|
2
|
|
N7552B
|
Research Planning and Implementation B*
|
1
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
-
Semester 8 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
|
Total
|
66
|
View printable PDF of current sample curriculum.
Current students: If you began the PhD program in the Fall 2021 semester or earlier, please refer to the academic catalog of the year when you started the program for degree requirements.
Part-time Plan
-
Semester 1 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7530
|
Analysis of the Context of Health Care*
|
3
|
|
N7501
|
Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
-
Semester 2 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
NXXXX
|
Elective **
|
3
|
|
N7505
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I*
|
4
|
-
Semester 3 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7506
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II*
|
4
|
-
Semester 4 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
NXXXX
|
Research Methods Elective
|
3
|
|
N7555
|
Research Practicum
|
3
|
-
Semester 5 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7540
|
Advanced Research Designs & Methods I*
|
3
|
|
NXXXX
|
Cognate I**
|
3
|
-
Semester 6 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7542
|
Advanced Research Designs & Methods II*
|
3
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum ***
|
1
|
-
Semester 7 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7541
|
Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical and Health Science Research*
|
3
|
|
N7543
|
Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
-
Semester 8 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
NXXXX
|
Cognate II**
|
3
|
|
N7550
|
Research Proposal Development*
|
2
|
|
N7550B
|
Research Proposal Development B*
|
1
|
-
Semester 9 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7590
|
Candidacy - Spring or Summer of Year 3
|
1
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 10 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7552
|
Research Planning and Implementation*
|
2
|
|
N7552B
|
Research Planning and Implementation B*
|
1
|
|
NXXXX
|
Cognate III**
|
3
|
-
Semester 11 - Spring
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
6
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 12 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
6
|
|
Total
|
66
|
View printable PDF of current sample curriculum.
Current students: If you began the PhD program in the Fall 2021 semester or earlier, please refer to the academic catalog of the year when you started the program for degree requirements.
BSN to PhD (90 hours)
Full-time Plan
-
Semester 1 - Fall
| Course # |
Course Title |
Hours |
| N6804 |
Advanced Pathophysiology for DNP |
3 |
|
XXXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
|
N7307
|
Advanced Health Assessment and Differential Diagnoses
|
3
|
-
Semester 2 - Spring
| Course # |
Course Title |
Hours |
| N6901W |
Advanced Pharmacology for DNP |
3 |
| N6802 |
Health Policy, Politics & Ethics |
3 |
| XXXX |
Nursing Concentration |
3 |
-
Semester 3 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
-
Semester 4 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7501
|
Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
|
N7530
|
Analysis of the Context of Healthcare*
|
3
|
|
N7555
|
Research Practicum****
|
3
|
-
Semester 5 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7540
|
Advanced Research Designs & Methods I*
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate I**
|
3
|
|
N7505
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I*
|
4
|
-
Semester 6 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7506
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II*
|
3
|
|
N7542
|
Advanced Research Designs & Methods II*
|
4
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 7 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7541
|
Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical & Health Science Research*
|
3
|
|
N7543
|
Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate II**
|
3
|
-
Semester 8 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
NXXXX
|
Research Methods Elective**
|
3
|
|
NXXXX
|
Cognate III**
|
3
|
|
N7550
|
Research Proposal Development*
|
2
|
|
N7550B
|
Research Proposal B*
|
1
|
|
N7590
|
Candidacy - Can Enroll Spring or Summer
|
1
|
-
Semester 9 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
NXXXX
|
Elective**
|
3
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 10 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7552
|
Research Planning & Implementation*
|
2
|
|
N7552B
|
Research Planning & Implementation B*
|
1
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
-
Semester 11 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
|
Total
|
90
|
View printable PDF of current sample curriculum.
Current students: If you began the PhD program in the Fall 2021 semester or earlier, please refer to the academic catalog of the year when you started the program for degree requirements.
Part-time Plan
-
Semester 1 - Fall
| Course # |
Course Title |
Hours |
| N6804W |
Advanced Pathophysiology for DNP |
3 |
|
N7307
|
Advanced Health Assessment & Differential Diagnoses
|
3
|
-
Semester 2 - Spring
| Course # |
Course Title |
Hours |
| N6901W |
Advanced Pharmacology for DNP |
3 |
| N6802 |
Health Policy, Politics & Ethics |
3 |
-
Semester 3 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
-
Semester 4 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
-
Semester 5 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Nursing Concentration
|
3
|
|
N7505
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I*
|
4
|
-
Semester 6 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7506
|
Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II*
|
4
|
-
Semester 7 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7530
|
Analysis of the Context of Healthcare*
|
3
|
|
N7501
|
Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
-
Semester 8 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7540
|
Advanced Research Designs & Methods I*
|
3
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate I**
|
3
|
-
Semester 9 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7542
|
Advanced Research Designs & Methods II*
|
3
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 10 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N5741
|
Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical & Health Science Research*
|
3
|
|
N7543
|
Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry*
|
3
|
-
Semester 11 - Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7550
|
Research Proposal Development*
|
2
|
|
N7550B
|
Research Proposal B*
|
1
|
|
XXXX
|
Research Methods Elective**
|
3
|
|
N7590
|
Candidacy
|
1
|
-
Semester 12 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7555
|
Research Practicum****
|
3
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 13 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7552
|
Research Planning & Implementation*
|
2
|
|
N7552B
|
Research Planning & Implementation B*
|
1
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate II**
|
3
|
-
Semester 14 -Spring
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
|
N7554
|
Research Forum***
|
1
|
-
Semester 15 - Summer
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
|
XXXX
|
Elective**
|
3
|
-
Semester 16 - Fall
|
Course #
|
Course Title
|
Hours
|
|
XXXX
|
Cognate III**
|
3
|
|
N7600
|
Dissertation
|
3 to 6
|
|
Total
|
90
|
View printable PDF of current sample curriculum.
Current students: If you began the PhD program in the Fall 2021 semester or earlier, please refer to the academic catalog of the year when you started the program for degree requirements.
Curriculum notes
* Required courses offered only once a year.
** These courses may be selected from offerings at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston or other universities through enrollment agreements.
***N7554 Research Forum. Students will need to complete three (3) one-credit Research Forum courses during the course of the program. Research Forum can be taken any semester but must be taken three different semesters.
**** N7555 Research Practicum- Research Practicum will be offered every semester. The student should plan with their advisor for timing of completion
1 semester hour of credit is earned for
- 3 clock hours per week of clinical experience,
- 1 clock hour per week of lecture, or
- 2 clock hours per week of seminar.
- Course numbers ending in “W” denote courses that are web-based or mainly online that may require some on- campus class time.
- Course numbers ending in “B” denote courses that are clinical and include additional fees.
The elective and cognates taken must be at the graduate level. The cognates chosen should reflect the focus of the dissertation research, should be taken outside the school of nursing, and must be approved by the dissertation chairperson/student advisor.
- Cognates = 3 Courses= 9 credits
- Elective =1 Course= 3 credits
Consult individual course descriptions in the academic catalog for details on clinical, lecture, and seminar hours and prerequisite or corequisite requirements.
Candidacy Exam
The candidacy examination serves as a basis for determining the student’s readiness for pursuing dissertation research. The student should demonstrate a command of the theoretical and methodological issues related to the selected topic as a basis for pursuing research in a specific population of interest. The candidacy examination is viewed as a continuing step in the educational process building on previous course work and leading to the dissertation proposal defense and the dissertation. Candidacy exam policy and procedures may be found in PhD Program Policy D7315 (pdf).
Dissertation Requirement
An original research dissertation that constitutes a substantial contribution to the body of knowledge in nursing must be completed under the direction of a dissertation committee chairperson who is a member of the Cizik School of Nursing faculty.
Students must complete 12 hours of dissertation prior to graduation. The 12 hours are taken after Candidacy is successfully completed and should be taken in increments of 3 hours but must have at least 3 hours in the last semester (semester of final defense)
Information regarding the dissertation policy and procedures may be found in PhD Program Policy D7400 (pdf). The Dissertation Manual for students admitted before Fall 2021 can be found at found at Dissertation Manual (pre 2021) (pdf). For students admitted Fall 2021 and after, the Dissertation Manual can be found at Dissertation Manual (post 2021) (pdf).
An active list of recent graduate dissertations is available for viewing through the Texas Medical Center library.
