Nursing PhD Program at a Glance
- Admit Term: Fall only
- Credit Requirement: 66 credits
- Enrollment Mode: Curriculum includes both online and on-campus courses
- Enrollment Level: Full-time and Part-time study available
- Estimated Total Cost of Tuition and Fees: $24,891
Are you ready to begin a life of inquiry and discovery? The mission of the PhD Program in Nursing at Cizik School of Nursing is to prepare nurse leaders in the profession. Graduates of this program will lead the development and dissemination of knowledge through the conduct of nursing and interprofessional research. Through the integration of theory, research, and practice, our goal is to prepare nurse scientists who will improve health and health care
In contrast to the practice-based Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), this doctoral program is rooted in foundations of theory and research needed to develop educators, leaders and discoverers of knowledge in the field of health care.
The Faculty
Our outstanding faculty is committed to preparing nurse scholars and scientists who can lead in extending the body of nursing knowledge. We foster a collegial and supportive environment with close faculty interaction. Our learning atmosphere is distinctive, challenging and includes rich mentoring experiences.
Research at UTHealth
The School’s dedicated Center for Nursing Research promotes collaborations, enhances scholarship and stimulates clinically relevant investigative questions and innovative approaches. We offer unique access to expert faculty researchers in a comprehensive six-discipline academic health center. Doctoral students also have access to courses and resources in the affiliated institutions of the Texas Medical Center, a vibrant academic and healthcare community in the heart of Houston.
Whether you see your future in the nursing world as a faculty member or as a clinical researcher, UTHealth's PhD in Nursing is the next exciting step toward enhancing your career trajectory.
Student-Centered Support
Each doctoral student will be assigned an academic advisor at the time of admission to the doctoral program. The doctoral student and their academic advisor will complete a degree plan to specify which courses are to be taken to complete the degree requirements. Degree plan policy and procedures may be found in PhD Program Policy D7320 (pdf).
Scholarship Assistance
Each year the School strives to fund between 15-20% of the each class with some level of financial assistance. Scholarship awards are available for both full and part-time students. Interested students are encouraged to complete the application for admission and the Cizik School of Nursing Supplemental Scholarship Application before April 1.
An additional resource for doctoral students is the Nurse Faculty Loan Program ("NFLP")which is a low-interest federal loan forgiveness program offered by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for MSN and doctoral degrees. For eligibility requirements and application information, please contact Heather Bright in the UTHealth Financial Aid office at 713.500.3866.
Curriculum Plans
The curriculum includes 66 semester hours distributed as shown below. The course sequence is designed to prepare nurse researchers 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 three electives and three cognate courses that allow the student to develop knowledge in a focused area of interest. The theory, research, 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.
Course # | Course Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Core Courses | ||
N7501 | Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry* | 3 |
N7530 | Analysis of the Context of Healthcare* | 3 |
N7543 | Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry* | 3 |
N7550 | Research Proposal Development* | 2 |
N7550B | Research Proposal Development Practicum* | 1 |
N7552 | Research Planning and Implementation* | 2 |
N7552B | Research Planning and Implementation B* | 1 |
Research Design and Methods | ||
N7540 | Advanced Research Designs and Methods I* | 3 |
N7541 | Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical and Health Science Research* | 3 |
N7542 | Advanced Research Designs and Methods II* | 3 |
XXXX | Research Methods Elective** | 3 |
Statistical Methods | ||
N7505 | Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I | 4 |
N7506 | Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II | 4 |
Cognates | ||
XXXX | Cognate 1** | 3 |
XXXX | Cognate 2** | 3 |
XXXX | Cognate 3** | 3 |
Candidacy | ||
N7590 | Candidacy Examination* | 1 |
Electives | ||
XXXX | Elective 1** | 3 |
XXXX | Elective 2** | 3 |
XXXX | Elective 3** | 3 |
Dissertation | ||
N7600 | Dissertation | 12 |
Total | 66 |
Course # | Course Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Semester 1 - Fall | ||
N7501 | Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry* | 3 |
N7530 | Analysis of the Context of Health Care* | 3 |
N7505 | Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I | 4 |
Semester 2 - Spring | ||
N7540 | Advanced Research Designs and Methods I* | 3 |
XXXX | Cognate I** | 3 |
N7506 | Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II | 4 |
Semester 3 - Summer | ||
N7543 | Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry | 3 |
XXXX | Elective I** | 3 |
Semester 4 - Fall | ||
N7541 | Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical and Health Science Research* | 3 |
N7542 | Advanced Research Designs and Methods II | 3 |
XXXX | CognateII** | 3 |
Semester 5 - Spring | ||
NXXXX | Research Methods Elective** | 3 |
NXXXX | Cognate III** | 3 |
N7550 | Research Proposal Development* | 2 |
N7550B | Research Proposal Development Practicum* | 1 |
Semester 6 - Summer | ||
N7590 | Candidacy | 1 |
XXXX | Elective II** | 3 |
Semester 7 - Fall | ||
N7552 | Research Planning and Implementation* | 2 |
N7552B | Research Planning and Implementation B* | 1 |
N7600 | Dissertation | 6 |
Semester 8 -Spring | ||
XXXX | Elective III** | 3 |
N7600 | Dissertation | 6 |
Total | 66 |
Course # | Course Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Semester 1 - Fall | ||
N7530 | Analysis of the Context of Health Care* | 3 |
N7505 | Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research I | 4 |
Semester 2 - Spring | ||
XXXXX | Elective I** | 3 |
N7506 | Advanced Statistics for Clinical Research II | 4 |
Semester 3 - Summer | ||
XXXXX | Elective II** | 3 |
XXXXX | Elective III** | 3 |
Semester 4 - Fall | ||
N7501 | Conceptual Basis of Scientific Inquiry | 3 |
XXXXX | Cognate I** | 3 |
Semester 5 - Spring | ||
N7540 | Advanced Research Designs & Methods I* | 3 |
XXXXX | Cognate II** | 3 |
Semester 6 - Summer | ||
N7543 | Empirical Basis of Scientific Inquiry | 3 |
Semester 7 - Fall | ||
N7541 | Application of Measurement Theory to Biomedical and Health Science Research | 3 |
N7542 | Advanced Research Designs and Methods II | 3 |
Semester 8 - Spring | ||
XXXXX | Cognate III** | 3 |
N7550 | Research Proposal Development | 2 |
N7550B | Research Proposal Development Practicum | 1 |
Semester 9 - Summer | ||
N7590 | Candidacy | 1 |
Semester 10 - Fall | ||
N7552 | Research Planning and Implementation* | 2 |
N7552B | Research Planning and Implementation B* | 1 |
XXXXX | Research Methods Elective** | 3 |
Semester 11 - Spring | ||
N7600 | Dissertation | 6 |
Semester 12 - Summer | ||
N7600 | Dissertation | 6 |
Total | 66 |
* Required courses are offered only one (1) time 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.
Note: 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.
Consult individual course descriptions in the 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. It is composed of a written paper and an oral examination. 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 School of Nursing faculty. Information regarding the dissertation policy and procedures may be found in PhD Program Policy D7400 (pdf) and the Dissertation Manual (pdf).
An active listed of recent graduate dissertations are available for viewing through the Texas Medical Center library.
Accreditation
The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post graduate APRN certificate programs at the Cizik School of Nursing are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Program Director
Geri L Wood, PhD, RN, FAAN
Director, PhD Program (Email)
Program Information
- Admission Requirements
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
- Application Deadlines
- Deadlines (all programs)
- Application Forms
- Doctoral Recommendation Form
- Academic Information
- Academic Catalog
- Current Semester Calendar
- Characteristics of Texas Doctoral Programs
- Doctoral Fellowships
- Financial Aid & Scholarships
- Tuition and Estimated Cost
- Scholarships
- Financial Aid
- Specialized Programs for Nursing Students
- Residency Application
Degree Programs
- Undergraduate
- Pacesetter BSN
- RN-Bridge (for ADN-prepared RNs)
- RN to BSN
- RN to MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner
- RN to MSN - Nursing Leadership and Administration
- MSN and Post-Graduate
- Adult/Gero Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
- Adult/Gero Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
- Emergency/Trauma Care (Post-Graduate only)
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Nursing Education
- Nursing Leadership
- Psychiatric Mental Health
- BSN to DNP
- Nurse Anesthesia
- Nurse Practitioner
- Doctoral
- Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
- Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
Contact Us
-
UTHealth Office of the Registrar
UCT 2250
PO Box 20036
Houston, TX 77225-0036
Registrar's Office FAQ -
Student Affairs Office
Cizik School of Nursing
6901 Bertner Ave
Houston, Texas 77030
713-500-2025 -
CSON E*Value Team
713-500-4325