PhD Outcomes

The PhD in Nursing program prepares advanced students to become scientists who conduct research in health care and who contribute to the expansion of knowledge as nursing educators and leaders in the healthcare system. Graduates will be leaders who improve health and enrich healthcare systems through the integration of theory, research and practice.

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 researchers, educators, leaders and discoverers of knowledge in the field of health care.

We understand that students have varied needs and learning styles, so courses are offered in a mixed face-to-face and online method. Also, our dynamic PhD program may be completed on a part-time or full-time schedule.

Our outstanding faculty is committed to preparing nurse scientists and scholars 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.

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, Cizik School of Nursing's PhD in Nursing program is the next exciting step toward enhancing your career trajectory.

Program Outcomes

The curriculum of the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree program is designed to prepare graduates to:

• Synthesize theoretical and empirical knowledge from nursing and other academic disciplines in relation to health and healthcare.
• Conceptualize, design, and conduct clinical and population-based research that advances science.
• Extend, promote, and disseminate knowledge generated by independent, collaborative, and transdisciplinary research and scholarship.
• Articulate health care issues and policy in relation to social, ethical, and cultural phenomena related to the area of scholarship.