Program Overview
College of Natural and Health Sciences
Director: Melissa Henry, Ph.D.
Location: Gunter 3080
Telephone: 970-351-2293
Website: www.unco.edu/nhs/nursing/
The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Education prepares nurses who provide professional leadership in nursing education, the scholarship of teaching, practice and research in the discipline. The program has one entry option: Master's to Ph.D.
Admission
Location: Online + Colorado Visits
Start Term: Fall
General Doctoral Degree Admission Requirements
Nursing Education Ph.D.
Admission Deadline
Starts Each Fall Term
The deadline for completed applications (including all supplemental materials) each year is February 1. Admission is competitive and completed applications will be reviewed soon after the deadline.
If the cohort is not filled with the initial review of applications, additional applications will be considered on a space available basis. You may contact nursing@unco.edu to see if applications are still being accepted for the upcoming Fall term, or if you should apply for the following Fall.
Admission Requirements: NursingCAS
Applicants must apply to the program through the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS). Please submit all required materials by the application deadline to avoid a delay in the evaluation and screening of your application. All official transcripts are submitted to NursingCAS, and do not need to be resubmitted UNC.
The UNC School of Nursing will review applications following the application deadline. Official admission notifications will be sent in the 2-4 weeks that follow.
Admission Requirements: Graduate School
Applicants must apply to the program through the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS) before the program area reviews the applicant’s request for admission. Failure to submit all required materials will delay the evaluation and screening of your application.
Each applicant must:
- Possess a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in Nursing from accredited (NLN/ACEN or CCNE) programs in nursing, with a cumulative master's GPA of 3.00 or better (4.00 scale).
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If you are still completing your master's degree at the time you apply, admission will be based on your current cumulative GPA, and you will need to re-submit your official transcript (showing your conferred degree and final GPA) during your first semester. If your final GPA fell below 3.00, you will be given additional requirements as defined by the academic program that must be met within one calendar year to remain enrolled at UNC.
One to two years of teaching experience recommended, but not required, prior to program enrollment
Take the following steps to be considered for admission:
Step 1: Complete the Application
Complete the NursingCAS application.
- Answer the application questions.
- Send your requests for letters of recommendation.
- Request two (2) letters of recommendation from former faculty or colleagues with a doctoral degree. You will be asked to supply information for your recommenders in the application.
- Send to NursingCAS an official transcript from each college or university where courses were taken including documentation of a bachelor's degree or higher was earned (or is in progress). Help with Transcripts – NursingCAS
Step 2: Request Transcripts
Please Note: As all official transcripts are submitted to NursingCAS, they do not need to be resubmitted to the Office of Admissions.
Applicants with academic credentials from outside the U.S. will need to follow the requirements for submission of foreign transcripts. Click on the Transcripts tab for information about international transcripts.
Step 3: Note About the GRE
This program does not require GRE scores.
Step 4: Supplemental Items
You will need to submit the following in NursingCAS:
- Statement of career goals. Topics to cover: Career goals; interest in nursing education consistent with the mission and vision of UNC School of Nursing; and a potential area of research interest or general topic for dissertation.
- Current vita or resume
- Licensure as a registered nurse
- Sample of written scholarly work, project or publication in which the applicant was the lead or sole contributor. Examples of this work include but are not limited to one of the following: master’s-level exemplar, evidence-based practice/grant/QI/research proposal, literature review, lesson plan, innovative assignment, scholarly publication or presentation.
A personal interview may be required.
International applicants (non-U.S. citizen/non-U.S. Permanent Resident) please refer to the International Admissions Requirements page for further information about submitting transcripts, English proficiency scores, passport copy and financial documentation.
For More Information
For more information about the admission process, please email the Office of Admissions at grad.admissions@unco.edu or call 970-351-2881.
Degree Requirements — 66 credits
Master's to Ph.D. Requirements
Students enter with a master’s in nursing or other health related discipline and complete the doctoral degree with 66 hours. The general plan of study for students who enter the doctoral program is listed below.
Nursing Science Master’s to Ph.D. Core — 12 credits
| NURS 702 | Advanced Concepts of Populations Experiencing Vulnerability and/or Marginalization | 3 |
| NURS 703 | Philosophical Underpinnings of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS 707 | Leadership in Health Policy | 3 |
| NURS 711 | Advanced Theory and Knowledge Development in Nursing | 3 |
Nursing Education — 17 credits
| NURS 710 | Measurement of Nursing Student Outcomes | 3 |
| NURS 730 | The Scholarship of Teaching and Practice in Nursing Education | 2 |
| NURS 741 | Evidence-Based Teaching | 3 |
| NURS 760 | Advanced Nursing Curriculum Design and Program Evaluation | 3 |
| NURS 780 | The Professorial Role in Nursing Education | 3 |
| PSY 681 | Learning and Instruction | 3 |
Electives — 3 credits (with advisor approval)
Three credits of electives are required and must be approved by their faculty advisor before enrollment. Eligible electives include NURS 679, PSY 500, PSY 644, SRM 660, SRM 687, ET 641, ET 643, ELPS 601, ELPS 604, ELPS 605, ELPS 608, ELPS 665.
| NURS 679 | Technology in Healthcare Education | 3 |
| PSY 500 | Educational Psychology for Teachers | 3 |
| PSY 644 | Motivation in Education | 3 |
| SRM 660 | Mixed Methods Research | 3 |
| SRM 687 | Narrative Inquiry | 3 |
| ET 641 | Designing, Playing, and Learning | 3 |
| ET 643 | Innovative Instructional Formats | 3 |
| ELPS 601 | Leadership Development Through Inquiry | 3 |
| ELPS 604 | Understanding People: Professional Development and Educational Leadership | 3 |
| ELPS 608 | Issues in Educational Leadership: Implications for Practice | 3 |
| ELPS 665 | Policy Analysis and Development | 3 |
Research Core — 18 credits
| NURS 723 | Design, Methods and Analysis in Health Care Research, Part I | 3 |
| NURS 724 | Design, Methods and Analysis in Health Care Research, Part II | 3 |
| NURS 777 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 790 | Doctoral Research Colloquium | 3 |
| SRM 680 | Introduction to Qualitative Research | 3 |
| SRM 700 | Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
Research and Dissertation — 16 credits
Research Tools
Students must demonstrate research skills in areas pertinent to the dissertation research topic. The students’ competence in these skills will be assessed by the students’ dissertation committee members.