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2024-2025 GRADUATE CATALOG
Nursing, (PhD)
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 Return to: Degree Programs (All Programs)
Graduates of the PhD program will be prepared to:
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conduct rigorous nursing and interdisciplinary research,
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generate new knowledge that guides nursing practice, and
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lead educational research in program and course design, clinical education, and the evaluation of learning that prepares nurses of the future.
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Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program
The Loewenberg College of Nursing at The University of Memphis offers a PhD degree in Nursing, the highest academic degree for individuals planning to pursue scholarly careers in the nursing discipline. This PhD Program is designed for those who plan to assume a role as nurse researcher/scholar/educator in academic nursing as well as healthcare settings through research experimentation and theory application to generate new knowledge. The program will emphasize health equity in practice, education, and policy locally to globally. Graduates of the PhD program will be prepared to: conduct rigorous nursing and interdisciplinary research, generate new knowledge that guides nursing practice, and lead educational research in program and course design, clinical education, and the evaluation of learning that prepares nurses of the future.
Program Admission
BSN to PhD The BSN to PhD program is an accelerated pathway to the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing available for highly qualified Bachelor of Science in nursing graduates. The program is streamlined, enabling BSN graduates to proceed to doctoral-level courses after completion of core MSN courses (25 credit hours) including an academic designed clinically-focused practica (4 credit hours) to expose students to clinical experience guided by clinical experts and faculty. Students opting to earn a Master of Science in Nursing while in the BSN to PhD program must complete additional credit hours for the desired master’s degree and concentration as outlined in the respective degree program requirements. The applicant must meet all criteria for admission to the graduate school. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree is required for admission, and international applicants who will be attending the University on a student visa who are not native speakers of English and are not graduates of The University of Memphis must meet the minimum language proficiency requirements set by the University of Memphis Graduate School. Refer to the graduate catalog. Additionally, applicants will: possess an unencumbered RN license or equivalent in the student’s state/nation of residence. earned BSN with minimum GPA of 3.0. If a GPA is not available, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required with scores from the last five years with a minimum of verbal and quantitative score of 140 and analytical writing score of at least 3.0. provide three letters of reference from individuals familiar with the applicant’s capabilities for doctoral study and for future performance as a nurse scholar and researcher. Generally, two letters from former professors will be expected. submit a personal statement of approximately 750-1000 words indicating his/her present interests and career goals, including how the PhD in Nursing will prepare the student to achieve those goals. provide a writing sample (e.g., published paper, or coursework from previous degree program is acceptable). provide a copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. interview via phone, face-to-face, or Skype will be required.
The PhD Program Committee will review all submitted materials. Admissions decisions are made on the overall quality of the applicant’s professional background in nursing, scholarship, academic ability, as well as the applicant’s “fit” for the program in terms of, research interests, academic background, and career goals.
Master’s to PhD The applicant must meet all criteria for admission to the graduate school. A master’s degree is required for admission, and international applicants who will be attending the University on a student visa who are not native speakers of English and are not graduates of The University of Memphis must meet the minimum language proficiency requirements set by the University of Memphis Graduate School. Refer to the graduate catalog. Additionally, applicants will: possess an unencumbered RN license or equivalent in the student’s state/nation of residence. earned master’s degree with minimum GPA of 3.0. If a GPA is not available, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required with scores from the last five years with a minimum of verbal and quantitative score of 140 and analytical writing score of at least 3.0. provide three letters of reference from individuals familiar with the applicant’s capabilities for doctoral study and for future performance as a nurse scholar and researcher. Generally, two letters from former professors will be expected. submit a personal statement of approximately 750-1000 words indicating his/her present interests and career goals, including how the PhD in Nursing will prepare the student to achieve those goals. provide a writing sample (e.g., published paper, or coursework from previous degree program is acceptable). provide a copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. interview via phone, face-to-face, or Skype will be required.
The PhD Program Committee will review all submitted materials. Admissions decisions are made on the overall quality of the applicant’s professional background in nursing, scholarship, academic ability, as well as the applicant’s “fit” for the program in terms of, research interests, academic background, and career goals. DNP to PhD The DNP to PhD Program is designed for those with a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree who desire to pursue a research doctorate to help advance knowledge that guides nursing practice. The applicant must meet all criteria for admission to the graduate school. A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is required for admission, and international applicants who will be attending the University on a student visa who are not native speakers of English and are not graduates of The University of Memphis must meet the minimum language proficiency requirements set by the University of Memphis Graduate School. Refer to the graduate catalog. Additionally, applicants will: possess an unencumbered RN license or equivalent in the student’s state/nation of residence. earned DNP with minimum GPA of 3.0. If a GPA is not available, the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required with scores from the last five years with a minimum of verbal and quantitative score of 140 and analytical writing score of at least 3.0. provide three letters of reference from individuals familiar with the applicant’s capabilities for doctoral study and for future performance as a nurse scholar and researcher. Generally, two letters from former professors will be expected. submit a personal statement of approximately 750-1000 words indicating his/her present interests and career goals, including how the PhD in Nursing will prepare the student to achieve those goals. provide a writing sample (e.g., published paper, or coursework from previous degree program is acceptable). provide a copy of the applicant’s curriculum vitae (CV) or resume. interview via phone, face-to-face, or Skype will be required.
The PhD Program Committee will review all submitted materials. Admissions decisions are made on the overall quality of the applicant’s professional background in nursing, scholarship, academic ability, as well as the applicant’s “fit” for the program in terms of academic background, research interests, and career goals. Credit Hours:
To qualify for graduation, students must meet all U of M Graduate School requirements. Additionally, students must complete a minimum of:
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80 credit hours beyond the BSN degree
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60 credit hours beyond the Master’s degree
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54 credit hours beyond the DNP degree (including transfer of up to 15 credit hours from the DNP)
Transfer Credit:
Previously earned doctoral credits may be considered for transfer by the student’s advisory committee in accordance with the Graduate School policy; however, residency requirements stipulate that the last thirty semester hours of credit for the doctoral degree (including 9 dissertation hours) must be earned at the U of M. Credit towards a graduate degree does not transfer automatically. However, graduate work completed at another institution in a program accredited at the graduate level may be accepted in a graduate degree program at the University, with the following provisions. (1) They relate to the content of the graduate program and/or are comparable to those offered at the University. (2) They do not exceed time limitations set for doctoral programs.
Credit previously earned at another institution must be presented for evaluation no later than the end of the student’s second semester of enrollment. Forms are available on-line or from the Graduate School Graduation Analyst. Only transcripts received directly from an issuing institution are considered official. Approved transfer credit may be accepted for one-half the number of semester hours of course credit toward a doctoral degree. Credit will be transferred to apply toward a doctoral program upon approval of the student’s advisory committee.
Courses proposed for transfer credit must meet the following two requirements. (1) a minimum of 750 contact minutes for each semester credit (2250 for a 3-hour course). (2) a minimum of 3 hours of class work per week for 3 hours of credit. Grades earned at another institution will not be computed in the University cumulative grade point average, nor will they be accepted for transfer, unless they are “B” (3.0) or better. No credit will be transferred unless it meets with the approval of the major advisor or program graduate coordinator. Enrollment:
Full-time students are expected to carry a minimum of 9 credit hours per semester, and to devote full time during their enrollment to the pursuit of degree-related activities. Full-time students with graduate assistantships are required to enroll for 9 credit hours each semester. Part-time students are expected to carry a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester, unless permission is granted from the advisor and PhD Program Director for a reduced course load. Research:
All doctoral students are expected to be active in research collaboratively with members of the faculty each semester they are enrolled. Retention Requirements:
A doctoral student in Nursing will be retained continuously in the program provided that the following conditions are met:
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A GPA at least 3.0 must be maintained. If the student’s GPA falls below 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), a period of one semester or one full summer term will be allowed to correct for deficiency. The student is dropped from the PhD program if he/she fails to regain a minimum GPA of 3.0. This period may, at the discretion of the student’s Major Professor and PhD Program Director, be extended one additional semester or full summer term. Any student not meeting these conditions will be placed on academic probation by the Program.
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Any student who is placed on academic probation for a second semester will be dismissed before enrolling in another semester.
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Accumulation of more than 7 hours of graduate coursework with a grade of C or lower will result in dismissal from the PhD program.
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Satisfactory completion of the written and oral PhD Qualifying Examination.
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Submission of a written research progress report by the student to the Major Professor, Dissertation Committee, and PhD Program Director at the end of each semester after dissertation hours have started.
Residency Requirements:
The last 30 credit hours must be earned at The University of Memphis. Credit will be transferred to apply toward a doctoral program upon approval of the student’s advisory committee in accordance with Graduate School policy. Comprehensive Examination:
Prior to enrolling for dissertation hours (NURS 9000), a student must successfully complete both a written and oral comprehensive examination. The examination will assess mastery of areas covered in the doctoral program. The content of the examination will consist of theory and methodology, and nursing issues central to the student’s main research area. Since the examination is designed to test each student’s knowledge of the field, it is not confined to material covered in classes.
Prior to initiating the examination process, a student must have completed at least 30 credit hours of coursework in the program. Additionally, he/she is required to be enrolled during the semester he/she proposes to take the comprehensive exam.
- The student’s comprehensive examination will be reviewed by the committee in relation to:
- Quality of written and oral examination
- Ability to conceptualize and analyze the topic in depth
- Capacity for original thought and substantive knowledge in the focused area
- Integration of state of the art knowledge
University policy does not consider comprehensive examinations to be a course; therefore, the results of the examination are not appealable. University policy allows you to take the comprehensive examination twice; failure to pass on the second attempt results in dismissal from the university. The dismissal may be appealed (see Retention Appeals in the Graduate Catalog). Dissertation:
To fulfill the requirements for the PhD in Nursing, the student must write and defend a dissertation proposal, students will then select whether they prefer to complete a 5-chapter dissertation, or a proposal and two data-driven manuscripts submitted for publication. The dissertation must adhere to the format outlined by the UofM Graduate School. The dissertation topic will be determined by the student in consultation with the advisor and input from the advisory committee. BSN to PhD Program Curriculum (80 credit hours)
The BSN to PhD program is an 80 credit hour degree program beyond the BSN degree. MSN Core: 23 credit hours
Nursing Science Core: 39 credit hours
Electives: Minimum 6 credit hours
BSN Entry: A minimum of 6 credit hours of electives will be required from outside the College of Nursing. These courses must be relevant to the student’s research inquiry and approved by the Major Professor and PhD Program Director. Dissertation: 12 credit hours
Master’s to PhD Program Curriculum (60 credit hours)
The Master’s to PhD Program is a 60-semester hour degree program beyond the master’s degree. Nursing Science Core: 36 credit hours
Electives: 12 credit hours
Master’s Entry: A minimum of 12 credit hours of electives will be required from outside the College of Nursing. These courses must be relevant to the student’s research inquiry and approved by the Major Professor and PhD Program Director. Dissertation: 12 credit hours
DNP to PhD Program Curriculum (54 credit hours)
The DNP to PhD Program is a 54-credit hour degree program beyond the DNP degree with the ability to transfer up to 15 credit hours from the DNP program of study. DNP Course Transfer: Up to 15 credit hours
Nursing Science Core: 36 credit hours
Electives: Minimum 6 credit hours
DNP Entry: A minimum of 6 credit hours of electives will be required from outside the College of Nursing. These courses must be relevant to the student’s research inquiry and approved by the Major Professor and PhD Program Director. Dissertation: 12 credit hours
For questions about the PhD in Nursing program curriculum, degree requirements, or how to apply?
Annapoorna Mary, PhD, MSc(N), RN, CNE
Associate Professor, PhD Program Director
amary@memphis.edu
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