PhD in Nursing Program
Our PhD in Nursing prepares students to lead advancements in nursing science and practice by conducting impactful research, generating new knowledge and preparing the next generation of nurse educators and scientists.
PhD in Nursing Program Highlights
- Coursework fosters development of deep scholarly inquiry and independent research
- Students receive guidance and support from experienced faculty
- Training in grant writing and opportunities to apply for research funding
- Small cohorts that promote collegiality, stimulating dialogue and scholarly growth
- Option to add a Nurse Educator Certificate to your degree
- Access to a network of accomplished alumni
Kimberly D. Johnson, PhD, RN, CEN, FAEN | PhD Program Director
Meet our PhD Program Director
An emergency and trauma nurse, Kimberly D. Johnson is passionate about quality and process improvement. Her work mitigating the negative impact of triage interruptions on patient care in the ED has been funded through AHRQ, the Emergency Nurses Association Foundation and Sigma Theta Tau.
Dr. Johnson's current projects focus on translating her work in the ED to other patient care areas, developing multi-modal interventions to minimize interruptions, and working on EHR data to identify interruptions and develop models to determine the financial impact of interruptions.
PhD in Nursing Program Structure
The on-campus program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. Full-time students can complete the program in three years, while part-time students' time for completion varies based on the number of courses they take in any given term. The full-time program is structured as:
- Two years of coursework, building a strong foundation in theory and research methods.
- Candidacy Exam—presented as a comprehensive portfolio—to demonstrate mastery and readiness for dissertation.
- Dissertation and original research conducted with faculty mentorship.