Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing Programs

PhD programs begin in May with the start of the summer semester. We offer three-year and four-year curriculum options, as well as a DNP to PhD program, which permits nurses with a DNP degree to gain valuable skills that will enable them to function as independent researchers.

All PhD programs are offered online with residency requirements at our Pittsburgh, PA, campus as well as at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland as part of one study abroad experience.

Curriculum Options

The School of Nursing offers both a three-year and a four-year option for pursuing a PhD in Nursing. This allows you to apply to the program track that fits best with your goals and lifestyle. Although the tracks maintain the same coursework, they differ in their required level of commitment.

The three-year track requires the completion of six to ten credits each semester, making it ideal for students who can dedicate their focus primarily to their studies. On the other hand, the four-year track demands six credits per semester, providing a more relaxed pace suitable for students who may need to balance their academic pursuits with other life or work commitments.

DNP to PhD Program

Apply the knowledge and skills you learned in your DNP program to this DNP to PhD option which allows you to conduct research related to your DNP Project. The DNP to PhD program requires completion of 38 credits, which typically takes two-and-a-half years, including dissertation.

Residency One: Doctoral Week

Every student admitted to the PhD program is required to come to the Pittsburgh, PA, campus for the first residency, usually held during the second or third week of May. This week includes an orientation to the PhD program and provides an opportunity for students to meet faculty and participate in live classes for the courses in which they are enrolled that summer.

Residency Two:  Study Abroad

Students enrolled in GPNG 924 Methods of Scientific Inquiry II will take part of the course as a study abroad experience (approximately 10-14 days) in Dublin, Ireland, where students will have housing at Trinity College.

*Please note that any tuition discounts that graduate students receive are not applicable to study abroad courses.

Residency Three: Topic Approval and Writing Intensive

This residency provides an opportunity for students to meet with their faculty mentor on campus for discussion and writing around dissertation topic development in preparation for approval.

Each student must write and defend a dissertation on a topic of their choosing. As part of the PhD curriculum, you will be required to make both a proposal defense and a final defense.

Proposal Defense

The Proposal Defense is an oral defense of a written dissertation research proposal.

Final Defense

The Final Defense is an oral defense of the completed dissertation. Students make one public oral defense. The University sets a deadline date for the final defense. Prior to this deadline, students must have already:

• Successfully defended their dissertation.
• Made any corrections requested by their dissertation committee.
• Submitted an approved electronic (ETD) version of their dissertation. 

Students need to work with their committee chairs to schedule their final defense dates at least four to six weeks prior to the University deadline.