Nursing Science

Ph.D. Admissions Requirements

Program Length: 3 – 6 Years

Admissions Requirements:

To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program the following factors are required:

  • Bachelors in Nursing and/or Masters in Nursing from a nationally accredited school of nursing (NLNAC, CCNE, ACEN)
  • Grade point average of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) or higher on the student's last 60 hours of credit
  • Three Professional References (Submit via EMBARK Application)
  • Current resume or curriculum vita
  • Interview and admission essay

Application Process

Requirements Upon Admission

  • Licensure as a Registered Nurse in Texas or Compact State is not required for application. After admission, a valid nursing license is required in a U.S. state, preferably in Texas for engaging in clinical research or other activities involving patient care. To obtain information about nurse licensure procedures for the State of Texas, consult the Texas Board of Nursing Licensure, or telephone the Texas Board of Nursing at (512) 305-7401. 
  • Students are required to submit current required immunizations, proof of current health insurance coverage, and clear criminal background check.

Application Deadline: Rolling Review of Applications

Complete applications received by April 1 will be reviewed for fall admission. Applications received after April 1st will be reviewed on a space-available basis or for the following year.

Start Term:  fall

Contact: 
​Office of Admissions
​School of Nursing
​UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
7703 Floyd Curl Drive, MSC 7945
San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900
Phone: 210-567-0341
Toll Free: 877-235-0341
FAX 210-567-6189
http://nursing.uthscsa.edu/

Ph.D. Degree Requirements and Graduation

Admission can occur at the Post-BSN or Post-MSN levels.

Full-time and part-time study options are available. Full-time study for doctoral students is defined as nine semester credit hours in the fall and spring semesters and six semester credit hours in the summer semester. Part-time study for doctoral students is defined as six semester credit hours in the fall and spring semesters and three semester credit hours in the summer semester.

Students complete a minimum of 81 semester credit hours (which includes previous graduate course work) in three to six years.

 All policies of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences http://gsbs.uthscsa.edu are applicable to this program of study.

Ph.D. Nursing Science Plan of Study

Post-BSN to Ph.D. Full-Time 

First Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7325Philosophy of Nursing Science3
NURS 6315Informatics & Health Care Technologies3
NURS 7316Statistical Analysis For Nursing Science3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.09.0
First Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7310Theory Development, Analysis and Evaluation3
NURS 7324Healthcare Economics And Policy3
NURS 7322Healthcare Policy Analysis and Advocacy3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.09.0
First Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 6380Fundamentals of Epidemiology3
NURS 7302Theoretical Foundations for Leadership in Complex Adaptive Systems3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
Second Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
TSCI 5070Responsible Conduct of Research2
NURE 7315Applications of Research In Nursing3
Cognate 1 of 3  3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.08.0
Second Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7315Quantitative Research Designs and Methods3
Cognate 2 of 3  3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
Second Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7380Qualitative Research Designs and Methods3
NURS 7381Synthesis and Application of Clinical Research3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
Third Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7317Multivariate Statistics3
NURS 6071Supervised Teaching1
Cognate 3 of 3  3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.07.0
Third Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 6318Grantsmanship3
NURS 7318Instrumentation/Measurement3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
Third Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7377Mixed Methods For Clinical Nurse Scientists3
NURS 7115Directed Research Project (Qualifying Exam)1
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.04.0
Fourth Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURE 7090Dissertation Proposal Process1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Fourth Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Fourth Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Fifth Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation6
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
Fifth Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation6
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
*

Part-time plan of study varies for the BSN to Ph.D., please contact program coordinator. 

§

  9 hours of Cognate courses must be completed prior to or during the same term as Qualifying Exams

Post-MSN to Ph.D. Full-Time 

First Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7316Statistical Analysis For Nursing Science3
NURS 7325Philosophy of Nursing Science3
NURE 7315Applications of Research In Nursing3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.09.0
First Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7310Theory Development, Analysis and Evaluation3
NURS 7315Quantitative Research Designs and Methods3
Cognate 1 of 3  3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.09.0
First Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7380Qualitative Research Designs and Methods3
NURS 7381Synthesis and Application of Clinical Research3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.06.0
Second Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
TSCI 5070Responsible Conduct of Research2
NURS 7317Multivariate Statistics3
NURS 6071Supervised Teaching1
Cognate 2 of 3  3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.09.0
Second Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7322Healthcare Policy Analysis and Advocacy3
NURS 7318Instrumentation/Measurement3
Cognate 3 of 3  3
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.09.0
Second Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7377Mixed Methods For Clinical Nurse Scientists3
NURS 6318Grantsmanship3
NURS 7115Directed Research Project (Qualifying Exam)1
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.07.0
Third Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURE 7090Dissertation Proposal Process1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Third Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Third Year
Summer SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Fourth Year
Fall SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
Fourth Year
Spring SemesterTheoryClinicalLabContSCH
NURS 7099Dissertation1-9
 Total Credit Hours: 0.00.00.00.01.0-9.0
*

Part-time plan of study varies for the MSN to Ph.D., please contact program coordinator. 

§

 6 hours of Cognate courses must be completed prior to or during the same term as Qualifying Exams

Ph.D. Program Outcomes

At the completion of the doctoral program the student will:

  1. Advance the discipline of nursing through the generation of new knowledge and theory.
  2. Demonstrate excellence as a clinical researcher in the health sciences in a focal area of nursing. 
  3. Synthesize theories from natural and/or behavioral sciences for application to a specific area of nursing. 
  4. Advance evidence-based clinical practice.
  5. Assume nurse scientist roles within academic health centers and other interdisciplinary health sciences and educational institutions. 
  6. Evaluate the value and knowledge components of philosophical and ethical dimensions of issues confronting healthcare and nursing.

The Ph.D. in Nursing program is offered by UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing (SON). The Ph.D. degree is awarded by UT Health San Antonio Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Ph.D. Program Policies

General Information

Information about academic progression, policies or procedures, as well as curriculum information, may be obtained from the Ph.D. Program Coordinator and the School of Nursing Office for Academic Affairs.

Current Licensure as a Registered Nurse

Each graduate nursing student is required to obtain current licensure in good standing as a registered nurse in Texas, or a Compact State with multistate privileges, prior to engaging in clinical research- or practice-related activities within the graduate program. Students must provide a copy of the license verification to the Ph.D. program coordinator. Failure to maintain a current license in good standing or to produce proof of current licensure in good standing when engaging in clinical research- or practice-related activities is grounds for dismissal from the program.

Advisement

Each student enrolled in the graduate program is assigned an advisor, the Ph.D. program coordinator. 

Dissertation

The Graduate School Instructions for Preparation and Submission of Thesis, Dissertations, and Dissertation Abstracts and forms for advisor approval are available from the GSBS website. Doctoral students should obtain a copy of the guidelines that provide information about the dissertation process.

Teaching Assistants

Opportunities are available for graduate nursing students enrolled part-time to work as teaching assistants in the School of Nursing. Interested applicants should contact the Office for Academic Affairs in the School of Nursing for additional information.

Transfer of Credit

Credit for coursework taken at another institution may be transferred if the student submits a Course Waiver/Substitution Request Form available in the Office of the University Registrar. The same procedure should also be used to request transfer of credit from other schools within UT Health San Antonio. The transfer of credit is subject to approval by the COGS of the program in which the student is enrolled and by the dean or the dean's designee.

Students in Ph.D. programs are required to fulfill a minimum of 72* semester credit hours of coursework. Transfer of credit for Ph.D. students may be requested to provide evidence on the student's transcript of the completion of courses taken elsewhere which are approved by the COGS (1) to satisfy the course requirements for the Ph.D. degree or (2) to be appropriate to the specific course of study of the individual graduate student.

*Some programs may require additional hours. 

Waiver of Courses: With the approval of the COGS, graduate credit hours from other universities may be accepted in lieu of required courses. In addition, the COGS may waive certain required courses, based on the student's previous graduate course work. The hours will be accepted in the form of credit for the course material but will not be counted in the total credit hours directly on the student’s transcript.

Honors

A graduate nursing student whose grade point average is 4.0 is awarded her/his degree with High Honors.

Grades and Grade Point Average

The standing of students in their work is expressed by five grades: A (above average graduate work), B (average graduate work), C (below average graduate work), D (failing graduate work), and F (failing graduate work). D and F grades are not acceptable for graduate credit. Students may also register in certain courses on a pass/fail basis, in which case the grade is recorded as either Pass (P) or Fail (F) and no letter grade is assigned. 

Other symbols used in reporting the standing of students in their classes are: W=withdraw; I=incomplete; IP=in progress (for selected courses); S=satisfactory; U=unsatisfactory; P=pass; NP=no pass; AU records an audited course. U and NP are equivalent to a grade of F.

Courses in which a student receives a DF, U, or NP will not be counted toward the total number of courses and/or hours required for a graduate degree in the School of Nursing or the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. However, all grades (A to F) are included in the computation of the grade point average. In computing the grade point average, the following scale of points per semester credit hour is used:

A = 4 points (90-100)

B = 3 points (80-89)

C = 2 points (75-79)

D = 1 point (66-74)

F = 0 points (65 or below)

Note:  Final numeric grades are calculated to two decimal places and rounded mathematically as follows:

  • Less than 0.50 – round down to next whole number – (i.e.“89.49” would be rounded to “89”)
  • 0.50 or greater – round up to next whole number – (i.e. “90.50” would be rounded to “91”)

Progression in the Graduate Program

To continue in the Ph.D. program, a student must:

  • absolve any contingencies related to admission to the program within the time period stated in the letter of admission, or within the first semester if not stated;
  • maintain satisfactory progress (B average in first nine hours) if conditionally admitted;
  • receive no more than one C in any course;
  • maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of B (3.0) for all courses taken while enrolled in the graduate program.

Should a student fail to meet the criteria for continuance in the program, her/his progress will be reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) which may:

  • impose conditions as requirements for continuation in the program, or
  • terminate the student’s enrollment in the program, with the consent of the Dean of the School of Nursing or the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Scholastic Probation

A student whose cumulative grade point average falls below 3.0 will be placed on probation and warned that continuation in the graduate program is in jeopardy.

The progress of students on scholastic probation will be reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) each semester. A student on scholastic probation will not be admitted to candidacy nor awarded a degree. Satisfactory progress toward the degree is required throughout the student’s enrollment. The Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) may terminate a student’s enrollment at any time if the student does not meet the criteria for continuance in the program.

Probation Policy and Procedure

  1. Definition: Probation is the status of the student whose progression in the program may be delayed, interrupted or conditional due to the criteria listed below.
  2. Criteria for probation in the nursing program includes any one of the following:
    1. Earning a grade of C in a graduate course
      1. The student will be on probation the remainder of their program
    2. Earning a grade in a  graduate course that drops the GPA below 3.0
    3. Failure to meet any of the School of Nursing Policies related to academic or professional conduct
    4. Failure to meet the terms of professional integrity standards defined in the current University Catalog, the Texas State Board of Nursing Nurse Practice Act, the Texas State Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations and the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics.
  3. Probation Procedure
    1. Initial Review of Recommendation for Probation
      1. A student whom receives a final grade of C in a course will be notified of his/her probation status by the Office for Academic Affairs.
      2. The student may present his/her case to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, if requested in writing, within three business days of notification of the probation recommendation. If the student wishes to bring a person outside of the School of Nursing to the meeting, he/she must indicate this in the request to the  Associate Dean for Graduate Studies. If the person attending the meeting with the student is an attorney, the meeting will be held with the university attorney present. 
    2. If a student is in violation of the criteria for probation one or more of the following actions will occur:
      1. Earning a Grade of C or a grade that drops the GPA below 3.0
        1. A written “Probation Letter of Expectation” that determines the length and conditions of the  probation period which may include, is not limited to, any one of the following:
        • Referral of the student to resources and support services for academic success
        • Referral of the student to the faculty to devise a written plan for academic success
        • Referral of the student to the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Services for non-academic support
      2. Failure to meet School of Nursing Policies or failure to meet the terms of professional integrity standards defined in the current University Catalog, the Texas State Board of Nursing Nurse Practice Act, the Texas State Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations and the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics
        1. The  Associate Dean for Graduate Studies will present a recommendation for the “Probation Letter of Expectation” that determines the length and conditions of the probation to the Committee on Graduate Studies.
        2. When indicated, the incident will be reported to the local law enforcement agency and/or other appropriate agencies, institutions, and/or regulatory bodies by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.
        3. If the review of the recommendation for probation results in a recommendation for dismissal, the policy and procedure for dismissal will supersede the policy and procedure for probation.

Dismissal Policy and Procedure

  1. Definition:  Dismissal is the removal of a student from the School of Nursing Graduate Program. A student who is dismissed from the graduate program may not continue in the graduate nursing program and is not eligible for readmission.
  2. Criteria for Dismissal from the Graduate Nursing Program includes any one of the following:
    1. Earning a grade of D, FNP, U, or Fail in any required graduate course
    2. Earning a grade of C in 6 or more credit hours of required graduate coursework  regardless of cumulative GPA or in two graduate courses regardless of  the number of credit hours and cumulative GPA
    3. Failure to meet the conditions of the School of Nursing “Probation Letter of Expectation”
    4. Failure to meet the terms of professional integrity and ethical standards defined in the current University Catalog, the Texas State Board of Nursing Nurse Practice Act, the Texas State Board of Nursing Rules and Regulations and the American Nurses Association Code of Ethics. When indicated, the incident will be reported to the local law enforcement agency and/or other appropriate agencies, institutions, and/or regulatory bodies
    5. Failure to notify the school of non-matriculation for two consecutive semesters (excluding summers)
  3. Dismissal Procedure
    1. A student whom receives a grade of DFNP, U, or Fail in a course will be notified of his/her dismissal status by the Office for Academic Affairs
    2. When a student meets criteria in provision 2 above, he or she will be dismissed from his or her program.  The student will receive notification of dismissal via a certified letter from the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. A copy of the letter will be sent to the Dean and the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies of the School of Nursing, placed in the student's file in the Office for Academic Affairs and sent to the Registrar for the student’s permanent record. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies has full authority to proceed autonomously according to policy, but may choose to seek input from the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS).
    3. A student who is dismissed from his or her program is not eligible to register for additional courses. If the student has already registered for subsequent courses, the student will be required to unenroll.
  4. Student Appeal of Dismissal
    1. In the event of extenuating circumstances, a student may choose to appeal dismissal from his or her program. All appeals are presented to and reviewed by the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS).
      1. A request for appeal of dismissal and presentation to COGS must be sent by the student in writing to the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies within three business days of receiving the certified letter of dismissal. The student must indicate in the request if he or she wishes to bring a person outside of the School of Nursing to the meeting. If the person attending the meeting with the student is an attorney, the meeting will be held with the university attorney present. The student may also request to bring other appropriate faculty to the meeting with COGS. The Committee on Graduate Studies may request university employees or supervising clinical agency personnel attend the appeal or meet with them prior to deliberating. A review of the student’s records may also be conducted
      2. The Associate Dean for Graduate Studies will notify the student, in writing via email, that his or her case will be presented to the Committee on Graduate Studies. The written communication will include the date and time of the presentation. Student presentations are limited to a maximum of 15 minutes
    2. After the student presentation is concluded, and any additional information deemed appropriate to the situation is obtained, the Committee on Graduate Studies will review all information related to the criteria set forth in provision 2 for adherence to process and outcome actions. The faculty voting members of the Committee on Graduate Studies, in closed deliberation with the  Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, can recommend one or more of the following actions:
      1. Uphold the decision to dismiss the student from the School of Nursing Graduate Program
      2. Amend the dismissal decision to probation in the Graduate Nursing Program per explicit terms and expectations deemed appropriate by COGS and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies
      3. Reconsideration of dismissal due to adherence concerns with process; including next steps
    3. A written recommendation from the Chairperson of the Committee on Graduate Studies will be made to the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. A copy of the recommendation will be sent to the Dean of the School of Nursing.
    4. The final decision will be made by the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and will be delivered to the student in writing by certified letter to the student’s address of record. A student who receives probation in the Graduate Nursing Program is not eligible to re-enroll in courses the semester immediately following the semester in which the student originally met criteria for dismissal. A student who is dismissed from the School of Nursing may not continue in the Graduate Nursing Program and is not eligible for readmission

Petition

Students may petition the Committee on Graduate Studies (COGS) for the consideration of relevant issues influencing program progression and/or completion. Students who wish to petition COGS should consult with the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, and then complete the Student Petition Form that is available from the Office for Academic Affairs. Decisions regarding the petition will be communicated in writing to the students.

Petitions for reconsideration of the decision of COGS are reviewed by the Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. The dean’s decisions are final.

Repetition of a Course

Students cannot retake nursing courses for a grade in which they have already received a passing grade. Credit for courses in which a D or F is received may not be repeated and is grounds for dismissal as indicated in the dismissal policy.

The Semester Credit Hour

The unit of measure for credit purposes is the semester credit hour. One semester credit hour is given for each one clock hour of class or one clock hour of seminar for didactic courses. Four clock hours per one semester credit hour of laboratory/practicum/computer lab experience per week, per semester is given in the Nurse Practitioner majors, Nursing Education major, Administrative Management and Clinical Nurse Leader majors and all tracks in the DNP Program.  For selected sessions and summer sessions during which the class, seminar, and practicum hours are concentrated, equivalent clock hours are provided.

Dissertation Course Report

The dissertation course may be reported as In Progress (IP) until the work is completed. The dissertation course is not counted in the grade point average.

Examinations

Examinations must be taken on the date and time scheduled. If extenuating circumstances prevent the student from taking an examination, prior approval must be granted by the course instructor to postpone the examination. If a student misses an examination without prior approval by the instructor, a grade of F will be recorded for the examination.

Readmission

Individuals who have previously been enrolled in graduate nursing courses should complete an Application for Readmission. Transcripts from any colleges or universities attended since the time of the previous enrollment in the graduate programs must be submitted. Applicants may be requested to provide recent professional references. Each graduate nursing student is required to obtain current licensure in good standing as a registered nurse in Texas, or a Compact State with multistate privileges, prior to engaging in clinical research- or practice-related activities within the graduate program.

Individuals who have not registered in two consecutive terms, including summers, must apply for readmission unless they were previously granted official permission for leave of absence. Students who do not return from a leave of absence within the three consecutive terms limit will be withdrawn from the nursing program and will have to apply for admission as a new student.

Those seeking readmission are subject to all requirements, procedures, and acceptance considerations outlined in this catalog.

Courses

NURE 7090. Dissertation Proposal Process. 1-9 Credit Hours.

In this course, students develop the background, literature review and methods appropriate for their dissertation research. Students must successfully complete qualifying examination. Prerequisites: NURS 7115.

NURE 7315. Applications of Research In Nursing. 3 Credit Hours.

The focus of this course is the application of the research process. During this mentored practicum the student actively participates in selected aspects of a research project.

NURS 6071. Supervised Teaching. 1-6 Credit Hours.

Directed teaching in the major area under close supervision of one or more faculty members is required of each doctoral student. Up to six semester credit hours toward a degree may be granted to the student who satisfactorily completes the graduate courses in Supervised Teaching in her/his area of study. (Optional).

NURS 6315. Informatics & Health Care Technologies. 3 Credit Hours.

This course addresses advanced leadership roles in the clinical setting related to information systems and patient care technology. The content focuses on information systems that assist in monitoring outcomes and quality improvement, patient safety, and evaluation and selection of patient care technology and consumer health information sources. Legal and ethical issues related to information systems and patient care technology will be explored. Prerequisites: NURS 6320, NURS 7303, NURS 7302. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 6318. Grantsmanship. 3 Credit Hours.

This course consists of seminar and practicum on the topic of gaining financial support for research and/or demonstration projects in nursing and health care related areas. Students analyze the funding criteria of various agencies and techniques of strategic communication. Students project budget development and packaging of ideas as information basic to creating successful proposals. Using a research or demonstration project with which he/she is familiar, the student creates a funding proposal and participates in critiques of colleagues' proposals. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing.

NURS 6380. Fundamentals of Epidemiology. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to study the distribution and determinants of health and disease in human populations. Improving health by altering personal and environmental risk factors will be a major focus. Epidemiological research using technology and public health informatics will also be introduced. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7099. Dissertation. 1-9 Credit Hours.

Prerequisites: Admission to candidacy for Doctor of Philosophy degree; registration for two terms is required of PhD candidates.

NURS 7115. Directed Research Project (Qualifying Exam). 1 Credit Hour.

This course allows PhD students to demonstrate program expectations with regard to: a) acquiring adequate substantive knowledge base in field of study and b) acquiring essential knowledge for conducting scholarly, scientific research. Student must complete of course work.

NURS 7302. Theoretical Foundations for Leadership in Complex Adaptive Systems. 3 Credit Hours.

The course focuses on theoretical underpinnings for leadership, complexity science and complex adaptive systems. Individual leadership skill development for transforming healthcare and nursing practice through innovation, change management and quality improvement is highlighted. The course prepares nurses to assume leadership in complex healthcare systems through advanced communication, team building, conflict and board management, decision making and collaborative skills. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7310. Theory Development, Analysis and Evaluation. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides opportunity to study a system for the development of nursing science through middle-range theory development. Learning activities include engaging in strategies for concept, statement clarification, and theory clarification. Students and faculty dialog about theory application, theory construction, evaluation, and clinical testing of theory. The relationship between research and clinical practice to theory generation and testing is explored. The student and faculty will have the opportunity to gain practice in strategies for middle-range theory building. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing.

NURS 7315. Quantitative Research Designs and Methods. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to help students develop an understanding of quantitative research methods. Key concepts and issues relevant to formulating a research question, study design, sampling and measurement will be covered. The course will cover sources of bias in quantitative design. Students will develop a research question related to their area of interest, determine the appropriate research design, and develop a quantitative proposal. Student must have Graduate Standing. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7316. Statistical Analysis For Nursing Science. 3 Credit Hours.

This is an introductory course in statistics and computing. This course will allow the student to summarize numerical data, gain a working vocabulary of important statistical methods, develop some functional computing skills, and improve confidence in dealing with numbers. By the end of the course, you will be knowledgeable about: * understand how statistics can inform research * recognize limitations of statistical information * develop the skills needed to critique a typical quantitative journal article; * be able to perform and interpret basic statistical tests. Prerequisites: Graduate standing.

NURS 7317. Multivariate Statistics. 3 Credit Hours.

Within this course, students will study multivariate techniques in health care research and apply aspects of complex research designs, including model testing, decision theory, and advanced statistical techniques. Prerequisites: NURS 7316, NURS 7315 Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7318. Instrumentation/Measurement. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on specific techniques to measure outcomes in clinical and health services research. The course is appropriate for doctoral students, clinical and translational researchers and trainees, and advanced masters-level students with interest in health care outcomes assessment. The course is designed to provide students with in-depth familiarity of techniques and measurement instruments that are most useful to quantify and evaluate outcomes in domains such as: health status, quality of life, patient satisfaction, pain, depression and other mental health conditions, function and disability, adherence with treatment, costs and cost-effectiveness, other economic and social outcomes, and specialized outcome measures for pediatric, geriatric, and other distinctive populations. Prerequisites: NURS 7316, NURS 7315, NURS 7317 Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7322. Healthcare Policy Analysis and Advocacy. 3 Credit Hours.

This course prepares the nurse leader to advance the agenda of the rapidly changing care environment by examination of health policy research and analysis. Students will focus on policy process and develop and implement policy agendas. They will participate in collective decision-making, identifying roles and key stakeholders. The course will address how to identify gaps in policy knowledge and provide opportunity for nurse leaders to engage in processes that influence policy decisions at the institutional, local, state, regional, national and/ or international levels. The course will prepare the nurse leader to analyze the policy process and engage in politically competent care. There are no prerequisites for Post-MSN to PhD students. However, DNP students do have a prerequisite. Prerequisites: NURS 7302.

NURS 7324. Healthcare Economics And Policy. 3 Credit Hours.

This course prepares the student to lead improvements in health care and shape health policy through an understanding of macroeconomic principles in the health care market. Students will be given the opportunity to apply theoretical and empirical economic analysis to business and public policy issues in health care. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis. Prerequisites: NURS 6320.

NURS 7325. Philosophy of Nursing Science. 3 Credit Hours.

The focus of this course is to relate philosophy of science, philosophy of nursing science, and one's personal philosophy to the development of nursing knowledge. The role of scientists in nursing and in society will be explored. Emphasis is on the process of analysis and the ability to present the pros and cons of philosophical issues. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing.

NURS 7373. Nursing: Quantitative Research Methods 2. 3 Credit Hours.

This course presents modern and classical psychometrics for nursing science from the perspective of item response theory. Most of the course will cover classical test theory from the perspective of modern test theory. An introduction to binary item response theory will also be presented. The course will emphasize applications within the context of modern psychometric principles. Prerequisites: NURS 7325, NURS 7226, NURS 7374, NURS 7310, NURS 7380, NURS 7375 Corequisites: NURS 7381 Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7374. Quantitative Research Designs and Methods. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an introduction to research designs for causal inference. Experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational designs will be presented and evaluated for internal, external, construct, and statistical validity. Issues regarding sampling, measurement, randomization, treatment, and control will be addressed. The rationale for drawing causal inferences will be thoroughly explored. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing.

NURS 7375. Regression Models For Nursing Science. 3 Credit Hours.

This course presents regression analysis at an intermediate level. Course will focus on regression for continuous variables: specification, estimation, testing, and diagnostics. Logistic regression for binomial and multinomial variables, log-linear regression for count variables, and proportional hazards regression for duration variables will be explored. An introduction to multilevel regression will occur. Prerequisites: Graduate standing Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7377. Mixed Methods For Clinical Nurse Scientists. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will cover the use of mixed methods, quantitative and qualitative, to address complex research questions in nursing and health care. Problems of trying to merge methods and practical strategies for accomplishing this successfully, as well as paradigmatic issues, will be discussed. Prior products developed in quantitative and qualitative methods classes to devise a mixed method proposal that integrates readings on mixed methods with the student's own research interests will be used. Prerequisites: NURS 7374 and NURS 7380 Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7380. Qualitative Research Designs and Methods. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an introduction to qualitative research designs and methods. Students will analyze, compare and contrast a variety of qualitative approaches, which may include phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, case study, qualitative description and action research. Data collection methods including interviewing, participant observation and photo elicitation will be addressed as well as sampling, ethical concerns, data analysis and rigor. Corequisite: NURS 7325. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7381. Synthesis and Application of Clinical Research. 3 Credit Hours.

This course integrates the dynamic elements of clinical practice, theory, and research to prepare doctoral students to function effectively in the synthesis and application of clinical research. This course provides guided direction in the processes used for dissertation development and grant application proposals. Students will be actively involved in the critique and analysis of published literature and other students' dissertation proposals, grant applications, and manuscripts. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7382. Structural Equation Models For Nursing Science. 3 Credit Hours.

This course presents structural equation modeling (SEM) for nursing science. The course will begin with a review of regression from an SEM perspective. The first major topic of the course will be path analysis, including model specification, methods of estimation, recursive and non-recursive models, direct, indirect, and total effects, methods of estimation, single and multi-group analyses, moderators and mediators, and the assessment of causality. The second major topic will be psychometrics from an SEM perspective, including congeneric test theory, reliability and stability, convergent and discriminant validity, and confirmatory factor analysis. The third major topic will combine the first two into structural equations, including model specification and identification, methods of estimation, second-order factor analysis, and the assessment of causal structure. Prior completion of Intermediate statistics is required to register for this course. Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

NURS 7383. Qualitative Methods 2: Application In Nursing Science. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to provide students an opportunity to conceptualize a research problem from a qualitative perspective, to study one specific method (grounded theory, ethnography, phenomenology, hermeneutics), and to practice qualitative approaches to data collection and analysis in that method. Students will have opportunities to write a mini-proposal guided by a qualitative research question and leading to a specific qualitative research approach to the problem. There will be opportunities for participating in Mock reviews of qualitative research proposals (either as investigator or reviewer). Students will have the opportunity to learn the IRB approval process with qualitative proposals and will have opportunities to develop pilot research strategies building to a dissertation proposal. Strategies will include interviewing, focus group, or participant observation following the selected method. Through this process students are required to practice and learn strategies and processes for conceptualizing and implementing a qualitative study guided by a specific qualitative methodology. Prerequisites: NURS 7325, NURS 7226, NURS 7374, and NURS 7380 Open for Cross Enrollment on Space Available Basis.

TSCI 5070. Responsible Conduct of Research. 2 Credit Hours.

This foundational course introduces students to core ethical content necessary for responsible research conduct. Through interactive seminars, students will learn about (1) scientists as responsible members of society (contemporary ethical issues in biomedical research and environmental/social impacts of research), (2) policies for research with human subjects and vertebrate animals, (3) collaborative research, (4) conflicts of interest (personal, professional, financial), (5) data acquisition and laboratory tools (management, sharing, ownership), (6) responsible authorship and publication, (7) mentor/trainee responsibilities and relationships, (8) peer review (9) research misconduct (forms of misconduct and management policies) (10) informed consent, privacy regulations, good clinical practice, and special populations in clinical investigations.