The Ph.D. in Nursing Science degree is designed to prepare graduates for a nursing research career in academic, clinical or health system settings. Students in this doctoral program acquire the knowledge and skills to become productive nurse scientists, scholars and educators who will transform the health of patients, families, and communities across the globe.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the history, theory, and philosophy of science that serve as a foundation for a substantive research area in nursing.
2. Demonstrate conceptual, methodological, analytical, and dissemination skills to advance nursing science within the context of planning, implementing, and evaluating research aimed at improving health and healthcare.
3. Use a team science approach to advance knowledge to improve health for diverse populations.
4. Incorporate concepts of diversity and inclusion in research, advocacy, and policy to promote health equity.
5. Use leadership and mentorship skills in research and advocacy to advance the nursing profession.
6. Generate and communicate new knowledge to public and professional audiences to advance nursing science and health.

Admission

The PhD in Nursing Science program offers four entry points for students:

• Bachelor's entry - a bachelor's degree in nursing from a program that is nationally accredited (Total 75 credit hours);
• MSN entry - a master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program (Total 57 credit hours);
• non-MSN master’s entry- a bachelor 's degree in nursing from a nationally accredited program and a master’s degree in another discipline (Total minimum 57 credit hours);
• DNP entry - a Doctor of Nursing practice degree from a nationally accredited program (Total 45 credit hours).

Requirements for earning the PhD degree include:

1. Completion of a doctoral residency. The residency requirement may be met only after admission to the PhD program:
   1.  Option one: at least 18 graduate credit hours for two consecutive semesters.  Consecutive semesters could be fall/spring, spring/summer, summer/fall, or spring/fall; or
   2. Option two: complete six credit hours for two consecutive major semesters including the monthly immersion weekends with in-person classes and associated activities AND concurrently, complete 20 hours of approved research work per semester with their assigned faculty research mentor.
2. Completion of an approved program of study totaling not less than 45 credits for DNP entry options (at least 30 credits must be earned at the University of South Carolina); not less than 57 credit hours for master’s entry options; and not less than 75 credit hours for bachelor's entry option;
3. Completion of the admission-to-candidacy examination at least one full academic year prior to the date on which the degree is to be granted;
4. Completion of a foreign language and/or research methods requirement, met through a reading knowledge of a foreign language or competency in statistics/research methods specific to the student’s proposed course of study;
5. Completion of a mentored research experience under the supervision of College of Nursing faculty (NURS 898);
6. Completion of a comprehensive examination taken after admission to candidacy and completion of all course requirements except those courses in which the student is currently enrolled;
7. Completion of an oral defense of a doctoral dissertation;
8. Submission of an approved dissertation to the USC Graduate School guided and approved by the student’s Doctoral Dissertation Committee.

Course Requirements

All PhD students will take the following courses:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
NURS 800	Philosophical Foundations and Theoretical Applications in Nursing Science	3
NURS 803	Scientific Knowledge in Nursing	3
NURS 804	The Role of the Nurse Scientist	3
NURS 810	Introductory Methods and Analysis in Nursing Science	3
NURS 811	Advanced Methods and Analysis in Nursing Science	3
NURS 813	Qualitative and Mixed Methods in Nursing Science	3
NURS 818	Social and Structural Determinants of Health	3
NURS 855	Measurement in Biobehavioral Research	3
NURS 856	Research Literature Synthesis	3
NURS 870	Grant Proposal Development	3
NURS 898	Research Internship	3
NURS 899	Dissertation Preparation	12
Total Credit Hours		45

DNP entry students must have completed a graduate level research and statistics courses with a grade of B or higher within the past 10 years prior to enrolling in NURS 810.

Additional Requirements Bachelor's Entry Students:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
NURS 717	Application of Basic Statistics for Nursing Practice & Service Management	3
NURS 790	Research Methods for Nursing	3
In consultation with their faculty advisor and with the approval of the PhD Program Director, B.S.N. entry students need to complete at least 24 credit hours of electives; 9 credit hours should be master’s level courses which may be from one of the existing nursing majors or emphasis areas or in an individualized program of study (NURS). Typically, enrollment in the master’s courses occurs before enrollment in the Ph.D. core courses. The remaining electives may be selected from other graduate nursing programs (NURS), or from a variety of other programs that may include, but are not limited to, ANTH, BMEN, CSCE, EXSC, HPEB, PSYC, SOCY, and SOWK.		24
Total Credit Hours		30

Bachelor's entry students need to complete at least 24 credit hours of electives, 9 credit hours should be master’s level courses which may be from one of the existing nursing majors or emphasis areas or in an individualized program of study. Typically, enrollment in the master’s courses occurs before enrollment in the PhD core courses.

Additional MSN and non-MSN master’s Entry Students:

Course List

Course	Title	Credits
In consultation with their faculty advisor and with the approval of the PhD Program Director, students register for a minimum of 12 hours of elective courses. Students may select courses from other graduate nursing programs (NURS), or from a variety of other programs that may include, but are not limited to, ANTH, BMEN, CSCE, EXSC, HPEB, PSYC, SOCY, and SOWK.		12
Total Credit Hours		12

MSN and non-MSN master’s entry students must have completed a graduate level research and statistics course with a grade of B or higher within the past 10 years prior to enrolling in NURS 810.