Nursing Science, Ph.D.
Admission
The Ph.D. program offers four entry points for students:
- B.S.N. entry - a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from a program that is nationally accredited (Total 75 credit hours);
- M.S.N. entry - a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree and a master’s in nursing degree from nationally accredited programs (Total 57 credit hours);
- non-M.S.N. master’s entry- a Bachelor of Science in nursing degree from a nationally accredited program and a master’s degree in another discipline (Total minimum 57 credit hours);
- D.N.P. entry - a Doctor of Nursing practice degree from a nationally accredited program (Total 39 credit hours).
Requirements for earning the Ph.D. degree include:
- doctoral residency of at least 18 graduate credit hours for three consecutive major semesters. Enrollment in a summer term is not required to maintain continuity, but credits earned during summer terms (including May session) will count toward the 18 hours required for residency. The residency requirement may be met only after admission to the PhD program;
- completion of an approved program of study totaling not less than 39 credits for D.N.P. 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 B.S.N. entry option;
- 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;
- 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;
- completion of a mentored research experience under the supervision of College of Nursing faculty (NURS 898);
- 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;
- completion of an oral defense of a doctoral dissertation.
Course Requirements
All Ph.D. students will take the following courses:
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses: | ||
| NURS 800 | Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS 801 | Theory Analysis and Application for Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS 803 | Scientific Knowledge in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 804 | The Role of the Nurse Scientist | 3 |
| NURS 810 | Nursing Research Methods I | 3 |
| NURS 811 | Nursing Research Methods II | 3 |
| NURS 813 | Nursing Research Methods III | 3 |
| NURS 870 | Research Proposal Development | 3 |
| NURS 898 | Research Internship | 3 |
| NURS 899 | Dissertation Preparation | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 39 | |
DNP entry students must have completed a graduate level statistics course with a grade of B or higher within the past 5 years prior to enrolling in NURS 810.
Additional B.S.N¹, M.S.N. and non-M.S.N master’s² Entry Student Requirements
| Course | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 817 | Application of Statistics for Evidence Based Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Select a minimum of 15 hours of elective courses as required by advisement of Program of Study committee | 15 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 18 | |
- 1
B.S.N. entry students need to complete 18 credit hours of 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 Ph.D. core courses and includes courses in nursing theory, research methods and entry level statistics.
- 2
non-M.S.N. master’s entry students who do not have beginning level graduate courses in nursing theory, research, or statistics equivalent to those required in the UofSC College of Nursing Master of Science in Nursing degree program will need to complete these courses prior to beginning the Ph.D. core courses.