College of Nursing

Curriculum

Purpose and Objectives

The PhD Program prepares scientists to advance nursing practice and education through research and scholarly activity, and teaching. Rigorous research training is offered for persons contemplating careers in academia or in health agencies, especially individuals anticipating careers in designing and conducting research.

Doctoral students will find a rigorous nursing science curriculum, a dynamic range of faculty expertise and multiple opportunities for creative interdisciplinary collaboration at the college across core areas of the doctoral program, knowledge building (nursing theory and research) and nursing practice and patient care.

The required courses prepare students to address significant problems through research that will add to the knowledge base of nursing and serve to inform practice, health policy, and nursing education. The coursework also enables students to develop significant research questions early in the program that may lead to dissertation research and/or external funding.

• I have a Bachelor's Degree

  Besides the knowledge building core, cognate, and dissertations, unique to the BS to PhD are the Academic Nursing, Nursing Specialty, Practice, and Teaching Practice components.

  The curriculum includes a choice of nursing specialty, a practice core, a cognate, and a teaching practice requirement. The curriculum is designed to prepare PhD's for the academic role in research, teaching and service. All courses in the knowledge building core emphasize the use of research methods and information to advance scientific knowledge.

  Goal of the BS-PhD program and Criteria for Grad Assistant Funding.

  Curriculum

  B.S. (Nursing) -Ph.D. A minimum of 99 hours post-baccalaureate is required. The program is designed as a full-time minimum four-year course of study.

  Knowledge Building Core (Required) (48 cr)

  • NGR 6080 Health Promotion of Individuals, Families, and Populations (3)
  • NGR 6121 Theoretical Foundations (3)
  • NGR 6737 Ethical/Legal/Policy Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice* (3)
  • NGR 6800 Nursing Research (3)
  • NGR 6824 Data Analysis for Health Sciences (3)
  • NGR 7123 Theory Development in Nursing (3)
  • NGR 7124 Advances in Nursing Science (3)
  • NGR 7815 Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research (3)
  • NGR 7816 Research Designs and Methods (3)
  • NGR 7823 Psychometrics and Measurement for Nursing Research (3)
  • NGR 7841 Statistical Methods in Nursing Research I (3)
  • NGR 7842 Statistical Methods in Nursing Research II (3)
  • NGR 7843 Statistical Methods in Nursing Research III (3)
  • NGR 7881 Ethics in Research & Practice (3)
  • NGR 7892 Health Policy Issues in Nursing and Health Care (3)
  • NGR 7941 Nursing Research Pro Seminar (1)
  • NGR 7981 Dissertation Proposal Writing (2)
    *Not needed for Nursing Education track

  Advanced Practice (Required) (12 cr)

  • NGR 6002C Health Assessment in Adv Practice (4)
  • NGR 6140 Pathophysiology for Advanced Practice Nursing (4)
  • NGR 6172 Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice (4)

  Specialty Track (18-25 cr)

  Choose one: Nursing Education, Adult Nurse Practitioner, Family Health Nurse Practitioner, Oncology Nurse Practitioner

  Nursing Education (18 cr)

  • NGR 6710 Teaching Strategies in Nursing Educ (3)
  • NGR 6713 Foundations of Nursing Education (3)
  • NGR 6718 Evaluation Strategies for Nurs Educ (3)
  • NGR 6747 Practicum in Nursing Education (3)

  • Choose 6 cognate credits from one of the following:

    • NGR 6723 Leadership and Applied Management in Nursing Health Care (3)
    • NGR XXXX Advanced Practice Specialty (with Permission of advisor) (3)
    • Selected College of Education Courses (i.e.,EDF,EDH, EME) (3)
    • Selected Public Health Courses (3)
    • Research Project (3)

  Or

  Oncology Nurse Practitioner (18 cr)

  • NGR 6221 Oncology Nursing Concepts (3)
  • NGR 6220 Pathobiology of Neoplasia (3)
  • NGR 6240 Adult Health Care for Nursing Specialties (3)
  • NGR 6222L Practicum I: Oncology Nursing (3)
  • NGR 6223L Practicum II: Oncology Nursing (3)
  • NGR 6224L Practicum III: Oncology Nursing (3)

  Or

  Adult Nurse Practitioner (22 cr)

  • NGR 6201rimary Care of Adults I (3)
  • NGR 6202C Primary Care of Adults II (6)
  • NGR 6343C Primary Care of Women (5)
  • NGR 6301 Primary Care of Children & Adolescents (3)
  • NGR 6700C Advanced Practice Nurse Transitions (5)

  Or

  Family Nurse Practitioner (25 cr)

  • NGR 6201 Primary Care of Adults I (3)
  • NGR 6202C Primary Care of Adults II (6)
  • NGR 6343C Primary Care of Women (5)
  • NGR 6301C Primary Care of Children & Adolescents I (3)
  • NGR 6305L Primary Care: Practicum Children (3)
  • NGR 6700C Advanced Practice Nurse Transitions (5)

  Cognate 12-15 Credits

  Students select a cognate area of study to further support the students area of expertise in nursing and the research problem that will be addressed by the dissertation research. Examples of appropriate areas of study for the minor might be, but are not limited to public health, aging studies, psychology, business, research tools.

  Qualifying Examinations:

  The qualifying examination is to be completed as soon as the majority of core and minor coursework is completed. The purpose of the qualifying examination is to assess the students level of scholarship and research skills and to determine if the student possesses the critical and analytical skills necessary to undertake the dissertation research. The qualifying examination consists of two parts:

  1. Completion and submission of a manuscript that is sole authored to a refereed journal for publication.
  2. Preparation and submission of a research grant application for funding to an appropriate agency

  Dissertation 12- 24 Credits

  Students complete and successfully defend a dissertation.

  NOTE: Students are to meet with curriculum advisor for individual program plan.

• I have a Master's Degree

  Cognate Area of Study: The cognate area of study consists of 12 to 15 semester hours. Students, in conjunction with the major advisor, select a cognate area of study to support the focus of the student's dissertation.

  Electives: Required for degree completion are 3 semester hours of elective course work in research methods. Electives may include courses recommended or approved by the student's advisory committee.

  Dissertation: The College of Nursing requires a minimum of 12 credit hours of dissertation and may elect up to 24 hours. Students may register for dissertation hours the semester following admission to candidacy. After candidacy approval, students must enroll for a minimum of two dissertation hours each semester while working on the dissertation and using university resources.

  Goal of the MS-PhD program and Criteria for Grad Assistant Funding.

  Curriculum

  Knowledge Building Core (Required)

  • NGR 7123 Theory Development in Nursing (3)
  • NGR 7124 Advances in Nursing Science (3)
  • NGR 7815 Qualitative Methods in Nursing Research (3)
  • NGR 7816 Research Designs and Methods in Nursing (3)
  • NGR 7823 Psychometrics and Measurement for Nursing Research (3)
  • NGR 7841 Statistical Methods in Nursing Research I (3)
  • NGR 7842 Statistical Methods in Nursing Research II (3)
  • NGR 7843 Statistical Methods in Nursing Research III (3)
  • NGR 7881 Ethics in Research and Practice (3)
  • NGR 7892 Health Policy Issues in Nursing and Health Care (3)
  • NGR 7941 Nursing Research Pro Seminar (1)
  • NGR 7981 Dissertation Proposal Writing (2)

  Satisfactory completion of the Knowledge Building Core required courses prepare students to successfully complete the dissertation research.

  Cognate (12-15 Credits)

  Students select a cognate area to further support the students area of expertise in nursing and the research problem that will be addressed by the dissertation research. Examples of appropriate areas of study for the cognate might be organizational administration, health policy, physiology, cognitive psychology, organizational psychology, gerontology, epidemiology, biostatistics, administration, applied anthropology, educational measurement or a nursing specialty.

  Electives (3-6 Credits)

  Students must complete 3-6 elective credits. Three credits must be in research methods. Examples of suggested courses:

  • NGR 6824 Data Analysis for Health Sciences
  • NGR 7932 Current Topics in Quantitative Methods
  • NGR 6713 Foundations of Nursing Education (3)

  Qualifying Examinations:

  The qualifying examination is to be completed as soon as the majority of core and minor coursework is completed. The purpose of the qualifying examination is to assess the students level of scholarship and research skills and to determine if the student possesses the critical and analytical skills necessary to undertake the dissertation research. The qualifying examination consists of two parts:

  • Completion and submission of a manuscript that is sole authored to a refereed journal for publication.
  • Preparation and submission of a research grant application for funding to an appropriate agency.

  Dissertation (12- 24 Credits)

  Students must complete and successfully defend a dissertation.

As approved by Graduate Council 04/16/2012, effective Fall 2012. Will be published in 2013-2014 USF Graduate Catalog.