Dual DNP/PhD Program

Your options for education in nursing research and practice don't end with a singular terminal degree. There is an increasing need for doctorally prepared nurses, and an especially crucial need for nursing scientists and nursing faculty.

The University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing offers a journey to get there, through the new dual degree Doctor of Nursing Practice/Doctor of Philosophy (DNP/PhD) program.

This program admits BSN-prepared nurses to simultaneously achieve their DNP and PhD degrees, from which they emerge as both advanced practice nurses and nurse researchers. Students graduate with two separate degrees, but 30 credits are shared between the two programs.

You will join as a dedicated, passionate nurse with a drive and desire to impact nursing research and how health care is delivered, and you will leave with a range of career opportunities available to you, including:

• Nursing faculty at a range of highly ranked universities
• Nurse leaders of health systems and organizations
• Advanced practice nurses who bring highly advanced skills in nursing research and clinical practice to their role

At present, the dual DNP/PhD program is available in these areas of Doctor of Nursing Practice concentrations:

Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist: https://www.nursing.pitt.edu/programs/dnp/clinical-nurse-specialist

Applications to the programs are reviewed in their entirety and appraised for evidence of intellectual inquisitiveness and rigor, and commitment and motivation for scholarship and the development of nursing science.

Interested applicants should contact the Student Affairs office by calling 412-624-4586 or emailing sao50@pitt.edu for more information.

Curriculum

BSN-DNP/PhD for AG-CNS Concentration

Students are expected to enroll Full Time.

The BSN Track consists of a minimum of 121 credits (cr):

• 104 cr. of Didactic courses from the Nursing PhD and AG-CNS DNP Curriculum
• 17 cr. of Clinical Hours (1020 hours)

Fall Term (YR 1)

• NUR 3285 - PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF NURSING RESEARCH
• NUR 3291 - RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OF SCIENTISTS 1
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION
• NUR 3071 - PHD RESEARCH APPRENTICESHIP
• NUR 3112 - APPLIED PARAMETRIC AND NON-PARAMETRIC STATISTICS FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES 1

Spring Term (YR 1)

• NUR 3113 - APPLIED PARAMETRIC AND NON-PARAMETRIC STATISTICS FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES 2
• NUR 3286 - THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR RESEARCH
• NUR 3287 - RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS
• NUR 3071 - PHD RESEARCH APPRENTICESHIP
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Summer Term (YR 1)

• NUR 3114 - APPLIED REGRESSION FOR HEALTH SCIENCE RESEARCH
• NUR 3288 - RESEARCH MEASUREMENT
• NUR 3289 - INTERVENTION DEVELOPMENT
• NUR 3071 - PHD RESEARCH APPRENTICESHIP
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Fall Term (YR 2)

• NUR 2010 - HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION IN CULTURALLY DIVERSE POPULATIONS
• NUR 3099 - THE SCIENCE OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY
• NUR 3290 - ADVANCED QUANTITATIVE ANALYTIC METHODS SEMINAR
• CLRES 2107 - COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS RESEARCH AND PCOR
• CLRES 2120 - COST EFFCTVNS ANAL HLTH CARE
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Spring Term (YR 2)

• NURSP 2098 - HEALTHCARE QUALITY
• NUR 2682 - HUMAN GENETICS AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS
• NUR 3292 - RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OF SCIENTISTS 2
• Clinical Research Cognate (CLRES)

Summer Term (YR 2)

• NUR 2034 - ADVANCED PHARMACOLOGY ACROSS THE LIFESPAN
• NUR 2031 - THE DIAGNOSTIC PHYSICAL EXAM ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN
• NUR 3031 - METHODOLOGIES FOR DNP PROJECTS
• NURCNS 2850 - CNS ROLE IMPLEMENTATION
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Fall Term (YR 3)

• NUR 2033 - DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS THEORY ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN
• NURSP 2062 - ORGANIZATIONAL AND SYSTEMS MANAGEMENT FOR HEALTHCARE LEADERS
• NURCNS 2851 - CNS CLINICAL PRACTICUM 1
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Spring Term (YR 3)

• NURNP 2100 - MANAGEMENT OF ADULT EPISODIC/CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS IN ACUTE CARE THEORY
• NURCNS 2852 - CNS CLINICAL PRACTICUM 2
• NURSP 2099 - FINANCIAL, BUSINESS, AND ECONOMICS DRIVERS IN HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT
• NUR 3293 - ART AND SCIENCE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Summer Term (YR 3)

• NURNP 2104 - MANAGEMENT OF COMPLEX HEALTH PROBLEMS OF THE ACUTELY AND CRITICALLY ILL ADULT
• NURNP 2526 - MANAGEMENT: GERIATRIC HEALTH THEORY
• NURSP 2388 - DATABASE MANAGEMENT
• NURSP 3096 - DATA ANALYTICS AND CLINICAL SYSTEMS DESIGN
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Fall Term (YR 4)

• NURCNS 2853 - CLINICAL EMPHASIS SPECIALTY
• NURSP 2075 - INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH INFORMATICS
• NURCNS 3039 - DNP-CNS ROLE PRACTICUM
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Spring Term (YR 4)

• NURCNS 3039 - DNP-CNS ROLE PRACTICUM
• NUR 3037 - DNP PROJECT CLINICAL
• NUR 3052 - MANUSCRIPT DEVELOPMENT
• NUR 3032 - DATA ANALYSIS FOR DNP PROJECTS
• NUR 3010 - PHD DISSERTATION

Optional Breakout

YR 04 OPTIONAL breakout for Full-Time Dissertation (FTDS). If so, insert last 2 Dissertation Credits scheduled for YR 04 into YR 03.

PhD MILESTONE ORAL DEFENSE IN SUMMER TERM. Clinical practice clerkship - 1 day per week

Total Credits: Minimum of 121 Credits

*Please see the official University of Pittsburgh catalog listing for full course descriptions.

Preliminary and Comprehensive Examinations and Dissertation Overview

The preliminary examination is taken after completing the following required courses.

• NUR 3285 - PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF NURSING RESEARCH
• NUR 3286 - THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR RESEARCH
• NUR 3287 - RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS
• and Statistics Courses
  • NUR 3112 - APPLIED PARAMETRIC AND NON-PARAMETRIC STATISTICS FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES 1
  • NUR 3113 - APPLIED PARAMETRIC AND NON-PARAMETRIC STATISTICS FOR THE HEALTH SCIENCES 2

By following the established curriculum plan, all full-time students should sit for their Preliminary Examination in their third term of study. The examination is designed to assess the student's breadth of knowledge of the discipline of nursing and potential ability to apply research methods independently. Remediation work may be required if deficiencies are identified that may impede the student's success in program completion. See School of Nursing Policy 230.

The comprehensive examination assesses the student's mastery of the general field of doctoral study, acquisition of depth and breadth of knowledge in a focused area of study, and the ability to use the research methods of the discipline. The comprehensive examination is taken after completion of all required course work and concurrent with the dissertation overview. See School of Nursing Policy 235.

The dissertation overview requires the student to formulate a research plan and to justify the selected approach for studying the topic before the student's dissertation committee.

Dissertation Committee

Prior to the comprehensive examination and the dissertation overview, the student and research advisor propose, subject to approval by the director of the PhD program and the Dean, a committee of four or more members, one of whom must be from another school within the University and the majority of whom must be from the School of Nursing. A majority, including the major advisor, must also be full members of the Graduate Faculty of the University.

See Doctoral Committee unde Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees of the University catalog.

Admission to Candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy

Admission to candidacy for the Doctor of Philosophy degree constitutes a promotion of the student to the most advanced stage of graduate study and provides formal approval to devote essentially exclusive attention to the research and the writing of the dissertation. To qualify for admission to candidacy, students must be in full graduate status, have satisfied the requirement of the preliminary examination, have completed formal courses with a minimum grade point average of 3.00, have passed the comprehensive examination, and have received approval of the proposed dissertation research by the dissertation committee. Admission to candidacy is granted by the Dean.

Residency Requirement

Students seeking the PhD degree are required to engage in a minimum of one term of full-time doctoral study (nine credits), which excludes any other employment except as approved. The doctoral student must notify the PhD program director in writing the term that this occurs.

Dissertation and Abstract

The date and title of the dissertation defense must be submitted to the PhD program director one month prior to the final defense. For definitions and detail on what constitutes an acceptable dissertation, please see Dissertation and Abstract under Regulations Pertaining to Doctoral Degrees of this catalog.

Research Apprenticeship Model

The PhD program includes an apprenticeship model of research training that combines rigorous coursework and an apprenticeship with successful research mentors. This model includes a formalized series of Apprenticeship Practica (minimum of 6 credits under the direction of a research mentor), with recommended experiences and a series of defined deliverables. This experience allows for the opportunity to acquire individualized and tangible research skills within a mentored research application environment, which is additive to and precedes the dissertation experience

All mentors are experienced nurse researchers. During their apprenticeships, students acquire tangible skills in research methodology, grantsmanship, professional skills, the responsible conduct of research, and dissemination of research findings through publications and presentations. Students receive an intense and comprehensive research experience resulting in publications and pilot data to support applications for independent research funding and dissertation work.

Adult-Gerontology CNS-BSN to DNP Major

The Adult-Gerontology (CNS) major prepares nurses as expert providers of care to patients/families across the continuum of healthcare services (from wellness through acute care). The CNS functions as a developer and manager of programs of care for populations of patients; as a mentor who provides support to nurses caring for patients at the bedside; as a leader of multidisciplinary groups driving change throughout the organization; and as a developer of evidence-based projects to ensure best patient outcomes.

CNS students choose a clinical emphasis of choice to focus their studies such as: general medicine or surgery, cardiopulmonary, critical care, oncology, or trauma and emergency preparedness (TEP). Graduates are eligible for national certification by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN).