Secondary concentrations selected by students include psychology, child and family studies, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, population health, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, environmental studies, and industrial engineering. Other secondary concentration areas may be arranged and will depend on the matching of faculty and student interests. The program provides disciplinary depth obtained through a focus on a specific topic of research, as well as cross-disciplinary depth through study in a secondary concentration area related to the student's specific research focus. The program also provides early and continuous training and involvement in research as well as close mentoring relationships with the major professor in nursing and the professor in the secondary concentration area. Most Ph.D. prepared nurses take positions as university faculty and will be expected to develop scholarship in research, teaching, and service.
Doctoral students develop teaching competence as part of their programs.
Opportunities include formal course work in nursing education, a seminar on research in nursing education, a teaching practicum with a faculty member to gain experience in undergraduate or graduate teaching, or a teaching assistantship. No more than 6 of the 12 credits may be transfer credits. Any transfer credits from master's-level course work must have been taken within five years of admission to the Ph.D. program. Most of these awards will cover the costs of tuition. Advanced Opportunity Fellowships are available for qualified minority or economically disadvantaged nonminority students.