At the doctorate degree level, nurses can pursue one of two options: A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), which is a practical degree that teaches nurses how to apply knowledge gained through nursing research into real-world practice, or a Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD), which is a research-based degree that helps prepare nurses to conduct complex research that furthers nursing science. In a DNP, curriculum usually focuses on leadership, advanced specialty practice, and translating evidence into practice. The PhD, on the other hand, focuses on research and theory development in a particular area of nursing, such as trajectories of health care systems. The DNP typically requires the completion of clinical hours and a capstone project, while the PhD requires a dissertation and defense.