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Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)

Prepare to lead in nursing research and education with a research-focused doctor of philosophy (phd) in nursing from cizik school of nursing at uthealth houston. we now offer two entry points to a rewarding career as a nurse scientist..

Nurses who hold a master’s degree can achieve the highest level of nursing education and pursue impactful research careers influencing health care.

Open the door to opportunities to create meaningful change. If you hold a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and are looking for a fast-track to a career in research, our BSN to PhD option is an ideal choice that can save you time and money.

Unparalleled Collaboration Opportunities

PhD nursing students at Cizik School of Nursing have unique opportunities to collaborate with expert researchers and clinicians within UTHealth Houston’ s seven schools and from affiliated institutions within the world-renowned Texas Medical Center .

Outstanding Faculty

Our faculty mentors are leading nurse scientists . Their top priority is helping graduate nursing students achieve their academic, professional, and research goals. Whether you are coming in with a BSN or a master’s degree, you will gain the skills to succeed in  PhD nursing courses that focus on the integration of research, theory, and practice.

Meet PhD Students

Hannah Zeller, Chantell Thompson, and Otit Fletcher have widely different backgrounds and research interests, and each chose the PhD program at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston because of unique opportunities to study with outstanding faculty mentors in the Texas Medical Center.

Meet Dr. Maja Djukic

Maja Djukic, PhD, RN, FAAN, is the Assistant Dean for Research at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. Find out about her research into nursing workforce issues aimed at improving the work lives of nurses.

Diverse Patient Populations

Live, work, study, and discover in one of the most diverse metropolitan areas in the nation. Cizik School of Nursing PhD candidates benefit from many opportunities to begin meaningful programs of research that benefit specific communities and patient populations.

Supporting Scientific Discovery

The  Center for Nursing Research  at Cizik School of Nursing provides laboratory and administrative resources and support needed to prepare grant proposals, conduct research, and publish results.

Affordability Meets Excellence

At Cizik School of Nursing, we offer one of the  most affordable PhD programs in Texas. We also offer  scholarships to PhD students based on research interests in addition to academic performance and financial need.

Loan Forgiveness for Future Faculty

The Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is low-interest federal loan forgiveness program offered by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for PhD students who plan to become faculty members. The three nursing education courses are required.  For eligibility requirements and application information, please contact Heather Bright in the UTHealth Financial Aid office at 713-500-3860.

PhD or DNP?

At Cizik School of Nursing, you can pursue a research-focused Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (DNP) or a practice-focused Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Learn more differences between these doctoral degree options.

Get Started toward Your Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing

Build upon your master’s degree or Bachelor of Science in Nursing and take the next step on your health care journey at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston. Earn a PhD in nursing from a nationally renowned nursing program. We are here to answer your questions and help you get started.

Request information: BSN to PhD entry

Request information: post-master's phd entry, apply today.

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Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston Sees Steep Rise in Research Rankings

HOUSTON (Feb. 7, 2024) – Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston ranks No. 1 in Texas and No. 18 nationally among nursing schools that received research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2023, according to the annual rankings released today by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research (BRIMR).

The school’s ranking rose 20 positions from No. 38 year over year, with $5,310,454 in grants funded by the National Institute for Nursing Research (NINR) and other NIH institutes.

“Faculty at the school of nursing research a wide variety of topics with a common goal of improving health outcomes for vulnerable populations,” said Associate Dean for Research Constance Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN. “I am proud to lead a group of stellar nurse scientists who are improving the lives of patients, families, and populations in our local communities and far beyond.”

The newly released BRIMR rankings counted research projects that were actively funded in 2023. However, those totals did not include some additional grants awarded in the last half of the year.

“When Dr. Johnson joined Cizik School of Nursing in 2016, she was charged with leveraging the talent and resources at UTHealth Houston and within the Texas Medical Center to help our Department of Research realize its great potential,” said Dean Diane Santa Maria, DrPH, PHNA-BC, ACRN, FAAN. “She and Assistant Dean for Research Maja Djukic have led the charge to achieve this goal by mentoring early-stage faculty and recruiting top-notch nurse scientists. We are seeing the results reflected in the number, volume, and quality of publicly and privately funded research projects, and we anticipate even greater NIH funding levels in the years to come.”

Below are brief synopses of projects that received NIH funding in 2023, as well as newer projects that will be included in 2024 totals:

• Santa Maria wrapped up a five-year NINR R01 project with two supplements that focused on assessing a nurse case management intervention for preventing and treating HIV among youth experiencing homelessness. She is also the principal investigator for an ongoing National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health pilot study of a mindfulness-based stress reduction intervention for youth in temporary shelters. In September 2023, she received an additional R01 grant from NINR to fund expanded testing of a mobile health intervention aimed at HIV prevention among youth experiencing homelessness.

• Professor Chao Hsing Yeh, PhD, RN, FAAN, received grants from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for studies on auricular point acupressure as a nonpharmaceutical pain relief option. Johnson became principal investigator on those grants after Yeh’s untimely death in April 2023. Recently, Professor Jennifer Kawi, PhD, FNP-BC, FAAN, who served as Yeh’s multiple primary investigator, joined Cizik School of Nursing from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.

• Associate Professor Janet Van Cleave joined Cizik School of Nursing in September 2023 and received an R01 grant the same week she arrived. Her NCI award aims to study the implementation and effectiveness of a patient-reported symptom (PRO) tool for head and neck cancers in rural and urban populations.

• Assistant Professor Stacey Crane’s three-year K23 grant funds the continued development of the Smart Pediatric Oncology Tracker of Symptoms (SPOTS), a web-based interface designed to make it easier for kids with cancer and their parents to report symptoms in real time.

• Associate Professor Daphne Hernandez, PhD, MSEd, FAAHB , received two NIH awards in late 2023 – an R03 grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development to create a better tool for assessing food insecurity in Hispanic households, and an R01 award from the NINR to explore the association between the level of eviction risk and ongoing mental distress now that pandemic housing policies have ended. Both will be reflected in 2024 NIH research funding totals.

Other additions to Cizik School of Nursing’s Department of Research in the Fall 2023 semester include Professor Carolyn Pickering, PhD, RN. Pickering is a noted expert in dementia family caregiving and brought with her more than $13 million in funding from the NIA.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

PhD Program Overview

Application Deadline: November 1  Application Available: September 1  Program Start: Fall, once a year only  Length of Program: 4 years full-time  Degree Awarded: Doctor of Philosophy  Part-Time Study: YES  Distance Learning: Not at this time

Ranked #1 in Best Value PhD in Nursing Programs

( Value Colleges 2016 )

About the PhD

The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing Doctoral program prepares students to become researchers and to assume advanced leadership roles in nursing and health care delivery. A combination of conceptual approaches, challenging interactions in seminar discussions, and work with active researchers produces a stimulating environment for scholarly development.

Each student selects a focus area based on their nursing background, interests, and goals. The focus area provides a broad structure for the student's individualized course of study. Courses from nursing and from non-nursing disciplines offer options for tailoring the program of study to a student's particular focus area. The program is designed to help students identify a dissertation topic, apply for research funding, and begin a lifelong research career.

PhD Resources

Objectives for the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD and AE PhD) Program

The graduate of the PhD program in nursing is expected to:

• Conduct research to advance knowledge and practice in nursing and healthcare.
• Develop, test, and refine theories for nursing and healthcare.
• Participate as a scholar in the advancement of theoretical, ethical, and practice aspects of nursing and healthcare.
• Participate as a scholar in transdisciplinary teams to advance the science of nursing and healthcare.
• Assume leadership roles in practice, education, and policy arenas to promote high quality and innovative health care, especially in underserved populations.
• Accept responsibility and accountability for disseminating knowledge.

Program requirements for the PhD in Nursing include core courses and other courses to ensure preparation in a focused area of study. The PhD program prepares nurse researchers to make significant contributions to nursing knowledge and nursing practice through ongoing scientific inquiry and the dissemination of research findings.

Degree Plans (All files are in PDF format.)

• BSN to PhD Program of Work
• BSN to PhD Sample Schedule
• PhD Program of Work
• PhD Sample Schedule

There are various avenues for support during the doctoral program. Every student who applies by the November 1 deadline and is accepted into the PhD program, will be considered for a one-year Fellowship. Those applying after the November 1 deadline may also be considered for financial support. Monetary amounts range from $7,000 - $25,000, based on admission scores and full time/part time status. Competitive continuing fellowships are available after year one, based on timely academic progression and scholarly activities. Other small scholarship opportunities (usually $1,000-$2,000) may be available yearly through the School of Nursing. Doctoral students may work as Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants, and Assistant Instructors. These appointments have tuition and benefits assistance based on appointment hours/week.

Additionally, US citizen and permanent resident doctoral students can apply to the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) . The NFLP is a loan-cancellation program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Professions. This program allows nursing schools to provide financial loans to students enrolled in advanced degree nursing programs and who intend to teach in a nursing program after graduation. This is not a need-based loan program; however, students must complete a FAFSA. For more information, visit UT Financial and Administrative Services - Nursing Faculty Loan Services page.

• UT Austin offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary study ( doctoral portfolio programs ) in fields such as gerontology, Mexican American studies, and women's studies.
• Internationally recognized nursing faculty with over $10 million in NIH research funding.
• Nursing faculty at UT Austin have diverse backgrounds in preparation and experience.
• Thirteen of the current 26 graduate nursing faculty are Fellows in the prestigious American Academy of Nursing.
• The doctoral program emphasizes development of a sound foundation in nursing science.
• Participation in faculty research projects is an integral part of the doctoral program.

All students interested in applying for graduate study in Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin must meet the admission requirements established by the University’s Graduate School and the School of Nursing. Applicants are expected to be graduates of accredited colleges or universities. Below are the minimum requirements for admission.

• Degree: A bachelor's or a master's degree in nursing from an acceptable accredited program or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution.
• GPA : 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or comparable GPA in upper-division work (junior- and senior- level courses) and in any graduate work complete.
• Recommendations : 3 required
• Statement of Purpose
• Curriculum Vitae/resume
• Nursing License: Current RN licensure, if admitted.

All students applying for formal admission to the Master’s and PhD programs must complete the online application and submit the following application materials by the November 1 deadline .

Application for Admission

Complete online application for admissions and pay application fee at ApplyTexas.org . The application is only open between September 1st and November 1st. The online application is data entry only. All supporting application documents are uploaded on the My Status page after the application is paid and submitted.

* Recommendation : Complete online application, at minimum, 2 weeks prior to the November 1 deadline, ensuring all documents provided by the application deadline.

Supporting Documents

• Official transcripts dated one year or less, from all four-year institutions attended.
• See AE-PhD Application Checklist (PDF) for transcript upload procedures.
• Curriculum Vitae/resume.
• Personal Statement: Maximum two (2) pages. Readable font, 12-point, double spaced, 1-inch margins)
• Using our secure, personalized form, three (3) professional recommendations that attest to the applicant's academic ability, professional competency and personal character must be submitted electronically by each recommender.
• Written recommendations are not accepted.
• See the International Students webpage for English language requirements.

For additional details on how to prepare your graduate application materials and personal statement instructions, please view PhD Application Checklist (PDF).

Visit the Graduate Admissions webpage for additional information.

All materials must be submitted electronically to the My Status Check page that is available approximately 48 hours after the ApplyTexas.org application submission.

The School of Nursing Graduate Admissions and Progression Committee (GAPC) begin preliminary admission reviews after the November 1st deadline. All application materials are required to be submitted by the program’s application deadline; files that remain incomplete will not be reviewed or acted upon by GAPC.

If admitted, applicants will be notified of the admission decision by March. Decisions are communicated in the following ways:

• Offers of admission are sent via email by the School of Nursing.
• Official e-letters from the Graduate and International Admission Center notifying you of the admission decision of the Office of Graduate Studies are available on the application Status Check page.

NOTE: Email is the official means of communication for all university business.

If not admitted, applicants will be notified by the GIAC only.

Please feel free to email Graduate Student Services Office if you have questions about the admission process.

All files are in PDF format.

• Choosing a Quality PhD Program
• PhD Application Checklist

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

New, National Leadership Role for Penn Nursing Professor is a First

Penn Nursing ’s Sharon Y. Irving, PhD, CRNP, FCCM, FAAN, FASPEN , is the first nurse, nurse practitioner, and woman of African-American heritage to be elected Vice President of ASPEN , the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Her term begins June 1, 2024. Irving, Irving, who was recently promoted to full Professor effective July 1, is also the Miriam Stirl Endowed Term Chair in Nutrition, and Vice-Chair of Graduate Education in the Department of Family and Community Health .

Founded in 1976, ASPEN is a multi-professional, interdisciplinary professional organization whose members are involved in the research and provision of clinical nutrition therapies across the lifespan. With members from around the world, ASPEN is a community of dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, physicians, physician assistants, scientists, students, and other health professionals from every facet of nutrition support clinical practice, research, and education. Currently, there are 5500 members in ASPEN.

The Vice President of ASPEN’ s has responsibility for monitoring progress in the implementation and updating of the Society’s strategic plan. In the absence of the President or the President-Elect, or in the event of their inability or refusal to act, the Vice President performs the duties of the President. As Vice President, Irving will automatically succeed to the office of President-Elect (2025), then President (2026), then Immediate Past President (2027). Her term on the Board will end on May 30, 2028.

“We are incredibly lucky and grateful for Dr. Irving’s guidance and leadership. Her vast experience as a nurse practitioner and educator and her unwavering dedication to enhancing patients’ lives provides a unique perspective that will be extremely valuable in ASPEN’s mission to widen and increase our influence as an interprofessional organization,” noted Wanda Johnson, CMP, CAE, Chief Executive Officer of ASPEN.

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Now available from penn nursing: innovative, online psychedelic course, making change happen: nurturing the next generation of nurses, penn nursing dean emerita to receive 2024 national humanism in medicine medal, media contact, see yourself here.

College of Nursing

2023-2024 alumni award recipients, monica samples, bsn, rn - outstanding young alumni award.

Currently a nurse in the Stead Family Children’s Hospital Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Monica Samples (20BSN) is the recipient of the 2023-24 Outstanding Young Alumni Award. No stranger to nursing awards, as a student, she was recognized by her peers with the 2020 DAISY in Training Award.

Since graduating, Samples has provided the highest level of care as a nurse in the PICU. She pursued further training and is now qualified to care for children receiving the most advanced level of medical interventions.

“The early success of Monica’s career is not a surprise to anybody who knows her,” her nominator writes. “She is gifted in her capabilities to manage complex medical interventions while meeting the multifaceted needs of her patients and their family members with an extraordinary depth of compassion, integrity and respect.”

Karen Bjøro, PhD, RN - Distinguished Alumni Award

Dr. Karen Bjøro (08PhD) is the 2023-2024 College of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

 Throughout her 40-year nursing career, Bjøro has worked locally, nationally, and internationally to strengthen the profession and improve global health.

Dr. Bjøro’s passion for nursing is evident through her activity with many Norwegian and international nursing groups. During her eight-year term as vice president of the Norwegian Nurses Organisation, she was heavily involved in fostering collaboration and exchange between the NNO and nurse organizations in Rwanda and Malawi. Bjøro currently serves as the second vice president of the International Council of Nurses

“Dr. Bjøro has been a leader in global health and nursing internationally,” writes her nominator. “She represents the important impact graduates of the college have made not only in our country but around the world.”

Read more from our spring 2024 alumni newsletter .

• Andy & Barbara Gessner College of Nursing

Prospective Students

Gessner college of nursing locations.

University of Houston at Sugar Land Brazos Hall 14004 University Blvd., Sugar Land, Texas 77479 Phone: 832-842-8200 Email: [email protected]

University of Houston Health Building 2 4349 Martin Luther King Blvd., 2019 Houston, TX 77204-6065 Phone: 832-842-8200 Email: [email protected]

University of Houston at Katy 22400 Grand Cir., Katy, TX 77449 Phone: 832-842-8200 Email: [email protected]

The University of Houston offers RN to BSN, Second Degree BSN and MSN degree programs at the Sugar Land instructional site and the UH main campus. Our face-to-face and web-enhanced classes are designed to work around your busy schedule, and you will receive a quality university education from excellent faculty at a great value. Our innovative programs will allow you to advance your career by completing your nursing degree.

Undergraduate Programs

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#UHGrad Series: Elvin Reflects on Growth, Journey Ahead

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Where Protesters on U.S. Campuses Have Been Arrested or Detained

By The New York Times

Police officers and university administrators have clashed with pro-Palestinian protesters on a growing number of college campuses in recent weeks, arresting students, removing encampments and threatening academic consequences. More than 2,500 people have been arrested or detained on campuses across the country.

Campus protests where arrests and detainments have taken place since April 18

The fresh wave of student activism against the war in Gaza was sparked by the arrests of at least 108 protesters at Columbia University on April 18, after administrators appeared before Congress and promised a crackdown. Since then, tensions between protesters, universities and the police have risen, prompting law enforcement to take action in some of America’s largest cities.

An earlier version of this article misstated the number of arrests at Princeton University. There have been 15 arrests, not 14.

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Our Coverage of the U.S. Campus Protests

News and Analysis

Columbia : After weeks of student protests, Columbia University announced that it would be canceling its main commencement ceremony .

UChicago : The University of Chicago, which says that free speech is sacred, has allowed protest encampments. But they have also disrupted campus life, and the school’s leaders want the tents down .

U.S.C.:  The Los Angeles Police Department and campus police removed a pro-Palestinian encampment for the second time  at the University of Southern California.

Outside Agitators:  Officials in New York City have blamed “external actors” for escalating demonstrations at Columbia, but student protesters reject the claim .

Clashes at U.C.L.A.: A New York Times examination of more than 100 videos from clashes at the University of California, Los Angeles, shows how counterprotesters provoked the violence .

Reactions Abroad:  The world is watching what is happening on American campuses with shock, pride, relish and alarm. Here is a selection of views from outside the United States .

A Spotlight on Student Journalists:  Columbia’s radio station and other student-led news outlets have provided some of the most detailed coverage  of the turmoil engulfing campuses.

The journey to her master’s in Nursing was a global one

Marina Mendes is one of the first to graduate from Miami University’s MSN program and is already looking ahead to her doctorate

The journey for Marina Mendes, this year’s student speaker for the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science recognition ceremony, has been a global one leading to two Miami Nursing degrees — and one more on the horizon.

Mendes is one of seven graduates who comprise the first graduating class from Miami’s Master of Science in Nursing program . And her Miami journey will continue this fall when she will be a member of the inaugural class of Miami’s Doctorate of Nursing Practice program.

A native of Brazil, her husband Arthur Carvalho’s graduate studies first took her to Waterloo, Ontario as he completed his Ph.D. and then to Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where he became an assistant professor at Erasmus University. His acceptance of a position in the Farmer School of Business (where he is now the Dinesh & Ila Paliwal Innovation Chair and associate professor of Information Systems and Analytics) brought them to Oxford in 2016.

In her new home, she faced the challenges of not being able to communicate in English and credits Miami’s English Language Center (ELC) with helping her develop her listening, reading, and speaking abilities. Speaking of center director Jerry Martin and his team, Marina praised all they did "to open the doors of the university to me and a world of opportunities in this country."

As her language skills progressed, she continued with the ELC and began taking Miami courses with the goal of earning her Bachelor of Science in Nursing . It was while she was preparing to join the Nursing program in the fall of 2017 that she and her husband welcomed their daughter, Lily. 

"It was in the Nursing Department that I made my first and lifelong friends in America," she recalled. "We laughed together, cried together, and lifted each other up when the challenges seemed overwhelming. The connections I've made, both with faculty and friends, have enriched my life in ways I could never have imagined."

Graduating summa cum laude in 2022, she began her professional career in Kettering Health Hamilton’s intensive care unit. She now is part of the nursing staff at TriHealth McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital as part of the Inpatient Care Unit team.

Mendes believes her Miami MSN degree and nurse practitioner certification are the cornerstones of her professional qualifications. Her goal is a position in a primary care setting where she can apply her skills and knowledge to provide high-quality, compassionate care. 

"Marina represents the kind of nursing students we strive to produce," said Stephanie Nicely, chair of the Department of Nursing. "She is skilled, compassionate, and committed to improving patient outcomes."

Entering Miami’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree program, her goal is to complete her studies by May 2026 and then transition from student to teacher. 

Ultimately her dream is to help prepare future nursing professionals. 

"In addition to teaching, I look forward to mentoring newcomers in the field," she said. "It will be my opportunity to give back to the educational community that supported me in achieving my goals."

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