University of Colorado College of Nursing

Curriculum

The PhD program includes 42 credits of coursework and 30 credits of dissertation. All students must take the core courses in addition to selecting a focus in either health care systems or biobehavioral science.

The PhD program curriculum plan outlines the courses offered.

*Students choose either the two qualitative or two quantitative methods courses.

Faculty

In addition to studying at the new state-of-the-art Anschutz Medical Campus and attending one of the nation’s highest ranked nursing programs, the College of Nursing PhD students will work with a nationally and internationally recognized faculty. Renown for mentoring and expertise in research and scholarship, the nursing faculty is dedicated to the pursuit of expanding nursing knowledge through empirical research and providing a high level of education.

Our distinguished faculty has made significant contributions to school-based health care and nursing informatics, as well as research into pain management, rural health and pediatric nursing. As we look to the future, we are advancing the development of additional research strengths in public health, health care of children, those with chronic illness and clinical health care. Our strong faculty practices with children, pregnant women and their families, adults and elders allow our students to combine world-class research with real-world education.

As a PhD student, your research focus that will align with the research conducted by one of our faculty scholars. For more information about our renown faculty and research interests, visit and review the College of Nursing faculty pages and bios.

Program Philosophy

The College of Nursing faculty believes that the doctor of philosophy in nursing prepares scientists for stewardship of the nursing discipline and membership in the community of scholars. Further, the purpose of doctoral study in nursing is to engage students in intellectual inquiry, knowledge development and the conduct of independent research to understand and enhance the health, wellbeing and healthcare for individuals, families and populations. Doctoral study depends on collaborative mentoring relationships between students and research faculty, other faculty scholars and active engagement of students in the interdisciplinary community of scholars. The faculty also believes that program graduates should be rigorously prepared to pursue careers in research intensive environments and as leaders of the profession.

Graduate Qualities

The qualities the College of Nursing expects in every PhD graduate are:

• demonstrates mastery in a selected substantive area of the nursing discipline

• understands methodologies for critiquing, developing and extending disciplinary knowledge

• pursues learning as a journey of ongoing personal development and excellence in research within and beyond the discipline

• applies logical, critical and creative thinking to a range of research problems

• works both autonomously and collaboratively as a scientist within and beyond the discipline and community of scholars

• commits to ethical social responsibility and action as a scientist

• communicates effectively as a scientist and as a leading member of the discipline

• appreciates an international perspective and cultural sensitivity in research

• embraces the diversity of opportunities for career development, professional roles and disciplinary leadership as a nurse scientist, scholar, educator and mentor