ACADEMICS

Doctoral Degree Programs

WHICH DOCTORAL PROGRAM IS FOR ME?

So you are interested in pursuing doctoral level nursing education, but can not decide which program is best for you?  The College of Nursing offers you two state-of-the-art doctoral programs to choose from, the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD).  Each program is carefully crafted to address the needs of the nursing profession and the population they serve.  The DNP offers advanced clinical education and focuses on the development of tomorrow’s clinical leaders.  The PhD program develops nurses and scientists and scholars to conduct theoretically based research leading to the creation of new knowledge and the development of reflective theory guided, evidence based, nursing practice.

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
The University of Colorado Denver became the first in the Rocky Mountain region to enroll students in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program.  In October of 2004, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recommended that advanced practice specialty preparation move from the Masters level to the DNP level.  The University of Colorado’s DNP program has approval from the Board of Regents and the Colorado Commission on Higher Education (CCHE).

At CU there are two major pathways to the DNP.  For applicants with a BS in Nursing, the MS/DNP pathway offers an advanced practice specialty while simultaneously advancing toward the DNP degree.  Of, for students with a MS and specialty certification, post masters course work will complete the DNP degree.

The DNP degree appeals to the nurses with an MS or a BS degree in Nursing who are interested in a practice-focused doctorate.  DNP graduates will be prepared as clinical leaders, who will design models of health care delivery, evaluate clinical outcomes, identify and manage health care needs of populations, and use technology and information to transform health care systems.  Graduates of the DNP program are prepared to assume leadership positions in health care institutions and nursing education. 

Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD)
The PhD Program is designed to prepare nurse scholars to advance the art, science, and practice of the discipline.  PhD preparation in nursing promotes knowledge development for reflective, theory-guided, and research-based nursing practice.

Our PhD program equips nurses to conduct knowledge development and scholarly inquiry and to be actively engaged in many roles including:

• Researcher
• Educator
• Clinician-scholar
• Administrator
• Health care policy analyst.

The PhD program is a competency-based curriculum with distance accessible courses available in a variety of formats.  Our faculty members are recognized for their outstanding mentoring and expertise in research and scholarship.  As a PhD student you will be mentored by one of your faculty scholars and will conduct your research within one of our two practice-inquiry foci:

• Human Experience of Health, Illness, and Healing
• Environmental Context and Outcomes.

At CU there are two major pathways to the PhD.  For applicants with a BS in Nursing, the MS/PhD pathway offers a 30 credit MS degree (or an advance practice specialty) leading into PhD coursework and research.  Both degrees are awarded.  For applicants with a MS degree 2 to 3 years of post masters doctoral coursework leads to the PhD dissertation and PhD degree.

The PhD Program is Distance Accessible!  Our Program offering format is geared toward the working doctoral student.  PhD students attend one to two week intensives scheduled near the beginning of each semester.  The remainder of the coursework is completed in an online format.  Students attending the program line in Colorado, across the US, and include several international students enriching the learning environment for all.

Nurse educators are needed across the US.  PhD study will equip you with the substantive expertise, research competence, opportunities for coursework in nursing education, and other skills that make our students preferred for nurse educator roles by BS and higher degree programs.

NEXus:  A distance accessible academic partnership.  The Nursing Education Xchange (NEXus) is collaboration among select Western Institute of Nursing doctoral institutions to facilitate enrollment in doctoral courses not available on your home campus.  Through NEXus, the institutions have identifies courses that are open for enrollments from partner institutions.  PhD students may select from 4 NEXus cognates (areas of interest):  Health Systems, Informatics, Nursing Education, and Transcultural/Health Disparities.  The College of Nursing is a full partner in NEXus.  Please see the NEXus web site at http://winnexus.org for details.