Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (Ph.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program, as a research-focused doctoral program prepares students to pursue intellectual inquiry and conduct independent research for the purpose of extending knowledge and improve practice.

Program Objectives

The PhD student who completes this program will acquire substantive and significant knowledge and skills to:

1. Evaluate theories in order to promote expansion of theoretical bases for nursing practice models.
2. Conduct research studies that reflect a commitment to logical, ethical and epistemological dimensions and which contribute to the development of knowledge that advances nursing discipline and intervention models.
3. Exercise leadership as researchers through generation and application of new knowledge to advance the profession and contribute to a nursing practice based on evidence.
4. Work in collaboration with other health care professionals, as well as professionals from other disciplines, in culturally relevant research.
5. Develop public policy projects that are geared to dealing with problems related to providing services in the work, government, professional and community settings, which are based on research findings.
6. Use scientific inquiry in the process of problem solving and decision making about issues related to the practice of the discipline.

Admission Deadline

March 15, 2023

Admission process

The candidate must obtain 70% or more, as a result of the sum of the following criteria, to be considered as a candidate for admission: GPA from Master of Science in Nursing degree (20%), essay on professional goals and research interest (30%), scholarly writing (30%), and interview with PhD program faculty (20%). Candidates with incomplete documents will not be considered.

Complete the Electronic Application for Admission to the Medical Sciences Campus.

Admission requirements

• Master’s degree in nursing from an accredited professional program, i.e. CCNE, ACEN, NLNAC, with a minimum 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale). An official transcript of all obtained academic degrees at the undergraduate and graduate level of nursing must be presented. In the event that the candidate applies for admission while completing their MSN degree, admission to the PhD Program will be conditional on presenting evidence of successful completion.
• Updated license to practice nursing in Puerto Rico or in your country of origin.
• Evidence of having one year of nursing practice experience.
• Evidence of completion of the following courses or their equivalent at the graduate level: a) statistics, b) nursing theories, and c) two courses in nursing research.
• Updated curriculum vitae (CV): a complete summary with educational training, work and practice experiences, honors, awards, research, publications, and presentations.
• Three (3) letters of recommendation from an academic, employer and professional sources who can comment on your potential for doctoral study. At least one reference must possess an earned doctoral degree.
  • Recommendation Form for Applicants- Doctor of Philosohy in Nursing (PhD)

• An essay addressing:
  • Short-term professional goals related to your doctoral and long-term studies as a nursing researcher (1 page).
  • The area of interest in research must be aligned with the research areas of the School of Nursing. This section should include the topic of interest, problem statement, background, purpose and importance of your research for the advancement of knowledge of the nursing profession (2 pages).
  • The essay is limited to 3 single-spaced pages, in font size 12.
• A scholarly writing (example: published article, academic manuscript, master’s thesis (summarized in 5 pages).

Additional Admission Requirements

1. Interview with the members of the Admission Committee of the PhD
2. Computer literacy, have a personal computer and must have internet service.
3. Proficiency in speaking and writing Spanish and in reading and writing in English.
4. Participate in a seminar related to the PhD Program.

Additional Requirements for Foreign Students

Foreign students who have studied outside of Puerto Rico or the United States must submit their academic record to the “World Educational Services” (WES) for evaluation and recognition of academic credentials equivalent to a degree obtained in American territory.

Graduation Requirements

• Awarding of degree requires that the candidate have completed all course requirements with established academic standing, approve the comprehensive examination and successfully defended the dissertation.
• General grade point average of 3.00 or higher (on scale of 4.00).
• Complete all courses with a minimum grade of B.

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