What Is a PhD in Nursing

What Does a PhD in Nursing Actually Mean?

A PhD in nursing, short for Doctor of Philosophy in nursing, is a research doctorate. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing¹ (AACN) describes the nursing PhD graduate as prepared to steward the profession, develop its science, define its uniqueness, maintain its professional integrity, and educate the next generation of nursing professionals.

Put plainly, a nurse with a PhD is trained to ask a question nobody has answered yet and to answer it with evidence. Why do some patients return to the hospital within a month of discharge? What helps family caregivers sleep? Which teaching method keeps new nurses at the bedside? A PhD gives you the methods to find out.

A few schools award the same kind of degree under a different name, such as a Doctor of Nursing Science (DNS or DNSc). AACN groups those with the PhD as research-focused nursing doctorates², and this site covers all of them.

What Do You Do in a Nursing PhD Program?

Most programs move through the same stages, though the labels and timing change from school to school. You are being trained as a researcher, so the work looks more like an apprenticeship than a series of classes.

Coursework teaches research design, statistics, and theory. Many students also work in a faculty member's research team, which is where the real learning happens. If you want to see how long all of this takes in practice, read how long a nursing PhD takes.

1. 1

   Coursework in research methods and statistics

   You learn how to design a study, measure outcomes, and analyze data, along with the theory behind your area of nursing science.

2. 2

   Work alongside a faculty researcher

   Many students join an existing project, which teaches data collection, ethics review, and grant writing by doing them.

3. 3

   Pass the qualifying exam

   A comprehensive exam or written paper shows the faculty you are ready to work on your own, and it opens the door to candidacy.

4. 4

   Propose the dissertation

   You present your question and plan to a committee, then take the study through ethics review before you begin.

5. 5

   Run the study, write it up, and defend it

   You collect and analyze the data, write the dissertation, and answer your committee's questions in a final defense.

What Programs Have in Common

Programs differ in size, funding, and focus, but a few facts hold across the group. This table counts the programs this site tracks, so you can see which options are common and which are rare.

How Is a PhD in Nursing Different From a DNP?

The two doctorates answer different questions. AACN says the DNP is designed for nurses seeking a terminal degree in nursing practice² and offers an alternative to research-focused doctoral programs. The DNP applies research at the point of care. The PhD creates it.

Neither degree licenses you as an advanced practice nurse by itself. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing³ (NCSBN) says advanced practice registered nurses are educated in a specific role and population at a master's or post-master's level.

If you are still weighing the two, the full comparison is in PhD vs DNP in nursing.

Do You Need a Master's Degree First?

Often you do not. 103 of the 140 programs on this site admit registered nurses directly from a bachelor's degree, which saves you the master's tuition and the extra years. The BSN to PhD ranking lists them.

115 programs admit nurses who already hold an MSN, and the MSN to PhD ranking compares them. If you do not hold a nursing degree at all, read getting a nursing PhD without a nursing degree.

What Can You Do With a PhD in Nursing?

AACN calls the PhD a prerequisite for academia and certain senior leadership roles¹ in the academic world. Many graduates become nursing professors (see the nursing education PhD programs) or nurse scientists who lead their own research programs. Others work in hospital research offices, government agencies, and health policy organizations.

The jobs are specific, so the pages that cover them are too. Start with what you can do with a nursing PhD, then look at the nurse scientist and nursing professor career pages, or the PhD in nursing salary page for the pay.

Is a Nursing PhD Right for You?

It fits nurses who keep noticing the same problem at work and want to study it properly. If you are happiest caring for patients, a DNP or a master's may suit you better. If you find yourself asking why a practice exists and whether it works, the PhD is built for you.

Be honest about the commitment. It runs for years, and the dissertation sets the pace. The money matters too, because a funded seat changes everything. Read how to pay for a nursing PhD before you apply anywhere.

How to Find a Nursing PhD Program

Start with the topic you care about, then look for faculty who study it. A good match with an adviser matters more than a school's name. The guide to getting into a nursing PhD walks through that search.

To compare schools, browse every nursing PhD ranking, filter by online or on-campus format, or scan the A to Z directory. Our methodology page explains how the programs are scored.