The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program at UMass Lowell is a research-focused doctoral degree in nursing with a focus in health promotion. The focus in health promotion allows students to acquire cutting edge knowledge in the field of health promotion, a top priority in the nation. The executive program model uses a cohort system, which allows students to progress through the program together, either part-time or full-time. Students generally attend core nursing courses once/month on a Saturday; the remaining course modules are conducted online. Graduates will advance knowledge in the fields of nursing and health promotion at the individual, family and community level.
The Ph.D. Program Overview overview
Established in 1996, the program has produced graduates who are leaders in nursing and health promotion research. All nursing courses are offered using a weekend-blended model with two courses offered completely online. This is the only Nursing Ph.D. program in New England that uses this flexible approach to learning.
Graduates of the Ph.D. in Nursing program are prepared to:
- Extend the body of knowledge in nursing and health promotion through research and theory development.
- Create change in health outcomes among targeted populations through the development and implementation of health promotion research.
Students who wish to apply for admission to the Ph.D. program must submit a graduate admissions application form. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. The preferred deadline is April 1 for Fall admission; new students are only accepted in the Fall. The graduate application form can be obtained from the UMass Lowell Graduate Admissions Office.
Requirements include:
- B.S. degree in nursing with a minimum G.P.A. of 3.3
- A master’s degree in nursing or health-related field with a minimum GPA of 3.300
- A current Massachusetts R.N. license or eligibility (International students may waive this requirement but must have an equivalent nursing degree and will be evaluated on an individual basis)
- An official transcript of all previous academic records (both graduate and undergraduate)
- A personal statement about the applicant’s interest in the program that includes professional goals
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can assess the applicant’s potential for doctoral work
- A recent Curriculum Vitae
- International students must submit evidence of an equivalent undergraduate program in nursing and master’s program in nursing or related field.
- International students must submit an acceptable TOEFL or IELTS score.
NOTE: GREs are not required. Completion of a graduate course in statistics is strongly recommended; Writing examples are also highly recommended to accompany the personal statement.
The Ph.D. Admissions Committee is chaired by the Ph.D. Program Director and comprised of at least one other faculty member who teaches in the graduate program. The Admission Committee will interview applicants and make the final decision. There are three types of decisions:
- Accept
- Accept with conditions, or
- Deny
The application process is described as follows:
- The applicant logs onto Graduate Admissions website to obtain all required application forms and documents.
- The applicant completes the application form online and pays the fee.
- The applicant submits documents online to Graduate Admissions Office as they are ready.
- The Graduate Admissions Office notifies the Director of Ph.D. Program in Nursing once the application is complete.
- The Ph.D. Admissions Committee reviews all applicants to determine candidates to interview.
- The Ph.D. Admissions Committee conducts interview for those who passed the initial review.
- The Ph.D. Admissions Committee makes a decision and submits it to Graduate Admissions
- The applicant receives a letter from Graduate Admissions for either acceptance or denial
The doctoral program in nursing with a focus in health promotion requires a total of 48 semester credits beyond the master’s degree. Students may enroll full or part-time. Part-time students are expected to enroll with their cohort for a minimum of two courses/semester in the first two years. A sample program of studies for full and part time students includes:
Post-Master's to Ph.D. Degree Pathway
Required Core Courses
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| NU.700 (Taken through UMass Boston) | Philosophy of Nursing Science | 3 |
NURS.7020
| Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion
| 3 |
| NURS.7130 | Curriculum and Teaching in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS.7310 | Health Promotion Research | 3 |
PUBH.5750
OR
NURS.7070 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics
or
Epidemiology of Health Promotion | 3 |
Total: 15 credits
Required Methodology Courses
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
PSYC.6500
OR
PUBH.5770 | Advanced Quantitative Methods
or
Biostatistics for Health Data
| 3 |
CRIM.6900
OR
PUBH.6890 | Advanced Regression Analysis
or
Advanced Regression Modeling | 3 |
| NURS.7160 | Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| NURS.7060 | Measurement in Health and Behavioral Research | 3 |
| NURS.7300 | Quantitative Research Methods and Grantsmanship | 3 |
| NURS.7390 | Mentored Research Experience | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | Free Elective | 3 |
Total: 21 credits
Required Dissertation Courses
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| NURS.7530 | Dissertation Credits | 9-12 |
Total: 9-12
Total Required for Postmasters to PhD = 48 Credits
BSN to PhD Pathway 1 - Full Time only (no Master's Degree conferred)
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| NU.700 (Taken through UMass Boston) | Philosophy of Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS.7020 | Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion
| 3 |
| NURS.7130 | Curriculum and Teaching in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS.7310 | Health Promotion Research | 3 |
PUBH.5750
OR
NURS.7070 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics
or
Epidemiology of Health Promotion | 3 |
Total: 15 credits
Cognate Courses (Selected approved courses in research interest area)
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| XXXX.XXXX | Cognate Course 1 | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | Cognate Course 2 | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | Cognate Course 3 | 3 |
Total: 9 credits
Required Preparation to Research Courses
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| XXXX.XXXX | PhD Seminar: Nurse Scientist Role | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | PhD Seminar: Academic Writing | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | PhD Seminar: Research Integrity and Ethics | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | PhD Seminar: Professional Leadership | 3 |
Total Credits = 12
Required Methodology Courses
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
PSYC.6500
OR
PUBH.5770 | Advanced Quantitative Methods
or
Biostatistics for Health Data
| 3 |
CRIM.6900
OR
PUBH.6890 | Advanced Regression Analysis
or
Advanced Regression Modeling | 3 |
| NURS.7160 | Qualitative Methods | 3 |
| NURS.7060 | Measurement in Health and Behavioral Research | 3 |
| NURS.7300 | Quantitative Research Methods and Grantsmanship | 3 |
| NURS.7390 | Mentored Research Experience | 3 |
| XXXX.XXXX | Free Elective | 3 |
Total: 21 credits
Required Dissertation Courses
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| TBD | PhD Seminar: Dissertation | 1 |
| NURS.7530 | Dissertation Credits | 9-12 |
Total: 10-13 Credits
Total credits required for BSN to PhD Pathway 1 = 69 credits
BSN to MPH to Ph.D. Pathway 2: Epidemiology Option
BSN to MPH to Ph.D. Pathway 3: Social and Behavioral Sciences Option
DNP to Ph.D. Fast Track Degree Pathway
UMass Lowell graduate nursing students currently matriculated in the DNP program in UMass Lowell Solomont School of Nursing may apply for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program at UMass Lowell. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.500 in the DNP program at the time of the application. Before graduating from the DNP program, students must meet with a PhD program advisor and develop a course plan for the PhD program.
Admission Requirements:
- Completion of 12 UMass Lowell credits in the DNP program
- A final GPA of 3.500 in the DNP Program
- GRE Score waived
- An interview with PhD nursing faculty.
- Three letters of recommendation
- Graduate application (graduate application fee will be waived)
- Personal statement letter of professional goals and research interests
- Curriculum vitae
Up to six credits of graduate-level (700) courses may be taken by a student in the UMass Lowell DNP program to be counted toward both DNP and PhD degrees. Courses credited to the PhD degree require a grade B or better. Courses that are required in both programs that could be counted for both programs include:
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| NURS.7130 | Curriculum and Teaching in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS.7020 | Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion | 3 |
| NURS.7160 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| NURS.7310 | Health Promotion Research | 3 |
| NURS.7300 | Quantitative Research Methods and Grantsmanship | 3 |
Other courses need to be approved on a case-by-case basis by the DNP Coordinator and the PhD Program Director. If students were enrolled in and completed the BS to MS Fast-Track program or the MS to DNP Fast-Track program, only those courses that are required for the PhD could be counted again for the DNP to PhD Fast-Track program.
Master's to PHD Degree Fast Track Pathway
UMass Lowell graduate nursing students currently matriculated in the Master of Science program in nursing may apply for admission to the Fast Track Master’s (MS) to Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program. UMass Lowell Fast Track MS to PhD applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.500 in the MS program at the time of application. Before graduating from the MS program, students must meet with their PhD program advisor and develop a course plan for the PhD program.
Admission requirements:
- Completion of 12 UMass Lowell credits in the Master of Science Nursing program
- A final GPA of 3.500 in the MS program
- GRE Score-Waived
- An interview with PhD nursing faculty
- Three letters of recommendation
- Graduate application (graduate application fee will be waived)
- Personal statement letter of professional goals and research interests
- Curriculum vitae
Up to six credits of graduate-level (700) courses may be taken by a student in the UMass Lowell Master’s degree program to be counted toward both the Master’s and PhD degrees. Courses credited to the PhD degree require a grade B or higher. They include:
1) The Required MS Research for Evidence-Based Practice course (
NURS.6010) may be replaced with one of the following doctoral courses:
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
PUBH.5750
OR
NURS.7070 | Epidemiology and Biostatistics
or
Epidemiology of Health Promotion | 3 |
| NURS.7300 | Quantitative Research Methods and Grantsmanship | 3 |
2) The MS level Research Project course and/or the MS program elective may be replaced by one of the following required PhD courses:
| Course# | Course Name | Credits |
|---|
| NURS.7130 | Curriculum and Teaching in Nursing
| 3 |
| NURS.7020 | Theoretical Foundations of Health Promotion
| 3 |
| NURS.7160 | Qualitative Research | 3 |
| NURS.7310 | Health Promotion Research | 3 |
Other course choices would need to be approved on a case-by-case basis by the MS Coordinator and the PhD Program Director.
Note: Courses that were taken as part of the UMass Lowell Fast-Track BS to MS program cannot be counted again as a course for UMass Lowell Fast-Track MS to PhD program. If a student was accepted in the MS to DNP Fast-Track and then opted to apply to the PhD program instead, prior to starting the DNP program, those courses may be allowable, if applicable to the PhD program.
Nursing Qualifying Examination exam
The qualifying examination is designed to determine the student’s ability to analyze and synthesize conceptual, theoretical and methodological knowledge as it pertains to health promotion within a substantive research area. The examination provides a method of assessment to ascertain if the student is ready to advance to the dissertation stage. It consists of two written publishable papers, that are focused on: a concept or theory; a systematic review on a specific topic related to the student’s research area; or a paper related to research methods. Both papers will be original, critical evaluations that relate to the student’s identified research area. Students are eligible to complete the qualifying examination after completion of all of the core courses (33 credits).
Dissertation planning may be initiated in the first year, but formal work begins following successful completion of the Nursing Qualifying Examination and all course work. At this time a Dissertation Committee is formed to direct the student’s research. The dissertation requirement is designed to demonstrate that the student has acquired a substantial body of knowledge related to the selected field of study, has developed the ability to use appropriate data analysis methods, and has contributed to the advancement of nursing knowledge related to health promotion. The student’s dissertation work must be original and represent a unique contribution to the literature.
Ainat Koren, Ph.D., DNP, PMHNP
Ph.D. Program Director
Office Location: Health and Social Science Building, Room 204
978-934-4429
Ainat_Koren@uml.edu
updated 12/1/22