About the Nursing PhD
What You Need to Know About UConn’s PhD in Nursing Program

  • The University of Connecticut’s Doctoral Nursing Program has a deep commitment to theory, philosophy, and research—quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. This multifaceted approach is unique in the world of doctoral nursing programs.
  • Our PhD in Nursing graduates are the recipients of multiple awards from various prestigious nursing societies, members of the Academy, and recipients of hundreds of thousands of research dollars.
  • You have full access to the entire UConn School of Nursing faculty and facilities.
  • The current Doctor of Nursing program completion rate is exceptionally high at 90%.
  • Students form strong cohorts of 5 to 10 individuals and bond through a shared camaraderie, supporting each other throughout this intensive in-person program.
  • Currently, the typical doctoral nursing student is able to complete the program in 3.5 years.
  • All nursing PhD students at UConn are selected for the program according to their research interests, and then matched with a faculty member who collaborate with them closely on their project.
  • All courses are held on the UConn campus one day a week, allowing students to easily fit it into their busy schedule. Some students travel from as far away as Vermont and Virginia to attend!

Mission

The University of Connecticut's mission statement defines the institution as both a land-grant and the public research university of the State of Connecticut. As such, the potential range of university programs and activities is extremely broad. The mandate of the University is to be the center within the state for graduate and professional training, research, and public service. As a public university, the University of Connecticut must not only be responsive to the needs of society, but also be capable of anticipating such needs.

Within this context, the University has identified specific responsibilities associated with its mission. Among these is the concentration on the excellence of the graduate and advanced professional degree programs for which it has primary responsibilities in the public sector. These include doctoral degree programs in all fields.

The mission and goals of the School of Nursing mirror, complement, and enhance those of the University. The mission of the School of Nursing is to provide quality, public-university based nursing education at the undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education levels. The programs are designed to be responsive to the dynamic and changing health care needs of the people of the state, while using established nursing knowledge and creating and testing new nursing theory.

Objectives

  1. Advance philosophical and theoretical bases of nursing by:
    1. Analyzing knowledge development and its influence on the past, present, and future of the nursing profession.
    2. Generating knowledge to support the philosophical and theoretical bases of nursing using empirical, ethical, esthetic and existential methods.
  2. Conduct independent inquiry that advances nursing science by:
    1. Using quantitative and qualitative research methods to study nursing phenomena.
    2. Evaluating philosophical bases and assumptions of varied research methods.
    3. Integrating knowledge and skills needed for securing competitive funding.
  3. Provide distinguished leadership in the resolution of significant health care issues by:
    1. Demonstrating expertise in applying nursing knowledge to the resolution of health care issues.
    2. Using decision-making and problem solving processes to influence health care policy.