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    Mar 28, 2024  
2011-2012 Georgia Health Sciences University Catalog 
    
2011-2012 Georgia Health Sciences University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Doctor of Philosophy with a Major in Nursing


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About the Program

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Program in Nursing prepares nurse scientists for research-intensive academic careers.The program emphasizes interdisciplinary knowledge development and dissemination through biobehavioral nursing research. Our faculty is involved in ground-breaking research in such vital areas as health disparities, cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular risk reduction, and smoking cessation. The program is designed for advanced students interested in working closely with faculty mentors in nursing and related disciplines with the context of established programs of research.

This program prepares graduates to:

  • Critically evaluate behavioral and biological theories of health and illness
  • Generate, test, and extend knowledge of linkages between behavioral and biological dimensions of health and illness
  • Design basic and clinical nursing studies to investigate behavioral and biological phenomena within a selected area
  • Participate in interdisciplinary approaches to generate and apply scientific knowledge
  • Apply leadership strategies to ethical, political, economic, and socio-cultural issues in nursing.

For more information, call 706-721-3162 or visit www.georgiahealth.edu/nursing/furturestudents.htm

Career Opportunities

 Career opportunities for graduates consist of:

  • Research – academic, community, and industry settings
  • Faculty positions in higher education
  • Leadership/administrative positions

Salary Information

According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s reports “Salaries of Instructional and Administrative Nursing Faculty,” the middle 50% of salaries for assistant professors of nursing ranges from $79,277 to $92,928. Actual salary for an assistant professor of nursing is variable based on type of institution and region of the country.

Accreditation

The Nursing Doctoral program is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Higher Learning Commission (www.sacs.org).

Assistantships

Graduate Research and teaching assistantships for full-time students include tuition reduction and stipends of $23,000 or more per year. Students work closely with faculty mentors in nursing and related disciplines within the context of established programs of research. Selection of a concentration is individualized and developed with the approval of the student’s mentor and advisory committee based on the area of research.

Admissions Requirements

Completed Online Application for Graduate Programs.. Please check the Office of Admissions website for fee information: http://www.georgiahealth.edu/Admissions/ 

Application deadlines for application and required materials and documents:
Early submission of all application materials is strongly advised.

     Spring Entry: August 1 - international applicants

                        September 1 - all other applicants

     Summer Entry: December 1 - international applicants

                         January 1 - all other applicants

     Fall Entry: March 1- international applicants

                        April 1 - all other applicants

Note: All required application materials and documents must be received in order for an application to be considered complete and before an admission decision can be made. Applications and supporting materials received after the program deadline will only be considered on a space-available basis.

GPA: Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Minimum overall (MSN) GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.

Minimum Degree Requirement and Official Transcripts: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an accredited program and an accredited college or university. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree alone may fulfill the requirement, which will be determined on a case-by-case basis. To be used to satisfy degree requirement, evaluation of foreign educational transcripts must show degree(s) earned that are the U.S. equivalency of degree(s) required by the program.

Official Transcripts: Official transcripts are required from all universities and colleges ever attended. Only in the case of transcripts from international colleges/universities will an official course-by-course transcript evaluation be accepted in lieu of an official transcript.

Official transcripts should be sent to GHSU’s Office of Academic Admissions. To remain official, all transcripts must remain in the original, unopened, sealed and stamped/signed envelope from the Registrar’s office of the issuing institution.

Transcript/Credential Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts: An official, professional course-by-course evaluation based on official transcripts and documents is required for all foreign educational transcripts and documents from one of the following three credentials evaluation services: Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Silny and WES are recommended. Official evaluations based on unofficial transcripts, documents, or copies will not satisfy this requirement.

References: Recommendations (which include a reference form and letter of recommendation) from three individuals are required. Referees should be individuals qualified to critically assess the applicant’s prior academic (usually college professors), employment, artistic, research and/or clinical experience (clinical or research supervisor/mentor) and qualifications (as applicable) as well as the applicant’s potential as a graduate student in the field/program selected.

Graduate reference forms and letters of recommendation can be submitted online only. As part of the online application process, applicants provide the names and current email addresses for three individuals they have asked to serve as their referees. Once the online application is submitted, each referee will receive an email notification directing him/her to the online site where he/she can complete the reference form and submit their his/her of recommendation. To change a referee after the application has been submitted, the applicant is instructed to log into his/her CollegeNet account and update the name and current email address for the referee. Status updates of your referees’ submissions will be provided to you directly from CollegeNet.

GRE Requirement: Minimum combined Verbal and Quantitative score of 1000. Official GRE scores are required (only the General GRE test is required).*

All official GRE scores must be submitted to GHSU’s Office of Academic Admissions directly from the Education Testing Service (ETS) and must be less than five years old. The institution code for submission of GRE scores to GHSU is 5406. Please do not select a department code.

*The GRE revised General Test will feature a new scale for Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning scores, therefore, current minimum required or recommended score information is valid only for the GRE general test taken prior to August 1, 2011. Visit www.ets.org/gre for additional and important information regarding the revised GRE test.

TOEFL Requirement: Minimum score of 600 paper-based, 250 computer-based, or 100 internet-based.

Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English. The institution code for submission of TOEFL scores to GHSU is 5406. Please do not select a department code.

Exemption from the TOEFL requirement is allowed for graduate students who submit proof of earning a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college/university where English is the language of instruction.

Program Specific Requirements

Prerequisite course work: Undergraduate or graduate course in Statistics from an accredited institution within the last five years, with a grade of B or higher.

Personal Interview: Interviews by invitation only. Applicants will be selected for an interview based on an initial review of submitted application materials. Selected applicants will be notified directly by the program.

Resume or CV: Including date of most recent revision.

Essay: In addition to the Statement of Purpose on the Application for Graduate Programs, applicants must also submit a written component detailing goals and statement of interest in doctoral study.

Research Paper: Submission of an original paper reflecting research ability.

Licensure: Proof of current unrestricted Georgia RN Nursing license is required prior to enrollment.

 

*Substitutions and/or waivers of minimum requirements must first be supported and approved at the program level and then formally approved by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.

*While every effort is made to maintain this information as current, it may be subject to change. Please check with GHSU’s Office of Academic Admissions for recent updates.

*Applications deferred to another semester are subject to all admission requirements and program requirements in effect for the semester to which they are deferred.

How to Apply

Apply online at www.georgiahealth.edu/Admissions.
For more information on this program, visit www.georgiahealth.edu/nursing/futurestudents.htm

Office of Academic Admissions
170 Kelly Building–Administration
Georgia Health Sciences University
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Telephone: 706-721-2725
Toll free: 800-519-3388
Fax: 706-721-7279

Estimated Tuition and Fees

For estimated tuition and fees, please see the Tuition and Fees  section of this catalog.

Doctor of Philosophy with a Major in Nursing Curriculum


Core (10 Credits)


Core courses provide an interdisciplinary introduction to a research career in the health sciences emphasizing the generation of scientific knowledge relevant to nursing practice.

Area of Concentration (Minimum of 22 credits)


The area of concentration (AOC) is individualized and developed with the approval of the student’s advisory committee based on the area of research being pursued. Additional courses are required if entering with a BSN. Area of Concentration courses may include Seminar, Independent Study, Investigation of a Problem, or elective courses offered by Nursing programs at GHSU, courses offered by other Colleges at GHSU, or by other universities both within and outside the state of Georgia. In some cases additional credit hours in the area of concentration and/or Summer semester enrollment may be required by the student’s advisory committee. Examples of AOC courses offered by nursing programs include:

Dissertation


Each student must complete an original investigation demonstrating independent thinking, scholarly ability, critical judgment and knowledge of research methods and techniques.

Program Completion


 The Doctor of Philosophy curriculum is not lock-step; students do not graduate as a class at the end of a specific semester. The average time to degree is approximately 4 years of full-time, year-round study; acceptable duration of the program may be between 3 and 7 years.

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