Doctor of Philosophy
Watch the Doctor of Philosophy video to learn more about the program.
Established in 1985, the School's Ph.D. program offers students the chance to actively engage in the science of nursing. Our Ph.D. program in nursing addresses the future demand for leaders by bringing students into a rich and varied academic and research environment. The program offers high-level coursework and mentored experiences that build on students' previous learning and provides training for students to become nurse researchers and faculty, whose scientific contributions will lead to improvements in 21st century nursing practice and education.
At the OHSU School of Nursing, nursing research focuses on caregivers, providing palliative care to the dying, helping clients manage symptoms in life threatening and chronic illness, promoting wellness across all age groups and cultures, and testing innovations and technology applications in nursing education. OHSU faculty-driven programs of research directly or indirectly impact the lives of individuals and families across the life span and from vulnerable populations. Opportunities for students are abundant including:
- Taking courses taught be pre-eminent faculty & scholars
- Working closely with faculty mentors;
- Participating in collaborative research projects,
- Gaining teaching & research experience in an exciting pre-licensure nursing program that is rapidly becoming a national model.
Our graduates leave the program well prepared to assume roles as faculty and scientists. Because of the School's national prominence, graduates find that the degree confers respect and credibility among future employers and funding agencies. You will find graduates of OHSU's Ph.D. program in nursing as nurse scientists, nurse educators, and leaders in nursing education and practice
We offer a strong, diverse program at a school recognized nationally for excellence. The OHSU School of Nursing is ranked among the top 10 graduate schools of nursing in the country.Applicants can apply to this program as Post Baccalaureates, Post Master's, or Post Doctoral candidates:
Post Baccalaureate to Ph.D. (B.S.-Ph.D.) Pathway
The post-baccalaureate doctoral program is a mentored graduate program leading to the doctor of philosophy degree in nursing. The program is designed to support baccalaureate prepared nurses who wish to be nurse scientists. The program will provide the doctoral education needed to be able to launch their post-doctoral research programs early in their nursing careers.Post-master's Pathway
The post-master's doctoral program takes nursing to the next level with research and faculty mentorship that leads to the doctor of philosophy degree in nursing. It is designed to support master's prepared nurses who wish to be nurse scientists. The program will provide the doctoral education needed to be able to launch their post-doctoral teaching and research programs early in their nursing careers.
Post Doctoral Pathway
Ph.D. Funding Opportunities:
The GAANN teaching fellowship makes it possible for nursing Ph.D. students to gain advanced preparation in nursing education in addition to their research training in nursing science. The goal of this fellowship program is to enlarge the pool of nurse scientists who are also educated in pedagogical research and theory. It is our expectation that this project will prepare a cadre of graduates uniquely prepared to assume the full academic faculty role that encompasses teaching and conducting research in a School of Nursing.
The Hartford Center of Geriatric Nursing Excellence provides scholarship funds for post baccalaureate to Ph.D. students and provides a gerontology focused faculty mentor to provide individual guidance and support throughout your program of study.
The Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity (BAGNC) Pre-doctoral Scholarship ($100,000) and the Claire M. Fagin Fellowship ($120,000) awards:
Both support nurses committed to careers in academic geriatric nursing. Thanks to The Mayday Fund the BAGNC program provides an additional $5,000 award to selected scholar and fellow candidates whose research includes the study of pain in the elderly.
Symptom Management Fellowships for Doctoral and Postdoctoral Nursing Students: This traineeship program emphasizes individual symptom management in the context of families and requires funded doctoral students to conduct research that will examine a wide variety of symptoms and disease states. Currently, OHSU nurse researchers are evaluating symptoms associated with antiretroviral therapy, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, immediate and late effects of cancer treatment, dementia, urine leakage, fatigue in chronic heart failure, headache, dyspnea, heartburn, musculoskeletal pain, and arthritis. The ultimate goal of this fellowship opportunity is to train researchers capable of developing and testing interventions that support optimal individual and family functioning in the context of illness.
Graduate Partnership Training Program in Biobehaviorial Research National Institute of Nursing Researchoffers the Graduate Partnership Training Program in Biobehavioral Research, with a consortium of universities that includes the Oregon Health and Science University School of Nursing.
