Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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Preparing Nurse Scientists for Research Leadership in Health Care

Application Available: 

September 1-November 1

Program Start:

Yearly, each fall

Program Length: 

4 years full-time
Part-time study available  

Program Delivery:

On-campus

The University of Texas at Austin School of Nursing Doctoral program prepares students to become researchers and to assume advanced leadership roles in nursing and health care delivery. A combination of conceptual approaches, challenging interactions in seminar discussions, and work with active researchers produces a stimulating environment for scholarly development.

Each student selects a focus area based on their nursing background, interests, and goals. The focus area provides a broad structure for the student's individualized course of study. Courses from nursing and from non-nursing disciplines offer options for tailoring the program of study to a student's particular focus area. The program is designed to help students identify a dissertation topic, apply for research funding, and begin a lifelong research career.

Program Objectives

  1. Conduct research to advance knowledge and practice in nursing and healthcare.
  2. Develop, test, and refine theories for nursing and healthcare.
  3. Participate as a scholar in the advancement of theoretical, ethical, and practice aspects of nursing and healthcare.
  4. Participate as a scholar in transdisciplinary teams to advance the science of nursing and healthcare.
  5. Assume leadership roles in practice, education, and policy arenas to promote high quality and innovative health care, especially in underserved populations.
  6. Accept responsibility and accountability for disseminating knowledge.

Doctoral Program Highlights

  1. UT Austin offers unique opportunities for interdisciplinary study (doctoral portfolio programs) in fields such as gerontology, Mexican American studies, and women's studies.
  2. Internationally recognized nursing faculty with more than $10 million in NIH research funding.
  3. Thirteen of the current 26 graduate nursing faculty are Fellows in the prestigious American Academy of Nursing.
  4. Nursing faculty at UT Austin have diverse backgrounds in preparation and experience.
  5. The doctoral program emphasizes development of a sound foundation in nursing science.
  6. Participation in faculty research projects is an integral part of the doctoral program.

Course of Study

The PhD program prepares nurse researchers to make significant contributions to nursing knowledge and nursing practice through ongoing scientific inquiry and the dissemination of research findings.

Program requirements for the PhD in Nursing include core courses and other courses to ensure preparation in a focused area of study. 

Program Planning Resources
All documents are provided in PDF format.

Financial Support

PhD Fellowship: Applicants who submit a complete application by the November 1 deadline and are admitted to the PhD program will be considered for a one-year fellowship. Applicants admitted after November 1 may also be considered for financial support, subject to availability. Fellowship awards range from $7,000 - $25,000, based on admission scores and full-time or part-time enrollment status. Competitive continuing fellowships are available after year one, based on timely academic progression and scholarly activities. 

Scholarships and Employment Opportunities: Scholarship opportunities (usually $1,000-$2,000) may be available yearly through the School of Nursing. Doctoral students may work as Research Assistants, Teaching Assistants, and Assistant Instructors. These appointments have tuition and benefits assistance based on appointment hours/week.

Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP): US citizen and permanent resident doctoral students may apply for the NFLP, a loan-cancellation program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Health Professions. This program allows nursing schools to provide financial loans to students enrolled in advanced degree nursing programs and who intend to teach in a nursing program after graduation. This is not a need-based loan program; however, students must complete a FAFSA. For more information, visit UT Financial and Administrative Services - Nursing Faculty Loan Services page.

Admission Requirements

All students interested in applying for graduate study in Nursing at the University of Texas at Austin must meet the admission requirements established by the University’s Graduate School and the School of Nursing. Applicants are expected to be graduates of accredited colleges or universities. Below are the minimum requirements for admission.

  1. Degree: A bachelor's or a master's degree in nursing from an acceptable accredited program or a comparable degree from a foreign academic institution.
  2. GPA: 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) or comparable GPA in upper-division work (junior- and senior- level courses) and in any graduate work complete.
  3. Recommendations: 3 required
  4. Statement of Purpose
  5. Curriculum Vitae/resume
  6. Nursing License: Current RN licensure, if admitted.

Application Procedures

Application for Admission

All students applying for formal admission to the PhD program must complete the online application and submit the below application materials.

Complete online application using the Graduate School Application for Admission and pay the application fee. 

  • Select the next available fall start date.
  • The application is only open between September 1st and November 1st.
  • The online application is data entry only.
  • All supporting application documents are uploaded on the My Status page, approximately 72 hours after the application is submitted and paid.

*Recommendation: Complete the online application, at minimum, 2 weeks before the November 1 deadline, ensuring all documents are provided by the application deadline.

Supporting Documents

  1. Official transcripts dated one year or less, from all four-year institutions attended.
  2. Official transcripts dated one year or less, for Associate's Degree in Nursing (ADN), if applicable. See PhD Application Checklist (PDF) for transcript upload procedures.
  3. Curriculum Vitae/resume.
  4. Personal Statement: Maximum two (2) pages. Readable font, 12-point, double spaced, 1-inch margins)
  5. Recommendations: 3 required / 3 maximum
    1. Written recommendations are not accepted.
    2. Using our secure, personalized form, three (3) professional recommendations that attest to the applicant's academic ability, professional competency and personal character must be submitted electronically by each recommender.
  6. Official TOEFL or IELTS scores taken within the past two years (for International Applicants only). See the International Students webpage for English language requirements.

Acceptance to Graduate Programs in Nursing

The School of Nursing Graduate Admissions and Progression Committee (GAPC) begin preliminary admission reviews after the November 1st deadline. All application materials are required to be submitted by the program’s application deadline; files that remain incomplete will not be reviewed or acted upon by GAPC.

If admitted, applicants will be notified of the admission decision by March. Decisions are communicated in the following ways:

  1. Offers of admission are sent via email by the School of Nursing.
  2. Official e-letters from the Graduate and International Admission Center notifying you of the admission decision of the Office of Graduate Studies are available on the application Status Check page.

If not admitted, applicants will be notified by the GIAC only.

NOTE: Email is the official means of communication for all university business.

For questions, please email the Graduate Student Services Office at nugrad@nursing.utexas.edu.