About the Program
The PhD in Nursing Science program prepares scholars for research and academic careers in major universities and for research positions in public or private sectors of health care.
Students work full time with faculty mentors who guide and oversee their educational program from admission through completion of degree requirements. They engage weekly in synchronous classes and intensive research experiences connected with faculty research projects, Vanderbilt’s research-focus program exposes students to a variety of research designs and analytic techniques. All students take core courses related to both health services and clinical research.
Research is organized into main signature areas:
- Acute and Chronic Illness (pain management, cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer; sleep and substance use disorders)
- Maternal and Child Health (pregnancy outcomes; mother, infant, child and family health)
Requirements for the degree include successful completion of advanced course work, qualifying examination and dissertation. Students are only accepted for full-time study and only if the school has faculty that work in the student’s desired area of research.