Ph.D. Application Process & Instructions

Academic Year 2008-2009

APPLICATION PROCESS

The School of Nursing welcomes applications to its Doctoral program. If you have additional questions after reviewing the following instructions please contact the School as detailed at the end of this document.

The School of Nursing prefers to admit students for the fall semester each year.  However; students may be admitted in spring semester if cohort openings remain following the fall admissions cycle. Applications and all required documents (outlined below) should be completed and received in the appropriate UNC office by the deadline to be considered for admission. Only complete applications containing all required documents are submitted to the Admissions Committee for review.

Students in the Ph.D. Program in Nursing may be enrolled for full-time or part-time study. Full-time study requires enrolling in nine credits (typically three courses) per semester. Part-time study requires enrolling in three to six credits per semester. Students may work while enrolled in the program to the extent that the student’s academic progression is not compromised. However, in accordance with School of Nursing policy, full-time graduate students employed by the University may work no more than 50 percent (20 hours/week) while actively engaged in coursework.

PROGRAM PREREQUISITES

Students with a variety of nursing backgrounds may apply to the Ph.D. program. Additional prerequisites may be required depending on the previous degrees held.

1. Applicants with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from an NLN-accredited School of Nursing who present an exceptional academic record may apply directly to the Ph.D. program without having completed a Master of Science in Nursing degree. Applicants without a Master’s degree in nursing are required, in the first year of Ph.D. level coursework, to complete 15 semester credits in Master’s level coursework to include content in: nursing theory, scientific research methods, statistics, and graduate level didactic content of clinical practice course(s).
2. Applicants holding a BSN and a Master’s degree in a field other than nursing, who have completed courses containing the content noted above may pursue exemption from repeating this content in the Ph.D. program. A transcript validating completion of the equivalent course(s) and a syllabus for each course submitted for exemption consideration are required for review.
3. Applicants with a Master of Science in Nursing degree from an NLN-accredited School of Nursing, and have no additional coursework required if the content listed above was completed as part of the applicant’s MSN program. Students who have completed an RN to MSN program and are without a bachelor’s degree in any field may need to submit additional documentation about the curriculum of their RN to MSN program. Please contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services for details.

INSTRUCTIONS FOR APPLICATION

This document contains instructions for the application process (the UNC-Chapel Hill Graduate School Application and School of Nursing Supplemental Application are integrated into one online application).

APPLICATION MATERIALS

Submission of the following application materials is required by the published deadline. The Graduate School’s minimum requirements for admission to the Ph.D. program are explained where appropriate.

1. Transcripts of Undergraduate and Graduate Education: Two official transcripts must be submitted from each college/university attended since high school. Competitive applicants will present a grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in the major courses of their undergraduate nursing program. Applicants with a master’s degree in nursing are expected to have earned a 3.5 cumulative grade point average in graduate coursework.
2. Graduate Record Examination (GRE): The GRE must be taken within five years of application. To ensure scores reach the school by the application deadline, applicants should take the GRE no later than three weeks prior to the deadline. Competitive applicants will achieve verbal and quantitative sections scores in the 50% percentile or above.  Applicants who hold an earned professional doctorate in a field other than nursing may request a waiver of the GRE. 
3. Letters of Recommendation: Three letters of reference are required. Favorable recommendations should be submitted by at least three academicians or researchers familiar with your intellectual ability, academic achievement, research potential, and professional commitment. At least one of these individuals should hold an earned doctorate. Additional references from employers may be submitted.
   
   Recommendations may be submitted online or using the traditional method. The application asks the applicants to list the name and email address of all selected recommenders. The application system will then send the recommender a standard message requesting a letter of reference for the applicant. The recommender may either create the reference and return it via email to the application system as instructed, or send the letter via USPS to the School. If the latter method is chosen, the reference letter may only be submitted on the form provided in the Graduate School application with each reference submitted separately in a sealed envelope bearing the recommender’s signature across the back flap.
4. Statement of Goals and Research Interests : You are asked to write a two-part essay as follows. It is most important that you address each bulleted item noted and format the document as requested.
   
   In part 1, tell the Admissions Committee about your background:
   • How has your educational background prepared you for doctoral study? (As part of your response, please itemize here which of your courses offered content on theory, research design, and statistics, and which courses included didactic content of clinical work).
   • What personal and/or academic strengths and weaknesses do you have that may affect your doctoral studies?
   • What particular experiences in the professional, clinical, leadership, or research realms have prepared you for doctoral study?
   • What are the issues you expect to face in making the transition to doctoral study, and how do you plan to handle them?
   • How will having a PhD impact your career path?

   In part 2, discuss your research interests.  Provide a brief, referenced review of the literature about your research topic that supports it as an area that requires further study.  Provide detail concerning your prior work on the topic, if you have any, and how you plan to build on this earlier effort during doctoral study.  The doctoral program at this School of Nursing is a research-oriented program.  Selecting a research topic is something you need to do prior to entering the program. You may change, modify or enlarge your topic during your study, but having a research idea is the first step toward a successful doctoral education.
   
   Additionally, please identify who among the School of Nursing faculty seems to you to be a good match for your research interests. A listing of Doctoral Faculty is available on the School’s web site.
   
   Each part of the essay should be approximately two double-spaced, typed pages.  Please include references on a separate page.

5. A copy of your current Curriculum Vitae or Resume. This document should detail your career path, explaining any gap in employment greater than one year.
6. Manuscript Examples of Scholarly Work for Which you are First or Second Author: First authorship is preferred. Manuscripts may include a published paper, unpublished paper, a completed research project, or a thesis. Submission of one full-length manuscript or report of completed or ongoing research is encouraged. Additionally, a course paper is acceptable. If these are not available, a 2-5 page paper examining a clinical problem or issue critical to the profession may be submitted. Manuscripts will be evaluated on the importance of the topic, the appropriateness of the approach taken, flow, clarity, and correct use of language.


7. The Doctoral Executive Committee is implementing new standards for the content and recency of graduate level statistics courses. Additional details will follow.  Until posted at this site, please contact the Office of Admissions and Student Services for details (919.966.4260)

INTERVIEW
All applicants are interviewed by a doctoral faculty member.  The interview is conducted in person or by telephone depending on the applicant’s geographical location.  The interview is an opportunity for both parties to clarify information submitted in the application portfolio and further explore applicant fit to the program.  

BASIS FOR DECISIONS
Admission to the doctoral program is necessarily a selective process. Meeting the criteria does not ensure admission. Using an objective review procedure, the Admissions Committee selects candidates to recommend to the Dean of The Graduate School for admission. The Committee considers the quality of performance in previous undergraduate and graduate study, success in previous employment and other pertinent experiences, and personal qualifications including suitability for advanced study and research. The Admissions Committee weighs the applicant’s accomplishments and potential for success in the program. Diversity in student backgrounds and scholarly interests is desired. In its deliberations, the Admissions Committee may make exceptions to some requirements for applicants who are otherwise outstanding and hold great promise.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Nursing is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, national origin, age, religion, sexual preference, or handicap. Members of racial or ethnic minority groups and males are encouraged to apply.

NOTIFICATION OF DECISION
The Admissions Committee only reviews complete applications. Your application portfolio is not deemed complete until all application materials are received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that application materials have been received by the appropriate office and the application file is complete by the posted deadline. Contact the Office of Admissions & Student Services with all application concerns.

The School of Nursing and Dean of The Graduate School will notify you in writing of your outcome as soon as decisions are rendered.  To ensure we utilize the correct address, please notify the Office of Admissions & Student Services in the School of Nursing, (919) 966-4260, and The Graduate School, (919) 966-2611, of any change in contact information once your application is submitted. Please submit changes to name, mailing address or email address via your home page within the online application system and notify the graduate admissions office in the School of Nursing via email of the change.

Revised 063008