Ways to Study
- On-Campus
- The PhD program is a research-focused doctoral program in Nursing.
- Students in the PhD program may only enroll for full-time study, which is defined as at least nine credit hours (typically three courses) per semester.
- In accordance with School of Nursing policy, PhD students who are not supported by T32 funding and employed by the University may work no more than 50 percent (20 hours/week) while actively engaged in coursework. PhD students supported by T32 funding are restricted to 10 hours per week of outside work.
To be eligible for the PhD program, you must meet the following:
Academic Criteria
- An area of research interest that matches those of at least two School of Nursing faculty members
- Education Requirements: The minimum education requirement for all applicants is the Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from a ACEN or CCNE accredited School of Nursing in the US or an international equivalent. The bachelor’s degree in nursing must have been earned prior to matriculation in the PhD program. In addition to the BS degree, applicants may have earned a masters degree in nursing or a master’s degree in another field, but a master’s degree is not required. Applicants who have completed an RN to MSN program and are without an earned bachelor’s degree in any field may need to submit additional documentation about the curriculum of their specific RN to MSN program (please contact Office of Student Affairs for details, at nursing@unc.edu).
- All applicants must be admissible to all previously attended colleges/universities. If you have been declared academically ineligible and therefore unable to return to any previous institutions, you must contact that institution and seek documentation that reinstates your eligibility or your application cannot undergo review. Copies of ALL correspondence regarding your reinstatement request must be submitted in the application. Additionally, if your final institutional cumulative GPA is below 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale), please upload documentation of your eligibility to return to that particular institution on your application in the Supplemental Questions section under Supplemental Documents.
Non-Academic Criteria
Obtaining a degree from Carolina Nursing requires students to engage in diverse and complex experiences directed at acquiring and practicing skills and functions essential to the profession of nursing. Candidates for Carolina Nursing degrees must be able to meet the following minimum standards: