The mission of the PhD program is to educate future nurse scientists, educators, and health care leaders. We offer three routes to the PhD-for BSN, MSN and DNP prepared nurses.
The College of Nursing now offers a DNP to PhD option!
For more information, see the Curriculum section below.
Individualized education in a challenging, supportive setting is at the heart of the PhD program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. You’ll benefit from a program of study designed to reflect your unique interests and meet your career goals, with small classes and a committed faculty whose members value community, quality, innovation, and accessibility. You’ll also become part of an exciting community of scholars engaged in nursing research and scholarly writing. Doctoral students regularly present papers and posters at meetings, publish in scholarly journals, and contribute chapters to faculty-edited books.
An advantage of pursuing the doctorate at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is access to the rich resources of one of the top research institutions in the nation. PhD students are taught by, and work collaboratively with, nationally and internationally prominent researchers in nursing and many other disciplines. Key research foci of the college are technology, symptom science, caregiving, and translation science. Certificate programs are offered in nursing education and health policy. Both full-time and part-time options are available. The faculty is committed to quality, innovation, accessibility, and mentoring.
Admissions
Find information on admission policies, deadlines and requirements on our Graduate Admissions page.
Application Deadline
The PhD Program has extended their application deadline to Wednesday, February 15, 2023 for the 2023 admissions cycle. Clinical Graduate Certificates (FNP, PMHNP, Acute Care and Primary Care PNP) admit only for the summer, and DNP and PhD Programs admit only for the fall each year. Applications for the Non-clinical Graduate Certificates (Health Policy, Health Informatics, Nurse Education) are accepted on a rolling basis. The priority application deadline must be met for the BSN-DNP, Nurse Anesthesia Program, the Clinical Graduate Certificates and for consideration for any scholarships or fellowships offered by the University or College.
All prospective College of Nursing students must apply online through UT Graduate Admissions. All application materials including transcripts must be submitted directly to Graduate Admissions prior to the application deadline. Please check with UT Graduate Admissions for information about when applications will open for the next recruiting cycle.
Program Features
- Opportunity to work with nationally and internationally prominent nurse scientists and scholars from other disciplines, including public health and education
- State-of-the-art simulation lab for research in instructional technology and innovative clinical education and research
- Equal emphasis on both qualitative and quantitative research
- Opportunity to receive substantial financial support through fellowships from the Graduate School and the College of Nursing
- Blended curriculum delivery* through distance technology, with two on-campus sessions per semester
- Optional certification in nursing education or health policy
- Full-time or part-time options
- Option for cognates/ minors/concentrations
- Colloquium, a time for PhD and DNP students and faculty to share and discuss topics of interest
- Distinguished faculty with diverse fields of research
*600-level nursing courses in the PhD and DNP programs are offered in a flexible blended format with two coordinated on-site face-to-face course sessions per term complemented with live online group and collaborative discussions and activities; structured asynchronous individual, group, and self-directed work; and individual guidance, mentoring, and advising.
Questions?
| PhD Program Chair | Graduate Programs Advisor |
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