Become a Leader in Nursing Research
The UW–Madison School of Nursing is a special place to pursue a PhD degree. Our PhD students have access to the vast resources of a world-class research institution, but also establish a close-knit community that fosters long-lasting, collegial relationships.
The PhD degree is intended for aspiring researchers with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) or master of science (MS).
Our PhD Students
- Participate in their faculty mentor’s research beginning their first semester.
- Full-time students receive tuition remission plus a monthly stipend with employment as a graduate assistant for up to four years of study.
- Lead their own research to advance nursing and improve health.
- Advance into research leadership roles at major universities, large health care systems, government, and industry.
Our PhD Program Features
- Nationally renowned faculty and award-winning senior nurse scientists.
- Individualized mentorship (2–5 students per PhD faculty mentor).
- Cutting-edge research.
- Interdisciplinary research collaborators.
- Internal Nursing Research and Sponsored Programs office that provides support for grant writing, award management, research design and statistical support, and stakeholder engagement.
The school is the preeminent nursing research institution in Wisconsin and a fundamental part of the state’s health care system. We endeavor to better lives throughout Wisconsin’s hospitals, clinics, schools, homes, and communities.
"The most valuable parts of my experience at UW–Madison have been the incredible mentoring and opportunities. I have been able to travel and present at national and international conferences, have received funding for a pilot study, and have attended many professional development events."
Jessica Rainbow, PhD '18
About Our PhD Program
The PhD program prepares researchers to develop, evaluate, and disseminate new knowledge in nursing and health science.
At UW–Madison, students actively engage in research early in their PhD programs. The UW–Madison campus offers opportunities for interdisciplinary training. Located near the School of Medicine and Public Health, the School of Pharmacy, and UW Hospital and Clinics, the School of Nursing is well positioned for collaboration across health care professions. Our faculty, staff, and students work together with scientists and renowned scholars across the UW–Madison campus, the nation, and the world.
Program Basics
Delivery: In person
Credits: 58
Program Length: 3-5 years
Tuition: Tuition remission with graduate assistantship
Eligible Applicants: BSN or MS degree holders
Why Research at UW–Madison
A faculty mentor with similar research interests or methodologies will be key to your success in our PhD program. Our faculty have a wide variety of research interests and work closely with their PhD students.
What Students and Alumni Say About the PhD Program
Nadeen Alshakhsir: A Welcoming PhD in Nursing Program
Nadeen Sami Alshakhshir, PhD’24, MSN, RN, an alumna of the PhD in nursing program, shares how she felt welcomed coming into the School of Nursing from a different country and culture.
Diana Love: Championing Inclusive Healthcare Education
Diana Love, PhD ’24, RN, a seasoned public health nurse and passionate advocate, dedicated her career to serving queer and trans communities and addressing the unique challenges they face in medical settings. Diana shares her journey from clinical practice to academia.
Caitlin Conway: Discovering a Passion for Nursing Research
Caitlin Conway, a PhD student at the UW–Madison School of Nursing, shares how she went from thinking research wasn’t right for her to enrolling in the PhD program.
PhD Alumni Leadership & Careers
School of Nursing Alumna Named Dean of College of Nursing and Health Sciences at UW–Eau Claire
Dr. Kristen Abbott-Anderson, an alumna of the UW–Madison School of Nursing, was recently named the new dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
Where Are They Now? Q&A with Treenut Pummanee, PhD'14
Treenut Pummanee, PhD'14, shares about her nursing journey, why she chose UW–Madison, and her advice for current and future nursing students.
Following Her Calling
A conversation with Sarah Brzozowski, PhD'21, who currently works as the Director of Magnet and Nursing Excellence at UW Health.
PhD Curriculum
Overview & Core Courses
The PhD program is in-person for students to engage in scholarly inquiry and conduct research side-by-side with faculty and peers.
Our program requires a minimum of 58 credits and is designed to be completed in 3–5 years.
Students complete core courses in the following areas:
- Nursing Scholarship
- Research Design, Methods, & Statistics
- Electives in Nursing Science
- Legal, Ethical and Social Concerns in Nursing Research
Students must also:
- Complete a PhD minor through intentional and collaborative coursework outside of nursing.
- Participate in research groups or guided research experiences, and an independent dissertation study.
Sample Programs and Learning Outcomes
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Nursing Scholarship: 12 credits min
N705 Seminar in Interdisciplinary Clinical Research Evidence (3 credits): Exploration of interdisciplinary clinical research questions including strategies for assessing the evidence and methodology for conducting various types of literature reviews. An interdisciplinary perspective is emphasized throughout the course.
N801 Theory in Nursing Research (2 credits): Examination of middle-range theory, micro-theory, and conceptual frameworks and their application in nursing science, with emphasis on critique and selection or development of a theory / framework to guide the student’s research.
N815 Knowledge Development in Nursing (3 credits): Examination of the history of the discipline of nursing, with emphasis on the evolution of debates regarding what is known and how it is known
N816 Proseminar in Nursing Research (total 4 credits: 1 credit x 4 semesters): Focus on professional development and socialization to the role of nurse scientist. Discussion emphasizes career development planning including traditional and alternative roles for PhD-prepared nurses, and current and emerging topics of importance to nursing science. The planned and ongoing research of graduate students and faculty in nursing will be featured as relevant.
Research Design, Methods, & Statistics: 16 credits min
N706 Nursing Research (3 credits): Examines a variety of research methods available to address health care problems and issues in general, and nursing in particular.
N803 Qualitative Methods (3 credits): Focuses on how to conduct qualitative research. Content addresses the philosophical underpinnings of various interpretive qualitative methodologies assist in matching the best method to particular research questions. Engage in research procedures associated with various qualitative traditions.
N804 Quantitative Methods (4 credits):
Focuses on the conduct of research primarily from empirical, analytical traditions. Address the integration of research paradigms, questions, designs, and methods for such research. Compare details, characteristics, strengths and limitations of alternative research designs and methods. Discuss issues and standards for preparing research proposals for different purposes (e.g., institutional review boards for human subjects, NIH) to advance the nursing discipline.
Graduate Statistics (6 credits)
Electives in Nursing Science: 6 credits min
N590 Contemporary Practices in Nursing (1-4 credits): Health problems and their nursing management (e.g., Chronic Illness Management, Symptom & Self- Management Science, LGBTI Health)
N805 Measurement in Health Research (3 credits): Major issues in developing, testing, and using research instruments, including links between concepts, variables, and measures; theories of measurement and scaling, including reliability and validity testing; and using measures in research.
N818 Patient-Centered Research (3 credits): Addresses conceptual and methodological perspectives in how patient-centered research and family-centered care research is conducted, from the development through the testing and implementation of interventions. Attention is given to various conceptualizations of patient-centeredness, to the behavioral and physiological origins of patient-centered interventions, family-centered care interventions, and to the trajectory of testing such interventions, from descriptive studies to experimental trials.
N819 Clinical Research Practicum (3 credits): A field experience in preparation for conducting clinical research in the health care setting that corresponds to a chosen health problem, phenomenon, or population of interest. Engage as participants and observers in the care setting to deepen your knowledge of the selected health problem and to examine the application of theory and research in the care setting. Negotiate a field experience with a selected agency or institution. Includes discussion of instructional experiences and issues.
N847 Health Policy Practicum (3 credits): Provides a policy field experience that corresponds to a targeted focus area, phenomenon, or population of interest. Negotiate a policy experience with a selected agency or institution. Analyze relevant policies to your population of interest and actively influence the design, development, and implementation of a policy. Examine strategies to accelerate policy adoption and implementation.
Legal, Ethical and Social Concerns in Nursing Research - 6 credits min
N800 Health Equity in Nursing and Health Research (2 credits): Examination of key concepts in health disparities and health equity as they apply to nursing and related health research. Identification of structural and social determinants of equity that shape health at multiple levels, across the health and wellness continuum, in all health domains and throughout the life course. Emphasis on implications for the design, conduct, interpretation, and dissemination of nursing and health research.
N703 Health Care and Public Policy (3 credits) – or similar course: Provides a comprehensive overview of the U.S. healthcare system and policymaking process at the local, state, and federal levels, as well as an analysis of global health policies in other countries. Key policy issues covered include Medicare, Medicaid, the uninsured, public health, and healthcare reform. Addresses the role of key stakeholders, including policymakers, interest groups, and the media on the development of health policy, as well as key forces involved in policymaking, including economics, innovation, social, ethical, and political factors. Examine the role and responsibility of nurse leaders and the impact of health policy on nursing practice at the individual, community, and population level.
N802 Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research (1 credit): Ethical issues in the design, conduct and reporting of research are examined in the context of the nature of the scientific endeavor, the structure of the research community, and professional and federal guidelines for supporting scientific integrity and controlling misconduct.
Research/Dissertation: 9 credits min
N999/N990: Guided research, dissertation work, and participation in their faculty mentor’s research group (or another research group agreed upon with the mentor) each semester.
PhD Minor: 9 credits min
The purpose of the minor is to add breadth to a PhD major. Two minor options are available.
The Option A minor requires a minimum of 9 credits in a single department/major field of study. Examples of Option A minors include Women’s Studies, Sociology, Educational Psychology, Prevention Science, Industrial Engineering, and Business.
The Option B minor, or distributed minor, requires a minimum of 9 credits in one or more departments and can include coursework in the School of Nursing.
There are a number of certificate programs that can be used to fulfill the minor requirement. Some examples include:
- Bioinformatics
- Consumer Health Advocacy
- Fundamentals of Clinical Research
- Gender and Women’s Studies
- Gerontology
- Global Health
- Humans and the Global Environment
- Patient Safety
- Prevention and Intervention Science
- Clinical and Community Outcomes Research
PhD Request for Information
How to Apply
Eligibility Requirements
- A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an accredited (CCNE or NLN) program
- Undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on the last 60 credits of the most recent baccalaureate degree
- Three or four academic references from individuals who can speak to your scholarly activities, research capabilities, and potential for success in the doctoral program
- Two examples of original papers or other scholarly work
- Essay describing your reasons for pursuing a PhD, research interests, and career goals
English Proficiency
If your native language is not English and your undergraduate instruction was not in English, you need a minimum English proficiency test score:
- TOEFL = 580 (paper)/92 (internet-based)
- MELAB = 82
or - IELTS = 7
Please refer to the Graduate School for more information.
You are exempt if:
- English is the exclusive language of instruction at the undergraduate institution you attended.
- You earned a degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university within five years of your anticipated start date.
- Excluding ESL (English as a Second Language) courses, you have completed at least two full-time semesters of graded coursework in a U.S. college or university, or at an institution outside the U.S. where English is the exclusive language of instruction, not more than five years prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment.
Full-time students receive tuition remission, a monthly stipend, and eligibility for health insurance for the first four years of study. Students still pay segregated and other fees to the university.
Learn more about Graduate Assistant benefits and compensation rates.
All students are encouraged to apply for :
- External funding to support their training (i.e., NRSA and similar fellowships).
- Internal funding for graduate assistants.
Our program requires a minimum of 58 credits and can be completed in 3–4 years. Graduate school cost of attendance is based on a nine-month period.
Although the cost of attending UW–Madison will vary among all students, the university bases its financial aid awards on this budget: Graduate School Cost of Attendance.
Visit the Costs & Financial Aid page for full information about financial support.
Submit your online application and all required application materials by the following deadlines:
- Application opens: Early September
- Priority deadline for funding consideration: December 1
- Deadline for Fall (international applicants only): March 15
- Deadline for Spring: October 1
After the priority deadlines, completed applications will be considered for admission and financial awards as available.
Once you have submitted your application, you will be able to track the Graduate School’s and the School of Nursing’s receipt of your materials through the online status system.
When we have received all the required application materials, we give every application a complete and holistic review.
The faculty admissions committee reviews each candidate’s application and makes a recommendation about advancing to an interview. We schedule interviews with potential faculty advisors as part of the application process and can schedule online interviews for applicants.
We have limited funding to cover travel costs for the interview process. Funding for travel is decided on a first come, first serve basis.
We will continuously review completed applications from eligible candidates.
Submit these materials to the graduate school:
- UW–Madison graduate electronic application: Complete and submit online
- Official transcripts or academic records from all institutions attended. International academic records must be in the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Documents must be issued by the school with the official seal/stamp and an official signature. If you are currently completing a degree, you will need to provide a final transcript indicating your degree was awarded.
- Curriculum vitae or resume
- TOEFL, IELTS, or MELAB score (international students only)
- Three or four letters of recommendation: Provide names and contact information of references in your online application.
- Upload two examples of scholarly work that are related to nursing or health: We want to know more about your current thinking that is related to nursing or scholarship. Please share with us writing samples that you think would provide a good picture of your writing ability and thinking in these areas. Samples do not need to be previously published works. Samples could be a manuscript, paper written for a course, research report, essay, or a detailed description of a nursing program you developed and evaluated, with rationale.
- If you are submitting a writing sample with multiple authors, please provide a description of your role in the writing process and which part(s) you were responsible for writing.
- Your reasons for seeking a PhD in nursing: Please provide detailed responses to ALL of the following questions. Your statement must address ALL of the following in six (6) pages or less, double-spaced, PDF format:
- What are your motives in seeking a PhD in nursing? Include your career goals, future job/position you would like to pursue, as well as how getting a PhD in nursing could help you to meet your future goals and/or career pursuit.
- At this time, what topics or questions are you interested in studying? Among what group or population might your area of research include? Additionally, what are your reasons for choosing your research interest and subject group?
- What research experiences have you had? Please describe how these experiences may have prepared you for graduate school. If you have not had prior experience in research, then describe an experience in which you had to problem-solve your way to a good solution. How might this experience have prepared you for conducting research?
- What are your reasons for applying to the University of Wisconsin–Madison? Include in your reason(s) how earning a PhD in nursing at UW–Madison addresses your professional goals.
- Aligning student’s research interests with faculty expertise can be based on a topic, question, population, or type of research method used. Assuming that your ideas would develop and become refined in a PhD program, which researcher(s) at UW–Madison School of Nursing can you imagine yourself working with and why?
- Describe characteristics you are looking for in a faculty advisor and mentor?
The Early Entry PhD Option is an innovative program designed for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a research career.
With the assistance of a faculty advisory committee, early-entry students plan an individualized program of study and research. They draw on existing undergraduate and graduate courses in nursing and related disciplines. This option includes early and intensive research training, clinical practice, and required and recommended coursework.
Two degrees are awarded to students who complete this option:
- a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), granted by the UW–Madison School of Nursing
- a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), granted by the UW–Madison Graduate School
Connect with Us
If you have questions, would like to discuss visit options, or want to be connected with faculty members, please contact us. We are happy to arrange connections with current students as well. They can often provide special insight into the program, academic services, and life at the University and in Madison.
Kristine L. Kwekkeboom, PhD, RN, FAAN
Position title: Professor, Lillian S. Moehlman Bascom Professor in Nursing and PhD Program Director
Email:
kwekkeboom
Phone: 608-263-5168