Minimum Requirements for the PhD Program
The applicant must:
- The Ph.D. in Nursing Program is a cooperative program with the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The Ph.D. curriculum is taught using traditional face-to-face seminars and Web-enhanced learning opportunities that include synchronous and asynchronous learning. In addition to courses taught by nursing faculty, students also enroll in courses with students admitted to other Ph.D. programs administered by the College of Graduate Health Sciences.
- Submit an application.
- Request all official transcripts from previously attended college(s)/university be mailed to The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Office of Enrollment Services. Information on the American Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines will be provided upon request.
- Hold or be eligible for an unrestricted RN license in Tennessee.
- Have earned a minimum of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university. If the baccalaureate degree is in Nursing, it must be from a program accredited by a national level body responsible for nursing accreditation. If the baccalaureate degree is not in nursing, the applicant may be admitted with the requirement of successful completion of prerequisite courses in the College of Nursing prior to enrolling in the MSN courses. Students will complete the Ph.D. courses after completion of MSN courses.
- Applicants admitted to the Ph.D. in Nursing Program are students in the College of Graduate Health Sciences. However, inquiries and questions about the program should be sent to Dr. Jim Pruett, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, at jpruett@utmem.edu or 1.901.448.6125.
- If an applicant to the Ph.D. program does not enter the College of Graduate Health Sciences in the semester in which admission is requested, the student may enter at the beginning of any of the next two semesters. Once admitted and registered, the student is expected to maintain continuous enrollment, unless permission is given for interrupted registration.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
- Have a Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) combined score totaling at least 1,000 for the verbal and quantitative sections.
- Submit three (3) references from graduate prepared nurses or faculty members who can address the applicant's qualifications for graduate study. This includes the applicant’s potential or ability for functioning in the research role (clinical skills, critical thinking, independent decision making, collaborative skills with other health professionals, and nursing leadership). Applicants currently enrolled in a nursing program must submit at least one (1) reference from a faculty member in that program.
International Students
International applicants must present:
- a complete and accurate chronological outline of all previous education;
- authorized college or university records, with certified translations if the records are in a language other than English;
- evidence of financial resources sufficient to provide the student with adequate support during the period of registration as a student;
- evidence of proficiency in English; and
- documentation that the student can provide transportation from his/her country to The University of Tennessee Health Science Center and return.
Any applicant to the graduate program whose first language is not English and who has earned neither a bachelor's nor a master's degree from a college or university in an English-speaking country must have achieved a TOEFL score of at least 213 (earned within two years prior to application) on the computer-based exam.
Any applicant to the College of Graduate Health Sciences whose first language is not English but who has earned a baccalaureate or master's degree from a college or university in an English-speaking country where instruction was in English may be exempted from the requirement for the TOEFL examination. If there is cause to doubt the student's proficiency in English, programs may, at their discretion, require additional examinations and/or other evidence of proficiency prior to registration. UT Health Science Center policies require that individuals, including graduate students appointed as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) who teach in UT Health Science Center programs, must be certified by the program chair as being proficient in the English language.
Academic Standards
These admission requirements are consistent with the criteria for admission to the College of Graduate Health Sciences of The University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Academic standards include admission process, admission requirements, and all policies governing the progression and graduation of students.
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