2024-2025 Graduate Catalog 
    
    Sep 18, 2024  
2024-2025 Graduate Catalog

Nursing (Ph.D.)

Location(s): Online


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Program Coordinator/Contact

Cami Veire, Nursing Advisor / Graduate Specialist
Graduate Nursing
SDSU Sioux Falls Campus (STC)
2300 N Career Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57107
605-367-8400

Program Information

The Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing prepares nurse scientists to assume roles as health care researchers, faculty, and health care administrators with an emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention in under-served and rural populations. The Ph.D. program educates nurse scientists in academic, research, practice and policy roles to address healthcare issues in urban, rural, frontier, and reservation areas. The College of Nursing Ph.D. program is open to nurses and non-nurses who seek skills in research contributing to nursing and interdisciplinary science.

Course Delivery Format

Nursing courses are delivered online.

Program Competencies


The graduate of the Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing program will demonstrate the competencies:

  • Conduct original research relevant to the discipline of nursing.
  • Integrate nurse scholar and scientist role components of research, teaching, leadership, mentoring, and service to the profession.
  • Contribute to the advancement and dissemination of nursing science.

Student Learning Outcomes


  • Conduct original research: Conduct original research relevant to the discipline of nursing.
  • Integrate nurse scholar and scientist role: Integrate nurse scholar and scientist role components of research, teaching, leadership, mentoring, and service to the profession.
  • Contribute to advancement of nursing science: Contribute to the advancement and dissemination of nursing science.

Available Options for Graduate Degrees


Doctor of Philosophy 60 Credit Plan
  90 Credit Plan

Core Requirements


60 Credit Plan


Additional Admission Requirements


GRE: Not required
TOEFL: Score of 81 Internet-based
TOEFL Essentials: 8.5
IELTS: 6.5 total band
Duolingo: 110

In addition to meeting basic requirements for admission to the Graduate School, applicants for graduate study in nursing must have:

  • Example of scholarly written work.
  • Online written and verbal assessment completed through KIRA Talent, reviewed and scored by graduate faculty.
  • Completed Compliance requirements: Clear Background check, clear FBI rolled fingerprint

For applicants who completed their higher education within the United States:

  • Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program with a minimum cumulative preferred GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 point grading system.
  • Master’s degree from an accredited program or a related field of study with a minimum cumulative preferred GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 point grading system.

For applicants who completed their higher education outside the United States:

  • A degree deemed equivalent (by the World Education Service) to a bachelor’s degree (within the United States Education System) with a minimum cumulative preferred GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 point grading system.
  • A degree deemed equivalent (by the World Education Service) to a master’s or doctoral degree or a related field of study (within the United States Education System) with a minimum cumulative preferred GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 point grading system. 

General Requirements


Graduate students must consult with their advisor before registering for graduate coursework. For additional information, refer to the Doctor of Philosophy Degree Requirements .