Overview
Applications are reviewed by both the University of Utah Office of Graduate Admissions and the College of Nursing. Successful applicants must meet the minimum admission requirements for, and be accepted by, both the graduate school and the College of Nursing.
Admission to the University of Utah College of Nursing PhD program is competitive. The College of Nursing graduate programs admits students once a year. Admission cannot be guaranteed to all individuals who meet the minimum admission criteria. The following are the minimum requirements needed to apply for the PhD program.
General Requirements
- Completed graduate admissions application. Apply HERE. (As part of the application process, official transcripts from ALL previous institutions of higher education attended must be sent to the University of Utah Office of Graduate Admissions)
- A current copy of resume or curriculum vitae
- Three (3) professional references
- Original written statement of research goals and interests for doctoral study to provide evidence of a match with the research expertise and interests of one or more prospective College of Nursing faculty mentors
- Sample of professional writing (such as a manuscript, report or thesis - preferably published; employment-related writing may be submitted)
- Verification of licensure as an RN or APRN in at least one of the jurisdictions of the National Council State Boards of Nursing (if applicable)
- An interview conducted by two College of Nursing faculty
- Highly qualified applicants with strong potential who match faculty research interests.
ESL Students
- TOEFL PBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score 550 or higher (600 is recommended) or 80 or higher on the Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT)
Track-Specific Requirements
BS-PhD Track
Applicants to the BS-PhD track should have the following qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree (BSN, BS) from an accredited nursing program with a major in nursing
- Recommended undergraduate GPA of a 3.3/4.0 or higher
MS-PhD Track
Applicants to the traditional PhD (MS-PhD) track should have the following qualifications:
- Master's degree with a major in nursing; individuals with a master's degree in other fields will be considered.
- Recommended graduate GPA of 3.5/4.0 or higher
Additional Requirements
Once an applicant has been offered preliminary admission to the University of Utah Graduate School and the College of Nursing, the following post-admission process must be completed before students will be fully matriculated into the PhD program:
- Meet all hardware requirements and distance software technology requirements.
- Compliance with clinical area health documentation requirements (if applicable)