PhD Admission
Successful applicants will meet the following admission criteria and submit the following application materials prior to the application deadline. The application deadline is November 15th of each year, and admitted students will enter the PhD Program the following May.
PhD Admission Criteria
- Earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing or a Master of Science degree in nursing from an ACEN, NLNAC, or CCNE accredited program
- Baccalaureate cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or a master's degree cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is required (MSN GPA supersedes BSN GPA)
- Have completed graduate level preparation in statistics (3 credit hours with a grade of B (3.0) or higher) (Applicable only to applicants to the MSN-PhD track)
- Possess an unencumbered RN license in your state of practice (not applicable to international students)
PhD Application Packet Materials
All applicants will submit the online PhD application and the following supporting materials:
- Official transcripts from all prior earned degrees and all prior completed college coursework
- Competitive scores on the verbal, quantitative, and analytic sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- Letter of support from a School of Nursing faculty member that indicates congruency between faculty and applicant's research interest and willingness of the faculty member to serve as applicant’s research mentor
- Three references indicating ability to succeed in the PhD program, including at least one from a nurse faculty member who has knowledge of the applicant's academic ability
- Personal statement indicating immediate and long-range professional goals and a proposed area of research; 2-3 pages in length
- Evidence of the capacity for original scholarship and research in nursing, as demonstrated by reports, published and unpublished papers, or a thesis.
- Current resume or CV
- Copy of your current, unencumbered RN license and any certifications held
- Departmental Questions form
- If applicant’s native language is not English, submission of proof of English proficiency by taking the "Test of English as a Foreign Language" (TOEFL)
All qualified applicants will be invited to participate in a formal admission interview with PhD faculty.
All application materials should be sent to the Graduate Advisor for Doctoral Programs by November 15th:
Graduate Advisor for Doctoral Programs
Indiana University School of Nursing
Center for Academic Affairs
600 Barnhill Drive, Room NU147
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5107
For more information about the PhD program or the admission criteria, please contact:
Graduate Advisor for Doctoral Programs
Phone: (317) 274-2806
Last updated April 2018
