Ph.D. Program
Preparing Nurse Science Leaders
Our Ph.D. program integrates science, theory, and research to educate the next generation of nurse scientists, educators, policy-makers, and practitioners.
Financial Support
100%
The Connell School fully funds every full-time Ph.D. student’s tuition, fees, and insurance for three years.
At a Glance
Curriculum
Knowledge development in nursing
Students build on their foundation in nursing science. Includes courses in philosophy of science, epistemology of nursing, and strategies for developing nursing knowledge.
Substantive nursing content
Challenges students to take what is currently known in nursing science and expand on it to address contemporary issues in health care. Includes courses in ethics, policy, and cognate courses in the student's area of focus.
Research methods
Prepares students to begin their program of research. Includes courses in qualitative and quantitative research methods, statistics, and research practica as well as dissertation advisement.
- Independent study
- Interdisciplinary colloquia
- Collaboration with a dissertation advisor
- Electives in research concentrations
- Clinical research in top-tier health centers in the Boston area
- Access to other graduate courses within Boston College
- Access to courses through a consortium with area research universities, including Tufts, Boston University, and Brandeis University.
A graduate of our program will be prepared to:
- Constructively critique and synthesize nursing and interdisciplinary knowledge within their area of inquiry relative to nursing science.
- Design, conduct, and disseminate innovative, rigorous, and ethically sound research that advances nursing science.
- Assume leadership roles and collaborate with other disciplines to address contemporary health care concerns.
- Use scholarly inquiry to generate and disseminate knowledge that facilitates humanization, advances the discipline, informs practice, and reshapes policy.
- Articulate the perspective of nursing in interdisciplinary dialogue for the common good of a diverse and global society.
Approved by Faculty Assembly, December 20, 2017
Fall Semester
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9806 | Philosophical Inquiry for Knowledge Development in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS9807 | Strategies for Knowledge Development in Nursing | 3 |
| NURS9808 | Research Design and Methods I | 3 |
| NURS9810 | Responsible Conduct of Research | 1 |
Spring Semester
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9712 | Integrative Review for Nursing Science | 3 |
| NURS9809 | Research Design and Methods II | 3 |
| NURSXXXX | Intermediate Statistics | 3 |
Fall Semester
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9751 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods | 3 |
| NURS9812 | Research Seminar: Developing the Purpose, Aims & Questions | 2 |
| Cognate / elective or Advanced Statistics | 3 | |
| Cognate / elective or Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
Spring Semester
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9716 | Healthcare Policy & Social Justice | 3 |
| NURS9813 | Research Seminar: Refining the Research Plan | 2 |
| NURS9901 | Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination | 1 |
| Cognate / Elective or Advanced Statistics | 3 | |
| Cognate / Elective or Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
Fall Semester
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9902 | Dissertation Advisement | 3 |
| OPTIONAL | Cognate, Elective or Teaching Course |
Spring Semester
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9903 | Dissertation Advisement | 3 |
| OPTIONAL | Cognate, Elective or Teaching Course |
Each Semester Until Graduation
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9911 | Doctoral Continuation | 1 |
Featured Faculty
Andrew Dwyer, Ph.D., FNP-BC, FNAP, FAAN
“Throughout your CSON journey, you'll work with dedicated faculty who are committed to your success and will prepare you to impact health care and nursing science.”
Our Students
CSON's Ph.D. Program attracts students from a variety of backgrounds and with an array of research interests.
CSON Doctoral Student Research
Our Ph.D. students regularly disseminate research findings in respected forums and receive prestigious awards, including being inducted into the American Academy of Nursing and named Jonas Center for Nursing Excellence Scholars.
“CSON provides an atmosphere of academic rigor. The faculty are incredibly supportive and have been wonderful mentors to me. It is inspiring to be surrounded by so many respected nurse scientists and educators.”
Recent Dissertation Topics
Birth Center Decision-Making among Women and Birthing People in the United States
Health Patterning of Im/migrant and Asylum-Seeking Emerging Adults from Guatemala and Honduras
Multimethod Approach to Understanding the Biopsychosocial Underpinnings of Chronic Cancer-Related Pain in Cancer Survivors
Associations Between Reproductive Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence, and Adverse Birth Outcomes among Postpartum Women
The Meaning of Empathy in the Context of Clinical Nursing Practice Among Senior Baccalaureate Students
Measuring Psychological Safety, HRO Perception and Safety Reporting Intentions Among Pediatric Nurses
The Influence of #MeToo on Sexual Assault Survivors’ Decision Making and Health Behaviors: A Qualitative Inquiry
Sexual Minority Adolescents: Understanding Disparities in Sex Education and Parent Communication About Sex
Improving Healthcare for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Across the Lifespan
Nurse Educators' Description of Ethics from a Disciplinary Perspective
Associations between reproductive coercion, intimate partner violence, and adverse birth outcomes among postpartum women
A Multimethod Approach to Understanding the Biopsychosocial Underpinnings of Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors
Life Patterning: Im/migrant and Asylum Seeking Emerging Adults from Guatemala and Honduras
Fertility-Awareness Practices Among Women Seeking Pregnancy
The Meaning of Being Considered a Sex Offender for a Person Who is Reintegrating into Society
Tongue-Tie: Prevalence, Significance, and its Contribution to Maternal Feeding Challenges and Problematic Infant Feeding
The Role of the Social Determinants of Health in Rural Health Equity
Measuring Diabetes Distress in Emerging Adulthood
Mental Health and Mental Health Treatment Experiences of Transgender and Gender Diverse Persons
The Meaning of the Transition to Retirement at Midlife from Active Duty Military Service in the United States
Intensive Care Unit Nurses’ Experience of Watson’s Theory of Human Caring Caritas Process Three: Cultivation of One’s Own Spiritual Practice and Transpersonal Self, Going Beyond Ego-Self
Occupational Health Across Generationally-Defined Age Groups in a Cohort of Hospital Nurses
Critical Care Nurse Intentions to Report to Work During an Influenza Pandemic
Caregivers’ Perception of Nurse-Led Discharge Education Interventions: Knowledge Needed for Adequate Care of a Technology-Dependent Infant in the Home Setting
The Experience of Older Adult Couples Living with Chronic Illness at Home
Factors Associated with Refeeding Hypophosphatemia in Adolescents and Young Adults Hospitalized with Anorexia Nervosa
Identification of Optimal Stool Donor Health and Intestinal Microbiome Characteristics for Fecal Microbiota Transplantation
Level of Mindfulness in Persons with Anorexia Nervosa Entering Residential Treatment and the Relationship with Eating Disorder Symptomology and Clinical Indicators of Health
Understanding Patient Engagement in Breast Cancer Survivorship Care: A National Web-Based Survey
Nutrition Related Clinical Decision Making of Pediatric Oncology Nurses
The Experience of Young Women Living with Advanced Breast Cancer: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study
The Development and Psychometric Validation of the Ethical Awareness Scale
News from the Connell School
Opportunities at the Connell School
Graduate Nurses’ Association
The GNA facilitates professional development opportunities and sponsors social events, connecting you to your fellow students and serving as a voice for the CSON graduate community.
Keys to Inclusive Leadership in Nursing
The KILN program helps students maximize their leadership potential, prepares them to provide nursing care in an increasingly multicultural society, and nurtures their ability to create positive social change.
Global Trips
Participation in CSON's international programs can count toward nurse practitioner (NP) supervised hours for graduate students.
Apply
PrintProgram Eiligibility
- A master's degree from a nationally accredited university in nursing or a related field
- A completed course in statistics (AP credits cannot be accepted)
- A current RN license
Deadlines
- Fall Enrollment
- January 15
Application & Deadlines
Preference will be given to applicants with the following qualifications:
- Minimum GPA of 3.5
- Research experience, written clarity in area of research, and match to faculty research or methodology as described by applicant and determined by Ph.D. committee
- Publications preferred, as listed on curriculum vitae
- Excellence in writing, sample essay of course paper, or manuscript submitted by applicant
- Leadership/leadership potential
Deadline
- January 15
Résumé or CV
To be uploaded to your online Application Form.
In addition to your academic history and relevant work experience, please include any licenses currently held, any social justice-related experience, any language skills other than English, and any research experience or publications.
Goal Statement & Writing Sample
1. Goal Statetment
Please submit a goal statement which will be used as a source of information about your educational objectives and as a sample of your writing ability. The goal statement should be typewritten (double-spaced) and no more than four pages in length.
Goal Statement Prompt & Guidelines
2. Evidence of Scholarly Writing
All applicants to this program are required to submit one piece of work that demonstrates graduate-level writing ability. This document may be an academic term paper, a published work in which you are the primary author, a training manual that you have created, a clinical case formulation, or another representative sample of your writing.
Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation:
- A current or recent employer, preferably a nurse with a Ph.D. or a professional colleague
- A professor with whom you have had recent academic interaction who can assess your potential for doctoral study and performance in your desired area of study
- A person who is not a relative and who is well acquainted with your professional preparation and clinical practice
- Letters of recommendation must be submitted electronically. When you register your reference writers through the application system, they will immediately receive an email with the link to the electronic reference form. For this reason, we suggest that you contact your references prior to registering them through the online application.
- References will have the option to upload a supporting letter in Word or PDF format.
- If you would like your references to receive the electronic form before you have completed the online application, you may go directly to the "Recommendations" link on the application and register your references before filling out the rest of the form.
- You can log back into your application to check which letters have been received, as well as to send reminder emails to your references.
Transcripts
Official transcripts are preferred but not required upon application. If admitted, official transcripts will be required.
Official digital transcripts can be sent to csongrad@bc.edu.
All hard copy transcripts may be sent to the following mailing address:
Boston College
Graduate Nursing Office
Maloney Hall - 2nd Floor
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
*If the last name on your transcript does not match the application name, please contact csongrad@bc.edu after submitting the application.
Standardized Tests
Official GRE scores are a preferred component of the application, but are not required to apply.
Institutional code 3062
* Please allow 2-4 weeks for test scores to be received in order to meet application deadline
Supplemental Forms
Based on the answers you provide in your application, you may need one or more of the following forms to complete your application:
- Suspended or Revoked License Explanation Form (if you indicated a suspended or revoked license on your application)
- Learning Disability Documentation Form (if you indicated a learning disability on your application)
- Supplementary Information Form (if you wish to submit any supplementary information in addition to the standard application)
International Students
- Official transcript(s) evaluation (by the Commission on Graduate Foreign Nursing Schools or World Education Services) from all post-secondary institutions at which you have studied
- CGFNS examination results
- NCLEX-RN examination results/RN licensure
- Official TOEFL (Evidence of English Proficiency) scores are required for students whose native language is not English. The following scores indicate minimum score requirements: 100 on the TOEFL iBT (internet-based test); 7.5 on the IELTS Band (academic); 600 or greater on the paper-based test; or 250 on the CBT test (computer-based test). Please request that your scores be sent to the William F. Connell Graduate School of Nursing by using our institutional code 3062 in the designated areas. Student copies or photocopies of TOEFL are not accepted.
- You can get application forms and information about testing dates for the TOEFL from many U.S. consulates, USIA centers, and TOEFL centers overseas by writing to: TOEFL Registration, CN 6152, Princeton, New Jersey 08541 USA, or www.toefl.org.
- The TOEFL score is not required if you meet both of the following criteria: You are a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Great Britain, Ireland, New Zealand, Guyana, an anglophone country of Africa, or an English-speaking country of the Caribbean AND your native language is English.