Nursing

Students with experience or interest in leading the transformation of health care through nursing education and research are sought for the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Doctor of Philosophy program. Ideal students want to focus on important societal health issues through the work of advancing health and improving the systems that provide health services.

Graduates of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing are prime candidates for formal leadership positions. Graduates exercise leadership through scientific approaches, vision, initiative, cultural inclusiveness, teamwork, and a commitment to assuring health care is highly effective, compassionate and accessible. 

The full-time, academic, doctoral program prepares graduates as leaders in health care, health policy and education and research at the university level to:

• conduct transformative research
• educate health professionals and researchers
• effect system change
• influence and implement policy
• advance health from multiple settings

Doctoral students take core courses plus electives and must complete a dissertation. The doctoral program is a four-year program and requires full-time enrollment. Core courses are offered fall, winter and spring quarters (not summer). Students in the doctoral program should expect to be on campus at least three days a week. Course schedules vary each quarter by individual student areas of interest. Electives vary for all students and are conducted on both the Sacramento and Davis campuses.

A mandatory Leadership Immersion Week serves as an orientation for students. This full-time, three-day experience runs Wednesday through Friday the week before fall quarter begins. Throughout the week, students experience nursing leadership, team building and develop faculty relationships. The coursework provided that week serves as the foundation for the Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership Graduate program curriculum.

1st YEAR

• Health Status and Care Systems
• Overview of Research Design
• Doctoral Seminar
• Statistics Course
• Leadership in Health Care
• Research Design in Nursing and Health Care
• Applied Health Informatics
• Doctoral Seminar
• Implementation Science
• Doctoral Seminar
• Research Design in Nursing and Health Care
• Research Methodology Courses or Electives.

2nd YEAR

• Doctoral Seminar
• Introduction to Medical Statistics
• Elective

YEAR 3

• Doctoral Seminar
• Dissertation Research and Writing

YEAR 4

• Doctoral Seminar
• Dissertation Research and Writing

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree
• A minimum bachelor's-degree G.P.A. of 3.0
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose, personal history, research professional history and future goals
• The application process may require an interview
• The G.R.E. is not required
• TOEFL

Want to improve your English level for admission?

Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

Scholarships

Each student admitted to the M.S. Leadership and doctoral degree programs at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing receives generous financial support for tuition, fees and additional expenses.

A primary goal of the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing is to address the growing need for nursing faculty. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s $100 million commitment and additional scholarship sources provide financial support for tuition, fees and additional expenses to Doctor of Philosophy students.

Scholarships enable the School of Nursing to recruit and recognize outstanding graduate students early in their careers, to allow time to make a significant difference through their work, research and scholarship. This support ensures the most qualified, diverse and driven prospective students receive opportunities to continue their education without the worry of significant tuition costs and loss of income.

Each doctoral student admitted in the fall 2017 cohort receives annual funding to cover UC in-state tuition and fees, as well as a variable stipend to support professional development and dissertation expenses for each year, for up to four years, for a total of up to $120,000.

In Years 1 and 2, each doctoral student receives $30,000 per academic year. The support agreement will vary for Years 3 and 4 based on graduate student employment opportunities in the School of Nursing. Employment opportunities include both research and teaching assistant roles. Total funding per student for Years 3 and 4 is approximately $14,000 for tuition and fees. Each student will be eligible for additional funding through service to the School of Nursing up to approximately $16,000 per year, dependent upon employment service to the School of Nursing.

All Nursing Science and Health-Care Leadership students are encouraged to seek a variety of forms of financial support and it is essential for students to apply as early as possible.

Financial packages are finalized with each offer of admission.