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Department of Nursing


PhD Nursing Program

Overview of the PhD Department of Nursing (Nursing)

The Morgan State University Graduate Department of Nursing offers a 48 Credit Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD). The doctoral program in Nursing is designed to prepare nurse scholars to pursue intellectual inquiry and to conduct independent research that contributes to the body of nursing knowledge. Particular emphasis is placed on nursing knowledge development that contributes to health services research and policy, ultimately leading to quality healthcare for all. Graduates will be prepared to pursue careers in research, teaching, and nursing administration.

All applicants must satisfy the general requirements of the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) before being considered for admission to the PhD program. For more information about the SGS admission criteria - See more at: http://www.morgan.edu/gradschool. The criteria for admission to the Doctor of Philosophy (Nursing) are listed below:

  • A master's degree with a major in nursing from an ACEN- (formerly known as NLNAC) or CCNE- accredited college or university, or institution with approved application for accreditation. A master's in a health field to include a Master's in Nursing and Master's in Public Health from an accredited university may also be considered
  • Verification of active licensure as a Registered Nurse in at least one state in the U.S. or in a foreign country without restriction, submitted as an attachment with online application
  • At least two years practice as a registered nurse (RN)
  • 3.0 cumulative grade point average (4.0 grading scale) from an undergraduate program
  • If the applicant's native language is not English, the applicant must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum average score of 550 and no sub-score below 52 (paper version) or 79 with no sub-score below 17 internet based test)
  • Application Process 
  • The Morgan State University Department of Nursing application is a multi-step process;
    • Step 1: Each student must complete the School of Graduate Studies electronic application.
    • Step 2: Students qualified by the Graduate School will then be reviewed to determine if they the Nursing Program's criteria.
    • 3: Students who meet the criteria for both the Graduate School and the Masters of Science (Nursing) Program will be invited for an interview.
    • Step 4: Once the interview has been completed, the Admissions Committee will consider all information and make a final determination.

NOTE: If the applicant's native language is not English, the applicant must complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language with a minimum average score of 550 with no subscore below 52 (paper version) or 79 with no subscore below 17 internet based test).

Morgan State University is accredited by Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and is approved by the State of Maryland's Higher Education Commission (MHEC) to grant the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Research doctoral programs in nursing do not have specialized accreditation. Doctoral programs exist within regionally accredited universities.