Faculty: Professors May (dean), Bowers, Brennan, Lauver, Nehls, Oakley, Porter, Riesch; Associate Professors Kwekkeboom, Murray, Tluczek, Zahner; Assistant Professors Anderson, Kehl, Muehrer, Severtson, Ward
The School of Nursing offers programs leading to the master of science, doctor of nursing practice and doctor of philosophy degrees. In addition to the M.S., DNP, and Ph.D. programs, the school has a unique early entry Ph.D. option to bridge or accelerate progression to the Ph.D level. Postdoctoral training opportunities are also available.
The mission of the School of Nursing is to prepare nurse leaders who improve human health through practice, education and research. Its strategic priorities are to advance science through research and scholarship, prepare nurse leaders for the health challenges of the 21st century, foster strategic partnerships to promote human health, achieve the school's commitment to diversity, and create the preferred future of the School of Nursing.
Nursing faculty members are well prepared for their roles as scholars, clinicians, and teachers. Many have postdoctoral experience in nursing and related disciplines. They have wide-ranging clinical expertise foundational to their experiences with graduate students. Many faculty have competed successfully for prestigious federal and private research and training awards and are well known for their expertise in university, local, national, and international communities.
School of Nursing faculty have affiliations with other departments, institutes, and training programs including the Institute on Aging, Global Health Institute, Prevention Science Program, Program in Computation and Information in Biology, the Carbone Clinical Cancer Center, Gender and Women's Studies Program, Waisman Center for Developmental Disabilities, and the Pediatric Pulmonary Center. Current facilities include state-of-the art research laboratories. The Information Technology Center and the Research Design and Statistics Unit (RDSU) provide information technology services and assistance in research design, data management, and statistical analysis. The Health Sciences Learning Center (HSLC) brings together students in nursing, medicine, and pharmacy. State-of-the-art classrooms, and distance education facilities, as well as the Ebling Library, are housed in the HSLC. Collaborative arrangements with a number of campus departments and multidisciplinary research endeavors expand the practice, education, and research experiences available to students. Faculty, staff, and students maintain affiliations with numerous health, education, and social service agencies throughout urban and rural Wisconsin.
The School of Nursing is no longer admitting students to the M.S. program for advanced practice preparation. The school continues to offer the M.S. degree as part of the M.S./MPH program and also for students seeking an M.S. degree enroute to the Ph.D. The master's program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and is congruent with the guidelines for master's education developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).
The purpose of the M.S./MPH dual degree program is to prepare nurses for professional roles as educators and administrators in the field of public health. The value to nurses of attaining both degrees lies in the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills needed for interdisciplinary public health practice while at the same time developing discipline-specific knowledge and skills applicable in public health settings and for educating nurses for public health nursing practice. The MS in nursing requires a minimum of 36 credits and the MPH requires a minimum of 42 credits. In the dual degree program, students will complete a minimum of 61 credits, with at least 18 in nursing, 25 in the public health program, and up to 18 credits that will apply to both degrees. The dual degree option takes into consideration and is reflective of accreditation standards in nursing and in public health through the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Students must be successfully admitted to both programs.
The early-entry Ph.D. option is designed for undergraduate students who are interested in research as a career and the Ph.D. as a goal. With the assistance of a faculty advisory committee, early entry students plan an individualized program of study and research, drawing on existing undergraduate and graduate courses in nursing and related disciplines. A student's program consists of early and intensive research training, clinical practice, and required and recommended course work. Three degrees are awarded to students who complete this option: bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.), granted by the School of Nursing; and master of science in nursing (M.S.), and doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.), granted by the Graduate School.
The DNP is a clinical doctorate degree. The purpose of the program is to prepare nurses for leadership roles in advanced nursing practice providing them with the requisite knowledge and skills to influence health care practice for the future. Students prepare for roles as clinical nurse specialists or nurse practitioners in their selected population focus (adult/gerontology, pediatrics, or psychiatric mental health). Those interested in dual preparation as an advanced practice nurse and nurse educator may add a nursing education focus. The curriculum is organized around three core components: systematic evaluation of practice, leadership/policy, and practice which are met through a combination of coursework, supervised clinical hours, and a scholarly project. Students admitted to the program follow the course sequence designated in the program plan and progress as a group. The post-master's DNP program is designed to be completed in two years on a part-time basis with a minimum of 33 credits. The post-baccalaureate DNP can be completed in three years of full-time study or five years on a part-time basis with a minimum of 71 credits.
The purpose of the Ph.D. program in nursing is to prepare nurses to assume major roles in the development, evaluation, and dissemination of knowledge about phenomena of interest in nursing. The program is characterized by early and continuous training in research, a strong scientific base in nursing, and a minor in a related discipline. Graduates with a research doctorate are prepared to assume positions as faculty as well as research scientists and research directors in a variety of educational, clinical and governmental settings.
Ph.D. students work closely with a major advisor whose research matches their own interests. As members of active research teams, students learn methods of research, have supervised research experiences, and manage research studies. They publish their findings in major professional journals, present their work at research conferences, and seek funding to support their work while in the program. Many receive financial support for their investigations through research/project assistantships or traineeships.
The curriculum leading to the Ph.D. includes five components: existing and evolving knowledge in nursing, methods and statistics,course work in a minor field, teaching and learning, and research/dissertation/ethics credits. When course work is completed, students write the comprehensive examination for candidacy to demonstrate mastery of core knowledge in the major discipline and minor area as well as the theories and methods of inquiry. Those who successfully complete the exam are eligible to write the dissertation.
Students may be accepted into the Ph.D. program either post-baccalaureate or post-master's; students admitted post-baccalaureate will obtain the master's degree as part of the doctoral course preparation. Students are encouraged to enroll full-time. If part-time study is necessary, a minimum of 6 credits per semester is required.
The requirements for a Ph.D. candidate from another program for an Option A minor in nursing are 10 credits of graduate-level course work to include at least 6 credits at the 800 level. No more than 4 of the 10 credits may be transfer credits. Any transfer credits from master's-level course work must have been taken within five years of admission to the Ph.D. program.
Several forms of financial aid are available for graduate students in the School of Nursing. These include fellowships, traineeships, scholarships, research, project and teaching assistantships and loans. Most graduate assistantships cover the cost of tuition and provide a monthly stipend. Awards are made in the spring or early summer for the following academic year.
Full-time Ph.D. students receive priority for teaching and research assistantships administered by the School of Nursing. Research assistantships are funded by faculty research grants and by School of Nursing gift funds. Students in the Ph.D. program have also been successful in competing for federal National Research Service Awards (NRSA) which are individual predoctoral fellowships.
Advanced Opportunity Fellowships are designed to support highly qualified underrepresented students in the doctoral programs. Doctoral students who are preparing to be full-time faculty in nursing programs are also eligible for the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP). These loans, supported by the federal government, are available to cover tuition and other educational expenses. When graduates become full-time faculty members up to 85% of the NFLP loan will be canceled (a cancellation of 20% per year for years 1–3, and 25% for year 4).
Additional information on financial aid including application procedures is available in the School of Nursing Academic Programs Office.
The following are admission requirements for the M.S./MPH program:
All application materials must be received by February 1 for admission in the fall semester.
The following are admission requirements for the DNP program (post baccalaureate):
The following are additional admission requirements for the DNP program (post master's):
Admission requirements for the Ph.D. program are:
Applications should be submitted for priority consideration by January 15 for admission in the fall semester and by September 15 for spring semester consideration.
For more information: Graduate Admissions, School of Nursing, K6/145B Clinical Science Center, 600 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53792-2455; 608-263-5180; fax 608-263-5296; www.son.wisc.edu Master's (M.S./M.P.H.) and and Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.): mlvoss@wisc.edu Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.): caaspinwall@wisc.edu
