Our Ph.D. program integrates science, theory, and research to educate the next generation of nurse scientists, educators, and policy-makers.听
100%
The Connell School fully funds every full-time Ph.D. student鈥檚 tuition, fees, and insurance for three years.
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Prepares students to begin their program of research. Includes courses in advanced qualitative and quantitative research methods, contemporary statistics, and research practica as well as research mentoring.
Students build on their foundation in nursing science. Includes courses in philosophy of science, epistemology of nursing, and strategies for developing nursing knowledge.听
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.
A graduate of our program will be prepared to:
Approved by Faculty Assembly, March 26, 2025
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9712听 | Evidence Appraisal and Synthesis听听 | 3 |
| NURS9806 | Philosophical Inquiry for Knowledge Development in Nursing听 | 3 |
| NURS9964听 | Introduction to Statistics & Data Analysis听 | 3 |
| NURS9951听 | Survey of Research Methods in Social and Behavioral Science听 | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9807听 | Strategies for Knowledge Development听 听 听 听听 | 3 |
| NURS9751听 | Advanced Qualitative Research Methods听听 | 3 |
| NURS9960听 | Regression Analysis for Social & Behavioral Science听 | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9788听 | Applied Health Statistics: Generalized Linear Modeling听 | 3 |
| NURS9812听 | Research Seminar: Developing the Purpose, Aims & Questions | 2 |
| 听 | Cognate / Elective or Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| 听 | Finish the Boston College Research & Scholarship Integrity Program听 | 0 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9716 | Healthcare Policy & Social Justice | 3 |
| NURS9813 | Research Seminar: Refining the Research Plan | 2 |
| NURS9901 | Ph.D. Comprehensive Examination | 0 |
| 听 | Cognate / Elective or Advanced Statistics | 3 |
| 听 | Cognate / Elective or Advanced Research Methods | 3 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9902 | Dissertation Advisement | 3 |
| OPTIONAL | Cognate, Elective or Teaching Course听 | 听 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9903 | Dissertation Advisement | 3 |
| OPTIONAL | Cognate, Elective or Teaching Course听 | 听 |
| Course | Course Title | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| NURS9911 | Doctoral Continuation | 1 |
鈥淭hroughout your CSON journey, you鈥檒l work with dedicated faculty who are committed to your success and will prepare you to impact health care and nursing science.鈥
CSON鈥檚 Ph.D. Program attracts students from a variety of backgrounds and with an array of research interests.
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.
Our graduates have been hired at local and national institutions, including:
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鈥淐SON 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.鈥
Multilevel Factors Associated with Intent to Leave in U.S. Nursing Home Nurses
Multimethod Approach to Understanding Emerging Adult and Parent Contributions to Congenital Heart Disease Management
Emergency Nurse Efficiency as a Measure of Emergency Nurse Performance
Confronting Bureaucracy: Examining Systemic Challenges of Caring for Children with Medical Complexity at Home
Respectful Communication and Patient Portal Usage in Pregnant People of Color
Genital Hair Removal and Sexually Transmitted Infections: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Pediatric Nurses and Preventable Adverse Event Disclosure: Building a Foundational Understandingc
The Experience of Black Emerging Adults with Psychotic Disorders Who Have Community Violence Exposure: A Phenomenological Approach
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听
Measuring Psychological Safety, HRO Perception and Safety Reporting Intentions Among Pediatric Nurses听听
The Influence of #MeToo on Sexual Assault Survivors鈥 Decision Making and Health Behaviors: A Qualitative Inquiry听
Sexual Minority Adolescents: Understanding Disparities in Sex Education and Parent Communication About Sex听听
Improving Healthcare for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness Across the Lifespan听
Nurse Educators鈥 Description of Ethics from a Disciplinary Perspective听听
Associations between Reproductive Coercion, Intimate Partner Violence, and Adverse Birth Outcomes among Postpartum Women听
A Multimethod Approach to Understanding the Biopsychosocial Underpinnings of Chronic Pain in Cancer Survivors听
Life Patterning: Im/migrant and Asylum Seeking Emerging Adults from Guatemala and Honduras听
Fertility-Awareness Practices Among Women Seeking Pregnancy听听
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鈥 Experience of Watson鈥檚 Theory of Human Caring Caritas Process Three: Cultivation of One鈥檚 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鈥 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
Program Eligibility
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Preference will be given to applicants with the following qualifications:
Deadline
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.
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.
Official transcripts are preferred but not required upon application. If admitted, official transcripts will be required.
Official digital transcripts can be sent to听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听csongrad@bc.edu听after submitting the application.听
Official GRE scores are a preferred component of the application, but are not required to apply.
Institutional code 3062
*听Please allow 2-4 weeks for test scores to be received in order to meet application deadline
Based on the answers you provide in your application, you may need one or more of the following forms to complete your application: