Ph.D. or DNP: Which Nursing Doctorate Is Right for You?
Which doctoral degree you choose depends on your area of interest (nursing science or advanced clinical practice), your overall career goals (practice, education, research) and your prior nursing experience. At Kent State we offer both doctoral programs that can help you advance to the next level of your career.
To help you choose your doctorate, here is a comparison between Kent State’s Ph.D. in Nursing and DNP programs:
|
|
Ph.D. |
DNP |
|---|---|---|
|
Curriculum |
Research-focused - prepares you to develop and advance nursing science using established and emerging methods to advance health, health care, and the profession of nursing, and to assume leadership roles in the profession. |
Practice-focused - provide expert, evidence-based advanced nursing care, lead and evaluate programs of care, and synthesize and translate evidence to improve healthcare outcomes. |
|
Role in Nursing |
Knowledge generation, dissemination, and stewardship; leadership in healthcare and educational environments. |
Expert clinical practice, research translation to enhance patient and system outcomes, leadership in clinical and administrative environments. |
|
Scheduling |
Courses offered using traditional scheduling delivery methods. |
Post-BSN: Courses offered using both traditional and alternative scheduling delivery methods |
|
Minimum Degree(s) Required for Admission |
Bachelor's degree in Nursing & an RN. |
BSN -or- MSN |
|
Full and Part-time Study Options? |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Dissertation or Scholarly Project Required? |
Yes: Dissertation |
Yes: Scholarly Project |
|
Minimum Semesters of Full-Time Study |
Post -BSN: 10 semesters, including summer |
Post-BSN: 11 semesters, including summer |
|
Practicum/Clinical Requirement |
Yes |
Post-BSN: 1,050-1,200 hours |
|
Career Opportunities |
|
|
Still not sure which degree is right for you? Contact us by completing the form at the left and an enrollment advisor will assist you.