Applying to the PhD program
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Doctoral students are admitted at various times during the academic year. Applicants are evaluated for admission based on these criteria:
- Graduation from an accredited baccalaureate program with a 3.2 minimum GPA (4.0 scale).
- Graduation from an accredited master’s program with a 3.5 minimum GPA.
- Graduate Record Examination (GRE) within the preceding five years. Original copies are required.
- Foreign applicants should meet minimum requirements on tests of written and spoken English (TOEFL).
- The admission of international students must be appointed by the Coordinator of International Student Programs.
- 3 Reference Forms. Ask at least three persons to complete one of these forms. Provide each respondent with a stamped envelope addressed to the PhD Program in Nursing. Ask the respondent to mail the form directly to the School. The respondent may be a current or former employer, a former or current faculty member, or another person who you know on a professional basis. The respondent must:
- hold at least a masters' degree
- be familiar with your academic competencies and goals
- be able to evaluate your potential to succeed in research career
- Original essay, four to six double-spaced pages in length. Recognizing that doctoral study involved continual refinement of research interests, faculty ask that you address each of these points:
- Your reasons for wanting to enter doctoral study at this phase of your career
- Your professional goals and how completing this program will help you achieve them
- The strengths you bring to doctoral study
- Rationale for your interest in conducting nursing research relevant to health promotion and protections, health restoration and support, or health care systems
- Your likely research interest(s), with regard to population group (e.g., older adults) and health-related issues (e.g., exercise or nutrition of persons with diabetes)
- Your possible "collateral" area(s), that is, which discipline(s) outside of nursing you would like to study to support your research focus in nursing
- The Graduate Nursing Faculty with whom you are interested in with with and why
- Curriculum Vitae
- Interview by invitation
To apply for a doctoral degree in nursing, each student must first apply to Mizzou through the MU Graduate School and forward official transcripts from each college or university attended, as well as official Graduate Record Exam(GRE) test scores.
Once an application has been made to the graduate school, the student must submit an application to the doctoral program with the Sinclair School of Nursing. To apply, send the following information to the School of Nursing:
- Three completed reference forms.
- Original essay.
- Curriculum vitae.
- Copy of current registered nurse (RN) license.
Send application materials to:
PhD Administration Assistant
S246 School of Nursing
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65211
Phone: 573-882-0200
e-mail: phd@missouri.edu