Academic Programs - PhD

Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines are subject to change.

Application deadline is March 1st. See application process for details.

Click here to find current application deadlines.

To be eligible for enrollment in course work, the student must be admitted to the University and to the Graduate College. The Dean of the Graduate College, upon recommendation of the faculty of the College of Nursing, determines final admission to and graduation from the Graduate College, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

Applicants may enter the PhD program with either a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree in Nursing. All applicants must meet the requirements below:

Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores taken in the past five years of the application date for Verbal, Quantitative, and Writing exams. The desired scores are 550 or above for the Verbal and Quantitative exams, respectively, and 4 or above for the Writing exam. Test scores over 10 years old will not be accepted.
TOEFL for international applications (no more than two years old). The desired scores are at least 600 for the paper-based test or 230 on the computer version.
Goal Statement. See application for guidelines for statement. Please indicate your area(s) of research interest or focus.
Three letters of recommendation (use recommendation form file for recommendations).
Official Transcripts from Master’s degree coursework. Cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale for Master’s and subsequent coursework is desired.
Or Official Transcripts from Undergraduate degree coursework (GPA of 3.5 or above is desired).
Copy of resume or Curriculum Vita (CV).
Application to the University
Supplemental Application for the PhD in Nursing Program
Interviews with two PhD nursing faculty members, in person or via telephone conference (we arrange this).
Computer Requirements for OUCN Students—Effective Fall of 1998 all students will be required to own a computer. Specific computer and software requirements will be shared with students at orientation. Financial aid may be obtained for the purchase of required equipment.

Applicants who exhibit exceptional qualities without meeting all of the stated requirements for admission may be considered for provisional admission for two semesters, while removing identified deficiencies. Deficiencies must be rectified within the first two semester in the program. Courses taken to remove deficiencies are considered to be prerequisites and do not earn credit toward the doctoral degree.

Click here to review the step-by-step application process.