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Academic Programs - PhD
BSN to PhD Accelerated Track Option

The fast track for preparing doctorally-prepared nurses is to allow students to be admitted directly from their baccalaureate nursing program into the PhD program. This option is streamlined so that all essential courses and dissertation requirements can be completed in four years. Because OU's program does not require the completion of a master's degree as a prerequisite to beginning the doctoral program, the PhD can be achieved a minimum of one year earlier than the traditional BSN through MS to PhD route. Therefore, this is a truly accelerated admission option that will educate doctorally-prepared nurses quickly, and help alleviate the faculty nursing shortage while simultaneously educating nurses to conduct research.

58 credit hours is typical for doctoral study in Nursing.
33 credit hours of additional graduate course work is required at the master's or higher level.

Graduate Coursework Required for the BSN-to-PhD Accelerated Student includes:

12 credit hours Core Master's Courses
3 Credit Hours - N5073 Theory Development in Nursing
3 Credit Hours - N5033 Research in Nursing (N5073 is a prerequisite)
3 Credit Hours - N5083 Health Promotion and Culture in Nursing
3 Credit Hours - N5053 Health Care Policy and Ethics in Nursing

12 credit hours Nursing Clinical Core Courses
3 Credit Hours - N5633 Advanced Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning
3 Credit Hours - PATH 5503 - Applied Principles of Pathology
3 Credit Hours - N5013 -Pharmacology for Advanced Practice Nurses
3 Credit Hours - N5213 - Financial Management in Nursing

Full Time Plan of Study

The Plan of Study for years 2, 3, and 4 will be the same as years 1, 2, and 3 for the direct entry student who already has earned a Master's degree

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