DNP/PHD Dual Program Opinions

[rchembunny]

Hello,

I noticed that a number of nursing schools are now offering dual DNP/PhD programs (The University of TN Health Science Center, Case Western Reserve University Frances Payne Bolton SON, & The University of Arizona College of Nursing).

With an interest in being both a clinician and scholar/educator, I think that this option would work well for me.

HERE ARE MY BIG QUESTIONS:

1. Is anyone out there pursuing both a DNP/PhD and, if so, why did you decide to do both?

2. Also, what are people's opinions about this dual degree option?

Thanks!!!

[caliotter3]

I wonder how much more work it would entail, just out of curiosity.

[HappyNurse2005, RN]

I wonder how much more work it would entail, just out of curiosity.

SAMPLE PROGRAM PLAN

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Sample Program Plan

PhD Program

DNP Program

Application Information

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Students enrolling in the combined DNP/PhD in nursing program will complete coursework in a side-by-side fashion, whereby courses in both program will be taken concurrently. An overlap of 11 credits will be allowed.*

A sample program plan for students enrolled in courses during the academic year appears below; the program would take a minimum of five years to complete. However, the joint degree program may be completed in less time if DNP courses are taken during the summer months.

Sample* DNP - PhD Program Plan (Academic Year Only):

Fall - 1st Year

Spring - 1st Year

NURS 506: Epistemology (3)

NURS 511: Theory development (3)

NURS 532: Basic statistics (3) [ see 1]

NURS 531: Research methods II (3) [see 2]

NURS 530: Research methods I (3) [see 2]

NUND 506: Leadership in organizations (3) *

Required research practicum hours may be taken during academic year or summer

Fall - 2nd Year

Spring - 2nd* Year

NUND 504: Theories for practice & scholarship (3)

NURS 518: Qualitative research (3)

NURS 609 or NUND 508:* Health policy (3) [see 3]

NUND 531: Approaches to practice focused research (3) *

NURS 630: Linear models (3)

NURS 631: Multivariate analysis (3)

Required research practicum hours may be taken during academic year or summer

Fall - 3rd Year

Spring - 3rd Year

NUND 610: Translating evidence into practice (3) *

NUND 509: Curriculum and instruction (3) ** or

NUND 507: Management in advanced practice (3 )*

Elective (3)

NUND 609: Teaching and evaluation (2) ** or

NUND 607: Advanced leadership & management (2)*

NURS 615: Topical seminar (3)

NURS 615: Topical seminar (3)

Fall - 4th Year

Spring - 4th Year

NURS 671: Proposal development (3) [see 4]

NUND 620: Scholarly Project (2) *

*

NUND 611: Integrated practicum (2) *

Fall - 5th Year

Spring - 5th Year

NURS 701: Dissertation (9)

NURS 701 Dissertation (9)

In the above sample program plan, courses with an asterisk (*) are required for the DNP degree and courses without an asterisk are required for the PhD degree. There is an overlap of 11 credits as follows:

[1] Completing the PhD statistics course sequence can be used to replace the need for the DNP applied statistics course = 3 credits

[2] Completing the PhD Research Methods I and II can be used to replace the need for the DNP Research Principles and Methods = 3 credits

[3] Students may take PhD or DNP Health Policy course = 3 credits

[4] Taking the PhD Proposal Development course can be used to replace the DNP Proposal Development course = 2 credits.

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[HappyNurse2005, RN]

It was a chart on the actual website. Comes out looking a little funny in a post. Sorry

[gleng44]

It is actually my first time today to find out about DNP/PhD programs.

Since your post was quite a while ago, do you have any update?

Did you pursue it? thank you//

[CoolLikeThat]

Arizona has a dual program. i did my DNP prior to being accepted to Vanderbilt...It would have been nice to do both at the same time

[cat-dog]

It sounds like you completed your DNP and are now in a PhD program at Vanderbilt. Can you tell me why you decided to pursue both? (I want to link clinic work with research and somehow be able to push that into policy and am exploring to see what possibilities there are). Thanks!

[PG2018]

Why not just a PhD?

Combined degrees are no more marketable, require more strain, require more money, require more time, and are no better for administrative or academic appointments.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

The way they explained it to me, the DNP is for the working nurse and meant for application. I am considering a DNP in Informatics (halfway through MSN). The Ph.D is for those that are really into research, it is meant to be done full time and takes MUCH longer. The DNP thesis is not anywhere near what a true doctoral thesis is.

I will be able to finish my DNP in 5-6 semesters after MSN. Ph.D would be a minimum of 3-4+ years. To me a dual degree is terribly redundant.

[PG2018]

Oh, ok, so in outpatient psych, any ideas on my application for DNP?

[gleng44]

I think going back to school is a matter of personal goal. I am an APRN, MSN, FNP-C, PMHNP-BC.

In the far future when DNP will be the entry level for Advance Practice Nursing, I'll be grandfathered in.

However, I still have 20 years before retirement. So if I want to compete with the newly grads with their Doctorate, I feel that I can use that.

DNP/PhD programs in Univ of AZ is a 5 year on-line program. DNP they say is more "clinical", in my current job it won't make a difference. PhD will open doors in teaching at State Universities. Still torn on doing the dual program or go straight to PhD.

[cocoa_puff]

Sounds like a nightmare, I would just do PhD (non-nursing) to research and teach. I don't understand what the point of the DNP is in addition to a PhD. I have seen combined MD/PhD programs, and that makes much more sense to me as they are physicians who conduct medical research. What does a DNP/PhD do exactly, develop new nursing theories?