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Discussion

DNP, PHD, or EDD

So this year I will be completing my Masters in Nursing Education and I am looking for the next step. At some point in the future, it is my goal to be part of a nursing faculty at the University Level.

To to that end, I am looking for opinions, suggestions, EBP when it comes to which Doctorate would most benefit me as a faculty member. Any and all comments are appreciated, thank you.

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    • Which Doctorate degree would you reccomend for Nursing Faculty? 15 members have participated

    1. 1. Which Doctorate degree would you reccomend for Nursing Faculty?

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    If you take a look at the profiles of nursing faculty members at various universities, you'll find that most are PhDs. Universities are focused on research and expect their faculty members to design and conduct research, which is what PhDs do.

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    • Expert

    What kind of faculty member are you hoping to be? That might influence your "best" choice. If you want to teach at the highest levels (e.g. teach in PhD programs) you'll need the PhD. However, if you want to teach NP classes, or other APRN clinical classes ... then the DNP would probably be better. A lot of school administrators have EdD's.

    For teaching undergraduate students ... any of the above is usually acceptable. But the highest level faculty folks who do a lot of research (as opposed to teaching a lot of classes) at major universities tend towards the PhD. Within academia, the PhD is the highest degree -- and the more the school is geared towards research, the more the PhD is valued. If you want to teach at a school that emphasizes clinical practice more than research, then the DNP would be preferred. Not all schools have the same culture and emphasize/value/reward the same things. So the answer to your question really depends on the type of school you want to work for ... the type of students and classes you want to teach ... and the type of work you want to do.

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    All three are terminal degrees and will satisfy the majority of universities' requirement. I am happy with my DNP and am currently a program director.

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    If you take a look at the profiles of nursing faculty members at various universities, you'll find that most are PhDs. Universities are focused on research and expect their faculty members to design and conduct research, which is what PhDs do.

    Most are PhDs because for a very long time it was all that was available. DNPs can and do conduct research- I know I do!

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    Most are PhDs because for a very long time it was all that was available. DNPs can and do conduct research- I know I do!

    That's true. Some of my professors are DNPs and they do research/publish. I was thinking in a more traditional sense where PhDs are mainly focused on academia and research, and not so much in clinical practice. The curricula of PhD and DNP are quite different though.

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    • Expert
    All three are terminal degrees and will satisfy the majority of universities' requirement. I am happy with my DNP and am currently a program director.

    I agree that teaching opportunities for DNP's are plentiful. But you have to admit, the DNP was not designed as a research degree -- and most DNP programs emphasize clinical practice, research utilization and EBP over research. That's the whole reason for the DNP degree -- to de-emphasize reseach in favor of those other aspects of nursing.

    Also, the school you work at is not an R1 level university with a strong research mission. Someone wanting a career at a R1 institution and/or a research intense career would be better served by a PhD. Which is best depends on the desired career path. Both are good choices -- but one may be a better fit than the other for a particular person.

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    If you want a career in Academia and tenure track, PhD is the way to go. I work at a school that is not research focused. They, however, give you tenure only if you have a PhD. They are also more likely to give you full-time status with a PhD and keep you adjunct for clinical courses with a DNP.

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