The Ph.D. graduate will be expected to function as a leader in the profession who can direct and carry out independent research.  The students will, through course work, complete a comprehensive examination and a research thesis:

1. Demonstrate the ability to integrate scientific principles and theory in the solution of health care problems.
2. Communicate effectively in educational and professional settings.
3. Complete at least one required and two selected half courses, as well as a Doctoral Seminar.
4. Plan, develop, and carry out research which makes an original contribution to nursing knowledge
5. Present research results both orally and through peer reviewed publication. 
6. Complete and defend a written thesis.
   

1. Master's degree or demonstrated readiness to transfer from the McMaster thesis-based M.Sc. to the Ph.D. degree within 24 months from entry into the M.Sc. program.
2. Completion of a Master's level research thesis or equivalent (e.g. the candidate has already conducted funded research).
3. Two academic and one clinical references.
4. A letter outlining professional interests and career plans, and suitability for this professional nursing program. Research interests must be described.
5. Identification of a faculty member who agrees to supervise the student. See our Areas of Excellence for a list of potential supervisors. NOTE: It is expected that applicants will approach potential supervisors at least three months prior to the application deadline.
6. Evidence of current registration or eligibility for registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario. International students licensed to practice nursing in another country will be considered on an individual basis.

The appropriate foundation for graduate level entry is a professional degree. Candidates must comply with the School of Graduate Studies regulations for the Ph.D. and M.Sc. degrees.

Applicants whose native language is not English are required to supply evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language. The most common evidence is a score of at least 92 (iBT), 580 (paper-based test) or 237 (computer-based test) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The Nursing Graduate Program requires a minimum score of 7.0 for IELTS (Academic Test).

The Ontario Public Hospitals Act requires that all persons working in a hospital setting meet certain criteria regarding surveillance for infectious diseases. In order for the requirement of the legislation to be met, once students have been enrolled in the Nursing Program, they must complete annually the Pre Clinical Communicable Disease Screening. More information will be sent to specific applicants prior to registration. Specific questions can be directed to the Office of the Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (Health Sciences).

ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS	Master's Degree (which includes a thesis component or equivalent)
REQUIRED COURSES	Three half courses: NUR 700* (Philosophical basis of nursing research) If students have not completed a master's level clinical course (equivalent to NUR 701*), research methods course and a statistics course in the MSc they are required to do so in the PhD) Graduate Seminar Two electives SGS 101 and SGS 201
OTHER REQUIREMENTS	Comprehensive examination Acceptable research proposal for Ph.D. Thesis and Thesis Defense Full time students are usually expected to complete all degree requirements within four years from date of entry or within six years for part time students; but all requirements must be completed within a maximum six years from date of entry for full time students and eight years for part time.

Requirements for Degree Completion

Candidates must:

1. Obtain at least a B- standing in a minimum of three graduate half courses beyond those required for the M.Sc. degree, one of which must be NUR 700*. If students have not completed a master's level clinical course (equivalent to NUR 701*), research methods course and statistics course in the MSc they are required to do so in the PhD. The completion of the Doctoral Seminar is also required.
2. Ph.D. students who enter with an M.Sc. degree are expected to successfully complete the comprehensive examination before the end of the 18th month from date of entry in the program but must have successfully completed the comprehensive examination within two calendar years from date of entry. 
3. Submit a thesis on an approved topic and defend the thesis at a final oral examination.

Students are usually expected to complete all degree requirements within four years from date of entry; but all requirements must be completed within a maximum six years from date of entry.

Comprehensive Examination

It is a University regulation that students must pass the Comprehensive Examination as part of the requirements for a doctoral degree.

Normally after the 3 required half courses and Doctoral Seminar are completed and normally before beginning data collection for the thesis, students in the Nursing doctoral program will complete the comprehensive examination process.  The comprehensive examination provides an opportunity for graduate PhD students to demonstrate, in writing and orally, their ability to integrate ideas that reflect current knowledge. The PhD Comprehensive Examination is intended to go beyond an assessment of factual knowledge.  It focuses on the assessment of integrative thinking at a general and abstract level and on preparedness to undertake thesis research.  The students will be expected to provide reasoned arguments to support their interpretation of the areas under study and to demonstrate their ability to use the information they have acquired.

The Comprehensive Examination consists of written and oral components.  For the written component, the student is expected to prepare a paper containing a critical evaluation of  knowledge on each of two examination topics.  The written papers should take the form of  review papers on these topics. They will contain a general review of the literature, a summary of the important concepts and the evidence substantiating the concepts. The student should present a critical analysis of the literature on the topic in each area and propose alternate explanations or further research to clarify the important issues. Thus the papers will examine the origins of the topics, the present status of research in the areas and propose directions for further progress. In short, the papers will demonstrate the student's ability to acquire, synthesize, evaluate and apply information and present the student's own interpretation of the status of each area.

The oral examination consists of a concise presentation (not read from overheads) of the essence of each paper including reasoned responses to the written evaluations and questions of each of the Examiners.

Thesis

Candidates for the doctoral degree must complete a dissertation or thesis on an approved topic which must be based on research carried out within the program and defend the thesis at a final oral examination.  The thesis will demonstrate the student's ability to develop new methodology, or to advance one or several competing existing methodologies in a challenging new area of health care/health services research.

Graduate Seminar

All PhD students are required to attend and participate in the graduate seminars held during one term of their program; usually the term in which the student takes NUR 700*, Philosophical Basis of Nursing Research. The weekly 2-hour seminars will focus on discussion of research issues and the development of professional skills.