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DHSc Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education

Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education

The GW Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) program, enables clinical health professionals from a range of backgrounds to build competencies in advanced professional practice in clinical or academic environments. Students complete one of two tracks -- Clinical Practice Leadership or Educational Practice Leadership – based on desired career outcomes.

All learners gain mastery of the design, implementation, and evaluation of health care programs as well as lead interprofessional teams to advance health care.

Program Format

Continue in your profession full-time, learning when and where it is most convenient to you as the curriculum is primarily online. There are two residencies required over separate weekends, and the program culminates with a finalized manuscript ready for submission to a peer reviewed journal.

The program offers two concentrations in either clinical or educational practice.

Quick Facts

48 total credits, 100% online courses & 2 residency weekends, 2.5 years average duration, accreditation, rankings and highlights.

Fully accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Ranked 62nd Best National University, U.S. News & World Report , 2023 Rankings

Graduate in as few as 30 months

Two concentration options to choose from

Design programs to advance the practice of health professionals in academic and clinical settings

The online Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education program is a 48-credit-hour program that helps students build competencies in advanced professional practice, whether that be in the clinical or academic environments.

View Courses

Manage the clinical aspects of a health care facility and improve its outcomes. By graduation you’ll be able to:

• Design strategies to improve clinical practice guidelines, clinician performance, and improved outcomes in a health care environment
• Collaborate with interprofessional teams to address a common goal such as improved efficiency and effectiveness, or improved satisfaction among patients and health care
• Analyze gaps between the outcomes of best practice and current practice in health care practice environments
• CML 6203 Health Information, Quality, and Outcomes – 3 credits
• HCQ 6200 Introduction to Health Care Quality – 3 credits
• HFR 8313 Knowledge Translation in Health Care – 3 credits
• HFR 8314 Health Care Research – 3 credits

Improve your health or higher-education staff’s student outcomes and meet the rigorous standards for leadership positions in this field. By graduation you’ll be able to:

• Create educational programs that prepare participants to serve as effective health professionals in complex health care environments
• Collaborate with interprofessional stakeholders to build educational practices that foster teamwork in patient-centered care
• Analyze gaps in educational research to support the effective preparation of health professionals
• Design and test an educational innovation to support improved outcomes in health care education
• HFR 8212 Teaching Strategies in the Health Professions – 3 credits
• HFR 8213 Curriculum Development in the Health Professions – 3 credits
• HFR 8214 Assessment in HP Education – 3 credits
• HFR 8215 Technology and Education in HP – 3 credits

To apply for the Doctorate of Health Sciences (DHSc) Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education program, you’ll need:

• Completed application
• 3.0 GPA or above on a 4.0 scale
• Master’s degree
• Personal statement
• Two letters of recommendation

See All Requirements

The Doctorate of Health Sciences (DHSc) Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education program at GW consists of 48 credit hours, cost per credit $1,030, and total estimated tuition $49,440.

The Doctor of Health Sciences Leadership in Clinical Practice and Education program will be exhibiting at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Inspire 2024 Annual Conference & Expo in Orlando, Florida from March 21-23, 2024.

Joyce Maring, EdD, DPT, has been selected to receive the Lucy Blair Service Award from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) for her exceptional contributions, involvement, and impact in clinical practice and education pedagogy, as well as the physical therapy profession.

Patrick G. Corr, EdD, MEd, AFAMEE and Leigh A. Frame, PhD, MHS launch the Frame-Corr Lab.

Doctorate in Clinical Practice

PLEASE NOTE CLOSED TO ADMISSIONS

The Doctorate in Clinical Practice (DClinP) is for experienced health and social care practitioners who wish to pursue a high level career in clinical practice.

It takes three to four years to complete full time, and between four and seven years to complete part time.

Introducing your degree

From day one of this interprofessional doctorate in Clinical Practice, you will be working alongside research supervisors who will give you the skills and experience to succeed. Ultimately, this course will equip you with the applied skills and knowledge for high-level leadership and strategic healthcare roles anywhere in the world. The course comprises both a modular taught component and a major piece of clinically focused research leading to submission of a thesis and a viva. This programme is run in conjunction with the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR), which has a world-class reputation for using technology to improve quality of life.

Programme Overview

Duration: three to four years full time; four to seven years part time

This Doctorate in Clinical Practice uses the Researcher Development Framework to enable you to develop your skills: particularly those of analysis, interpretation and application.

Throughout this clinical doctorate you will also become better at systematically acquiring new knowledge, and also at explaining your findings to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.

In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise, the University of Southampton was rated a very creditable second place in the country for its nursing activities.

As a member of our research community you will be one of the drivers of continuing success.

View the programme specification document for this course

You can apply to register to undertake a postgraduate degree using the online  postgraduate application process. 

For further information on this clinical doctorate programme, please contact: DClinP Programme Lead: Tracey Harding .

Clinical doctorate applicants must submit an outline research proposal which fits the research interests of the Faculty . Academic references are required and applicants will be interviewed.

Applications must be submitted by 1st June, with the programme commencing annually on 1st October. (Late applications may be considered).

Students wishing to be supervised by the Institute of Sound and Vibration Research  need to select ISVR during their online application.

The programme is for health and social care practitioners who wish to develop careers that span clinical practice and research.

I chose Southampton because of the University’s reputation in Health Sciences and its renowned Palliative and End of Life Care Research Group. When I return to Thailand I plan to use the knowledge I’ve gained here to help improve the quality of life for my patients.

Our research groups

Active Living and Rehabilitation

Complex Healthcare Processes

Fundamental Care and Safety

Health Work and Systems

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements.

Upper second-class honours degree or higher in a relevant subject and/or a higher degree in a health related subject (or an equivalent standard in other qualifications approved by the University); plus a professional qualification leading to registration with the appropriate professional body, and a minimum of three years relevant clinical/professional practice.

Selection process

An outline research proposal which fits the research interests of the Faculty.

Satisfactory academic references.

Clinical doctorate candidates whose first language is not English are also required to reach a satisfactory standard in an approved test in English. In Health Sciences, the minimum requirements for English Language IELTS scores for international students applying for a postgraduate research programme are:

Direct entry: 6.5 IELTS overall and a minimum of 6.0 in each discipline (reading, writing, listening and speaking). In addition, applicants will be encouraged to complete a 6 week pre-sessional English Language Programme.

6.0 IELTS overall and a minimum of 5.5 in each discipline: Applicants must successfully complete the 6 week pre-sessional English Language Programme, before starting their postgraduate research programme on 1st October.

5.5 IELTS overall and a minimum of 5.0 in each discipline: Applicants must successfully complete the 10 week pre-sessional English Language Programme, before starting their postgraduate research programme on 1st October.

Please note that students who do not pass the pre-sessional programme will have failed their conditions of offer for the clinical doctorate programme and will not be permitted to start the postgraduate research programme.

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.

Programme Structure

Typical course content.

This Doctorate in Clinical Practice (DClinP) is made up of core and option modules.

The core modules focus on: research skills, clinical leadership and service development, decision making, developing research in practice, and governance.

You then choose your option modules from a range offered within the University.

For all taught modules there will be between five and 15 study days led by experts in their field. Most modules are time tabled over five module days.

Throughout this clinical doctorate your learning will be assessed by the programme lead to ensure that you are making satisfactory progress.

You will undertake a research project, during which you will work closely with a supervisory team to conduct a piece of research and produce a thesis.

Each module on this clinical doctorate is assessed independently. Some link directly to the research project, others to clinical/professional development. The core modules are listed below. Option module(s) 40 credits (L7) are also taken.

The taught programme consists of 90 ECTS points (50 at doctoral level and 40 at Master's level) to be gained through a combination of core modules, some of which may be chosen from the portfolio of modules offered by the Faculty. The programme comprises five core modules, with a further 20 ECTS points being selected from an approved range of modules offered within the University provided their place in a cohesive personal pathway is justified.

You may choose to take EITHER the level 7 core module The Essence of Decision Making OR the level 7 core module Diagnostic Assessment and Decision Making.

HLTH8011 Leading, Implementing and Communicating Research

HLTH6095 People, Politics, Practice: Contextualising Health Care Research

HLTH6118 Governance in Action

HLTH8009 Leading Innovative Services for Quality Improvement

HLTH6079 The Essence of Decision Making

HLTH6074 Diagnostic Decision Assessment and Decision Making

HLTH6124 Research Thesis

Fees & funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for postgraduate research degrees vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK, EU and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.

Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.

Learning & Teaching

The Doctorate in Clinical Practice (DClinP) offers learning that is varied and interactive.

You will learn from taught modules, seminars, forums, conference days and social events.

In addition, you will receive on-going support from your supervisory team to plan and conduct your research project in accordance with the clinical doctorate programme aims. You will also have access to extensive learning resources to support you, including Blackboard,  Doctoral College support and other University resources.

You will be need to consistently use the Researcher Development Framework to assist decision-making.

Your clinical doctorate research project will be assessed according to a 45,000 to 50,000 word thesis, plus viva.

Study locations

University of Southampton Highfield Campus

Based on the University's main Highfield campus, Health Sciences is si... Find out more

Doctorate in Clinical Social Work

Applications for Fall 2024 admission are now open! Ready to Apply?

Enhancing Clinical Leadership Skills In Academia | Supervision | Practice Theories |  Anti-Oppressive Practice

The NYU Silver DSW Program in Clinical Social Work is a practice-oriented doctoral degree designed to prepare professionally licensed students for leadership roles in academic and agency settings. By promoting practice-relevant scholarship, graduates will develop new clinical social work knowledge to advance anti-oppressive praxis toward human rights and social justice.

Building on the NYU Silver School of Social Work’s reputation for excellence in clinical social work education, the DSW Program offers theoretical, evidence-based practice, research, and policy coursework. Additionally, the program provides writing workshops and a choice of a teaching or supervisory internship geared towards the enhancement of advanced clinical practice knowledge and skills. The unique aspects of the program are designed to develop clinical academic leadership skills, prepare students to produce publishable papers under the direction of an advisor, and present at professional conferences.

Kirk “Jae” James , LMSW, DSW Clinical Assistant Professor and DSW Program Director

Gillian O’Shea Brown, DSW ’21    

Jessica Chock-Goldman, DSW ’21    

Lena Greene, DSW ’18 Deputy Director of NYC Human Resources Administration Office of Substance Use Policy, Planning, and Monitoring

Please email the DSW Program office for additional information, or call (212) 998-4352.

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About the PhD in Clinical Investigation Program

The program is targeted toward internal physician postdoctoral fellows in clinical departments of the School of Medicine. It involves one year of full-time academic classroom work, followed by at least two years of mentored training in clinical research. The combination of a year of instruction and a year of clinicals allows students the scientific grounding for subsequent original research. This research effort is jointly mentored by faculty from the program and a mentor from the student’s SOM department. After fulfilling all requirements, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Clinical Investigation is awarded by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Curriculum for the PhD in Clinical Investigation

Browse an overview of this program's requirements in the JHU  Academic Catalogue  and explore all course offerings in the Bloomberg School  Course Directory .

Prerequisites for the PhD Degree

• Satisfactory completion of 90 credit hours of course work, including one year of full-time in-residency course work
• Five additional courses to be taken in the second or third years
• Continuous registration for the Research Forum and registration for Thesis Research each term
• Completion of a Comprehensive Exam at the end of the didactic year
• Satisfaction of all university requirements for the PhD, including completion of a Preliminary Oral Examination, Thesis Preparation, and Thesis Defense

Admissions Requirements

For general admissions requirements, please visit the How to Apply page. For our PhD specific application requirements, please see our How to Apply page.

This specific program also requires:

Prior Graduate Degree

Advanced medical degree: e.g., MD, MBBS, PhD

Prior Work Experience

Work with human subjects in clinical investigation

Standardized Test Scores

Standardized test scores  are required  for this program. This program accepts the following standardized test scores: USMLE and GRE or MCAT.  Applications will be reviewed holistically based on all application components.

GTPCI is one of 60 national recipients of an NIH-sponsored CTSA KL2 Award to support institutional career development programs for physicians and dentists, encouraging them to become independent, patient-oriented clinical investigators. This Multi- disciplinary Clinical Research Career Development Program funds clinical research training for a broad group of physicians, dentists, and other scientists who have a doctorate in a health-related field, including pharmacy, nursing, epidemiology, and behavioral sciences. The Johns Hopkins KL2 program will provide career development support for junior faculty physicians or dentists from within Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.

Information regarding the cost of tuition and fees can be found on the Bloomberg School's Tuition and Fees page.

Need-Based Relocation Grants Students who  are admitted to PhD programs at JHU  starting in Fall 2023 or beyond can apply to receive a $1500 need-based grant to offset the costs of relocating to be able to attend JHU.   These grants provide funding to a portion of incoming students who, without this money, may otherwise not be able to afford to relocate to JHU for their PhD program. This is not a merit-based grant. Applications will be evaluated solely based on financial need.  View more information about the need-based relocation grants for PhD students .

Questions about the program? We're happy to help.

Director Khalil Ghanem, MD, PhD

Academic Program Manager Cristina A. DeNardo, MEd 410-502-9734 [email protected]

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A world-class city filled with art and culture and an incredible campus that offers cutting edge resources–that’s what students receive at Penn Nursing. And that’s just the start. Penn Nursing and the wider university offer something for everyone, as well as a lifelong community.

Penn Nursing is globally known for educating dynamic nurses—because our School values evidence-based science and health equity. That’s where our expertise lies, whether in research, practice, community health, or beyond. Everything we do upholds a through-line of innovation, encouraging our exceptional students, alumni, and faculty share their knowledge and skills to reshape health care.

Penn Nursing students are bold and unafraid, ready to embrace any challenge that comes their way. Whether you are exploring a career in nursing or interested in advancing your nursing career, a Penn Nursing education will help you meet your goals and become an innovative leader, prepared to change the face of health and wellness.

Penn Nursing is the #1-ranked nursing school in the world. Its highly-ranked programs help develop highly-skilled leaders in health care who are prepared to work alongside communities to tackle issues of health equity and social justice to improve health and wellness for everyone.

Penn Nursing’s rigorous academic curricula are taught by world renowned experts, ensuring that students at every level receive an exceptional Ivy League education . From augmented reality classrooms and clinical simulations to coursework that includes experiential global travel to clinical placements in top notch facilities, a Penn Nursing education prepares our graduates to lead.

Doctor of Nursing Practice in Executive Leadership

Our online DNP in Executive Leadership program develops master’s-prepared nurses who already have leadership experience with the executive-level skills to lead systems and organizational change.

About the Program

All of Penn Nursing’s programs are accredited. To learn more about the accreditation and pass rates, please visit our Accreditation page .

Program Information

Program Length

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Learning Format

Program Details

Offered online with a one-week on-campus intensive during which students attend the Wharton Nursing Leaders Program , the DNP-EL can be completed while working full-time from any location. Students will complete a DNP project, which can take place at their own site of employment, bringing additional value and impact to their own institution. For more information about the DNP Scholarly Project, please consult the DNP Handbook or view previous DNP Scholarly Projects .

An unparalleled advantage, this interdisciplinary curriculum incorporates content from Wharton Executive Education , Wharton Online , and the Perelman School of Medicine Health Care Innovation Graduate Program . Situated within a resource-intensive university, students avail of online library services, and take courses taught by faculty with vast healthcare leadership experience. Synchronous online engagement provides students with networking opportunities, individualized faculty mentorship, and access to executives from our world-class academic health system.

The DNP-EL includes coursework in strategic planning and execution, value-based healthcare innovation, advanced healthcare economics and finance, and transformative executive-level leadership competencies. Upon completion of the program, students achieve outcomes informed by the American Organization of Nurse Leaders (AONL) Nurse Executive Competencies .

Click the link below to view the curriculum for this program in the University catalog or download a sample plan of study .

View the curriculum

Requirements

Minimum qualifications for the program.

BSN and MSN or Masters degree in a related field, e.g., Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), Master’s in Healthcare Administration (MHA), Master’s in Public Health (MPH), etc. with a GPA of 3.2 or higher.

Prerequisites

Graduate-level Research Methods Course with a grade of B or higher.

Two years leadership and fiscal management experience (or formal graduate coursework in finance/accounting) required but greater than 5 years preferred.

RN and APRN (if applicable)

International Applicants

Click here for additional requirements

Application Deadlines

Fall 2024 enrollment.

Priority Deadline: November 1, 2023 Final Deadline: February 1, 2024 Latest Decision Notification: mid-February

*Dates subject to change without notice.

Costs & Tuition

The estimated total cost (tuition and fees) of the 2023 DNP in Executive Leadership program (11 CUs) is $74,995.

Your program costs will depend on your individual plan of study. Tuition is charged per CU based on your semester enrollment.

Discount available for employees of our Academic Practice Partners. Click here to learn more.

Summer 2023 - per course unit (CU): $6,542

Fall 2023 or spring 2024 - per course unit (cu): $6,658, program outcomes.

At completion of the DNP program, a student will demonstrate the competency to effect advance high-quality, equitable and accessible healthcare by:

• Developing ways to improve health and healthcare outcomes through translating research, evaluating evidence-based practice, and implementing innovative ideas.
• Applying project management acumen and data analytics to improve outcomes for patient/family, systems, or community-based care.
• Disseminating practice knowledge that contributes to nursing and interprofessional scholarship.

The DNP in Executive Leadership aims to graduate nurses for middle- or executive-level leadership roles including those in clinical operations or project/program leadership at a departmental or systems level.

James Ballinghoff, DNP, MBA, RN DNP Program Alumnus

“Since this program is designed for working professionals, I could balance my studies with the demands of my Chief Nursing Officer position.”

April 10 | 6:00pm

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2024 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Showcase

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Frequently Asked Questions

Understanding the different programs, what is the difference between a phd and a dnp, what is the difference between the post-master’s dnp and the dnp in executive leadership tracks, program, plan of study, and cohort, is the program fully online are the online classes held live or asynchronously.

Yes, the program is fully online with   synchronous, with the exception of limited synchronous online sessions and one 5-day in-person intensive for the Executive Leadership track .   Course content is delivered asynchronously; individual courses may have a limited number of synchronous requirements to facilitate specific course learning objectives that are also made available in asynchronous format. Every course offers virtual, synchronous office hours with course facult y.  

I only see a Plan of Study with 2 courses per semester. Can I just take 1 class a semester?

We encourage all students to take 2 courses/term   to   remain within your cohort which is known to   improve   adult le arners’   outcomes and supports   networking and teamwork, but we understand that life circumstances can be unpredictable. If you have questions about a different pace of study, please contact your respective   track   director.

Can I take electives or online classes at other Penn graduate schools?

Penn students are encouraged to explore opportunities to learn in courses offered across the University. There are no required electives in the DNP Plan of Study. If students want to consider additional course work outside the DNP Plan of Study, consultation with an academic advisor is strongly recommended before registering for any additional/extra coursework.

Do I need to know my DNP project topic before I apply?

It is not necessary to know your DNP project topic before you apply and, in fact, we expect this to be an iterative process. As you engage in coursework and explore   the literature , we encourage you to be curious and think critically about potential areas for practice change in your organization or specialty.  

How will I be matched with a Faculty Mentor for my DNP Project and who comprises my DNP Project Team?

DNP faculty collaborate with students throughout the program but particularly in the project courses to mentor them through various stages of the DNP project including development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. Students also work with respective institutional site leaders who guide them in identifying organizational needs and working with key stakeholders. For more information about the DNP Scholarly Project, please consult the DNP Handbook .  

Can I work while in the program?

Yes, in fact we encourage you to work while in the program as your practice can inform your learning and scholarship. Students often complete their DNP project (usually a quality improvement/practice change initiative) at their site of employment which not only benefits their institution but also showcases your scholarly work.

What are the program intensives?

The DNP in Executive Leadership program hosts an all-day synchronous online intensive for first year DNP students at the end of August, at the onset of year one. This is an important, required event that helps DNP students to become familiar with University of Pennsylvania and School of Nursing education resources, develop specific insights for educational expectations of the DNP program, meet DNP faculty, and build relationships and network amongst your cohort. In addition, students participate in workshops that address evidence translation, leadership, and scholarship, including scholarly writing. A second all-day synchronous online intensive for second year DNP students is positioned at the end of August, prior to year two to prepare students for project development. During this intensive, you will meet with course faculty and participate in data analytics and project proposal planning activities to launch the second year Fall semester coursework. Additionally, DNP-EL students meet on-campus for five days during the first Fall semester in December for the Wharton Nursing Leaders Program.

How many students are in a cohort?

For the DNP-EL, there are approximately 10-20 students in a cohort.

Tuition & Financial Aid

What is the cost per cu.

For program costs, please visit our website .

What financial aid is available?

Please visit the Penn Nursing Financial Aid for information on financial aid options and external scholarships , including the Nurse Faculty Loan Program.

I am an employee with one of Penn Nursing’s academic practice partners. Is there a discount or scholarship available to me?

Yes! Please please visit this page to learn more and apply.

Program Activities

Promising approaches.

Influencing health care and health care workplaces through leadership, policy implementation, and patient care takes incredible skill and thoughtfulness. Penn Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program is an example of how to do it right.

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Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership

Transfer credits, next start date, increase your knowledge and earn a nursing leadership certification that can help set you apart.

Are you an advanced practice nurse or nurse leader and interested in going further in your career? Maybe you want to pursue your Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), but you’re not ready to take on a full doctorate. Liberty University’s Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership is designed to give you a valuable credential in your field and prepare you for doctoral studies.

With this certificate, you can gain valuable knowledge in your field that can help you advance in your career and stand out among your peers. You will be taking doctoral-level nursing courses that can help you develop your research skills and your knowledge of theoretical application for nursing practice. Upon completion, this certificate can fully transfer into our DNP program or stand alone as an advanced credential in nursing.

Median Salary

The median annual salary for medical and health services managers in 2020 was $104,280.* 

Market demand for medical and health services managers is projected to grow 32% from 2019 to 2029.* 

Our Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership can be completed in as little as 1.5 years. 

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Occupational Outlook Handbook: Medical and Health Services Managers (viewed online June 16, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

If you have served in the military, we want to go above and beyond to show you our gratitude. That’s why we designed our 21-credit-hour certificates to work especially well for you. Earning an Executive Certificate makes you eligible for our military alumni doctoral discount — you’ll receive the discounted $300/credit hour military rate both during the certificate and later during a doctoral degree.* Many of our certificates roll directly into a corresponding doctoral degree, allowing you to get a jumpstart on your doctorate!

If your plans to earn a doctoral degree lie further in the future, each certificate also stands on its own as a professional development credential, setting you apart from your peers and giving you the flexibility to start a doctoral degree whenever you’re ready. It’s one more way we show our appreciation.

*In order to retain the $300/credit hour rate, the doctoral degree must be started within 2 years of completing the Executive Certificate.

Why Choose Liberty’s Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership?

At Liberty, our mission is Training Champions for Christ . In keeping with that mission, we strive for excellence in all that we do. By earning your Executive Certificate from Liberty University, you will receive the following benefits:

• Flexibility | Each of your certificate courses is offered in a 100% online, 8-week format with 8 different start dates throughout the year. You can complete your certificate at your own pace while continuing to devote time to your family, work, and community.
• Professors | Our professors are distinguished individuals who have worked in the field of nursing for years and earned terminal degrees. They are ready to partner with you as you complete your certificate and help you achieve academic, professional, and spiritual growth.
• Transfer Opportunities | An exciting part about this Executive Certificate is that you can transfer all 21 credits directly into one of our doctoral degrees. This certificate allows you to get a jumpstart on your doctorate without committing to the program right away.

Career Opportunities for Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership Graduates Our Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership can help you prepare for several career paths. Depending on your current knowledge, education level, and experience, there are many different positions that could benefit from our accredited certificate: Clinical researcher Healthcare manager Nursing administrator University professor Some of these occupations may require a doctorate. That’s why Liberty created Executive Certificates that can seamlessly transfer into one of our corresponding doctoral programs. So if you are looking to further your studies after completing your clinical leadership certificate, you will be able to transfer all 21 credits into our  Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) !

What Will You Learn in Our Clinical Leadership Courses?

As a nurse, you understand the importance of continued learning and innovative research. Our Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership is designed to provide you with some of the latest research ideas, applications, and information to help you continue to succeed and stand out as a leader among nurses.

Through this program, you can learn to translate evidence-based research into practice to improve patient safety and quality of care. You will also develop the skills needed to lead inter-professional teams and drive innovations to improve healthcare, systems, and policies.

Required Courses

• NURS 700 – Advanced Nursing Research
• NURS 715 – Theoretical Application for Advanced Practice Nursing
• NURS 716 – Applications of Evidence-Based Care
• NURS 718 – Informatics, Technology, and Trends for Transforming Health Care
• NURS 721 – Leadership, Policy, and Ethics
• NURS 732 – Interprofessional Collaboration and Outcomes Management for Quality in Health Care
• NURS 834 – Health Care Operations and Financial Management

Course guides available upon request

Highlights of Our Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership

• We are recognized by multiple institutions for our academic quality, affordability, and accessibility . Our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America . Earning your online Executive Certificate from a nonprofit university with this kind of recognition can help set you apart from others in your field.
• Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
• You can complete your Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership in as little as 1.5 years.
• You can transfer all of your hard-earned credits from this certificate into our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) – giving you a jumpstart on your doctorate.

Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership Information

• This program falls under the School of Nursing .
• Download and review the Certificate Completion Plan for this program.
• View the Graduate Nursing Course Guides (login required) .

Apply Now       Request Info

Military Benefits for Our Online Executive Certificates

Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe. Whether you are a current service member, discharged or retired from service, or the spouse of a service member or veteran, we are here to support you every step of the journey.

As a thank-you for your dedication and service to our country, Liberty is honored to serve and support you in your pursuit of online education by offering the following benefits:

• Tuition discounts – $300 per credit hour for postgraduate courses
• Roll these credits into the corresponding doctoral degree
• 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)

Please note: The $300/credit hour doctoral military rate cannot be combined with the   First Responder Discount .

Admission Requirements for the Executive Certificate in Clinical Leadership

A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with a 3.0 or above GPA is required for admission in good standing. Please visit our  admission requirements page  for more detailed admissions-related information.

All applicants must submit the following:

• Admission application
• Application fee*
• Official college transcripts showing a CCNE or ACEN approved MSN degree
• Documentation for APRN license and associated professional certification (if applicable — see full admission page for more details)
• Clinical education prerequisites (if applicable — see full admission page for more details)
• Writing Sample
• Practicum Hour Verification form
• American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Providers with AED
• Proof of English proficiency (for applicants whose native language is other than English)

For advising, please contact  [email protected] .

*There is no upfront application fee; however, a deferred $50 application fee will be assessed during Financial Check-In. This fee is waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required.

*Some restrictions may occur for this promotion to apply. This promotion also excludes active faculty and staff, military, Non-Degree Seeking, DGIA, Continuing Education, WSB, and Certificates.

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You have to have a lot of self-motivation and self-discipline when you are going to school online, but the amazing thing is at Liberty you do not need to do it by yourself. You really do have resources like someone who is going to school on campus.

– Janae Fleming ’15, B.S. in Education

PhD in Clinical Psychology

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Clinical Psychology

pictured alum: Dr. Emily Eccles, Class of 2020

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Fielding’s doctoral program in Clinical Psychology is accredited by the American Psychological Association. It is the only distributed learning program accredited by the APA. The Psychology PhD serves adults, many of whom who have trained or worked in the mental health field. Our unique distributed learning model blends the best of in-person learning opportunities with digital formats.

About the Clinical Psychology Program

Application requirements.

Earning your doctorate in Clinical Psychology includes online and in-person seminars, meetings with faculty and other students in your region, weeklong residential sessions, as well as research and clinical training experiences.

The unique mix of online and residential learning provides flexible opportunities for individuals with career, family, and community responsibilities to achieve their advanced educational goals. Faculty are active scholars and practitioners with a wide variety of expertise, making it possible to offer training in a variety of therapeutic orientations and specialized concentrations in some of the most exciting growth areas of psychology.

• Conferred Bachelor’s Degree
• Minimum GPA of 3.0
• Online Application Form
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Statement of Purpose
• Critical Thinking Writing Sample
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Official Transcript
• No GRE Required

Start your application NOW!  

Apply now for fall 2025, student admissions, outcomes, and other data.

In accordance with requirements of the American Psychological Association (APA), Fielding Graduate University provides Student Admissions, Outcomes, and Other Data pertaining to the education of our graduate students.

The Fielding Experience

• Become a member of a dynamic and diverse community of colleagues
• Interact with and learn from our expert faculty located all across the country
• Attend monthly professional development seminar in your geographic area
• Engage with alumni, faculty, and other students at sessions

Mission & Aims of the Program

Fielding’s APA accredited Clinical Psychology Ph.D. program is strongly aligned with the university’s mission to create a more humane, just, and sustainable world, and the university’s values that include academic excellence, community, diversity, and social justice.

Consistent with these values, a core mission of our program is to foster the inclusion of students from under-represented populations. These populations include students living in small communities, rural, or remote locations of the United States, students currently in the military or spouses of military members, adult learners with families, and students whose ongoing participation in their current communities cannot be halted for doctoral study elsewhere. These are student populations who are often unable to enter the field through preparation at a traditional university campus, yet these are the future psychologists for which the discipline and profession have expressed an urgent need.

In addition, our program aims to graduate entry-level scholar-practitioner psychologists who bring social justice values to their work as licensed health service professionals. Consistent with this overarching aim, we have four specific aims for our students, which must be achieved by the time of graduation.

• Students will demonstrate doctoral-level discipline-specific knowledge that represents the scientific and theoretical knowledge areas of the discipline of psychology (i.e., history and systems of psychology and the affective, biological, cognitive, developmental, and social bases of behavior).
• Students will demonstrate doctoral-level conceptualization, evaluation, analysis, and integration of discipline-specific knowledge across the curriculum.
• Students will demonstrate doctoral-level ability to understand and critique research; design, conduct, analyze, and communicate theoretically informed research; and conduct research in a manner that is culturally sensitive and consistent with legal code and ethical standards, including the APA ethics code.
• Students will demonstrate doctoral-level competence in the profession-wide competencies, including conducting an evidence-based diagnosis, assessment, and psychotherapy; and applying theory and research to develop case conceptualizations, treatment plans, and interventions that are consistent with legal and ethical standards and individual and cultural diversity factors.

Serving adults, many of whom have trained or worked in the mental health field, our unique distributed learning model blends the best of face-to-face learning opportunities with digital formats.

Faculty are active scholars and practitioners with a wide variety of expertise, which allows us to offer specialized concentrations and training in a variety of therapeutic orientations.

Geographic Eligibility

The program only considers applicants who reside in the contiguous United States and Canada. The program is not available to those residing internationally (except Canada). Applicants from Alaska and Hawaii may be considered pending confirmation of their ability and resources to attend local professional development seminars in contiguous U.S. on a regular basis, access to acceptable practicum training sites, and ability to relocate for internship. (Contact [email protected] to be put in touch with the Program Director for consideration prior to applying.)

Due to state licensing requirements, graduates of the program are not eligible for licensure in Oklahoma. For licensure information on your particular state of interest, please visit our Professional Licensure page [CLICK HERE].

School of Psychology News

The latest news, announcements, and special events from Fielding’s School of Psychology.

APA Award-Winning Research: Student La’ Toya Broughton’s Groundbreaking Study on Mental Health in Black Communities

By Fielding News | 2023-10-13T07:51:49-07:00 October 6th, 2023 |

Dr. April Harris-Britt Elected to APA Board for Professional Affairs

By Fielding News | 2023-09-27T07:14:30-07:00 September 27th, 2023 |

Alonso Center Presents: The Impact of AI on the Profession & Practice of Psychology

By Fielding News | 2023-08-22T09:52:07-07:00 August 21st, 2023 |

Why Choose Fielding for Your Psychology Degree?

A conventional APA-accredited doctoral program delivered in an unconventional way

Join Over 7,500 Fielding Alumni Located Around The World!

Change the world. Start with yours.™

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Leadership Spotlight: Dr. Stephanie Sarantopoulos is Bringing Science and Clinicians Together

Dr. Sarantopoulos grew up in the Connecticut textile mill town of Danielson, where her Greek immigrant grandparents settled. When she was 12, her parents moved the family across the country to open a restaurant in rural Arizona — the Olympic Pizzarama—where Dr. Sarantopoulos discovered how much she loved people—and their stories.

But it was not until years later, when working on her PhD dissertation at Boston University, that she realized the impact she could have on some of these stories: on the lives of others.

Dr. Sarantopoulos, a professor in the division of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapy (HMCT), a professor in the department of Integrative Immunobiology and co-leader of the Immuno-Oncology Program at the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI), has dedicated the last 15 years to developing safer, curative immunotherapy for patients with hematological malignancies, becoming internationally known for her work.

An Affinity for Cancer Patients

Dr. Sarantopoulos’s own story begins in high school when she developed a sudden thirst for scientific inquiry after her biology teacher refused to teach evolution because he ‘didn’t believe in it.‘ “As a teenager this made me want to read more about science, not less,” she said. “I developed a nerdy way of rebelling, I guess.”

In medical school, she developed an affinity for cancer patients. “But it drove me a bit mad thinking about implementing agents without understanding more,” said Dr. Sarantopoulos, whose Duke lab studies human B cell biology after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. So, she focused on chronic Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD), after finding it, “unacceptable to cure someone of their cancer and given them a debilitating, life-threatening disease that we knew so little about.”

In the world of rare blood, bone marrow, lymph cancers and diseases treated by the HMCT team, multi-disciplinary teamwork is crucial in order to see patients regularly, to prepare cell products and to care for immune toxic side effects. It is a kind of patient care, Sarantopoulos noted, that is closely linked to the science.

“My lab and many others in the division are full of very talented and hard-working people who don’t get the credit they deserve, but they really are the ones digging deep into those questions that end up helping our patients,” she added, crediting family and mentors for much of her own success. 

In January, Dr. Sarantopoulos assumed the role of HMCT division chief. Bringing scientists and clinicians together, she noted, to come up with the next best curative treatments for patients at the Duke Blood Cancer Center (BCC) is what drew her to the division chief role.

“We have the best and brightest lab researchers and the most expert, caring staff, doctors, nurses and advanced practitioners at Duke. Having spent a quarter of a century studying and trying to capitalize on what we have learned about the immune system, I can’t imagine a better time to take this job,” she said. “Cell therapy and immunotherapies are rapidly advancing and it’s a privilege to work in this moment with such a great team.”

Patient-First Culture

The division of HMCT’s has a patient-first culture of innovation that was strongly promoted by Dr. Nelson Chao, former division chief. Dr. Sarantopoulos has a similar vision and plans for moving the division forward.

“Nelson Chao promoted this culture with a terrific sense of hope and trust, hope that science will lead us to answers that will help people,” she explained. “And trust in one another to do the very best we can do every single day we come in to take care of some of the sickest people in the health system. My vision is to bring exceptional, cutting-edge care to our patients at the BCC.”

Dr. Sarantopoulos also wanted to take on the division chief role, in part, to help improve the health outcomes of our communities. One way to do that, she said, is through opportunity and education.

“At a tertiary-care center like Duke, we teach other doctors what we have the privilege to specialize in and become super expert at, and those doctors take care of more patients. Nothing is more important than spotting talent and enabling a person’s career path, she said. It’s been a joy at this stage of my career seeing undergraduate, post-baccalaureate students (especially from nearby HBCUs) on my watch get into medical and MD/PhD programs. Diversifying physician-scientist work force will lead to scientific advances and to improved outcomes for our communities.”

Apprenticeship teaching is the means by which high quality medicine is carried on, along with HMCT research groups at Duke. Studies in allogeneic stem cell transplant over the last half century, for example, have led to the advent of other exciting cell therapies, and will continue to teach a great deal about human immunology and immune-therapy development, she added.

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Navigating Excellence: How a Doctorate in Leadership Can Transform Your Career

Completing an online doctorate in leadership can open doors to remarkable career transformations. However, this educational journey goes beyond acquiring skills and fosters profound personal growth.

A good EdD leadership program explores leadership dynamics and blends theory with real-world applications. Graduates emerge with enhanced skills and a nuanced understanding of organizational complexities. It doesn’t just propel careers forward; it sparks a complete transformation—shaping individuals with deep insights, visionary leadership and readiness for future challenges.

The EdD Advantage

Creighton’s online Doctoral Program in Interdisciplinary Leadership (EdD) has developed emergent leaders for over a decade. The program’s innovative plan of study builds on reflective practice, rigorous scholarship and unwavering support. To help students navigate an online doctorate in leadership, Creighton developed a program that aligns with the specific ambitions of each learner, ensuring that the journey isn’t a standardized trek but a personalized journey toward excellence.

Creighton’s vibrant online community prepares individuals to collaborate and thrive. We foster a learning space where faculty and students bring their diverse life experiences, unique perspectives and knowledge to conversations founded in real-life scenarios. It’s not just “sage on the stage” instruction. Our commitment is to learn from one another, building interdisciplinary understanding and growth.

Real-world Balancing Act

Pursuing a doctorate in leadership is unique because it is intended to fit into your active everyday life and career. Your work experiences shape your learning, and your point of view adds value to your peers, creating a transformative journey for any future leader.

Captain Kathryn “Kat” Wijnaldum , EdD’19, worked to balance her studies with a busy military career and family commitments. She showed determination, studying even during her kids’ baseball games. With good time management and support from her family and Navy leadership, she successfully finished her doctoral work.

As the Officer in Charge of the Surface Nuclear Propulsion Mobile Training Team for the U.S. Navy, Captain Wijnaldum says, “I had a leadership team that supported me in balancing education with work. My military detailers gave me flexibility, ensuring I finished my dissertation before taking on my ship executive officer role.”

Real-world Impact

The effectiveness of any leadership doctoral program is best gauged by its impact on its graduates. Creighton’s EdD turns theory into practical success. Zoran Grabovac , EdD'22, shapes privacy at John Deere’s Moline headquarters, crediting the program for enhancing his ethical decision-making.

His expertise lies in ensuring the company aligns seamlessly with global privacy laws, maintaining meticulous compliance. Reflecting on his EdD journey, Grabovac notes the program instills ethical decision-making frameworks, prompting graduates to contemplate the implications of their decisions on people and fostering a more thoughtful approach. He adds, “Decisions are made with a comprehensive review of the impact on stakeholders such as the organization, communities, employees, the environment, customers and others who may be impacted. We all share an ecosystem; balance is needed for the ecosystem to continue to be healthy and thrive.”

Rebecca Rivera , EdD’16, was drawn to pursue a doctorate to continue teaching criminal justice, which is her passion and area of professional expertise. She sought an online program that would accommodate her research interests. “I was looking for a school that could meet my needs. I was a single mom of a teenage boy. I worked full-time. I also still taught part-time, so I wasn’t in a position where I could sit in a physical class.”

Additionally, she chose Creighton for its mission fit and welcoming culture. She readily admits to trepidation in her readiness. “When I got to residency, I parked my car, got out, and was like, ‘I’m going home. I’m not smart enough. These people are smarter than I am. I can’t be here. What am I thinking?’” After driving all that distance, she decided she would give it a chance. “Immediately, Creighton was so inclusive, and they made you feel accepted and welcomed. They made you feel like you were able to obtain your doctoral degree, and so that really sealed the deal for me.”

Benefits of an EdD

When Kat Wijnaldum graduated from the Naval Academy and began her career as a Surface Warfare Officer, she knew she wanted to lead and make an impact. After early command experience, she realized she needed new skills to reach higher leadership roles and properly develop her crews. That motivated her to pursue her EdD in Leadership from Creighton while serving full-time in the Navy on the Joint Staff.

Grabovac added, “I believed in the structure of the program. It was very focused on the practical application of theory instead of just studying the theory itself.” The ability to apply what he would learn to real-life leadership challenges attracted Zoran to the program. “The research broadens your perspective, and you start to understand the people and events based on the experiences of their past.”

Influence on Skill Development

Grabovac says the program enhanced his writing and ethical decision-making. “Writing was a big piece–you definitely become a better writer.” He believes the program changed how he thinks, communicates, makes decisions, and leads. It improved his practical skills, such as research, communicating succinctly, and connecting ideas.

Captain Wijnaldum credits Creighton for teaching her “how to communicate effectively and manage a lot in a small amount of time and still remain effective.” More importantly, she directly applied her new knowledge and skills on duty. She notes: “I could apply recommendations I had put in that dissertation. And my people thrived. (Our command) received retention excellence awards.”

Navigating the Dissertation Journey

Central to Creighton’s EdD program is a distinctive dissertation in practice that allows you to share your findings as a scholar and practitioner promptly. Our approach to this dissertation ensures the immediate application of your findings. You’ll receive support throughout finishing your dissertation, with the intentionality that guides you successfully across the finish line. Your work will contribute to academic knowledge and address leadership issues in the real world.

Rivera’s nationally published research made a significant impact. She uses her Creighton training to inform the criminal justice system, championing a philosophy of changing cultural ideology by understanding it from a restorative perspective. She has mentored those with incarceration histories and thinks, “Because I am a person of color and also a female, I have inspired women leaving prison and people of color to see that we can make it.”

Wijnaldum shared her experience. “Creighton taught me how to do the research. If I can substantiate [recommendations] by facts and communicate them in an executable plan, anyone can run with it.” She adds, “The Creighton experience taught me how to communicate effectively, quickly, sometimes succinctly or sometimes with great depth. They understand what I’m recommending.”

Crafting Careers

Clearly, the Creighton EdD expanded Captain Wijnaldum’s skillset and propelled her upward mobility. But more importantly, it enabled her to fulfill her original purpose: to invest in and develop crews properly. “I’ve had sailors contact me, and one of my officers thanked me for demonstrating what right looks like from a leadership standpoint. That was really encouraging.”

Rivera adds, “It catapulted me into the career that I wanted. I saw myself with the additional perks of being published and doing some really great things like writing courses and helping prisons create educational programs, things I would have never thought in a million years that I would see myself doing.”

Does Your Journey Lead through Creighton?

For those considering a doctoral degree in leadership, Grabovac emphasizes that “there is never a perfect or better time to start.” His advice? “Just jump right in. Enjoy the journey. You can rely on phenomenal support from the faculty and your fellow students.” He also advises clearly communicating your goals to family and friends, so they understand the commitment required.

For Rivera, Creighton’s supportive approach helped her realize her potential. “This program will work for you, and while intense, it’ll be worth every bit of everything you went through to get there.” She emerged living her dream, with teaching positions allowing her to research criminal justice “and the opportunity to help leadership make those transitions in law enforcement from punishment to accountability.” Her heartfelt dedication epitomizes Creighton’s mission of empowering students to transform themselves and the world.

We are proud that our students continue to make a difference in their communities and across the globe every day.

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Eastern University’s Doctorate in Organizational Leadership Earns High Praise from Forbes

Forbes has ranked Eastern University’s  Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership  third on its list of the Best Online Doctorate in Organizational Leadership Programs for 2024 . The list ranked 60 accredited, nonprofit universities offering the degree program at a doctoral level.

Eastern University’s Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership equips students to serve as transformational change agents in business and beyond, offering three specialization tracks so that students can customize the curriculum to their interest and expertise. The program offers a unique, faith-centered, scholarly development experience through rigorous online coursework, in-person residencies, and individualized research coaching leading to professional presentations and publications.

Eastern’s program is flexible for working professionals. It helps students expand their professional network with global peers from diverse industries and develop advanced qualitative and quantitative research skills. The cohort model allows for individualized mentoring from dedicated faculty as students progress through the program together, often developing life-long relationships.   

Dr. Heewon Chang , Professor and Chair for the Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership program, emphasized the caring nature of this community.

“This program has created a community dedicated to shaping leaders to reach their full potential,” said Dr. Chang. “The faculty are deeply invested in the rich network of students and alumni who have also returned their support to the program since the beginning.”

Forbes’s methodology  examines 15 data points from reliable, third-party data sources in the categories of credibility, affordability, student outcomes, and student experience. Data points such as graduation rate, median earnings 10 years after graduation, tuition, student-to-faculty ratio, and more inform the ranking. Among the top 10 schools, Eastern ranked No. 1 in graduation rate, showcasing a commitment to ensuring its students cross the finish line with value-added theoretical and practical education of excellence.

“We are honored to be recognized for the excellence of our online doctoral program,” said Dr. Christa Lee-Chuvala , Dean of The College of Business & Leadership. “We are committed to supporting working professional leaders for entry into the world of research and scholarly contribution, equipping them to develop research insights that advance leadership practices in their current workplace or future careers.”

Learn more about how Eastern University’s Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership prepares organizational leaders from various public and private contexts to effectively engage in the transformation of their organizations.

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Expected Roles of PhD Graduated Nurses: A Scoping Review

Reza negarandeh.

1 Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

Sahar Khoshkesht

2 Department of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing & Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

The aim of this study was to investigate the expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses and their challenges. This study was conducted as a scoping review based on Arksey and O'Malley’s approach. After a search in valid databases such as Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Science Direct, Ovid, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database between 2000 and 2019 and review the websites of some well-known universities and the contents of some of the global nursing websites such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, National League for Nursing (NLN), International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing (IDEN), as well as reports such as Institute of Medicine. All data were collected, summarized, and then described narratively. There was much evidence that the Doctor of Philosophy programs had failed to prepare graduated nurses for the related roles and responsibilities. The expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses in this study summarized in five domains of education, clinical practice, research, leadership and management, and policy-making along with worldwide challenges, especially those highlighted in Iran. It seems that besides clarifications of the expected roles of the Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses, there should be more thought about the contents of the programs along with roles responsibilities, as well as the establishment of better communications between universities and workplaces.

Introduction

The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) refers to the philosophy and scientific diligence in knowledge which is also regarded as the highest academic degree in all disciplines. The term “doctorate” is rooted in the Latin word “docere” which means teaching ( Winter et al., 2000 ) and it is also characterized by an advanced level of education and research that is employed to create new knowledge ( Ellis, 2005 ). The graduates of disciplines such as medicine labeled as “MD,” pharmacy called “Pharm.D,” veterinary named as “DVSc,” and dentistry termed as “DT” are also mentioned as doctorate which is a degree equivalent to a bachelor’s and master’s in other sciences.

History showed that PhD education was established in Europe and Germany. Then, it was brought to the United States in the 1860s. Yale University was the first academic center to award a PhD degree in 1861. Then, Oxford University in the United Kingdom began to accept students in PhD programs in 1920 ( Carpenter & Hudacek, 1996 ).

In general, the goal of a PhD program is to educate scholars and scientists to develop disciplines and to create new knowledge in which there is an emphasis on preparing students to assume expected roles after completion of the courses ( Fiedler et al., 2015 ). The global competition for doctoral study is growing. Moreover, PhD graduates play an important role in the development of communities because of having specific skills in research methods and abilities to create, implement, and publish knowledge and innovation ( Auriol, 2010 ).

The concept of PhD in nursing is not new. In the past, most nurses could also obtain their doctoral degrees in disciplines such as physiology, education, or social sciences. Doctorate of Education (EdD) was created between 1900 and 1940 and the first EdD in nursing was awarded in 1933 at Columbia University. In the 1950s, the University of Pittsburgh emphasized the importance of clinical research for the development of a body of knowledge and nursing profession in the PhD program. Then Boston University launched the Doctorate of Nursing Science (DNSc) ( Robb, 2005 ). Later, different types of nursing doctorates were developed including Doctorate of Science in Nursing, Nursing Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing (PhD), and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) ( Meleis, 1988 ; Rosseter, 2017 ). The history of PhD degrees development in nursing in some countries across the world such as the United States (1933), the United Kingdom (1970), Sweden (1986), Australia (1987), South Korea (1988), Brazil (1990), Canada (1991), Venezuela (1998), and China (2003) is reflecting the historical record and the importance of developing PhD studies in nursing worldwide.

Historically, the first PhD program in nursing in Iran was held by Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 1995. Then, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, and Isfahan University of Medical Sciences started accepting PhD students in nursing. Currently, a total number of 17 universities of medical sciences in Iran have permission to train PhD students in this domain.

In general, two models of PhD programs in nursing are known worldwide. In the research-based/oriented European model, students only focus on the implementation of research projects. This model is being used in European countries, North Africa, Egypt, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. But in the North American model or the Pan-American model, students first take courses that are related to the subject of the dissertation and, after successfully passing the relevant exams; they concentrate on doing their dissertations. This model is being implemented in countries such as Brazil, Canada, the United States, Venezuela, South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Iran ( Ketefian et al., 2001 ).

In recent years, scientific research studies have put more stress on the professional development of nursing and they have particularly focused on the unique characteristics of nursing. Unlike other disciplines that start with general studies and then make progress toward specializations in the postgraduate programs, nursing is a profession that requires a general perspective in the PhD program ( Rosseter, 2017 ). Nursing programs traditionally present courses in the fields of nursing history and philosophy and development of healthcare techniques as well as socio-economic, political, and ethical issues. Data management and research methods are also included as the most important areas in doctoral education in nursing ( American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN], 2018 ).

Undoubtedly, the purpose of PhD programs in the development of nursing sciences is through research. In this respect, graduates are trained in research-based disciplines to contribute to a collection of unique knowledge in nursing and they are expected to accept leadership positions in their fields. As noted, the nursing process has been toward increasing PhD programs. Having doctoral degrees, as the most known and highest degree of science, has also clarified the value of PhD in nursing. Although the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) announced in 2004, there are mainly two types of nursing doctorate including PhD and DNP in Nursing; but most of the nursing leaders who recognize and accept PhD as a degree at the postgraduate level are strongly advocating the removal of other specialized programs such as DNP named as PhD in Nursing. Moreover, the AACN has differentiated PhD graduates as knowledge developers and DNP and DNSc ones as experts in using the new knowledge ( AACN, 2002 ; Rosseter, 2017 ).

Growing knowledge and increasing complexity of health systems increase the need for advanced and qualified nursing. Therefore, nursing education and the training of Ph.D. students are very important ( Patelarou et al., 2009 ). According to the Institute of Medicine (2011) , “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” nurses could play a very important role in reforming and redesigning health systems that need improving the levels of knowledge and attitudes. Based on the recommendations in this report, there is an emphasis on increasing levels of nursing education, doubling the number of PhD graduates in nursing by 2020, and using the full extent of nurse education and training; therefore, nurses should be responsive to changing needs of health care systems. However; there is much more evidence that PhD programs in nursing have failed to prepare graduates for relevant roles and responsibilities ( Booth et al., 2016 ). Generally, the relationship between doctoral education and expectations and roles is vague and there are sometimes no defined roles and responsibilities for nursing graduates in health systems ( Agger et al., 2014 ; Bullin, 2018 ). Even if the roles and responsibilities have been defined, they have not been properly addressed in practice. Considering the increasing importance and the need for training nurses with PhD degrees as the source of changes in healthcare systems, as well as the controversies in preparation of graduates that exposed them to the confusion of their roles, there is the need to discuss the role of PhD graduate students. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the expected role of PhD graduate nurses.

Research Questions

1. What are the roles and responsibilities of PhD graduate nurses? 2. Is there compatibility between the expected roles, curriculum, clinical environment, and organizations that provide job opportunities? 3. What are the worldwide PhD graduate nurses challenges; especially those highlighted in Iran?

Study Design

This study was a scoping review based on Arksey and O’Malley approach (2005).

Study Process

The five-stage approach of Arksey and O’Malley (2005) includes identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, study selection, charting the data, collating, summarizing, and reporting. A summary of the stages is shown in the below flowchart ( Figure 1 ).

Flowchart of the Process of Study Based on Arksey and O’Malley’s Five-Stage Approach.

Search Process and Study Identification

Regarding the importance of the subject in the field of nursing and the lack of sufficient evidence in this domain, the main research question was about the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses and their challenges. Accordingly, various keywords such as doctorate in nursing OR PhD in nursing AND roles of PhD nurses AND scope of practice of PhD nurses were searched in valid databases such as Google Scholar, Information Sciences Institute, Ovid, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database in the related studies published between 2000 and 2019.

Eligibility of Resources

More than 414 articles were extracted. After removing duplicate items, examining the relevancy of titles, and reviewing the relevance of the subject, the validity of the source, and accessibility to the article, finally, the 23 articles were examined. Also, seven articles and two books were added after reference lists review. Since the purpose of a scoping review is a brief analysis around key concepts in the research subject and finding main sources and types of evidence without considering the quality of the studies ( Tricco et al., 2016 ), the studies were selected only based on the proximity to the subject and scope of the investigation. Exclusion criteria included irrelevant, duplicate, and non-English articles. However, lectures, summaries, studies related to other disciplines, and studies just related to DNP were excluded from the final review. In addition, the websites of some well-known universities and the contents of some of the global nursing websites such as AACN, NLN, IDEN, as well as reports such as IOM were reviewed. All data were collected, summarized, and then described narratively and discussed.

Goals of PhD in Nursing

By exploring PhD programs in nursing across the world, it becomes clear that the educational goals of training PhD graduates are different due to discrepancies in defined roles and responsibilities. The following cases are examples of such differences.

The University of Virginia in the United States which accepts students through two PhD and DNP programs aims to educate clinical professionals, nursing scholars, and researchers to develop nursing knowledge in the 21 century ( The University of Virginia, 2018 ), while the John Hopkins University, in the United States, emphasized the empowerment of students in development and direction of research toward improving provision of healthcare services ( The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 2018 ). Accordingly, the general purpose of this university is to educate nursing scholars to develop and conduct research studies and finally progress the nursing discipline and deliver better healthcare services ( The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, 2018 )

The University of Alberta in Canada also expects the following roles from nursing graduates including nursing progress, knowledge mobilization, research development, and change in leadership ( The University of Alberta, 2018 ). Also, the objective of nursing education in China, which has been working on nursing education since 2003, is to educate future nurses in the domains of research and management ( Wang et al., 2016 ).

In general, the major objectives of establishing the nursing discipline in Iran include training specialized staff to provide the required workforce in the areas of research, education, technology, management, and services. Therefore, graduates can play roles in the domains of education, research, care, counseling, management, and prevention in communities. Accordingly, the positions considered for nurses can extend from hospitals to private centers, welfare and rehabilitation centers, research centers and institutes, planning centers related to nursing, growth centers, and knowledge-based companies as well as the community. However; the goals, visions, roles, and responsibilities of PhD graduated nurses in Iran have undergone changes in three periods since 1994. The focus of the first PhD programs in nursing was on improving the quality of education and research in order to achieve professional independence to supply the required human resource and also to promote nursing ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 1995 ). In 2003, following the graduation of only ten students, the curriculum of PhD programs in nursing was revised and training of high-quality students in terms of research gained more weight ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2005 ). In the last period and following the approval of the curriculum for PhD programs in nursing which had been implemented since 2017, the main goal was training specialized nursing staff to provide the required human resources in the field of research, education, technology, management, and nursing services as well as participation in policy-making in the health system. By adding six non-core units to the curriculum, a clinical perspective was formed ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ). Moreover, 24 professional responsibilities were considered for graduates. But there are not enough infrastructures to prepare nurses for gaining enough knowledge and skills during the years of education.

It seems that the shift in the locus of attention to the nursing PhD programs in Iran and some other countries from education to research and then clinical practice, as evident in curriculum changes, along with inappropriate consideration of specialized roles and responsibilities in PhD programs that distinguish graduates of PhD nursing from other nursing groups can be a reason for the role confusion among PhD graduates.

PhD in Nursing Careers

Based on the IOM (2011) reports as well as AACN (2018) , the nursing profession requires much more nurses at the doctoral level to deal with the difficulty of the lack of nursing faculty members and scholars. The Doctor of Philosophy programs in nursing is held with the purpose of preparing graduates to accept careers in health, education, research, and clinical practice.

Most nurses with PhD degrees have a normal transition to achieve an academic career; however, there are other alternatives for nurses at this level. For example, PhD graduated nurses are often recruited by large consulting companies to work with other individuals in terms of designing solutions related to problems in providing healthcare services. Some other nurses are employed by big hospitals to manage different wards. Moreover, a group of such nurses is hired for the management of complicated healthcare systems at an executive level. In other places, these nurses could carry out research and also formulate and develop national and international healthcare policies. No need to say that PhD studies can meet individuals with a wide range of appropriate job opportunities.

Roles, Expectations, and Challenges

Within the nursing profession, graduate students are trained to develop new nursing knowledge and to prepare future nurses in the fields of research, education, clinical practice, leadership, and health-related policies. However, one of the major challenges of nursing education is the lack of clarity in the roles and responsibilities of graduated nurses, especially those involved in PhD programs ( Bunkers, 2002 ).

In the study by Cheraghi et al. (2014) , clinical nurses’ perceptions and expectations about the roles and responsibilities of nursing doctorates were addressed. This study suggested that although nurses were good perceptions of PhD in nursing and believed that PhD nurses had been prepared to do research and to utilize theoretical knowledge in practice and they could also make use of their own specific conditions to improve current nursing status, PhD nurses, in reality, in the clinical setting cannot analyze issues related to healthcare systems and establish strategies to address nursing challenges.

Also, McKenna et al. (2014) highlighted the inadequate competency of PhD graduated nurses in confronting existing challenges in health systems. They acknowledged that although PhD graduates were expected to deal with nursing problems via knowledge and in-depth insights, in practice, such individuals had failed to play their roles in reforming the health system.

On the other hand, Sahebi et al. (2017) reviewing the challenges of the nursing doctoral curriculum in Iran conceded that with regard to the dynamism nature of needs of the health system and the development of nursing education, the nursing curriculum was faced with challenges and needed some changes. One of the most important findings of this study was that the nursing doctoral curriculum could not meet the needs of the community, health care system, the nursing profession, and even faculty members and PhD students. In the study by Zamanzadeh et al. (2014) investigating students’ attitudes toward the quality of PhD programs in nursing, the lowest score was associated with “no consistency between the curriculum of PhD programs and the nursing profession as well as its missions and obligations.”

Following the changes that occurred in the curriculum approved by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in 2017, it seemed that no adaptation was expected in this domain via adding six non-core units whose method of implementation was not defined clearly. The confusion and challenges faced by PhD students in relation to the expected roles of passing these six units also increased. In a study by Feizalahzadeh and Hassani (2012) , the participants showed that if nurses with PhD degrees were to be employed in clinical practice, necessary and sufficient infrastructure and organizational positions, as well as salaries, are required.

Expectations from PhD graduated nurses are miscellaneous and multifaceted. So, it is expected that individuals demonstrate their best performance in different domains and positions; while there is no proper and practical preparation in the clinical, care, decision-making, policy-making, and education fields. There actually seems to be a contradiction in what universities are producing and what employers expect from the graduated nurses. The following is a summary of the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses in five domains of education, clinical practice, research, leadership and management, and policy-making along with worldwide challenges, especially those highlighted in Iran.

Before the mid-19th century, the main focus of PhD programs was on teaching and higher education, aimed at training faculty members ( Glanville & Houde, 2004 ). Nonetheless, with the expansion of PhD programs in nursing and admitting more students, teaching became a secondary activity and concentration was directed to research programs ( AACN, 2016 ). One of the tasks of schools in this domain is to train experts, that is, future students and nurses, in terms of theoretical and clinical education ( Oermann et al., 2016 ). It is also one of the professional responsibilities and roles of PhD graduated nurses in Iran. Thus, nursing education has great importance in the development of the nursing profession and preparation of future nurses to accept today’s advanced roles and to take on responsibilities for providing safe and high-quality nursing services ( Burton et al., 2009 ).

Nursing graduates are expected to be able to prepare for the quality training of future nurses, but this readiness is low or not at all ( Bullin, 2018 ). Previous studies have shown that insufficient preparation among graduates to assume the role of lecturers and faculty members could reduce job satisfaction and have a negative impact on their performance in the educational role ( Whitehead, 2015 ). In the study by Moghadam et al. (2017) , it has been reported that PhD nursing students and graduates were not ready for nursing education. PhD graduated nurses further acknowledged that organizational expectations were much beyond their abilities, clinical competencies were low, and uncertainties and obligations could lead to identity threats in PhD students. Also, McNelis et al. (2019) showed that there is a vague process for preparing graduates for teaching in both PhD and DNP curricula. so, should prepare graduates for faculty roles by including coursework on teaching.

Currently, the presence of Iranian PhD graduated nurses in clinical practice is defined as lecturers in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in clinical settings ( Cheraghi, et al., 2014 ). But based on the contents of the PhD programs, students are not completely prepared for clinical education. So, assuming the role of clinical instructors by PhD graduated nurses is neither acceptable nor cost-effective. Perhaps, teaching-specialized clinical education can be assigned to experts of the related field and the educational role of nursing doctorates can be limited to teaching how to acquire knowledge and research and how to enhance the body of nursing knowledge. It has been highlighted in most PhD programs worldwide, and PhD nursing students are prepared in that domain.

Clinical Practice

As stated, the nursing discipline is inherently clinical and one of the goals to train future nurses is helping in terms of provision of safe and high-quality services and consequently improvement of community health ( Edwards et al., 2018 ). By assessing the roles for PhD graduates in clinical practice, it can be realized that the expected clinical role is promoting health in communities at higher executive and managerial levels, and no direct clinical role for such graduates in the care domain has been taken into consideration. In contrast, in Iran, planning, implementation, and evaluation of nursing services, working with healthcare teams, as well as patient follow-up after discharge, have been considered as responsibilities of PhD graduated nurses, while the defined positions for playing these roles have been not considered ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ). Additionally, the lack of well-defined and purposeful program have faced students with more confusion. There is no doubt about the role that nurses can play in clinical practice, but if nurses with PhD degrees have the same responsibilities assumed by other nursing groups, what is the need to spend money, time, and manpower to train nursing doctorates.

Certainly, DNP has a different definition of PhD. Accordingly, there are different programs, goals, missions, and job positions ( Oermann et al., 2016 ). The launch of the DNP program alongside PhD in nursing as a separate discipline considering educational infrastructure, manpower, working environment, community acceptance, and … can be debated; however, the problem is to what extent the integration of these two programs will be practical.

Research and Investigation

The goal of the PhD programs is to prepare nursing students to produce new knowledge, develop the profession, and improve the quality of healthcare and health policies that are possible in the light of research studies. Therefore, one of the expected roles of PhD students in nursing is the ability to carry out applied research ( Henly et al., 2015 ). Now, in the PhD Programs in Nursing in Iran (2017), students are required to fulfill a final research dissertation. In fact, one of the prominent roles of PhD graduated nurses is setting up and conducting proper and high-quality research. Thus, PhD students can identify concepts and structures of their interest, study their relationships, develop predicted models, and finally test them. The result can be the production of new knowledge for the nursing profession. However, AACN (2013) and Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education ( The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education [QAAHE], 2011 ) in the United Kingdom have expressed concerns about the quality of PhD theses.

It seems that attention to the quantity of the dissertations, limited research areas, and lack of interest in fundamental subjects, along with the prolongation of the research period, can all reduce the quality of research in PhD programs in nursing.

Leadership and Policy-Making

Although the tasks of governments or nursing leaders appointed to state affairs are policy-making, the presence of nurses in policy-making can improve nursing performance and consequently increase the quality of care services ( Sullivan & Garland, 2010 ).

More than any other efforts up to the present, the IOM report (2011) has encouraged nurses to make changes in policies. According to this report, nurses have been called on to enhance their leadership capacities in order to design, implement, and support health policies that affect community health.

In recent years, Iranian nurses have tried to increase their participation in policy-making in nursing affairs although the status of nurses in the domain of policy-making is not still clear enough ( Ministry of Health Policy Making Council, 2014 ).

It is also obvious that PhD graduated nurses have the most important role in shaping leadership. In the curriculum ( The Iranian Curriculum of PhD in Nursing, 2017 ), there are at least eight to ten leadership responsibilities that have been listed for PhD graduated nurses. It is also believed that the endpoint of the nursing profession is a leadership position to provide nursing services or train nurses. Accordingly, the PhD degree puts more emphasis on the leadership position of nurses, particularly in clinical practice. Moreover, it is claimed that nursing managers should benefit from the cooperation of PhD nurses in decision-making processes ( Brar et al., 2010 ).

In regard to the preparation of PhD graduated nurses to assume leadership and policy-making roles, there are still ambiguities. Recently, two units of policy-making have been included in the nursing syllabus, but they have not been enough and also failed to prepare nurses for such situations. Therefore, it seems necessary to change the goals and the plans of PhD programs in nursing in order to prepare nurses to take on leadership and policy-making roles in the future.

On the other hand, due to the lack of a precise definition for organizational positions in leadership and policy-making groups in the Ministry of Health or at hospitals, graduates have no idea of employment in such organizations. Moreover, the terms “cooperation” or “participation” have been used in the responsibilities listed in the curriculum and independent roles have not been considered for PhD graduated nurses.

Study Limitations

One of the limitations of this study was the difficulty of fully accessing up-to-date and reliable sources. However, the best and most reliable sources were selected and retrieved according to the situation and needs.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The Doctor of Philosophy graduated nurses are expected to play the roles of agents for the development of the body of knowledge and nursing profession, as well as for educators, researchers, leaders, policy-makers, and professional consultants. Nevertheless, one of the major challenges facing nursing education is ambiguity in defining the roles of nursing graduates particularly those with PhD degrees (Bunkers, 2001). The definition of nursing roles can be challenging because studies in many countries have indicated disruptions in roles as well as overlaps ( Chiarella & McInnes, 2010 )

There is much evidence that PhD programs in nursing do not prepare graduates for their roles and responsibilities ( Booth et al., 2016 ). In general, the relationships between doctoral education, expectations, and career roles for PhD graduated nurses have not been well defined ( Agger et al., 2014 ; Bullin, 2018 ). Therefore, for possessing graduates with multiple abilities and multiple tasks, there is a need for the enrichment of the curriculum, defining clear roles, and proper preparation to achieve these roles ( Adib-Hajbaghery & Hosieni, 2018 ).

It seems that PhD programs lasting for 4–5 years have failed to create the competency required to provide these complex, broad, and sometimes cooperating roles with other medical and nursing staff. On the other hand, the working environment is not ready to accept these graduates.

As a whole, all the expected roles of PhD graduated nurses need further clarifications and there is a need to think about the consistency between curriculums and roles, as well as the establishment of better relationships between academic settings and educational programs and organizations providing job opportunities.

Educational planning to achieve the competency to accept the roles needed for the market in order to meet the needs of communities and the nursing profession is worthwhile because the type of investments in an educational system will be equal to its outputs. Therefore, the type of perspectives to educational programs can direct human resource policy. Therefore, the results of this study, while reporting the situation in Iran, should be considered as a basis for expanding awareness of the challenges in this field, and the authorities should find a solution in the field with proper planning.

This article provides an overview of the expected role of nursing PhD graduates around the world with a special focus on nursing PhD graduates in Iran and discusses its challenges. Obviously, because of cultural differences and the educational and care structure of each country, roles and expectations will be different. Therefore, it is suggested that this issue be discussed in several countries and a solution be found to its challenges.

Peer Review: Externally peer-reviewed.

Author Contributions: Concept – S.K., R.N.; Design S.K., R.N.; Supervision – R.N.; Resources – S.K., R.N.; Materials – S.K., R.N.; Data Collection and/or Processing – S.K.; Analysis and/or Interpretation – S.K., R.N.; Literature Search – S.K., R.N.; Writing Manuscript – S.K.; Critical Review – R.N.

Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Funding: The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.

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