Applicants for doctoral study in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences–College of Nursing must meet the following requirements:
LICENSE
Hold current unencumbered licensure as a registered nurse.
Degrees/Prerequisites
Hold a master’s degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited program and show documentation of a minimum GPA of 3.65 in all coursework for the master’s degree. (Applicants desiring admission with only a BSN or with a master’s degree in another field, will be considered. If admitted, these students will be required to complete selected prerequisite coursework in nursing.)
TOEFL
If English is not the applicant’s first language, provide documentation of TOEFL test scores. A TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based or at least 213 on the computer-based exam is required. As of 2006, a minimum score of 20 in each section of the iBT is required. The exam must have been taken within the last two (2) calendar years prior to admission. Only TOEFL test scores received directly from ETS will be accepted as valid. Testing information is available at http://www.ets.org
Application and Transcripts
Complete the application process of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Graduate School. All official transcripts must be sent to the Graduate School. IMPORTANT NOTE about electronic transcripts: UAMS can only accept electronic official transcripts from eScrip-Safe. If sending an official electronic transcript to the Graduate School, please check to ensure your host institution sends it through the eScrip-Safe network before ordering an official electronic transcript.
Please note: If you have undergraduate or master’s transcripts with another name other than the name under which you are applying to the program, please indicate both your current name and your previous name(s) to the UAMS Graduate School Office. Otherwise, the application process will be delayed until you have relayed this information.
Written Work
Submit written responses here to the questions below regarding educational goals, research interests, and desired research career.
- Reasons for graduate study: Describe your reasons for wanting to earn a PhD in nursing. Provide any information about your background, training, and experience that you believe is relevant to your qualifications for doctoral study.
- Please provide a balanced assessment of your personal characteristics including strengths, weaknesses, and challenges. Describe how these characteristics influence your individual and group interactions, with particular emphasis on your interpersonal style and leadership qualities, and those characteristics that influence the way others view you. Also, describe any memberships that are important to you.
- Briefly describe a problem in health care with a focus on nursing science on which you would like to focus your research.
- What contribution do you expect to make to the nursing profession after earning this degree?
- Why did you specifically select the PhD program in Nursing at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)? How do you expect doctoral study at UAMS to facilitate your career goals?
- How have your background and life experiences including cultural, geographical, financial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges motivated your decision to pursue the PhD at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences?
Submit an example of scholarly written work.
Write a short essay on a selected topic at the time of the interview.
Interview
Interview with graduate faculty members.