| Minimum of 60 credits beyond the master’s degree and includes both required and elective courses. Additional electives can be taken to provide content or methodological expertise. A minimum of 16 credit hours of dissertation and 2 credit hours of dissertation seminar are required. | ||
| SPRING 1—2025 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 61033 [formerly NPHD 6102]: Qualitative Methods | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| NPHD 62103 [formerly NPHD 6110]: Leadership in HC Systems or NURS 71173 [formerly NURS 7117]: Leadership in Health Policy & Advocacy | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 9 | |
| SUMMER 1—2025 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 61183 [formerly NPHD 6117]: Culture of Health | 3 | |
| NPHD 61161 [formerly NPHD 6115]: Leadership in HC Systems Field Experience (if took NPHD 62103 / NPHD 6110) | 1 | |
| NURS 52063 [formerly NURS 5205]: Quantitative Epidemiology (if not taken during masters program) | 3 | |
| TOTAL | 4 or 6 | |
| FALL 1—2025 | Credits | Term Completed |
| BIOS 50133 [formerly BIOS 5013]: Biostatistics I | 3 | |
| BIOS 51131 [formerly BIOS 5111]: Biostatistics Computing with R-1 Lab | 1 | |
| NPHD 61193 [formerly NPHD 6118]: Philosophies & Theory in Science & Research | 3 | |
| NPHD 61043 [formerly NPHD 6103]: Quantitative Methods | 3 | |
| SELECT TOPIC/Dissertation Chair | ||
| TOTAL | 10 | |
| SPRING 2—2026 | Credits | Term Completed |
| BIOS 52103 [formerly BIOS 5212]: Biostatistics II | 3 | |
| BIOS 52001 [formerly BIOS 5200]: Biostatistics Computing with R-2 Lab | 1 | |
| NPHD 61143 [formerly NPHD 6112]: Synthesizing the Literature | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE | 2-3 | |
| TOTAL | 9-10 | |
| SUMMER 2—2026 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 61052 [formerly NPHD 6105]: Issues (taught alternative years) | 2 | |
| TOTAL | 2 | |
| FALL 2—2026 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 62153 [formerly NPHD 6113]: Preliminary Studies/Grant | 3 | |
| ELECTIVE: NPHD 61083 [formerly NPHD 6108]: Qualitative Analysis or other | 3 | |
| NPHD 62171 [formerly NPHD 6116]: Research Practicum | 1 | |
| OR ELECTIVE: Topics in Nursing or Other | 2 | |
| TAKE Dissertation Comprehensive Exam | ||
| TOTAL | 9 | |
| SPRING 3—2027 MUST BE Full-time to receive an assistantship | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 6200V [formerly NPHD 6201]: Doctoral Dissertation Seminar | 1 | |
| NPHD 6203V [formerly NPHD 6202]: Dissertation (toward total of 16 credits) | TBD | |
| TOTAL | TBD | |
| SUMMER 3—2027 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 6203V [formerly NPHD 6202]: Dissertation | 1-3 | |
| TOTAL | 1-3 | |
| FALL 3—2027 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 6200V [formerly NPHD 6201]: Doctoral Dissertation Seminar | 1 | |
| NPHD 6203V [formerly NPHD 6202]: Dissertation | TBD | |
| TOTAL | TBD | |
| SPRING 4—2028 | Credits | Term Completed |
| NPHD 6203V [formerly NPHD 6202]: Dissertation (toward total of 16 credits) | TBD | |
| TOTAL | TBD |
This is a tentative plan of study. Students who are awarded the graduate assistantship must be enrolled full-time (at least 9 credits) in the spring and fall semesters and 1 credit (or more) in the summer semester. The assistantship pays for 1 credit of tuition during the summer semester. Costs for additional tuition beyond 1 credit are paid by the student. The assistantship covers tuition and includes a $30,000 annual stipend in exchange for the student working approximately 16 hrs/week as a graduate assistant. The duties of the graduate assistant are assigned by the Director of the PhD program. These duties are designed to assist faculty while fostering research, teaching, and leadership skills of the graduate assistant. The assistantship is typically awarded for two years, although the Dean of the UAMS Graduate School may award a third year of funding depending upon the availability of funds.