Located in a top academic health center, UAB prepares nurse leaders to reach the highest level of clinical practice and research scholarship. Students are matched with nationally and internationally recognized faculty who mentor them through academic work, aligning their DNP project and dissertation research with their clinical, leadership, and research skills to transform and advance health care.
Students participate in a dynamic distance accessible format that combines online and face-to-face didactic coursework with clinical practicum experiences. In addition, students are required to attend annual on-campus DNP and PhD intensives and an on-campus orientation. This pathway provides access to apply for tuition assistance and other funding opportunities.
For additional information, see our Research Areas & Faculty Research and Current PhD Students Research Areas
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Program Information
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Admission Requirements
Prospective students must:
- Have a master's degree in an area of advanced nursing practice (nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, nursing administration, or nursing informatics) from a regionally accredited institution, equivalent to that offered in the UAB School of Nursing.
- Licensure as a registered nurse and advanced specialty certification or eligible to sit for advanced certification and pass their specific certification exam prior to the end of their first semester. Admission is conditional until advanced certification is achieved.
- Have a graduate grade point average of at least 3.2 overall (based on a 4.0 scale).
- Applicants should submit an official transcript from every college or university they attended (even if for only one semester). Transcripts may be emailed electronically by the issuing institution to the UAB Graduate School at gradschool@uab.edu or mailed to:
- UAB Graduate School
LHL G03
1720 2nd Ave. S.
Birmingham, AL 35294-0013
- UAB Graduate School
- Three (3) letters of professional recommendations, and may include previous faculty (recommended within past 3 years), healthcare supervisor or manager, and/or health care professionals (excluding peers or family members).
- CV / Resume
- A written personal statement/essay and/or completed essay questions as directed in the application process.
- Complete a formal admission interview.
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Application for Admission/Application Deadlines
Application Deadlines
Entry Date: Fall 2025Deadline: May 1, 2025To Start the Application Process
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Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the Post-MSN to DNP-PhD Pathway, students will be able to:
Translate evidence into practice:
- Synthesize scientific evidence for the development of clinical interventions for practice.
- Evaluate policy, healthcare delivery, and organizational systems for current and future health care needs.
- Incorporate current and emerging health technologies to improve healthcare delivery and organizational systems.
- Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies in healthcare.
- Demonstrate intra- and inter-professional collaboration to address health disparities and improve healthcare quality across diverse populations and cultures.
- Assume complex leadership roles to advance clinical practice and healthcare delivery at the organizational and systems level and improve health outcomes for individuals and populations.
Develop nursing science:
- Master a focused body of knowledge and the nursing discipline.
- Critique and integrate different scientific perspectives and generate new ideas.
- Conduct culturally competent, ethical, and original research.
Steward the discipline:
- Disseminate science via publications and presentations to drive policy and nursing practice.
- Weave theoretical/scientific underpinnings into all efforts to integrate research, teaching, and service.
- Practice knowledge and culture of nursing.
Educate the next generation:
- Lead and contribute to the global nursing scholars community.
- Lead and participate in team science.
- Provide mentorship and education to other nursing and health-related scholars.
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Program of Study
Year 1 - Semester 1 - Fall PhD DNP Total
Semester
CreditsNumber Title CH Number Title CH NUR 751Q Philosophical Foundations of Science 3 NUR 737Q Interprofessional Leadership and Role Decelopment for Practice Execellence 3 11 NUR 753Q Nursing as a Scientific Discipline 2 NUR 735Q Population Health in Advanced Practice Nursing 3 Year 1 - Semester 2 - Spring NRM 750Q Foundation of Quantitative Research 3 NUR 740Q Health Policy and Politics: Implications in Health Care 3 12 NRM 755Q Critical Analyses of Theories, Models and Frameworks 3 NUR 729Q Evidence Based Practice Design and Translation 3 Year 1 - Semester 3 - Summer NRM 798Q Research Immersion 3 NUR 742Q Program Evaluation Methods 3 12 NRM 780Q Application of Research Design Principles I 3 NUR 733Q Informatics for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 Year 2 - Semester 4 - Fall NRM 752Q Responsible Conduct of Research 3 NUR 743Q Evidence Based Practice Strategies 3 11 NUR 778Q Data Management 2 NQI 702Q Clinical Data Management and application for Improvement 3 Year 2 - Semester 5 - Spring NUR 759Q Writing a Career Development Grant Proposal 1 NUR 738Q DNP Project Planning 3 9 NST 758Q Inferential Statistics I 3 NUR 739Q DNP Project Implementation and Evaluation 2 Year 2 - Semester 6 - Summer NRM 798Q Research Immersion 3 NUR 739Q DNP Project Implementation and Evaluation 5 9 NRM 760Q Scientific Dissemination 1 Year 3 - Semester 7 - Fall NRM 781Q Quantitative Measurement 3 9 NST 779Q Statistical Modeling I - Linear Models 3 Elective Substantive Core 3 Year 3 - Semester 8 - Spring NRM 782Q Application of Research Design Principles II 3 9 NUR 758Q Research and Health Policy 3 Elective Substantive Core 3 Year 3 - Semester 9 - Summer NRM 783Q Foundations of Qualitative Research 3 9 NST 780Q Statistical Modeling II - Topics in Multivariate Research 3 NUR 797Q Writing the Dissertation (Independent Study) 3 Year 4 - Semester 10 - Fall NUR 791 Independent Study (Complete Comprehensive Exam, Dissertation Proposal Defense, IRB Approval, if needed) 9 9 Year 4 - Semester 11 - Spring NUR 799 Dissertation Research 9 9 Year 4 - Semester 12 - Summer NUR 799 Dissertation Research (if needed) 9 9 Dissertation Defense DNP Credit Hours (CH) 34 PhD Credit Hours (CH) 84 Total Credit Hours (CH) 118 Year 1 - Semester 1 - Fall Course Number Course Title Credit Hour PhD NUR 751Q Philosophical Foundations of Science 3 NUR 753Q Nursing as a Scientific Discipline 2 DNP NUR 737Q Interprofessional Leadership and Role Decelopment for Practice Execellence 3 NUR 735Q Population Health in Advanced Practice Nursing 3 Total 11 Year 1 - Semester 2 - Spring PhD NRM 750Q Foundation of Quantitative Research 3 NRM 755Q Critical Analyses of Theories, Models and Frameworks 3 DNP NUR 740Q Health Policy and Politics: Implications in Health Care 3 NUR 729Q Evidence Based Practice Design and Translation 3 Total 12 Year 1 - Semester 3 - Summer PhD NRM 798Q Research Immersion 3 NRM 780Q Application of Research Design Principles I 3 DNP NUR 733Q Informatics for Advanced Practice Nursing 3 NUR 742Q Program Evaluation Methods 3 Total 12 Year 2 - Semester 4 - Fall PhD NRM 752Q Responsible Conduct of Research 3 NUR 778Q Data Management 2 DNP NUR 743Q Evidence Based Practice Strategies 3 NQI 702Q Clinical Data Management and application for Improvement 3 Total 11 Year 2 - Semester 5 - Spring PhD NUR 759Q Writing a Career Development Grant Proposal 1 NST 758Q Inferential Statistics I 3 DNP NUR 738Q DNP Project Planning 3 NUR 739Q DNP Project Implementation and Evaluation 2 Total 9 Year 2 - Semester 6 - Summer PhD NRM 798Q Research Immersion 3 NRM 760Q Scientific Dissemination 1 DNP NUR 739Q DNP Project Implementation and Evaluation 5 Total 9 Year 3 - Semester 7 - Fall PhD NRM 781Q Quantitative Measurement 3 NST 779Q Statistical Modeling I - Linear Models 3 Elective Substantive Core 3 Total 9 Year 3 - Semester 8 - Spring PhD NRM 782Q Application of Research Design Principles II 3 NUR 758Q Research and Health Policy 3 Elective Substantive Core 3 Total 9 Year 3 - Semester 9 - Summer PhD NRM 783Q Foundations of Qualitative Research 3 NST 780Q Statistical Modeling II - Topics in Multivariate Research 3 NUR 797Q Writing the Dissertation (Independent Study) 3 Total 9 Year 4 - Semester 10 - Fall PhD NUR 791 Independent Study (Complete Comprehensive Exam, Dissertation Proposal Defense, IRB Approval, if needed) 9 Total 9 Year 4 - Semester 11 - Spring PhD NUR 799 Dissertation Research 9 Total 9 Year 4 - Semester 12 - Summer PhD NUR 799 Dissertation Research (if needed) 9 Total 9 Dissertation Defense DNP Credit Hours (CH) 34 PhD Credit Hours (CH) 84 Total Credit Hours (CH) 118 -
Tuition and Fees
The following tuition and fees are valid for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition and fees and are SUBJECT TO CHANGE annually based on approval from the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and/or University.
The estimates below are based on the costs listed at the UAB Office of Planning and Analysis website.
Each student's costs will vary depending upon a number of factors including state of residence, the number of credits taken in a semester, or whether the student attends class live or through a distance-accessible format. Fees vary by program and course.
Tuition and Fees
UAB School of Nursing 2024-2025Resident
Charge ($)Non-resident
Charge ($)International
Charge ($)DNP-PhD Coursework (in classroom per semester hour) 610 1,505 1,587 DNP-PhD Coursework (distance-accessible format per semester hour) 702 702 785 Fees - UAB School of Nursing Cost ($) Educational Support and Technology Fee (per course) 235 Other Related Expenses (Estimated) Cost ($) Books and supplies (estimate per term) 600 Student Hospitalization Insurance Fee1 (estimate per month) 270 Background Check (annual estimate) 92 1Estimate based on one student. May be waived with documented proof of equal or greater coverage. -
Funding Your Education
UAB Financial Aid and Scholarships
Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships and other funding opportunities is available at:
UAB School of Nursing Scholarships
- The School of Nursing at UAB has an excellent scholarship program that provides financial support to Alabama's best and brightest nursing students.
- Currently, the School's scholarship portfolio consists of 76 endowed scholarships and 3 active sponsored scholarships.
- The school currently has an $10.1 million endowed fund that supports nursing scholarships annually.
- Scholarships are awarded twice a year - spring and fall semesters. The scholarship application process is simple. One application is needed to be considered for all undergraduate or graduate scholarships.
- Application and additional information can be found on the Scholarships & Financial Aid page.
For Information about School of Nursing Scholarships, Contact:
Stephanie Hamberger, MPADirector, Student Engagement, Recruitment and Scholarshipsssallen@uab.edu 205.934.5483Fellowship, Traineeship, and Loan Programs
There are a limited number of Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships awarded through the UAB School of Nursing that require students to meet specific requirements and are only awarded when funds are available. When such funds are available in a particular program, students enrolled in the program will be notified and provided information on how to apply.
Contact Katrina Staffney (email: KatrinaStaffney@uab.edu), for more information.Nurse Faculty Loan
Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Funds are available to all doctoral students who intend to assume a faculty position in a school of nursing upon completion of the degree. These funds are limited to payment of tuition and fees and other reasonable educational expenses. Contact JoeAnn Kennedy (email: joeann@uab.edu), for more information.
NIOSH Training Grant
Work-related injuries have a significant cost to employers and to public health. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) training grants support UAB School of Nursing PhD students as they prepare for a career in teaching, research, consulting or administration by completing theory, research, and occupational health courses and dissertation research on an occupational health topic. The grant provides tuition, fees, and stipend support for full-time on-campus PhD studies for students holding U.S. citizenship or permanent visas. The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing is part of the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, which offers students rigorous studies to prepare interprofessional occupational health and safety leaders in planning and implementing occupational health and safety programs.
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Information for International Students
NOTE: Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.
The table below provides information on eligibility requirements for the Dual DNP-PhD Pathway.
Dual DNP-PhD Pathway F1 or J1 Visa Acceptable Not eligible for this program College Degree (MSN Equivalent or higher) Required Foreign Transcripts Evaluated Required English Proficiency Required Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the U.S. Required Application Requirements
- Have a master’s degree in an area of advanced nursing practice (nurse practitioner, nurse anesthesia, nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, nursing administration, or nursing informatics) from a regionally accredited institution, equivalent to that offered in the UAB School of Nursing.
- Hold license as a registered nurse and advanced practice specialty certification or eligible to sit for advanced certification and pass their specific certification exam prior to completing 12 credit hours of coursework. Admission is conditional until advanced certification is achieved.
- International applicants must, as part of their application, provide a detailed course by course evaluation of their academic transcripts and verification of their academic credentials. Students may use one of the following firms for transcript evaluation; a report of the evaluation must be submitted directly to the UAB School of Nursing prior to admission decisions.
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Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 USA
Website: www.ece.org -
World Education Services
Bowling Green Station
P.O. Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087 USA
Website: www.wes.org
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Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
- Applicants must have a minimum graduate grade point average (GPA) of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university course work.
- Completion of a formal admission interview.
- Meet English language requirements. Students must submit scores on Tests of English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) and achieve the following minimum scores.
- TOEFL iBT 90 and minimum of 20 in each of the 4 test sections, or
- IELTS 7.0 and minimum of 7.0 in at least 2 of the 4 test sections.
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