Baystate Midwifery Education Program

The Baystate Midwifery Education Program is a post-baccalaureate graduate-level program leading to a Certificate in Midwifery. The hybrid program is an autonomous five-semester, post-baccalaureate, in-person certificate midwifery education program with the option to obtain a concurrent 100% online master’s degree through the University of Massachusetts Amherst. For those entering the Midwifery Program without a graduate degree, concurrent master’s degree acquisition is mandated.

For students who need a more decompressed course of study, an eight-semester part-time option is also available. The University of Massachusetts Elaine Marieb College of Nursing offers a flexible schedule of the concurrent master’s degree courses during the longer course of the midwifery program.

Admissions decisions are made by the faculty of the Baystate Medical Center Midwifery Education Program first. Once students have been admitted to Bay State to their Certificate Program, they may apply to EMCON via Slate. The Midwifery Program reserves two admissions per year for qualified applicants who graduate or alumni of the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing.

• Baystate CNM Program (39 credits)
• Elaine Marieb College of Nursing (12 credits)

Course Requirements

Total Credits

Master of Science Student Support

University of Massachusetts Amherst Elaine Marieb College of Nursing
032 Skinner Hall
Amherst, MA 01003-9304
Dorian Pariseau, Program Assistant
dpariseau [at] umass [dot] edu (dpariseau[at]umass[dot]edu) 

Nursing Education Concentration (MS-NE)

The Master of Science in Nursing Education (MS-NE) concentration (32 credits) prepares students to educate nursing students and health care professionals in the classroom, clinical, and online learning environment for the overall enhancement of nursing practice and health care delivery. The program fulfills the knowledge and competencies specified by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for master’s education and for the specific master’s in nursing education role and readies graduates to take the National League for Nursing certification examinations.

Objectives

1. Develop a grounding in pedagogical theories
2. Evaluate nursing curriculum using accreditation guidelines
3. Consider quality measures in nursing education in developing and evaluating nursing curriculum
4. Use creative teaching methods to enhance pedagogy
5. Reflect on their own teaching style as a means of incorporating new teaching strategies
6. Train nurses for education roles in colleges, universities, and clinical settings
7. Develop an area of advanced clinical expertise for further development of the nurse educator role

Course Requirements and Course Sequencing

The Nursing Education concentration in the master’s program consists of 32 credits, including N621Advanced Direct Care and Clinical Reasoning for Nurse Educations, a direct care clinical practicum in which the student will develop an area of advanced expertise in nursing practice with a specific patient population, and N698T Practicum: Teaching in Nursing.

Course Descriptions

• N604 Introduction to Statistics for Health Research- 3 credits
  This course focuses on introductory statistical techniques frequently used in health sciences research, use of analytic software and database creation and management.
• N560 Simulation for Healthcare Education- 3 credits
  Critique theories associated with simulation, communication, and evaluation of student outcomes. Reviews care of simulation equipment and software and how to create and facilitate simulations culminating with a developed simulation.  
• N615 Advanced Pathophysiology- 3 credits  
  Concepts and theories related to disorders of physiological processes which result in health alterations in the child and the adult. Alterations in normal body functions leading to disease and discomfort of the individual presented within an organizing framework. Clinical inferences from concepts and theories of pathophysiology and pharmacology presented in relation to clinical nursing practice in primary care.  
• N614 Advanced Health Assessment- 3 credits
  Classroom and laboratory practice and case-based approaches to health assessment and differential diagnosis of common health problems for diverse groups provide the context for advanced health assessment and clinical reasoning.  
• N619 Advanced Pharmacology- 3 credits
  This course reviews in depth the principles of pharmacology for classes of drugs commonly used in various health care practices. The most pertinent drug classes for nursing practice are included in this course.
• N621 Clinical Practicum for Advanced Direct Care and Clinical Reasoning for Nurse Educators- 2 credits
  This supervised clinical practicum affords graduate students the opportunity to practice direct nursing care of diverse clients with varied needs in an identified area of nursing  
  practice at an advanced level while collaborating with an interprofessional team.  
• N641 Curriculum Development and Evaluation Process in Nursing- 3 credits  
  This course focuses on developing the knowledge and skills of nurse educators in applying principles of curriculum development, evaluation, and related processes in nursing education.  
• N642 Teaching in Nursing- 3 credits
  Focuses on the dynamic, creative process of teaching and learning clinical nursing in preparation for competent, reflective nursing practice. Philosophies, theories, methodologies, and trends relevant to nursing education included.  
• N698T Teaching Practicum in Nursing (Pre-requisites: N642 and N641)
  This course provides the framework, mentorship, and coaching for graduate students to develop skills in teaching in the classroom, in clinical settings, and in an online environment. 

Clinical and Teaching Practicum Information

Students have two practicums as part of their plan of study in the MS-NE program. The first, N621 Clinical Practicum for Advanced Direct Care and Clinical Reasoning for Nurse Educators, is a direct care practicum in which students will develop an area of nursing expertise in a direct patient care setting. This is a two-credit clinical practicum course, which translates to 112 contact hours (at a one-credit-hour to four-clinical-hour ratio). These direct care clinical contact hours are allocated for supervised practice in selected clinical facilities or community agencies working with a specific patient population of interest. Placement will be arranged through negotiation with clinical preceptors, agencies, and the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing.

Direct Care Learning Environment: Patient or Patient Population Setting

Examples:

• Health care facility/primary care setting
• Community/public health setting or outreach site
• Psychiatric-mental health setting
• OB/GYN or other specialty site
• Acute or chronic medical-surgical or long-term care/rehabilitation setting

The student will be assigned to a qualified preceptor who will guide the student in meeting course objectives. The course faculty will collaborate with the preceptor throughout the clinical practicum and will be responsible for evaluating the student’s performance and progress. Students will record their clinical hours in Typhon.

Practicum Focus

The AACN Core Competencies for Professional Nurse Education  emphasize practicum experience at the master’s degree level in the direct care role as a critical component in nursing educator training to advance the knowledge and expertise of students in a clinical area of practice. “Direct care” is defined as “nursing care provided to individuals or families that is intended to achieve specific health goals or achieve selected health outcomes.”

In N621, students will master clinical reasoning and nursing at the advanced graduate level. Depending on the plan of study, the practicum will run concurrently or sequentially with N614 Advanced Health Assessment, aligning with the didactic and theoretical material covered in the latter course. Students will hone baccalaureate level skills in health and physical assessment while advancing to higher level clinical reasoning skills and applying those skills within an identified clinical area of practice to build graduate level expertise in that area. Focus will be on analysis of patients/clients within the practice setting and application of evidence for best practice outcomes in developing and actualizing a treatment plan and patient education in collaboration with a preceptor and healthcare team.

Student Requirements for Nursing Education Practicum Sites and Preceptor Selection:

This practicum N621 will provide the opportunity for students to develop graduate level expertise in a specific area of nursing practice. All students must complete all pre-practicum requirements, including uploading documentation to the online credentialing platform (Exaat) before beginning clinical contact hours. See current graduate student handbook for specifics of requirements for entry to a clinical practicum site.

Students will engage in a search for their preceptors with the help of faculty. Acceptable qualified preceptors include master’s prepared nurses working directly with patients, Clinical Nurse Leaders (CNL), Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS), Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Midwives (CNMs), or MDs. Students may follow preceptors in hospitals, clinics, private practice settings and/or community settings. Students may choose settings such as acute or chronic care, long term care or rehabilitation, palliative care, psychiatric-mental health, public health primary care that match our faculty members’ areas of expertise and practice.

A student may choose to have two preceptors, if having two preceptors’ aids in achieving course requirements. Preceptors must have at least one year or greater experience in their field of expertise. Pre-approval by the practicum faculty or MS Director of all preceptors is required. Site visits for some local/regional students and online virtual or phone conference calls for all local/regional students and online virtual or phone conference calls for all local, regional, and distance preceptors will be completed during the practicum. The clinical practicum faculty of record for the course has responsibility for overall evaluation of all students and will rely, in part, on preceptors’ evaluations of students and students’ self-evaluations.

Students will arrange to complete hours as per preceptor/student schedules but should plan for about 8 hours per week so that contact hours can be completed by the end of the course. Each student will download the course syllabi (Both N614 and N621), the preceptor/faculty/student agreement, the preceptor handbook including preceptor orientation materials and all evaluation forms availableand deliver to the preceptor on/before the initial contract meeting. The College of Nursing needs a signed preceptor/faculty/student agreement, preceptor’s resume/CV and contact information sent to the College of Nursing before contact hours can begin to be included in your student file and our preceptor directory.

Students will enroll in Exxat at the beginning of the program and document their clinical hours for N621 in the Exxat Software. They will continue to document their teaching hours in Exxat when they take their teaching practicum course, N698T and will develop a teaching portfolio.

Master’s Degree Program Office                                                                                          

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Elaine Marieb College of Nursing
032 Skinner Hall
Amherst, MA 01003-9304
Dorian Pariseau, Program Assistant
dpariseau [at] umass [dot] edu

Public Health Concentration (MS-PH)

Objective

Our Masters of Science - Public Health (MS-PH) concentration (33credits) will enable students to apply clinical nursing expertise and population health skills in federal, state and local public health and community health agencies, visiting nurse and homecare associations,  and teach public health nursing. Population based practice in nursing focuses on improving the health of the whole community whether locally, nationally, or globally, including individuals, families, and communities, with particular emphasis on underserved and marginalized populations. It involves a process of assessment, policy planning and development of holistic plans of care as well as critical thinking and interprofessional collaboration at the systems level.

Course Requirements

The Public Health concentration in the master’s program consists of 33 credits including two practicum experiences (N698G & N798LL).

The final two semesters will involve specialty courses and clinical practicums in public and population health practice.  These courses emphasize community engagement and collaboration including community needs assessments, practice in grant writing and the application and evaluation of evidence based nursing practice at the public health and population level.

Course Descriptions

• N604 Introduction to Statistics for Health Research- 3 credits
  This course focuses on introductory statistical techniques frequently used in health sciences research, use of analytic software and database creation and management.
• N540 Epidemiology for Clinicians – 3 credits
  This course provides in-depth theoretical knowledge on concepts and principles of epidemiology and its application in health promotion and disease prevention. Its focus will be on key areas of epidemiology. 
• N640 Advanced Public Health Nursing I course - 3 credits
  This course is designed to provide advanced practice nurses specializing in the role of the Public Health Nurse Leader with knowledge and skills required to identify and analyze population-based public health problems as they occur in the local national, and global community. Analysis and evaluation of health problems will take place and evidenced based strategies designed to strengthen health promotion and disease prevention research, practice, education, and policy. Application of this knowledge  occurs in the  clinical practicum N698G which must be taken concurrently. Content and practicum focus is on conducting a Comprehensive Community Assessment and a targeted Needs Assessment. Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698G. Students will engage in 250 hours  of practical experience to meet course objectives. This practicum is conducted in a community that the student chooses. Students will need an outside community preceptor for this course. N750 Advanced Public Health Nursing II course- 3 credits. This course is an examination of the theories, models and process of public health program planning, with a focus on designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating population-based public health programs, including financial program management and effective grant writing strategies. Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N798LL. Students will engage in 250 hours of practical experience to meet course objectives. This practicum is conducted in a community that the student chooses. Students will need an outside community preceptor for this course.
• N750 Advanced Public Health Nursing II course- 3 credits
  This course is an examination of the theories, models and process of public health program planning, with a focus on designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating population-based public health programs, including financial program management and effective grant writing strategies.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N798LL. Students will engage in 250 hours of practical experience to meet course objectives. This practicum is conducted in a community that the student chooses. Students will need an outside community preceptor for this course.

These public health nursing clinical theory and practicum courses emphasize community engagement and collaboration including community needs assessments, practice in grant writing, program evaluation and the application and evaluation of evidence-based nursing practice at the public health and population level. 

General Practicum Information for both courses :

• The practicum setting and preceptor must be approved before starting the practicum experiences.
• The student may prefer or need more than one preceptor to fulfill identified teaching/learning goals. 
• The preceptor(s) should be an expert in the field of public health practice who can assist the student in gaining access to the population of interest. Must be a master’s level or higher community health professional.
• The site must provide access to and authority for expanded scope of practice (for example: temporary entry into data systems, access to staff/patients for interviews/focus groups), which will allow students to practice at the highest level.
• Students will keep a log of clinical experiences, and every two weeks they will electronically enter the time and activity log into Exaat system signed by preceptor.

Master of Science Student Support

University of Massachusetts Amherst
Elaine Marieb College of Nursing
032 Skinner Hall
Amherst, MA 01003-9304
nursing [at] UMass [dot] edu (Nursing[at]UMass[dot]edu)

DNP Post-Master's Completion Courses

For currently certified APNs.

The online Post-MS DNP Completion program prepares established Advanced Practice Nurses to reach the highest level of the nursing profession and to deliver expert care, innovative practice, and translate evidence-based care to the clinical setting.

Students who enter this DNP Program option must be Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) who are currently certified as FNP, AGPCNP, AGACNP, ANP, PNP, GNP, ACNP, Nurse Midwife, Nurse Anesthetist, or CNS. 

DNP Preceptor Selection

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program is focused on advanced nursing practice and requires a core of theoretical knowledge and a significant number of practice hours. The UMass Amherst DNP program stipulates that all students engage in practicum experiences to fulfill the hours required of a practice doctorate. Post-master’s DNP students are required to document the number of practicum hours they obtained in their previous master’s degree program.

Practicum Preceptor Selection 

Preceptors should hold advanced (graduate) degrees in nursing or medicine. Nurse Practitioners (MS-prepared NP experts or DNP graduates) or physicians are preferred preceptors, but Physician Assistants (PAs) may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Preceptors should have at least 1-2 years of experience in their field. A student may choose to have two preceptors, if having two preceptors’ aids in achieving course requirements. Students and preceptors must be licensed in the state in which they are practicing / completing their clinicals. Marieb College of Nursing faculty instructors must approve all preceptors before a student can begin a practicum experience.

Preceptors and agencies are selected based upon their best fit with the course objectives and practicum focus for each course. Students must submit all required practicum documents well in advance of any experiences with an agency or community preceptor. View practicum guidelines.

DNP/FNP Concentration

Preceptors should hold advanced degrees (a graduate degree) in nursing or medicine. Nurse Practitioners (MS prepared NP experts or DNP graduates) or physicians are preferred preceptors, but Physician Assistants (PAs) may be approved on a case-by-case basis. Marieb College of Nursing faculty instructors must approve all preceptors before a student can begin a practicum experience.

DNP Psych/Mental Health Concentration

Preceptorship may take place with a licensed Psychiatrist and or a licensed Psychiatric NP/CNS, except for the psychotherapy rotation (summer II). Appropriate preceptors include:

• Psychotherapist
• Licensed and independent psychologist (PsyD)
• Licensed mental health counselor (LMHC)
• Social Worker – LICSW only
• Licensed drug and alcohol counselor  - LADC
• Licensed Psychiatrist
• Licensed Psychiatric NP/CNS
• Advanced Practice Psych/mental health nurse practitioner

DNP Public Health Nurse Leader Concentration 

The preceptor(s) should be an expert in the field of public health practice who can assist the student in gaining access to the population of interest. The preceptor must be a master’s level or higher community health professional. The site must provide access to and authority for expanded scope of practice (for example: temporary entry into data systems, access to staff/patients for interviews/focus groups), which will allow students to practice at the highest level.

Please plan well in advance with the graduate clinical placements. It often works best if a student plans for and secures an approved preceptor(s) for courses up to a year in advance. The Marieb College of Nursing supports students who are looking for clinical placements. Our clinical placement coordinator is available to assist with identifying sites and DNP staff can assist with establishing affiliation agreements and other clinical site requirements.

If a student has not been successful in securing an approved preceptor prior to the beginning of any practicum experience, the student may be required to withdraw from the course. Withdrawal from a course will affect progression through the specialty courses and a new plan of study will be required.

DNP-FNP Concentration Courses

Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Courses

Course Descriptions

Prior to beginning any specialty courses in the FNP program, students must successfully complete and pass with a B, N614 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning, N615 Advanced Pathophysiology, and N619 Advanced Pharmacology. Students must also have completed (or take concurrently) N703 Pharmacotherapy Management and N670 Family Systems and Interventions when enrolled in the first specialty courses in the sequence, N614 Advanced Health Assessment.

In the FNP program curriculum, there is a series of five theory courses with five concurrent practicum courses that provide content and experience in the specialty area of advanced primary care/family nurse practitioner. After completing these specialty courses, students will engage in the Final Immersion Practicum taken during their final semester in the DNP program. All FNP students are required to take these courses unless they have a master’s degree in a nurse practitioner specialty and have received some course waivers at the time of admission. These courses build upon each other and must be taken in the sequence outlined in the plan of study.

Course Descriptions

• N614 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning- 3 credits
  Content focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to perform comprehensive health assessments and develop enhanced capacity for clinical reasoning and laboratory test interpretation.
• N615 Advanced Pathophysiology- 3 credits
  This course provides the conceptual basis and specific knowledge of pathophysiology and disease recognition for children and adults as observed in the primary care setting.
• N619 Advanced Pharmacology- 3 credits
  This course provides and in-depth look at the principles of pharmacology for classes of drugs commonly used in various health care practices. The most pertinent drug classes for nursing practice are included in this course.
• N703 Pharmacotherapy Management- 3 credits
  Integration of principles of pharmacology and therapeutic patient care management to construct, implement and evaluate optimal pharmacotherapeutic regimens for patients in various healthcare settings. This course includes an assignment with a local pharmacist.
• N670 Family Systems and Interventions- 3 credits
  Selected concepts, theories and research related to family dynamics and family coping, with an emphasis on practice strategies to support family well-being and mental health.
• N643 Assessment and Diagnosis of Psychiatric and Mental Health Disorders- 3 credits
  This course provides an introduction to the diagnostic processes in mental health/mental disorders using DSM 5 diagnostic criteria, ICD coding, and other mental assessment tools while considering family, community, and cultural influences.
• N610 Primary Health Care of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults- 3 credits & N698E Practicum: Primary Health Care of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults- 3 credits (must be taken concurrently)
  Content and practicum focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to assess, maintain, and promote the health and well-being of culturally diverse children, adolescents, and young adults. Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698E. Students will select an agency and a preceptor in their community and engage in 184 hours of practicum experience to meet course objectives. The N698E UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. Students must recruit a provider who services infants through young adults either in a family practice or in a practice that specializes in the care of children and young adults. Primary care and family practice NPs and MDs or pediatric NPs or pediatricians are appropriate choices for preceptors for this semester. Students will concentrate their experiences with patients with simple acute or stable chronic health problems.
• N620 Primary Health Care of Adults and Older Adults- 3 credits & N698X Practicum: Primary Health Care of Adults- 3 credits (must be taken concurrently)
  Content and practicum focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to assess, maintain, and promote the health and well-being of culturally diverse adults and older adults. Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698X. Students will select an agency and a preceptor in their community and engage in 184 hours of practicum experience to meet course objectives. The N698X UMass faculty will supervise this practicum course in conjunction with the student’s approved preceptor. Students must recruit a provider who adult patients either in a family practice or in a practice that specializes in the care of adults and older adults. Primary care NPs and MDs and ANPs are preferred choices for preceptors. Internal Medicine Specialists, GNPs, or Geriatricians can be appropriate choices for preceptors for this semester as approved by the faculty. Students will concentrate their experiences with patients with simple acute or stable chronic health problems.
• N726 Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare in Primary Care- 3 credits & N798Z Practicum: Sexual and Reproductive healthcare in Primary Care - 2 credits (must be taken concurrently)
  Content and practicum focus is on building knowledge and skills beyond the provision of primary These courses are intended to provide advanced practice nurses with the knowledge and skills required to assess, diagnose, and manage patients presenting for sexual and reproductive health care in the primary care setting. Topics include the most common sexual and reproductive health promotion/maintenance issues and challenges across the life cycle. Common abnormalities in sexual and reproductive well-being that are within the scope of practice of the advanced practice nurse practitioner and conditions that require collaborative management and/or referral will be included. Application of this knowledge occurs in a concurrent clinical practicum.
• Nursing 733 Complex Health Problems in Primary Care – 2 credits and Nursing 798KA Practicum: Complex Health Care Problems – 2 credits.
  This course provides students specializing in the advanced practice role the opportunity to build their knowledge and skills beyond that of the singular simple acute or stable chronic conditions of separate populations of patients that has been the focus of previous courses in the specialty. This course affords the opportunity to focus on health care of patients of all ages with complex health problems.  Application of this knowledge occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N798KA ; these courses must be taken concurrently   
• N898D Practicum: FNP Final Direct Care residency- 2 credits
  This final practicum provides an intensive immersion opportunity for students to further enhance and integrate their prior learning and to gain experience with designated DNP essentials and specialty competencies while completing the final 128 hours of clinical practicum.

These courses are included in a sequence of required clinical courses for FNP DNP students specializing in Primary Care Nursing/Nurse Practitioner Role. In their area of clinical specialization, the nurse practitioner applies expert knowledge and skills aimed at advancing the science and practice of primary care nursing.

DNP-PHNL Concentration Courses

The Public Health Nurse Leader (DNP- PHNL) specialization prepares nurses to assume leadership positions in a variety of settings.

Critical Need for Public Health Nurse Leaders

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the urgent need for nurse leaders who are trained in population-level health assessment and intervention. The need for public health nurse leaders is expected to grow significantly in the coming decade as our society confronts the impacts of infectious diseases, natural disasters, climate change, growing concerns about health disparities and social justice issues, and an aging population with a growing number of patients with chronic and acute conditions.

In addition to the DNP core courses, PHNL students take:

PHNL Courses

Courses and Sequencing

In the DNP/PHNL program curriculum, there is a series of three (3) theory courses (N640, N750 and N760) with three (3) concurrent practicum courses (N698G, N798LL and N798M) that provide content and experience in the specialty area of advanced public health nursing. All PHNL students are required to take these courses unless they have a master’s degree in Community or Public Health Nursing and have received some course waivers at the time of admission.

The PHNL program includes 3 practicum courses that each require 250 hours of supervised practice, for a total of 750 hours.  

The three (3) theory courses in the PHNL sequence are designed to provide instruction in Advanced Public Health Nursing. In the 3 concurrent practicum courses, students implement the knowledge they acquire in the companion theory courses. These courses must be taken in sequential order, as they build upon each other.                               

Course Descriptions

• EHS565 Environmental Health Practices (3 cr) 
  Concepts of control methods used by environmental health and engineering practitioners. Topics include water, wastewater, solid waste, food sanitation, vector control, housing, and accident control measures.
• HPP601 Application of Social and Behavioral Theories in Public Health Interventions (3 cr)
  Methods and approaches to community health. Family, school, and community dimensions and potentials. Types and use of various methods leading to community action. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.
• HPP605 Health Equity and the Foundations of Public Health (3cr)
  This course introduces public health practice through a health equity lens.
• HPP612-AM Financial Management of Health Institutions (3cr)
  This course is designed to familiarize students with financial management theory and concepts as applied to healthcare settings.
• N540 Epidemiology for Clinicians (3 cr)
  This course provides in-depth theoretical knowledge on concepts and principles of epidemiology and its application in health promotion and disease prevention. Its focus will be on key areas of epidemiology.
• N640 Advanced Public Health Nursing I (3 cr)
  This course is designed to provide advanced practice nurses specializing in the role of the Public Health Nurse Leader with the knowledge and skills required to identify and analyze population-based public health problems as they occur in the local, national, and global community. Analysis and evaluation of health problems at the community and population level will occur with evidenced based strategies designed to strengthen health promotion and disease prevention, research, practice, education, and policy. Application of this knowledge also occurs in the concurrent clinical practicum N698G. Must be taken concurrently with N698G.
• N750 Advanced Public Health Nursing II course (3cr)
  This course is an examination of the theories, models and process of public health program planning, with a focus on designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating population-based public health programs, including financial program management and effective grant writing strategies. Must be taken concurrently with N798LL.
• N760 Contemporary Issues in Public Health Practice III (3 cr)
  As the final course in the DNP Public Health Nurse Leader specialty sequence this course provides students with the opportunity to examine the complexity of current global problems in public health and explore political, cultural, ethical, and environmental considerations affecting the development and implementation of targeted public health interventions. Must be taken concurrently with N798M.
• N698G Practicum: Advanced Public Health Practice I– 3 cr. 250 hours.
  This practicum is the first of the PHNL sequence.  This supervised practicum provides students the opportunity to apply theories and models for conducting a population-focused community assessment and a targeted needs assessment and is taken concurrently with N640.  
• N798LL Practicum: Advanced Public Health Practice II– 3 cr. 250 hours.
  This is the second practicum in the PHNL sequence. This is a supervised practicum that provides students the opportunity to apply theories and models for developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating population-focused community health intervention programs, including an emphasis on grant writing. Must be taken concurrently with N750.
• N798M Practicum: Advanced Public Health Practice III – 3 cr. 250 hours.
  This is the third and final practicum in the series of the PHNL sequence. This supervised practicum provides students an opportunity to focus experience in an area of public health at the local, national, and global population level through implementation of a previously planned intervention. Must be taken concurrently with N760.

DNP-PMHNP Concentration Courses

The DNP Post-Baccalaureate Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) role concentration prepares clinical experts in the delivery of care to the psychiatric-mental health population.  They work with individuals, families, groups, and communities, assessing, diagnosing and treating individuals and families with psychiatric disorders or the potential for such disorders using their full scope of therapeutic skills.

PMHNP Courses

Prior to beginning any specialty courses in the PMHNP program, students must successfully complete and pass with a B, N614 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning, N615 Advanced Pathophysiology, and N619 Advanced Pharmacology. In addition to the DNP core courses, the PMHNP students take:

Course Descriptions

• N614 Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning- 3 credits
  Content focus is on acquiring the knowledge and skills needed to perform comprehensive health assessments and develop enhanced capacity for clinical reasoning and laboratory test interpretation.  
• N615 Advanced Pathophysiology- 3 credits
  This course presents the conceptual basis and specific knowledge of pathophysiology and disease recognition for children and adults as observed in the primary care setting.
• N619 Advanced Pharmacology- 3 credits
  This course provides an in-depth look at the principles of pharmacology for classes of drugs commonly used in various health care practices. The most pertinent drug classes for nursing practice are included in this course.
• N703 Pharmacotherapy Management- 3 credits
  Integration of principles of pharmacology and therapeutic patient care management to construct, implement and evaluate optimal pharmacotherapeutic regimens for patients in various healthcare settings. This course includes an assignment with a local pharmacist.
• N643 Assessment and Diagnosis of Psychiatric and Mental Health Disorders – 3 credits
  This course provides an introduction to the diagnostic processes in mental health/mental disorders using DSM 5 diagnostic criteria, ICD coding, and other mental assessment tools while considering family, community, and cultural influences.
• N580 Integrative Therapies in Health Care – 2 credits
  In this course students will examine integrative health therapies including the cultural contexts of health and health care, telehealth, dynamics of systems and individual change, and evidence-based analysis of therapeutic effectiveness.
• N707 Neuropsychopharmacology- 3 credits
  In this course students examine the pharmacological treatment of psychiatric mental health disorders and is structured to develop the student with a logical approach and treatment strategy to use when prescribing.
• N612 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing with Children and Adolescents- 3 credits
  Content in the psychopathology, assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders affecting children and adolescents are presented. This course must be taken concurrently with Nursing 698CA.
• N698CA Practicum: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing with Children and Adolescents- 3 credits
  This course will consist of a supervised clinical practicum experience in a community-based health care agency providing advanced practice psychiatric mental health nursing care to children, adolescents, and their families, 225 clinical practicum hours.
• N622 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing with Adults and Older Adults- 3 credits
  This course prepares psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) students to achieve competencies in the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders common in adult and older adults. Content focuses on etiology and symptomatology of disorders, including common physical disorders that may be present with psychiatric symptoms. The course fosters the development of skills in assessment, problem identification and decision-making with adults and older adults. This course must be taken concurrently with Nursing 698AD.
• N698AD Practicum: Advanced Practice Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing with Adults and Older Adults- 3 credits
  This course will consist of a supervised clinical practicum in a community- based health agency or facility providing advanced practice psychiatric mental health care to adults and older adults, 225 clinical practicum hours.
• N721 Advanced Psychotherapy Modalities with Individuals, Groups and Families- 2 credits
  This course provides continued student preparation in the development of advanced skills to deliver individual, group and family psychosocial therapeutics using evidence based psychosocial treatment models across the lifespan. This course must be taken concurrently with Nursing 798GF.
• N798GF Practicum: Advanced Psychotherapy Modalities with Individuals, Groups and Families- 2 credits
  This course consists of a supervised clinical practicum experience in a community-based inpatient or outpatient mental health care agency providing psychotherapeutic mental health care to individuals, groups, and families, 150 clinical practicum hours.
• N722 Psychiatric Mental Health- Complex Health Problems- 2 credits
  A refinement of advanced knowledge and skills required to deliver psychiatric mental health care to culturally diverse individuals of all ages with complex mental health and psychiatric issues. This course must be taken concurrently with Nursing 798X.
• N798X Practicum: Psychiatric Mental Health- Complex Health Problems- 2 credits
  This course will consist of supervised clinical practicum experiences in a health care agency/facility providing psychiatric mental health care to individuals, 150 clinical practicum hours.

Curriculum Requirements

MS-PhD students who matriculate in Fall 2026 or after complete 41 credits of required coursework + 18 required dissertation credits (total: 57 credits). In addition to meeting the 3-credit graduate-level introductory statistics matriculation requirement*, BS-PhD students complete 9 credits of additional coursework (total: 66 credits).

Plan of Study by Semester

*Students who have not satisfactorily completed a graduate level introductory statistics course within the 3 years prior to matriculation must also enroll in N790A Introduction to Statistics.

+ 1st Year PhD Portfolio submitted following completion of semesters 1 and 2. This is the first of two portfolios required for progression to PhD candidacy.

+ 2nd Year PhD Portfolio submitted following completion of semesters 3 and 4. This is the second of two portfolios required for progression to PhD candidacy. The portfolio must be holistically reviewed and approved by a committee of the faculty for progression to PhD candidacy. 

+ Completion of a 120-hour mentored research residency is required prior to approval of the dissertation prospectus.

TOTAL CREDITS = 57 credits

Post-master's students

Post-masters students who are matriculated before Fall 2023 complete the following 59 credits of coursework:

+ Comprehensive Examination

+ Mentored Research Experience (120 hours minimum)

Post-baccalaureate students

Post-baccalaureate students must also complete course requirements for the Masters in Nursing Science (MSNS), including 12 additional credits of coursework:

Note: Some courses are offered online through Flexible Education (formerly University Without Walls).

Note: The plan or study[ML1]  of applicants with DNP degrees or master’s degrees in other fields will be tailored to the learning needs of the applicant.

In addition to academic coursework, students must:

• Successfully pass a 2-stage Portfolio-based Comprehensive Examination qualifying them as a PhD candidate. 
• Complete a 120 hour (minimum) mentored research residency.
• Submit and orally defend a scholarly dissertation prospectus. 
• Implement, write, and defend an original dissertation study.

Full-time students are required to take a minimum of two courses (6 credits) per semester and are encouraged to complete degree requirements within four (post-master) to six (post-baccalaureate) years.

PhD students must also fulfill the Graduate School’s residency requirement.

Mentored Research Residency

Requirement

Each student will engage in a 120-hour mentored research residency under the supervision of one or more faculty members who are PhD-advising eligible within the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing. A supervised residency under the supervision of a postdoctoral fellow or faculty member with an appropriate terminal degree and scholarly preparation outside of the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing may be acceptable, but this must be approved by both the student’s advisor and PhD Program Director in advance.

Timing

These residencies are typically undertaken after submission of the first PhD portfolio, and prior to submission of the dissertation prospectus. The 120 hours can be done during intersessions (winter or summer) and/or spread out across multiple semesters if necessary and conducive to a good learning experience.

Contract

The student will contract with one or more approved supervisors, such as their advisor(s), to participate in a mentored research residency. This experience could involve working as a paid graduate research assistant on a faculty member’s research team or conducting pre-prospectus work for the student’s own research. The experience can also be counted towards requirements for a supervised independent study to fulfill a graduate-level elective. It is expected that this experience will lead to scholarly products and dissemination activities such as peer-reviewed publications and presentations. A timeline for the residency with measurable goals and deliverables (such as submission of an original manuscript or approval of an IRB protocol) should be clearly outlined in the contract.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The research residency should involve application through activities such as grant- and/or study protocol writing, IRB submission, data generation and cleaning, data analysis and interpretation, dissemination and/or community-engaged research collaboration, AND must consist of more than a literature review and/or synthesis of existing knowledge from peer-reviewed sources. 

A copy of the Mentored Research Residency contract template is included in the Appendix.

Synchronous Distance Education

A blend of in-class and distance technologies are typically used in the PhD program. Most courses will involve a combination of live, synchronous learning during scheduled class hours and lecture materials/experiences that can be accessed asynchronously via Canvas or other online platforms. 

If you anticipate any challenges connecting to course platforms or required materials due to a lack of adequate equipment or internet issues, we encourage you to contact our it [at] umass [dot] edu (IT support team) to arrange for assistance.

Authorship Policy

In the interests of fairness and to ensure protection of the rights and intellectual property of all parties, we encourage learners and faculty to review the following guidelines and policies on authorship and order of authorship for published material.

In general, the faculty should approach their roles with the view that material produced by learners within the scope of existing coursework (such as graded papers submitted for class assignments) is provided as part of their professorial duties and these activities do not automatically meet standard authorship guidelines. In most cases, publications stemming from PhD dissertations, Honors theses, and DNP final projects would be first-authored by the student who completed the work. Exceptions to this guideline should reflect best practices for authorship as outlined below.

Please review the following authorship guidance:

1. Baerlocher, M. O., Newton, M., Gautam, T., Tomlinson, G., & Detsky, A. S. (2007). The meaning of author order in medical research. Journal of Investigative Medicine: The Official Publication of the American Federation for Clinical Research, 55(4), 174–180. doi:10.2310/6650.2007.06044/
2. International Council of Medical Journal Editors. (2018). Defining the role of authors and contributors. Retrieved from http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html
3. Kennedy, M. S. (2015). Inappropriate authorship in nursing journals. Nurse Author & Editor, 25(4), 2. Retrieved from http://naepub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/NAE-2015-25-4-2-Kennedy.pdf
4. Nishikawa, J., Codier, E., Mark, D., & Shannon, M. (2014). Student faculty authorship: Challenges and solutions. Nurse Author & Editor, 24(4), 3. Retrieved from http://naepub.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/NAE-2014-24-4-3-Nishikawa.pdf

We direct advisors and students to this recent interpretation of the existing guidelines, regarding criteria for Authorship and Order of Authorship:

1. Heim, N., & Chinn, P. (2017). Issues of authorship: Who and in what order? Nurse Author & Editor, 27(3), 6. Retrieved from http://naepub.com/authorship/2017-27-3-6/

Note: At the time a learner or faculty recognizes that material they are developing is headed towards publication, they are encouraged to put their expectations for members of the team in writing, by drafting a preliminary Authorship Agreement. Below is a sample authorship agreement. This agreement is only a template. You may modify to meet the specific needs of any given publishing project.

Sample Authorship Agreement

Working Title/Topic: __________________________________

What is the origin of the work (check all that apply):

_ Class paper    _ Dissertation    _ Secondary analysis    _ Grant    _ DNP Project     _ Thesis    

 __ Other (specify)________________

What is the intended format? (check all that apply):  

_ Presentation    _Manuscript   _Poster    __Grant  _other 

If presentation, where will you present the research? _________________________________

If manuscript, which journal will you target? ________________________________________

If a grant, what funder/mechanism are you submitting to?_________________________ 

List below all anticipated authors and their order:

Note: add rows as needed for additional authors.

*Examples of contribution:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work
• Drafting the work or substantial critical revision for intellectual content                
• Final approval of the version to be published
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

(Adapted from: https://rio.msu.edu/sample-authorship-agreement & http://www.icmje.org/recommendations/browse/roles-and-responsibilities/defining-the-role-of-authors-and-contributors.html)

If you anticipate multiple outcomes from the same research effort (e.g., poster presentation and manuscript publication), use one template for each planned activity.

All contributions from faculty refer to contributions outside of faculty role.

Comprehensive Exam Policy and Application

Please see section on Graduate Academic Polices for all graduate programs regarding progression.

All students in the PhD program are required to complete a portfolio-based comprehensive examination as a criterion for progression to PhD candidate status.

Submission and review of the Nursing PhD student portfolio represents our program’s PhD candidacy qualifying process for the recently-instated curriculum. This review provides the Graduate Faculty with an opportunity to acknowledge individual PhD students’ progress towards curricular and programmatic objectives, while allowing for provision of formative feedback and recommendations for further scholarly development. By looking across all the portfolios submitted in a given year, faculty can also identify aspects of programmatic policies and coursework that appear to be working well, and areas where further growth and curricular revision may be warranted.

The portfolio-based comprehensive exam consists of two stages, submitted at the end of the first year and second year of PhD study, respectively. Students pursuing a part-time plan of study should expect to submit a portfolio at the end of each academic year, until they have completed all courses associated with the PhD Portfolio requirement. In such cases, requirements of the portfolio submission will be adapted to just those courses the student has already completed. 

PhD students will assemble their portfolio throughout the year, according to guidelines provided by the PhD Academic Matters committee. Portfolio contents typically consist of an updated CV and annual progress report, key assignments from required coursework, and any other materials the student may elect to share. Second year portfolios include an essay prompt inviting students to reflect on growth over the first two years of PhD study. PhD advisors are invited but not required to submit feedback to accompany students’ portfolios. 

• View detailed instructions and templates outlining portfolio requirements.

Portfolio Requirements 

Required components of the portfolio are defined by the PhD program mission and curricular objectives and informed by peer-reviewed guidance on quality benchmarks for research-focused nursing doctoral programs. Reviews are conducted holistically, applying a strengths-based lens focused on identifying areas of competency and opportunities for further growth and professional development. Students are provided with summaries of reviewer feedback following each annual review, including strengths identified, areas for further growth, and recommended resources.

Portfolio submissions should be assembled as a single PDF, according to the template provided, and submitted according to instructions circulated by the PhD Academic Matters Committee. Portfolios are typically due within 1-2 weeks of the end of spring term classes. Please follow instructions and deadlines provided by the program. 

Note: Portfolio requirements are subject to adjustments based on recommendations by the PhD faculty.

Portfolio Template 

Please include an APA-formatted coverpage with the title “PhD Portfolio – Spring 20XX” and the name of the student, year of PhD study, PhD advisor, and date. 

The table of contents should be formatted according to the year of study (see below): 

1st Year Students: 

• Plan of Study/Progress Report....................................................................... Page # Start 
  (Does not need to be signed by adviser before submission)
• CV.................................................................................................................... Page # Start
• Evidence of a philosophical argument............................................................ Page # Start 9
  Suggested submission: final paper from N708 Histories & Philosophies of Science – Big Ideas in Nursing)
• Review of the literature.................................................................................... Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: Review of Literature - Detailed outline with PRISMA diagram & matrix  from N709 Edgerunners: State of Nursing’s Scholarship, Research & Innovation
• Individual and institutional positionality of researchers in the community...... Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: positionality statement from N711 Community-guided and Experiential Approaches to Research
• Connecting theory with philosophy................................................................. Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: final paper from Nursing 712 Theory and Connections to Nursing Praxis: Putting Ideas to Work
• Research Question & Specific Aims…........................................................... Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: Specific aims page developed in Nursing 713 Research Design I: Working with Accountability Partners to Define the Research Focus
• Fundamental understanding of concepts of statistics.................................... Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: Structured Stats Critique from Nursing 714  Deductive Reasoning
• Additional question (optional): How do you feel your first has gone? What supports were useful? What support do you need moving into your second year?
• OPTIONAL: Any additional materials the students wishes to share which might help showcase accomplishments & growth over the past year

2nd Year Students: 

• Plan of Study/Progress Report...................................................................... Page # Start 
  (Does not need to be signed by adviser before submission)
• CV.................................................................................................................. Page # Start
• Reflection Template...................................................................................... Page # Start
• Articulate your philosophy of leadership and corresponding plan for continuing development of leadership skills.                                                                                          Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: Nursing 801 Leadership for Health Justice Leadership Philosophy Statement and IDP
• Demonstrate qualitative thinking and inductive reasoning.............................. Page # Start 
  Suggested submission: Nursing 802 Inductive Reasoning Research Design Assignment 
• Philosophy of teaching and learning.............................................................. Page # Start
  Suggested submission: Nursing 803 Create New Futures: Policy, Pedagogy, and Publishing for Impact Teaching Philosophy Statement
• Implementing Research.................................................................................. Page # Start
  Suggested submission: Final paper from N804 Research Design II: Designing and Implementing the Research Study
• Public Engagement Plan................................................................................. Page # Start
  Suggested submission: Nursing 803 Create New Futures: Policy, Pedagogy, and Publishing for Impact Public Engagement Plan Assignment
• OPTIONAL: Any additional materials the students wishes to share which might help showcase accomplishments & growth since starting the PhD program

Evaluation of the Portfolio 

Portfolios are reviewed by a committee of the Graduate Faculty who are familiar with the nature and objectives of our program and coursework, using a holistic and strengths-based approach.  PhD students and their advisors are provided with a written copy of the committee’s assessment of the portfolio, including the committee’s overall recommendation, strengths of the portfolio, and areas for further growth with recommendations. PhD students are encouraged to read the Committee’s feedback in its entirety and to incorporate recommendations into advising discussions.  Annual portfolios are archived online in a password-protected folder that the student, advisor, PhD Program Assistant, Comprehensive Exam Committee and PhD Program Director have access to.

A three-person Comprehensive Exam Committee is responsible for refining annual portfolio requirements and evaluation standards. The PhD Program Director, PhD Academic Matters Committee Chair, and the Dean will finalize selection of committee members. The Comprehensive Exam Committee is typically composed of faculty who have recently taught the required first and second year PhD courses and must include at least one faculty member who has previously participated in the evaluation of the Comprehensive Exam. 

According to our PhD program policies for academic progression, outcomes of the portfolio review are: 

• Recommendation for continued academic progression (1st year) or PhD candidacy (2nd year) OR
• Referral to academic counseling with the PhD Program Director

Upon successful completion and passage of the second year portfolio, PhD students may refer to themselves as "PhD candidate." 

In cases where portfolio requirements are not met during the 1st or 2nd year, outcomes of academic counseling with the PhD Program Director will be decided on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the student, advisor, and PhD Academic Matters Committee. This may include development of a structured learning contract with additional course requirements to address identified learning needs, referral to other academic programs, or recommendation against continued academic progression in the PhD program.

Doctoral Dissertation

Dissertation projects vary greatly and may draw upon a wide variety of epistemic traditions, scholarly orientations, and theoretical foundations. These include but are not limited to philosophical and theoretical inquiry; historical research; qualitative and mixed methods research; computational and social science; experiments and clinical trials; instrumentation research; participatory action research; epidemiological research and statistical modeling. 

The dissertation should:

• be original research
• be principally led and written by the PhD candidate
• make a unique intellectual contribution to nursing knowledge

The dissertation should be philosophically, theoretically and methodologically rigorous and demonstrate the PhD candidate’s mastery of foundational research concepts and skills as well as their fluency in their chosen area of study. 

Research Ethics

Dissertation research should uphold nursing values and high standards of ethical integrity and accountability beyond mere compliance with legal requirements. 

At a minimum, all dissertation projects should complete and submit an IRB Determination Form or the appropriate IRB protocol amendments (for dissertations built into protocols previously reviewed and approved by the IRB). These forms should make clear that the dissertation is research, the results of which will be disseminated publicly and via peer-reviewed channels. 

A wide array of accountability partners, collaborators and outside entities are often involved in the design and conduct of dissertation research. These can include but are not limited to dissertation committee members, community partners, government entities, industry, patient advocates, clinicians and colleagues. As such, it is critically important for PhD candidates and their teams to communicate regularly regarding roles, responsibilities, deadlines, authorship, and the stewardship of any intellectual property or data generated by the project. 

PhD candidates and their committees should review and adhere to relevant college and university policies, including those pertaining to the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RECR), academic freedom, conflicts of interest & outside activities, community engagement guidelines and data use/sharing. Where an actual or potential conflict of interest exists within the research or dissertation committee, it should be disclosed, discussed and a mitigation officially established through university channels such as Kuali (if appropriate). 

Dissertation Procedures

PhD candidates and their committees should review Graduate School policies regarding development and approval of the dissertation committee, prospectus and defense.[JD1] [RW2] [RW3]  

Dissertation committees are officially composed of three members. PhD advisors are expected to serve as sole Chairs for dissertation committees unless otherwise approved by the PhD Program Director. Further guidelines on the formation of dissertation committees can be found on the Graduate School website, here: https://www.umass.edu/graduate/book/graduate-student-handbook/degree-requirements/doctoral-degree-requirements

PhD candidates must have their dissertation prospectus (also known as the “proposal”) approved by their committee prior to beginning their dissertation work. In the Marieb College of Nursing this is typically done via a private presentation of the written prospectus to the dissertation committee, followed by a discussion where the committee can ask clarifying questions about the proposal. These discussions may result in approval of the prospectus or a request for further revisions. If necessary, the committee may meet again with the candidate to discuss requested revisions, prior to granting approval for the prospectus. 

Format of the Prospectus

While there is no single template for the format of the prospectus, the written prospectus should include:

• An Introduction and Statement of the Problem or critical knowledge gap and its significance
• Background and Review of the Literature/Existing Knowledge
• Statement of Purpose and Research Question(s) and/or Aims 
• Detailed description of the Methods with Appropriate Rationales and Philosophical Grounding/Theory
• Anticipated Outcomes and/or Broader Impacts of the work 
• A description of the Innovation(s) and/or Unique Intellectual Contribution(s)
• A discussion of the Strengths and Potential Limitations 
• A discussion of Anticipated Challenges and How They Might Be Managed
• An expected timeline of the dissertation period with key objectives and timepoints (prospectus defense, IRB submission, data collection, analysis, writing, planned completion, etc.)
• A robust discussion of Ethical Considerations
• Evidence of Reflexivity regarding power and positionality
• Disclosure of Funding and any real or perceived Conflicts of Interest with their Mitigation Plans (if appropriate)
• Any Data Use & Sharing Agreements (if appropriate)
• Draft of the IRB Determination form and/or protocol
• References

Format of the Dissertation

The following outline provides examples of what might be found in each chapter of a “traditional” and “manuscript-style” dissertation. 

Dissertation Defense

Preparation for the Defense: 

• PhD candidates should allow adequate time for filing their dissertation defense. Deadlines for filing degree paperwork are listed on the Graduate School website. Begin the scheduling process at least 6 weeks in advance of the anticipated defense date. PhD candidates are also encouraged to identify at least one potential back-up date, in case of illness or other disruptions. 
• PhD candidates should schedule their defense date far enough in advance of graduation paperwork deadlines as to allow time for any revisions that might be requested by their committee. 
• PhD candidates are expected to practice their defense multiple times before their advisor(s) and other audiences prior to the date of the actual defense. The presentation portion of the defense should be well-rehearsed and adhere to time restrictions set by the Chair. Candidates are also strongly encouraged to use the Dissertation Seminar as a forum for practicing their dissertation defense.

Format of the Defense: 

• Once the dissertation research has been fully implemented and written up, the candidate presents their results in the dissertation defense.
• The dissertation defense is chaired by the dissertation advisor.
• The public portion of the dissertation defense typically lasts about an hour, broken down into a brief introduction of the candidate by the Chair, a ~30-40 minute presentation by the candidate, and at least 15 minutes for Q&A from the audience.
• The dissertation committee will then recess for a private discussion with the candidate, where more technical questions may be asked. This portion typically lasts anywhere from a few minutes to an hour – although the committee may take as long as is needed to determine the outcome. Dissertation committees are strongly encouraged to use this time to engage the candidate in a rigorous discussion of the dissertation project. 
• Once the committee has finished with their questions, they should excuse the candidate to wait while they finalize their decision about the outcome of the defense. Committees may request revisions or additions to the written dissertation, prior to granting approval for the defense. If revisions are requested, they should be communicated verbally to the candidate on the day of the defense, and in writing. Such requests should include a deadline for revisions to be submitted, and clarify whether the revisions must be reviewed by the entire committee or the chair. 

Per policies of the Graduate School - while the dissertation defense presentation always involves a public presentation, private discussions of the committee and decision-making regarding approval of the dissertation prospectus and defense should be limited to only those members of the committee who have been officially approved by the Graduate School to serve on the Committee. 

Steps for Scheduling the Oral Prospectus & Final Defense

EMCON PhD Program Progression Milestones (required for graduation):

Qualifying exam

• Passage of a 2-stage qualifying exam (also known as “PhD portfolio” or “comprehensive exam”)

Coursework

• Completion of required coursework & electives/cognates (2 required)

Research residency

• Completion of the 120-hour mentored research residency & submission of signed residency contract to PhD Program Director

Proposal

• Formation of a Dissertation Committee
• Oral Prospectus (also known as the “Proposal Defense”) wherein the PhD candidate proposes an original research study to their dissertation committee

Dissertation phase

• Enrollment in Dissertation Seminar & Dissertation Credits (18 credits required)

Final defense

• Final Oral Defense presenting outcomes of the dissertation project (also known as the “Dissertation Defense” or “Final defense”)

Degree paperwork

• Submission of all required paperwork & documentation of degree eligibility
• Uploading & archiving of approved Dissertation

To File an Oral Proposal (Prospectus)

We advise filing your oral proposal at least one month ahead of time, to allow sufficient time for assessment of candidate eligibility and graduate faculty status.

Dissertation Committee

Work with your faculty advisor to:

• Confirm readiness to propose (this includes completion of all related requirements including any required core coursework, PhD portfolios, and mentored research residency hours)
• Identify members of the dissertation committee (1 Marieb College of Nursing faculty advisor, 1 other Marieb College of Nursing faculty member, and 1 faculty with graduate status from a UMass Amherst department outside of the Marieb College of Nursing)

Graduate Faculty Status

• Confirm all 3 committee members already have “Graduate Faculty Status”. If they do not, they will have to apply for it.
• PLEASE NOTE: Approval of Graduate Faculty Status for first-time applicants now requires completion of an 8-hour in-person graduate mentoring workshop through the Graduate School. Allow sufficient time for any faculty members who must apply for Graduate Faculty Status to achieve this requirement. Committee member candidates who are outside of the University of Massachusetts Amherst may apply for temporary Graduate Status, following Graduate School guidelines.

Schedule a date

• Create a signature page, formatted according to requirements for Dissertations, and inclusive of the following information:
  • Title of proposal
  • Name of candidate
  • Names of committee members
• Identify a date & time that works for all committee members for the proposal defense
• Allow at least 90 minutes for the defense
• Usually candidates present their proposal for ~30 minutes followed by questions from the committee and private deliberation
• Determine whether the defense will take place via videoconference, in-person or hybrid
• Submit the following information to the PhD Program Director with a CC to the Graduate Program and Credentialing Assistant, dpariseau [at] umass [dot] edu (Dorian Pariseau):
  • A properly formatted electronic copy of the signature page for PhD Program Specialist to upload for committee signatures post-defense (the candidate should prepare this page)
  • Date & time of the proposal defense
  • Name and contact information for Chair (faculty advisor) & committee members
• Once the Oral Proposal is completed and the proposal (including any required revisions) is approved, the Chair/faculty advisor should immediately notify the dpariseau [at] umass [dot] edu (PhD Program Specialist) who will circulate the signature page for electronic signatures from the Committee and GPD.

To File the Final Defense

Important Provisos:

• Dissertation defenses should be filed at least six weeks ahead of time to allow sufficient time for planning and processing.
• ALL final defenses are required to be announced at least four weeks prior to the date of the defense (this policy is set by the Graduate School).
• To be eligible for May graduation, defenses must be completed & all documentation filed by the date(s) set by the Graduate School.
• These dates vary year to year and are usually about 2 months before the date of graduation.
• Since all defenses must be announced at least one month prior to the defense, this means plans for a defense often must be filed at least 3 months ahead of the planned graduation date.
• Please check the Graduate School website for exact dates & deadlines.

Steps for Filing for Final Defense

Determine readiness to defend

• Meet with your Faculty Advisor and review the following Graduate School policies:
  • Checklist of Requirements to Graduate
  • Checklist for Final Doctoral Oral Examination
  • Doctoral Degree Eligibility Form

Schedule defense date

• The PhD Program Assistant needs at least 6 weeks’ notice of the final dissertation defense (dissertation title, day, date, time, room) and the Graduate School’s requirement of defense announcement is 1 month prior.
• If there is any doubt about which staff person to contact to do this, contact the PhD program director for clarification.
• The designated staff member is Dorian Pariseau.

Submit the following information:

• Submit the following information via email to Dorian Pariseau, graduate program and credentialing assistant, with a CC to the PhD program director.
• Doctoral Degree Eligibility Form with top part completed & signed by the candidate
• Digital copy of a flyer to announce the defense. This should be constructed by the PhD candidate. 
• It should include: 
  • Candidate name & department 
  • Title of dissertation 
  • Date & time of public defense 
  • Information about room(s) or ZOOM link 
  • Optional: Name of Chair, Committee members 
  • The PhD Program specialist will circulate this flyer to the Graduate School & EMCON with an email announcement of the defense. 
  • Template available or view other Canva EMCON templates
  • Signed copy of Mentored Research Residency contract, documenting successful completion of residency with faculty signature.
• Information that should be included in the body of the email:
  • Candidate name, title & department
  • Title of dissertation
  • Date & time of public defense
  • Any room request(s) & AV requirements (PhD Program Specialist can assist with reserving rooms for public & private portion of defense)
  • Name & title of Chair
  • Names of Committee members with contact info & their titles/departmental affiliations
• The PhD Program Specialist will use this information to construct signature pages for uploading & approval by the Committee and Dean following the defense.

Dissertation Defense

All Dissertation Defenses will be announced in the UMass Amherst electronic journal to invite interested Graduate Faculty and others to attend. The Office of Degree Requirements must receive written notification of the scheduling of a Final Oral Examination at least four weeks prior to the date of the defense. A defense cannot be held unless it has been publicly announced in the UMass Amherst electronic journal.

The student must come to the UMass Amherst campus for the defense (unless pandemic physical distancing requirements are in effect, in which case the Graduate School will provide advisement regarding acceptable formats for a defense).

Members of a student’s dissertation committee must be present in person or via video-teleconference for the final oral defense. (Note: All Graduate Faculty are invited to attend and cannot be excluded from the Dissertation Defense. Departments differ in allowing others to attend. Courtesy suggests that the Chair of the Committee, whose name is published in the UMass Amherst electronic journal, be consulted by others attending the Defense, with the stipulation above).

There are three possible outcomes for a dissertation defense:

• First is “Pass,” no further action is required except submission to the Graduate School.
• The second possible outcome is “Pass with Revisions.” In this case, the dissertation is substantially completed and sound but requires further refinement before the committee approves the dissertation.
• The third outcome is “Fail.”

A unanimous vote of Pass is required for the student to pass the Dissertation Defense. The dissertation must be approved and signed by all members of the Dissertation Committee and the Dean. See the Graduate School Handbook for specific instructions.

Successful completion of the dissertation defense is reported to the Graduate School in the form of a memorandum (Appendix B). A copy of this memorandum and the signatory page will be placed in the student’s file.

Manuscript Instructions

The dissertation must be typed in a proscribed style. Refer to the Guidelines for Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations. The Graduate School is the final and only arbitrator of what is an acceptable dissertation. The dissertation shall be submitted to the Graduate School in electronic format, by the deadline for the appropriate degree-granting period, following the instructions of the Graduate School.

Consult the Office of Degree Requirements for degree requirement deadlines. It is strongly recommended that a technical review of the dissertation take place prior to the deadline. Materials returned after the deadline or not in accordance with technical requirements will be processed for the next degree-granting period.

Faculty Advisors

A list of current PhD advisors is maintained on the program intranet.

All Elaine Marieb College of Nursing faculty who hold a PhD or equivalent terminal research degree, maintain active programs of scholarship including recent (within the past 3 years) peer-reviewed data-based publications and/or research grants, who have graduate faculty status and who have completed the Graduate School’s required research mentor training for new graduate faculty advisors are potentially eligible to serve as Dissertation Chairs and primary advisors for PhD students. If a faculty member has not previously served in a PhD Dissertation Chair role at UMass or equivalent research-intensive institution, PhD advisor status is granted upon review of qualifications and approval by the PhD Academic Matters (PhDAM) committee.  

Students will be assigned an advisor whose program of research, CV, and strengths or background are congruent with the student’s area of interest, strengths, and career goals. Students are also encouraged to consider other persons within the University community and beyond who may be in a position to support their scholarly growth, physical social spiritual and/or mental well-being, and/or serve as accountability partners for emancipatory and anti-racist nursing praxis. In some cases, PhD students may be assigned co-advisors, with one advisor serving in a primary role and another acting as an additional support person for the student. 

The program recognizes that a PhD and/or other criteria listed above for Dissertation Committee Chairs is not the end all, be all of what constitutes “expertise” to mentor and guide scholarly development – in fact, far from it.  Expertise also resides in lived experience, which may have no relationship whatsoever to a particular degree. As such, we recognize that many different types of individuals and communities may serve as vital guides and supports on the path to one’s PhD (and beyond). Further, we encourage students to look outside their particular nursing program track, to engage with persons involved in the community and scholarship of other disciplines as well as other types of nursing practice preparation (DNP, MSN, AD, RN, LPN, and CNA), teaching, community organizing and activism, policy, communications, and leadership. 

PhD students are encouraged to meet regularly with their advisors to outline their plan of study, discuss academic coursework, prepare for the comprehensive exam and dissertation, and co-create a plan for professional development. If a student wants to change advisors, they are encouraged to meet with the director of the PhD program to facilitate the change.