Frequently Asked Questions

Ed.D. with emphasis in Nursing Education

Admissions

What is the goal statement?

The goal statement is a narrative explanation of how your professional goals are consistent with the program purpose statement and program outcomes. It also allows you to share potential research topics of interest for your dissertation. The goal statement should not exceed three pages.

What if I don’t have a paper for the academic writing sample?

If you do not have a sample of an academic writing, you are welcome to submit an essay of at least 3-4 pages (in APA format) on a current topic in healthcare you feel strongly about (Health care reform, the Affordable Care Act, or the influence of value based purchasing on scope of practice of health care providers for example) and if possible, list references.

I attended my previous schooling some time ago and am unable to obtain a faculty reference.  What should I do?

We encourage you to make every effort to obtain a faculty reference, however, if you are unable to obtain a faculty reference, contact us and we’ll give you further alternatives.

Program

What should I expect when I come for the on campus visits?

The campus immersion visits occur on Friday and Saturday of the first week of each term in your first year. During each immersion you will participate in active learning with other students in the classroom, meet with the faculty and engage with support personnel on campus. Most campus activities begin at noon on Friday and end by 3 p.m. on Saturday.

I am not very familiar with a dissertation, what support is provided to help us through this process?

Our program has many processes built into the curriculum to assist students to complete the dissertation successfully. We have a course specifically for the literature review and a course for preparing the proposal. Our doctoral seminars facilitate interaction amongst the cohort and faculty about movement through the process. Further, we have divided the dissertation into three manageable courses so that there will be a grade and credits that check off requirements for the total completion of each dissertation milestone. 

How does an EdD differ from a PhD?

The EdD is focused on the practice of education. The PhD is focused on research. Both degrees contain content in the area of specialty, research, statistics and a dissertation. The EdD will have more emphasis in coursework related to education and the PhD will have more emphasis in coursework related to research and statistics. We do not offer a PhD option.

I don’t have an MSN in Education. Will this program be a good fit for me?

If your MSN is not in education, nine credits of teaching courses are required in addition to the EdD requirements. Three of these credits will apply as an elective requirement so your program will be 60 credits instead of 54. These nine credits can be taken here at Bryan. Students without previous formal education or teaching experience have found the program to be enriching.

Can I slow down or speed up the pace of the program?

All of our courses are offered once per year in the semester shown in the curriculum plan. The courses are carefully sequenced to provide necessary information needed for success in subsequent courses. Accelerating the program is not plausible. If situations arise that require you to slow down your plan, we will work with you to find a pace that works for you within the capacity of the program.

Other

What is the Nurse Faculty Loan Program?

The goal of the Nurse Faculty Loan Program (NFLP) is to alleviate the nursing shortage by contributing to the pool of qualified nurse educators. Up to 85% of tuition, fees and reasonable costs can be cancelled upon completion of an advanced degree with concentration in nursing education and four years of full-time or full-time equivalent teaching in a faculty role at an accredited nursing program. After completion of the degree, recipients have up to one year to find employment as faculty in order for the loan to be cancelled. Cancellation for the first three years of the loan is 20% and 25% for the fourth year, equaling 85% of the loan being cancelled.