PhD in Nursing

PhDPhDDoctor of Philosophy in Nursing

Overview

A research-focused PhD in Nursing with online courses and annual on-campus summer immersion sessions in the first and second years. Pathways include BSN to PhD (minimum 72 credit hours) and MSN or DNP to PhD (minimum 54 credit hours); the program admits students for the 11-week summer session.

Official program name: PhD in Nursing
Awarded degree: Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Degree level: Doctoral — research doctorate
University: East Carolina University
Administering location: Greenville, NCWhere the university or its administering campus is located. Study is online; this is not a residency requirement and does not decide whether you may enroll from your state.
Subject: Nursing (BSN, MSN)
Specializations: BSN to PhD with MSN concentration in nursing education or health systems leadership
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Required credits: Minimum 72 credit hours (BSN to PhD, range 72-84); minimum 54 credit hours (MSN or DNP to PhD)
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Duration: Not verified
Start terms: Summer
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Teaching language: English (not separately stated)

Why this program is listed

Research doctorate with fully online courses and required annual on-campus immersions in the first and second years.

Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We list online bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from institutionally accredited US universities. Eligibility rules

Online format and attendance

“Online” is not one format. Delivery, campus visits, practical placements and class schedule are shown separately, each only as the university states it.

Academic delivery: Online coursework + campus visitsCoursework is online, with required visits, residencies or immersions on campus or at another set location.
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Campus visits: Campus visits required
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Practical placement: Placement requirement: not verified
Class schedule: Not verified
Study intensity: Full-time, Part-time
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

In-person and practical requirements as published

Immersion Required
Annual on-campus summer immersion sessions of several days in the first and second years
Annually in years one and two (summer) · Greenville, NC campus
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Curriculum

Other

Candidacy examination after required coursework
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Specializations, concentrations and tracks

BSN to PhD with MSN concentration in nursing education or health systems leadership
Source: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Admissions

Required, optional, waived and not-required items are shown exactly as the university states them. Anything not listed is not verified — not “not required”.

Prior degree: RequiredBaccalaureate or master's degree in nursing from an accredited school
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Professional license: RequiredUnrestricted RN licensure (unless a BSN graduating in the spring of the application)
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Minimum GPA: RequiredMinimum 3.2 — 3.2 GPA on all graduate work
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Statement / essay: RequiredStatement of intent
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Recommendation letters: Required2 letters — Two letters of recommendation, at least one from a doctorally prepared nurse
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Résumé / CV: RequiredCurrent CV
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Interview: RequiredInterview by graduate faculty
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
International applicants: Not verifiedStudents on F1 visas not eligible
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Tests

GRE General Test: Not required
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

We do not publish acceptance rates or estimate admission chances.

Start dates and deadlines

Dates are shown with the term the university printed. A past date is marked passed and is never carried into a new cycle.

Application deadline
March 15 · for Summer
The university does not print a year with this date.
Source: gradschool.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Year not printed

Tuition and fees

Each amount keeps its student category, academic year and basis. Per-credit, per-term and whole-program figures are not comparable with each other, and tuition is not the full cost of attendance.

Category	Amount	Basis and year
In-state — Distance Education Graduate ResidentFrom the university-wide rate table covering online students at this level	$277.06	per credit · Fall 2026Estimated tuition$14,961.24 = 54 credits × $277.06 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: financialservices.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026
Out-of-state — Distance Education Graduate Non-ResidentFrom the university-wide rate table covering online students at this level	$1,044.06	per credit · Fall 2026Estimated tuition$56,379.24 = 54 credits × $1,044.06 per credit. Excludes mandatory fees, books, travel for any required visits or placements, transfer credit reductions and rate changes. Not the full cost of attendance.Source: financialservices.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Other published fees

Additional tuition, MSN/PhD-Nursing programs: $150 per creditMandatory
Source: financialservices.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Scholarships and financial aid

Awards published by the university for this program or for online students at this level. Loans must be repaid and are not scholarships; financial aid availability does not make a program “fully funded”. Scholarships & funding guide

ECUAWard scholarships Institutional scholarship
$500 to $5,000
Eligibility: Transfer students and currently enrolled undergraduates
How to apply: Apply through the ECUAWard General Scholarship Application after admission; most scholarships carry a January 15 deadline.
Source: onlineprograms.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Institution-wide awards are listed because they cover online students at this level; eligibility conditions apply.

Accreditation, authorization and licensure

Three separate questions: is the university accredited, can it enroll students from your state online, and does the program meet licensure requirements where you live?

Institutional accreditation

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) — accreditedSource: ope.ed.gov · verified October 10, 2026

Programmatic accreditation

No programmatic accreditation verified for this program. Institutional accreditation does not imply it.

State authorization

ECU participates in NC-SARA; admission of applicants outside North Carolina depends on ECU's ability to secure authorization from the applicant's state where required. Official pageSource: online.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Professional licensure

ECU degree programs satisfy the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for these exams. However, requirements in other states may be different. State-by-state disclosureSource: nursing.ecu.edu · verified October 10, 2026

Accreditation and state authorization do not establish that a program meets licensure requirements in your state.

International applicants

Not verified for this online program.

Sources and verification

Every fact on this page comes from the official pages below. Last verified October 10, 2026.

financialservices.ecu.edu/distance-education-tuition-fees-for-fall-2026-grad-non-res/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 10, 2026
financialservices.ecu.edu/distance-education-tuition-fees-for-fall-2026-grad-res/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 10, 2026
gradschool.ecu.edu/find-your-program/?id=116 — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
nursing.ecu.edu/dnp/ — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
nursing.ecu.edu/nursing-phd/ — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
nursing.ecu.edu/phd/requirements/ — Official program page, verified October 10, 2026
online.ecu.edu/wp-content/pv-uploads/sites/146/2018/04/StateAuthorization.pdf — Official disclosure page, verified October 10, 2026
onlineprograms.ecu.edu/tuition-and-financial-aid/ — Official tuition and fees page, verified October 10, 2026
DAPIP — SACSCOC institutional accreditation record (data files downloaded 2026-10-10) — U.S. Department of Education dataset (IPEDS / DAPIP), verified October 10, 2026

Something out of date? Request a correction · Represent this university? Claim the profile

Key facts

Online format
Online coursework + campus visits
In-person requirements
Campus visits required
Subject
Nursing (BSN, MSN)
Length
Minimum 72 credit hours (BSN to PhD, range 72-84); minimum 54 credit hours (MSN or DNP to PhD)
Tuition
$277.06 per creditIn-state — Distance Education Graduate Resident, Fall 2026
Next deadline
No upcoming verified date
Administering location
Greenville, NC

Leads to a licensed field: check the licensure disclosure for your state before applying. Details

Official program page How to apply

Also at East Carolina University

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Same degree level and subject group. Listed for discovery, not ranked.

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Online Universities is independent and not affiliated with East Carolina University. Information is collected from official pages and can change; confirm requirements, costs and deadlines with the university.