PhD in Nursing is a doctorate in Nursing programme offered by University of Calgary in Calgary, Canada. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,859 per semester (CAD 1,225 per semester for local students).
Also offered as: Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Nursing
Duration: 4 years
Local tuition: CAD 1,225 / semester
International tuition: CAD 2,859 / semester
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This is a thesis-based Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing at the University of Calgary. The curriculum comprises five courses covering the philosophy of science in nursing, contemporary issues, e-portfolio development, health policy and advocacy, and quantitative and qualitative research methods, followed by candidacy exams and an original research thesis. Full-time completion is expected within four years, with six years as the maximum. The program is based in the Faculty of Nursing on the university's Calgary campus. It is designed to build nursing scholarship across a wide range of practice areas, including community health, advanced practice nursing, pediatrics, gerontology, mental health, and acute care. Admission is normally open to Registered Nurses who have completed graduate-level research courses in both qualitative and quantitative methods, and applicants must secure a supervisor willing to oversee their research before admission is granted. It suits experienced nurses seeking doctoral-level research training toward careers in nursing scholarship, education, or research leadership.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.00 / 4.0
Admission Requirements: Admission normally requires current Registered Nurse status, a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale over the past two years of full-time study (at least 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units), and prior completion of at least one qualitative and one quantitative graduate-level research methods course. Applicants submit samples of written scholarly work, a current curriculum vitae covering education, work history, leadership, awards, publications and professional affiliations, a letter from an identified supervisor confirming willingness to supervise and detailing financial support, and three reference letters, one from the applicant's master's supervisor. The programme page defers language testing to the Faculty of Graduate Studies' general standard: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0), TOEFL iBT 86 overall (no section below 20), PTE Academic 59, or Duolingo English Test 125 (no sub-score below 105). Applications open June 1, with a September 1 deadline (documents due September 15) for the following intake.
Application Details
Start Date:January
Application Deadline:For Fall 2027 entry, the University of Calgary opens undergraduate applications for domestic applicants on 1 October 2026 and for international applicants on 15 August 2026, both closing on the same firm application deadline of 1 March 2027, with supporting documents due by 15 March 2027 and offers accepted by 1 May 2027. International applicants follow the identical March 1 deadline; the university publishes no separate, later international closing date. Applications are not accepted on a rolling basis after the deadline for most direct-entry programmes, though a small number of programmes (e.g. Nursing) run further selection rounds into the summer while space remains. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
