how does phd program work

How to get a PhD?

Interested in obtaining a phd learn more about the steps to earn a phd, careers with phd, list of colleges offering programs and more..

Updated by TCM Staff on 15th April 2021

How to get a PhD: Steps and Requirements Explained

15th April 2021

College Monk — How to Get a PhD

A PhD is a postgraduate doctoral degree awarded to those students who produce an original thesis and make a significant research contribution to their respective field.

PhDs are available for those in a variety of different fields, and it’s often considered the highest and most well-respected degree available. Earning a PhD truly establishes someone as an expert in their field and indicates the deepest level of knowledge on a particular subject.

What is a PhD?

PhD — technically short for Doctor of Philosophy — is a type of doctoral degree, often considered the highest-level degree one can earn.

A PhD is a type of research degree that requires students to do an extensive amount of research and produce an original work, known as a dissertation.

People often use their PhD as a launchpad to pursue a career in academia. But, it’s also a popular option for those pursuing a career in STEM.

Those with PhDs make up a fairly exclusive club. Data from the US Census Bureau shows that fewer than 5% of the population holds a doctorate. And it’s not surprising, considering it often takes up to eight years to achieve this coveted title and requires writing an original dissertation the length of a book.

A PhD is actually just one type of doctoral degree. PhDs are research-focused. The other type of doctorate is application-focused (also known as an applied doctorate).

why PhD image

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PhD admission requirements 

Not just anyone can earn a PhD. Given how well-respected the title is, it takes a lot of work and very specific criteria to enter a doctoral program.

The most basic requirement that all PhD candidates must have is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. You won’t be accepted without this. You also usually need a high GPA.

Another requirement is a statement of purpose. In this statement, doctoral candidates will describe why they’re seeking a PhD, what they’ve done so far to prepare themselves, and what goals they plan to accomplish later.

Finally, PhD applicants will need several letters of recommendation. 

If you’re considering pursuing a PhD, it’s critical that you work to build relationships with professors and mentors who might recommend you. There’s a lot of competition, especially for the top PhD programs, and excellent recommendations will help you to stand out.

Keep in mind that the requirements might vary somewhat from one school to the next, so it’s important to do your research and decide ahead of time where you’ll apply.

Steps to obtain a PhD

Earning a PhD is no easy feat. It takes most students years to do so. Let’s look into the steps someone must take to get a PhD.

Step 1: Complete an undergraduate degree

Before you can take the next step toward your PhD, you’ll first have to receive a bachelor’s degree through an undergraduate program at a reputable university.

This education will provide the foundation for your more advanced coursework later. It’s important that you maintain a high GPA throughout your undergraduate years.

Step 2: Complete a master's program

Once you complete your bachelor’s degree, the next natural step is to pursue a master’s degree.

Graduate school requires that a student take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). A master’s degree typically takes about two years to achieve, and will be in a particular field of study.

While not technically required for a PhD, most people earn a master’s degree before earning their PhD.

Step 3: Apply for a PhD program

Once you complete your graduate program, it’s time to apply for your PhD program.

There are many doctoral programs to choose from, so it’s important that you research and find the best fit for your field of study.

During the application process, you’ll have to submit the following:

  • A completed application
  • Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
  • Your GMAT or GRE scores
  • Letters of recommendation
  • A statement of purpose

Step 4: Complete your coursework

When you begin your PhD program, you’ll start by taking your coursework. 

As is usually the case with undergraduate and graduate programs, you’ll likely have some required courses and some electives. Usually, students will prepare their own plan of study for the courses they’ll take over the next couple of years.

Step 5: Prepare a research proposal

A research proposal is a document that outlines what, exactly, a PhD student will focus on during their research. 

A research proposal should include the major question or questions someone plans to answer with their dissertation, and how exactly they plan to arrive at that answer. 

Even though the proposal won’t be a part of your final thesis, it plays a vital role in shaping your PhD.

Step 6: Complete a literature review

The literature review is the first thing you’ll do before starting your project report.

In this review, you’ll conduct an in-depth study of all the research in your field. During this phase, a doctoral student should critically assess the existing literature on their topic and find gaps they may be able to fill with their research.

Step 7: Research and collect results

Once a student has completed their literature review, they’ll do more first-hand research and perform experiments to help answer the questions they’re exploring for their dissertation.

Step 8: Produce a thesis and write a dissertation

Doctoral Dissertation Image

Source:  https://www.wikihow.com

Once you’ve completed your research and gathered sufficient results, it’s time to write your final thesis and dissertation. 

Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, your thesis is the argument or conclusion you’ve arrived at, while your dissertation is where you demonstrate your thesis.

Your dissertation is the culmination of all the research you’ve done. Dissertations are original work and often focus on a newly developed theory. A dissertation is roughly the length of a book, and can often take years to produce.

Step 9: Viva Voce

Viva voce is a Latin phrase that means “with living voice” or “by word of mouth.” It’s also the final — and one of the most important — steps in the process of earning a PhD.

Unlike other degrees, where you take a final exam, a PhD candidate must defend their thesis before a panel of appointment examiners. It’s common for the examiners to ask many questions, and this process can often take several hours.

Once you successfully complete your viva voce, you’ll be awarded your doctorate and can add that coveted “Dr.” to your title.

Online colleges offering PhD programs

Many students choose to pursue a PhD through an online doctoral program for the flexibility and convenience it brings. 

Here are a few popular online PhD programs:

What can you do with a PhD?

A PhD is the highest-degree that someone can earn. But after all those years of work, what exactly can you do with your degree?

One of the most common career paths for someone with a PhD is academia. Those with a doctorate degree often go on to teach at universities or spend their careers performing research, not all that different from what they did to earn the degree in the first place.

But academia isn’t the only option for PhD recipients, nor is it the most lucrative. 

PhD students often study STEM fields — science, technology, engineering, and math. Those industries are thriving today more than ever, making it a great field for those holding a doctorate.

What can you be in phD Image

Source:  https://www.jax.org

Some of the highest-paying PhD fields include:

  • Information assurance
  • Computer science
  • Biochemistry and molecular biology
  • Organic chemistry

Though academia and STEM may be the most common paths for PhD participants, they’re hardly the only ones. There are many options available to someone with a PhD. Other non-STEM fields include clinical psychology, market research, business development, linguistics, and intelligence.

A doctorate is the highest level of degree someone can achieve. There’s no doubt that it takes a considerable amount of work, and it takes most people years to achieve this recognition. 

It’s important to understand these trade-offs before you get started. But once you earn your PhD, you will hold one of the most highly-respected titles in the academic field and have a lot of doors open to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. 1) How long does a PhD take?

A. According to CBS news on an average, an American Student takes 8.2 years to complete their Ph.D. This can change according to various courses and in various countries.

2. 2) What qualifications do I need?

A. In US Bachelors degree holders can also apply for Ph.D. For applying in a PhD program one should have completed 16 years of formal education. Qualification in the entrance test is also necessary.

3. 3) Can I take PhD as a part-time?

A. Yes, part-time PhD is possible, and it has a more flexible schedule with classes and degree completion. In some programs, a minimum one-year residency is required. But, part-time PhD will take more time, and managing a part-time PhD will be more challenging.

4. 4) What is M.Phil?

A. A M.Phil qualification is less advanced than that of a PhD. In this, the students are expected to master a content area and it can be mastered in two years. Moreover, the PhD dissertation takes more time than an M.Phil dissertation.

5. 5) What are Financial Aid options available for me?

A. For Ph.D. there are a lot of financial aid opportunities available in the form of Scholarship and loans. Eg: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

how does phd program work

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What Is a PhD? Definition, Types of PhDs, and How to Get One

What is a PhD and is it really worth my time? This is a common question among professionals across a variety of fields, both within and outside academia, who contemplate grad school at some point in their journey. If you’ve ever wondered what a doctorate is and whether you should pursue one to advance your career and gain access to better job opportunities, read on.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through key definitions, including what a PhD actually is, the common requirements you need to complete a PhD degree, and the best degree programs available for a wide range of industries. It will also discuss the main benefits of becoming a Doctor of Philosophy, as well as the most common ways to fund your studies.

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What is a doctorate.

A doctorate is a research-based academic degree. It is considered a terminal degree in most disciplines, meaning it represents the highest level of education a student can obtain in their chosen field.

A doctorate is awarded to students who have undergone a lengthy research process and made a significant contribution to the body of knowledge in their field of study. It takes multiple years to complete, during which students work closely with a supervisor and focus on a specific dissertation topic. Completing a doctorate might also involve teaching and comprehensive examinations.

A doctorate serves as solid proof of a person’s level of knowledge and expertise. It demonstrates that you have mastery over your chosen subject, and helps establish you as an expert. This level of expertise comes with top-tier job opportunities and the potential to earn top salaries in your chosen profession.

Doctorate vs PhD: Key Differences

While many people use the terms doctorate and PhD interchangeably, there are key differences between the two. These differences have to do with the application of these degrees. However, both terms refer to terminal degrees, so they hold the same value.

A Doctor of Philosophy degree, or PhD, is a research-oriented degree that demonstrates a person’s ability to contribute new knowledge to their chosen field. A student who pursues a PhD usually does so to answer a specific question, conduct original research to provide an answer, and use their findings to advance their field.

On the other hand, the term doctorate is broader and typically refers to a professional or clinical degree. This means that a person who obtains it has demonstrated an ability to apply advanced knowledge in a particular field in their professional life. Professional doctorates of this kind are awarded, for instance, to medical doctors or doctors of juridical science.

PhD Requirements: How to Get a PhD

While each PhD degree program will have unique requirements depending on the school and field of study, there are some common requirements you need to complete to get a PhD. Keep reading to find out about the most common requirements to earn your advanced degree.

PhD Statement of Purpose

A PhD statement of purpose is a document that clearly outlines your goals for your PhD, your academic credentials, and the reasons why an academic committee should approve your project. It is typically between 500 to 1,000 words long and gives prospective students an opportunity to explain how their research project will make a relevant contribution to their field.

How Many Credits Is a PhD?

Typically, it takes between 90 and 120 credits to complete your PhD studies. However, this number can be as low as 60, depending on the degree type, area of study, and state, regional, or institutional requirements. Credit hours for graduate students are usually divided between course work, research hours, and dissertation work.

Other Common Requirements for a PhD

  • Coursework. While coursework is not the main focus of a PhD, students will usually have to enroll in a few core courses during their first or second year of grad school. They might also have the opportunity to enroll in elective courses, which offer a chance to learn about other fields of study.
  • Qualifying exams. A common component of many PhD programs is a set of qualifying exams. Students must successfully pass these comprehensive exams toward the end of their degree in order to demonstrate their level of competence in their field. These tend to be oral exams.
  • Teaching. Many PhD programs include a teaching component. Students are required to teach basic courses, typically to fresh undergrad students, which helps them develop teaching skills.
  • Research. Conducting original research on a particular subject is typically the main component of a doctorate program, and takes up the bulk of doctoral candidates’ time.
  • Dissertation. Throughout their program, PhD candidates need to complete a dissertation based on the original research they’ve conducted. Graduate students do this under the guidance of a qualified faculty member.
  • Dissertation defense. Once the dissertation is approved, PhD students need to successfully defend their research in front of a panel of experts in their field before they are awarded their degree. This is the final step in the dissertation process.

How Do PhD Programs Work?

Typically, PhD degree programs work based on a mix of coursework and research conducted over three to four years, although this can last longer depending on the program and the pace at which a student completes their research. Coursework is typically completed towards the beginning of the program, and towards the end, the dissertation or thesis becomes the main focus.

In addition, students must fulfill other program requirements throughout this period. This might include teaching undergraduate students, completing a residency, passing qualifying exams, or attending conferences or colloquia. The final step is usually an oral defense in front of a panel of experts, who are selected to evaluate the quality of the research and the value of the results obtained.

Do You Need a Master’s to Get a PhD?

No, a master’s degree is not always required to pursue PhD studies. Many programs in the US allow students to apply to a PhD program straight after completing their bachelor’s degree. Other programs offer dual degrees, meaning that you will obtain a master’s degree while you work toward your doctorate.

What Comes After a Doctorate Degree?

In many fields, the usual step after a doctorate degree is a postdoc. This is an option for those wishing to pursue a career in academia and continue doing research in their field. However, an academic career is not the only option. Because a doctorate is a terminal degree, graduates can easily move on to professional positions in other types of organizations in their chosen field.

Best Online Master’s Degree Programs

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PhD Dissertation vs Thesis

The main difference between a dissertation and a thesis is the scope of the research being conducted and the type of degree you are awarded after completing it. Often, the terms are used interchangeably, or they can hold different meanings in European countries, which causes some confusion regarding their nature. Keep reading to understand the differences between a PhD dissertation and a thesis in the US.

What Is a PhD Dissertation?

A PhD dissertation is a piece of scholarly work that presents the original research carried out by a doctoral student during the length of their program. It discusses the scope, methodology, results, and conclusions of the research at length. The end goal of a doctoral dissertation is to produce results that help advance human knowledge in a given field.

PhD Dissertation Defense

A PhD dissertation defense is the process in which a PhD candidate defends their research in front of a panel of experts in their field. During the defense, members of the panel ask questions regarding the information presented, providing the candidate an opportunity to back up their work and demonstrate the level of expertise they’ve achieved after years of dedicated work.

What Is a PhD Thesis?

In the US, as opposed to some European countries, the term thesis refers to a shorter academic paper that is usually presented for the completion of a master’s degree. It can also sometimes be a requirement for honors students completing a bachelor’s degree. The information presented in a thesis is usually drawn from existing sources, rather than from original research conducted by the student.

PhD Thesis Defense

A thesis defense is usually not a mandatory requirement for master’s students, although this varies according to your school and department. The thesis is still an in-depth piece of scholarly writing and serves as a testament to a student’s mastery of a given subject, and a defense serves as an opportunity to engage a panel of experts and defend the contents of your paper.

How Long Does It Take to Earn a Doctorate?

Most doctoral programs are designed to be completed in four to six years. However, it can take up to seven and a half years to earn a doctoral degree from the start of graduate school, according to data presented by the National Science Foundation.

A number of factors can affect how long it takes students to earn their PhDs. They include the structure of their chosen program, the type of research being conducted, and the support provided by the institution. On average, students completing doctoral programs in science and engineering fields finish faster than their counterparts in non-science and engineering fields.

How Hard Is It to Get a PhD?

It can be very hard to get a PhD. Working for several years on a particular dissertation topic can be very trying. Aside from the time commitment, the depth of research that is part of the dissertation process can also be challenging. Admissions to a top education institution can be extremely competitive, as usually there are only a handful of positions available for hundreds of applicants.

What Is the Easiest PhD to Get?

PhDs in the humanities, social sciences, and education are typically regarded as the easiest to obtain. However, this truly comes down to how interested you are in your chosen dissertation topic and your level of commitment to making a relevant contribution to human knowledge, both of which can greatly influence your perception of the difficulty of the degree.

How Much Does a PhD Cost?

According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics, the average yearly cost of graduate programs in the US is $19,792. Data from the QS World University Rankings suggest that the yearly cost of a PhD in the US ranges from $28,000 to $40,000. The total cost of a PhD can greatly vary depending on the university, length of the program, and funding options available for doctoral study.

Best PhD Programs

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Benefits of a Doctoral Degree: Why Do a PhD?

There are many concrete benefits to completing a doctorate, such as career advancement opportunities, expertise in your field, and the chance to earn better salaries. Keep reading to find out about some concrete reasons why you should do a PhD to advance your career.

Career Advancement Opportunities

Holding a doctorate can provide you with great opportunities to advance your career. Many top-tier jobs in various industries require applicants to be experts in their field. For instance, a PhD in Business Administration can make you a strong candidate for senior, managerial, or executive positions in world-class companies in the public or private sector, or help you launch an independent career as a consultant.

Even for jobs where this type of formal training is not required, you may still find yourself in fierce competition with other applicants. A PhD can help you stand out as a candidate, as it demonstrates your ability to conduct research, work independently, and succeed in pursuing your long-term goals.

Increased Earning Potential

One of the top benefits of completing your doctoral degree is the potential for earning better salaries. For example, the average yearly income for a professional with a Master’s Degree in Physics is $99,000, while someone with a PhD in Physics can expect to earn up to $119,000 yearly.

Expertise in Your Field

Earning a doctorate helps solidify your status as an expert in your field. If there is a topic that you are deeply passionate about, your PhD is your chance to fully immerse yourself in it. Through this process, you will be making important contributions and developing groundbreaking practices in your area.

Transferable Skills

Aside from your ability to work independently and conduct research in your area of expertise, you will also develop a variety of transferable skills that will be useful to you no matter what you choose to do after graduation.

Throughout your program, you will be participating in committees, teaching, organizing conferences, publishing your work, and meeting other experts. As a result, you will develop multipurpose skills, including time and project management, communication and interpersonal skills, and leadership skills.

While you pursue your academic degree, you will be participating in academic conferences, workshops, seminars, and colloquia. This, in turn, means you will have ample opportunities to connect with other doctoral students in your field and in other areas of knowledge. The connections you make through your PhD can lead to career opportunities and expand your social circle in new and interesting ways.

How to Earn a Doctoral Degree

So, how do you earn a doctoral degree? While there is work to be put in, the process is actually quite straightforward. Keep reading to find out how you can embark on the path toward your PhD.

The first step to earning your doctorate is to complete a bachelor’s degree at the undergraduate institution of your choice. Depending on your chosen field, you might need to obtain a degree in a specific discipline, which can then pave the way for your graduate studies.

If a bachelor’s degree is not an option right away, you can start by obtaining an associate degree , which can even be done through the best online community colleges . While you obtain your undergraduate degree, make sure to seek out career advice from experts who can help you decide how to best use your time and embark on the right academic path.

While earning a master’s degree is not mandatory to apply to a PhD program, doing so can offer you a competitive advantage. It will give you a chance to deepen your knowledge on a particular topic, connect with professors and gather recommendations, and test the waters regarding your chosen field.

In order to successfully apply to a master’s degree program, you will have to provide your GPA, letters of recommendation, and sometimes standardized test scores. For instance, if you’re interested in pursuing a Master’s Degree in Mathematics , you will need to prep for the GMAT and submit your scores. Be sure to check the requirements of your chosen school and department.

Whether you have completed your master’s or are applying straight after your bachelor's, make sure to spend some time choosing your specific research area and the type of PhD you wish to pursue. This is also an excellent time to assess funding opportunities and contact potential supervisors to gauge their interest in and ability to support you during your studies.

In order to enroll in a doctoral program, you will need to provide quite a few documents with your application. Every school is different, but the most common requirements are transcripts, letters of recommendation, and a strong statement of purpose. Make sure you check the specific requirements of your chosen program, and prepare to be interviewed by faculty members.

After being accepted into a doctoral program, you should outline what the next few years will look like. What requirements do you need to complete to earn your PhD? Spend time crafting a realistic timeline that can help you stay on track and complete every step successfully. This includes teaching, participating in conferences, and successfully completing your qualifying exams.

The final step to obtaining your PhD is to successfully complete your research and compile your results in your dissertation. Once it is reviewed and approved by your supervisor and readers, you will have to defend it as well. It can be a trying process, but the results will be worth it.

How to Choose a PhD Program

In order to choose a PhD program that is right for you, there are several factors you should consider. A PhD is a strong commitment both in terms of time and money, so the decision shouldn’t be made lightly. Keep reading to find out how to choose a PhD program.

PhD Acceptance Rates

The PhD acceptance rates of a university give you an idea of how likely you are to be admitted to your chosen program. This number is a reflection of how competitive a program is and the funding the department receives. Use this information to orient yourself to the selection process, as applying to a variety of programs with different acceptance rates can increase your chances of being accepted into one of them.

Keep in mind that acceptance rates are usually measured by department, not university. For instance, Columbia University has an acceptance rate of four to six percent for its psychology PhD program , and an acceptance rate of five to seven percent for its history PhD .

PhD Dropout Rates

PhD dropout rates are important to consider, as they give you an idea of how supported students are in a particular program and how likely you are to complete your doctorate. In the US, PhD attrition rates, or dropout rates, can range from 40 to 50 percent , so take your time to find a university and program with a high success rate to ensure you will be able to finish and obtain your degree.

Faculty Members

One of the key relationships you will have during your time as a PhD student will be with your supervisor. You will also be working closely with other members of your department. As such, make sure to research the faculty to ensure that their interests and research projects align with your own. During the research stage, you can even reach out to them to find out about the department, ask about funding opportunities, and receive relevant career advice.

Funding Opportunities

A PhD can be costly, but there are many ways to offset those costs to make it more manageable. Be it scholarships, grants, or work opportunities, make sure to research all funding opportunities available so you can select a program that aligns with your financial situation. Many universities offer fully-funded programs to outstanding students, so do your homework and find a program that doesn’t leave you financially crippled in the long run.

When you commit to a PhD, you are also committing to several years of work. Unless you are planning to complete your program fully online, you should take into account the place where you will be moving to continue your studies.

Do you prefer big cities or small college towns? Which part of the country would you be willing to relocate to? Take some time to reflect on your preferences so you can choose the best location according to your needs and preferences.

Best Online PhD Programs

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What Can You Get a Doctorate In?

You can get a doctorate in a wide variety of topics. Below is a list of common fields in which you can pursue this type of degree:

  • PhD in Psychology
  • PhD in Education
  • PhD in Nursing
  • PhD in Social Work
  • PhD in Economics
  • PhD in Business
  • PhD in Computer Science
  • PhD in Data Science
  • PhD in Business Administration
  • PhD in Accounting
  • PhD in Mathematics
  • PhD in Statistics
  • PhD in Engineering
  • PhD in Cyber Security
  • PhD in Information Systems

Best PhD Programs and Their Potential Jobs

The best PhD programs offer you the training you need to succeed in your field and access top jobs in your industry. Keep reading to find out about common programs in a variety of fields, both in-person and online, as well as the jobs you’ll have access to once you finish.

A PhD in Psychology provides you with the formal training required to conduct scientific research in the field, practice professionally with patients, or both. With a PhD in Psychology, you will be able to advance human knowledge on behavioral disorders, strategies for diagnosis, and treatment plans that are on par with the latest scientific discoveries.

Psychology PhD Programs

  • PhD in Psychology at Stanford University
  • PhD in Psychology at University of California, Berkeley
  • PhD in Experimental Psychopathology & Clinical Science at Harvard University

Online PhDs in Psychology

  • Online PhD in Psychology at Liberty University
  • PhD in Counseling & Psychological Studies at Regent University  
  • PhD in Counseling Psychology at Loyola University Chicago

PhD Psychology Jobs 

  • Organizational Development Director | Average Salary: $118,140
  • Research Director | Average Salary: $107,634
  • UX Researcher | Average Salary: $88,914

PhD Psychology Salary 

According to statistics presented by PayScale, the average base salary of a professional with a PhD in Psychology is $95,000 per year. This can vary depending on your location, company, position, and level of experience.

A PhD in Education prepares students to conduct education research and is typically chosen by those interested in pursuing a career path in academia. Holders of this type of PhD are qualified to work as curriculum specialists, policymakers, teacher educators, instructional leaders, and, of course, education researchers.

Education PhD Programs

  • PhD in Teaching and Learning at New York University, Steinhardt
  • PhD in Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Education at Harvard University

Online PhDs in Education

  • PhD in Education – Educational Technology and Online Learning at Regent University
  • PhD in Education at Concordia University
  • Doctor of Education at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

PhD Education Jobs 

  • Elementary, Middle, and High School Principals | Average Salary: $98,420
  • Postsecondary Education Administrators | Average Salary: $96,910
  • Postsecondary Teachers | Average Salary: $79,640

PhD Education Salary 

The average annual salary for a professional with a PhD in Education is $82,000, according to PayScale. Those with jobs as professors in postsecondary or higher education can expect a range between $56,000 and $188,000, while professionals in executive positions can make up to $171,000 per year.

A PhD in Nursing is a perfect option for nurses seeking to work in academia or conduct research. It is the highest degree that can be obtained by professionals in this area who have opted to advance their field from the lab instead of doing so in a clinical setting.

Nursing PhD Programs

  • Doctorate of Nursing at Johns Hopkins University
  • PhD in Nursing at the Univerity of Washington
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Online PhDs in Nursing

  • Online PhD in Nursing at the University of Central Florida
  • PhD in Nursing Science at Vanderbilt University
  • PhD in Nursing at Walden University

PhD Nursing Jobs 

  • Dean of Nursing | Average Salary: $113,399
  • Nursing Director | Average Salary: $93,943
  • Nursing Instructor | Average Salary: $64,253

PhD Nursing Salary 

PayScale estimates that the average annual salary for a professional with a PhD in Nursing is $93,000. A nursing instructor can expect an estimated salary ranging from $53,000 to $93,000, while a nursing director can expect a salary ranging from $85,000 to $156,000.

Students who pursue a PhD in social work gain the skills and knowledge to act as leaders in social work research and social work education. Graduates from these programs are prepared to become involved in the creation and analysis of social policy, planning, and administration. They can work with governments, nonprofit organizations, or in the private sector.

Social Work PhD Programs

  • Joint PhD Program in Social Work and Social Science at the University of Michigan
  • PhD in Social Work at The University of Chicago
  • PhD Program in Social Welfare at the University of Washington 

Online PhDs in Social Work

  • Doctorate of Clinical Social Work at the University of Southern California
  • Doctorate of Social Work at Rutgers University
  • Online Doctor of Behavioral Health – Management at Arizona State University

PhD Social Work Jobs 

  • Director of Clinical Services | Average Salary: $90,983
  • Executive Director | Average Salary: $81,329
  • Nonprofit Program Director | Average Salary: $59,621

PhD Social Work Salary 

The average annual salary for a professional with a PhD in Social Work is $76,000, according to data presented by PayScale. A program director for a nonprofit organization can make between $49,000 and $84,000.

The best doctorates in economics prepare graduates to make decisions that increase the profitability of businesses, maximize the use of resources, and inform public policy. Over years of analyzing economic trends, deepening their knowledge of local and global economics, and conducting research, graduates will be ready to work in the public or private sector.

Economics PhD Programs

  • PhD in Economics at Arizona State University
  • PhD in Economics at John Hopkins University
  • PhD in Economics at Syracuse University

Online PhDs in Economics

  • PhD in Public Policy – Economic Policy at Liberty University
  • PhD in Business Administration at the University of Maryland – Global Campus
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration at Hampton University

PhD Economics Jobs 

  • Financial Manager | Average Salary: $131,710
  • Economist | Average Salary: $105,630
  • Professor of Economics | Average Salary: $97,190

PhD Economics Salary 

According to PayScale, the average annual income for someone with a PhD in Economics is $112,000. Whether you obtain your PhD in person or through an accredited online PhD program , you’ll be able to make an impact and earn well while doing so.

A PhD in Business prepares you to become a successful professional in either the public or private sector. With this type of degree, you can go on to work in corporate finance, international business, or industrial organization. You’ll gain in-depth knowledge about markets, competition, and government regulation.

Business PhD Programs

  • PhD in Business Economics at Harvard University
  • PhD in Business at Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • PhD in Finance at New York University

Online PhDs in Business

  • Doctorate in Business Management at Atlantic International University
  • Executive Doctorate in Business at Drexel University
  • Doctorate of Business Education at Creighton University

PhD Business Jobs 

  • Senior Director of Strategy | Average Salary: $156,566
  • Chief Operating Officer (COO) | Average Salary: $144,743
  • Vice President of Operations | Average Salary: $133,086

PhD Business Salary 

According to data presented by PayScale, the average annual salary of someone holding a PhD in Business is $150,000. This type of degree opens the door to top positions in various industries, almost all of which come with lucrative salaries.

The best PhDs in Computer Science are flexible degrees that open doors in a variety of fields. Whether you choose to get this degree in person or opt for one of the best online PhDs in computer science , you will gain valuable experience and deepen your knowledge of computational science theory, cyber operations, and information assurance.

Computer Science PhD Programs

  • PhD in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University
  • PhD in Computer Science at Boston University
  • PhD in Computer Science at Arizona State University

Online PhDs in Computer Science

  • PhD in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at University of California, Berkeley
  • PhD in Computer Science at Indiana University
  • PhD in Computer Science at Mississippi State University

PhD Computer Science Jobs 

  • Chief Data Scientist | Average Salary: $190.365
  • Chief Information Officer | Average Salary: $169,334
  • Senior Computer Scientist | Average Salary: $153,972

PhD Computer Science Salary 

According to PayScale, the average salary for a professional holding a computer science PhD is $131,000 per year. As with any other industry, your salary will be determined by your level of experience, your position, and your location.

A PhD in Data Science is a research-intensive degree that helps you cultivate skills and knowledge in programming, statistics, data analysis, machine learning, and artificial intelligence. With it, you can launch a successful career   

Data Science PhD Programs

  • PhD in Data Science, Analytics, and Engineering at Arizona State University
  • PhD in Computational Sciences and Informatics at George Mason University
  • PhD in Statistics and Data Science at Yale University

Online PhDs in Data Science

  • PhD in Data Science at Northcentral University
  • PhD in Information Science at the University of North Texas
  • Online PhD in Data Science and Technology Management at Northcentral University

PhD Data Science Jobs 

  • Computer and Information Research Scientist | Average Salary: $131,490
  • Mathematician or Statistician | Average Salary: $96,280
  • Medical Scientist | Average Salary: $95,310

PhD Data Science Salary 

PayScale does not offer salary information specifically about data science PhD holders. However, statistics do exist for computer science PhD holders, which is a close match. They show that the average salary for a professional with a PhD in Computer Science is $131,000.

A PhD in Business Administration prepares students for successful careers leading business ventures across all industries. It is a highly interdisciplinary degree that includes aspects of marketing, economics, information systems, finance, and human resource management. Accredited online PhDs in Business Administration offer busy students the opportunity to complete their degree in a fully remote modality.

Business Administration PhD Programs

  • PhD in Business Administration at Duke University
  • PhD in Business Administration at Harvard University
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration at George Washington University

Online PhDs in Business Administration

  • Business Administration PhD at Temple University
  • Doctor of Business Administration at Liberty University
  • Doctor of Business Administration at the University of Maryland Global Campus

PhD Business Administration Jobs 

  • Information Systems Manager | Average Salary: $159,010
  • Human Resources Manager | Average Salary: $126,230

PhD Business Administration Salary 

The average salary of a professional with a PhD in Business Administration is $105,000, according to PayScale. Salaries for information systems managers with PhDs in this field can be close to $160,000 per year. On the lower end of the spectrum, university professors in the field can take home around $80,000 per year.

A Doctorate in Accounting is typically pursued by students interested in focusing their careers on research rather than the practice of their profession. This can be accomplished both in academic institutions and research organizations. Teaching is another common avenue for those who pursue this type of degree.

Accounting PhD Programs

  • PhD in Accounting at the University of Colorado, Boulder
  • PhD in Accoutning at Stanford University
  • PhD in Accounting at the University of Pennsylvania

Online PhDs in Accounting

  • PhD in Accounting at Capella University
  • DBA in Accounting at Drexel University
  • DBA in Accounting at Liberty University

PhD Accounting Jobs 

  • Chief Financial Officer (CFO) | Average Salary: $140,445
  • Corporate Controller | Average Salary: $104,674
  • Financial Controller | Average Salary: $87,309

PhD Accounting Salary 

Once you obtain your accounting PhD, you’ll be able to earn a salary of $109,000 per year on average, according to data from PayScale. With jobs on the low end of the spectrum, you might earn $59,000 per year on average, while on the higher end of the spectrum you’ll be looking at an average annual salary of around $230,000.

A PhD in Mathematics can be extremely challenging to obtain, and these programs are usually highly competitive and admit only a handful of applicants each year. With this degree, you’ll be using your analytical and critical thinking skills in fields such as education and academic research, technology development and services, or the pharmaceutical industry.

Mathematics PhD Programs

  • PhD in Mathematics at Columbia University
  • PhD in Mathematics at Harvard University
  • Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Science Mathematics Degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Online PhDs in Mathematics

  • Doctorate in Mathematics at Atlantic International University
  • PhD in Mathematics Education at the University of Wyoming
  • PhD in Mathematics at Edith Cowan University

PhD Mathematics Jobs 

  • Data Scientist | Average Salary: $108,660
  • Actuary | Average Salary: $105,900

PhD Mathematics Salary 

The average salary for a mathematics PhD holder , according to PayScale, is $110,000. If you opt for a career as a data scientist, you can expect a salary ranging between $75,000 and $141,000. As a mathematician, that range can be between $66,000 and $135,000. 

A PhD in Statistics is useful in various fields, such as the medical industry, education, and economics. During this program, you will learn how to better understand data, calculate risk, and successfully measure uncertainty, all of which have applications across fields and in both the public and private sectors.  

Statistics PhD Programs

  • PhD in Statistics at Boston University
  • PhD in Statistics at Columbia University
  • PhD in Statistics at University of California, Berkeley

PhD Statistics Jobs 

  • Statistician | Average Salary: $96,280
  • Biostatistician | Average Salary: $77,924

PhD Statistics Salary 

The average annual salary of a PhD in Statistics graduate is $116,000, according to PayScale. As a statistician, your average salary can range from $71,000 to $133,000, and as a biostatistician, you can earn a salary ranging from $66,000 to $139,000.

Depending on the university and program you choose, a Doctorate in Engineering might be a PhD, an EngScD, a Doctor of Science in Engineering, or a DEng, Doctor of Engineering. This type of degree is heavily focused on technical research and can branch out into a variety of fields, such as biomedical, electrical, or mechanical engineering. Whatever the specialization, this doctorate will teach you to understand and solve problems using your technical knowledge.

Engineering PhD Programs

  • PhD in Biomedical, Computer, or Electrical Engineering at Boston University
  • Doctor of Science in Engineering at Columbia University
  • PhD in Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Online PhDs in Engineering

  • PhD in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics at the University of Alabama
  • PhD in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Maine
  • Doctor of Philosophy in Reliability Engineering at University of Maryland

PhD Engineering Jobs 

  • Chief Engineer | Average Salary: $86,920
  • Manufacturing Process Engineer | Average Salary: $77,452
  • Applications Engineer | Average Salary: $74,529

PhD Engineering Salary 

With a PhD in engineering, you can earn an average salary of $147,000 , according to PayScale. As an applications engineer, you can earn a salary ranging from $67,000 to $100,000, while as a chief engineer your salary might range from $105,000 to $273,000.

Cyber security is a growing field, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that there will be a 33 percent growth rate for information security analysts over the next 10 years. A PhD in Cyber Security prepares you for senior-level cyber security jobs across various industries, as well as for research positions. 

Cyber Security PhD Programs

  • PhD in Computer Science with a Specialization in Cyber Security at the University of Rhode Island
  • PhD in Security at the University of Colorado
  • PhD in Computer Science (Cybersecurity) at Arizona State University

Online PhDs in Cyber Security

  • PhD in Cybersecurity at Capitol Technology University
  • PhD of Science in Cybersecurity at Marymount University
  • Online PhD in Technology and Innovation Management – Cybersecurity at Northcentral University

PhD Cyber Security Jobs 

  • Chief Information Security Officer | Average Salary: $170,271
  • Cyber Security Architect | Average Salary: $129,369
  • Lead Security Engineer | Average Salary: $120,827

PhD Cyber Security Salary 

According to data presented by PayScale, you can earn an average annual salary of $172,000 with a PhD in Cyber Security . This type of degree grants you access to senior roles, including director of operations, education program director, chief information security officer, penetration tester, and cyber security architect.

A PhD in Information Systems provides students with the education needed to understand and solve complex information technology problems, as well as conduct relevant research to propose new solutions and innovate in their chosen field.

Information Systems PhD Programs

  • PhD in Business Administration With a Concentration in Computer Information Systems at Arizona State University
  • PhD in Information Systems at Dakota State University
  • PhD in Information Systems and Operations Management at Emory University

Online PhDs in Information Systems

  • PhD in Information Systems at Northcentral University
  • PhD in Information Technology at the University of the Cumberlands
  • PhD in Management With a Specialization in Information Systems Management at Walden University

PhD Information Systems Jobs 

  • Computer and Information Systems Manager | Average Salary: $159,010
  • Database Administrator or Architect | Average Salary: $98,860

PhD Information Systems Salary 

The average salary for a professional with a PhD in Information Systems is $141,000. As with any other industry, this figure varies according to your position, level of experience, location, and the company you work for.

Can You Get a PhD Online?

Yes, you can get a PhD online. Many reputable universities in the country offer accredited online degree programs in a variety of disciplines. This education format is ideal for students who are unable to relocate or who prefer more flexible learning modalities.

Most Affordable Online PhD Programs

  • PhD ​in ​Education ​and ​Educational ​Leadership at Drexel University. Tuition: $140/credit
  • PhD in Mathematics Education at University of Wyoming. Tuition: $399/credit (in state)
  • PhD in Information Systems at Dakota State University. Tuition: $464.90/credit
  • PhD in Information Technology at University of the Cumberlands. Tuition: $500/credit
  • PhD in Media and Communication at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Tuition: $516/credit (in state)

Free Online PhD Programs

Unfortunately, there are no free online PhD programs. However, a multitude of funding opportunities do exist to help you cover the cost of your program. These include scholarships and grants, loans, and various forms of financial aid. Fully funded PhD programs also exist in a variety of universities and fields to support outstanding students looking to obtain their degrees.

How to Pay for a PhD

PhD programs are usually quite expensive. Fortunately, there are a variety of ways you can finance your studies. Keep reading to find out about the main ways to fund your PhD.

PhD Scholarships and Grants

Scholarships and grants consist of funds provided to students so they can cover the cost of their doctoral degrees. They can either be need-based or be awarded based on character or merit. Recipients of this type of funds usually do not need to pay the money back. They can be awarded by universities or other institutions, such as charities or research foundations.

PhD Financial Aid

Universities typically offer a wide range of financial aid options to prospective and current students to help them cover the cost of their programs. This might include, but is not limited to, tuition grants, stipends, computer or equipment subsidies, and access to funds for research or travel. Make sure to consult with your department to find out what forms of financial aid might be available to you.

Fully Funded PhD Programs

Many PhD programs are fully funded, meaning they waive tuition and associated fees entirely for outstanding students. Sometimes, the full funding can also include book stipends or funds for travel and research. While these tend to be highly competitive programs, they also offer the best option to complete your doctorate while avoiding the financial burden involved.

What Can You Do With a PhD?

With a PhD, you can gain access to senior, executive, or managerial positions in your industry. You can also have a successful career as a researcher in either the public or private sectors as you continue to expand the body of knowledge in your field. You can also choose to stay in academia and work as a college professor.

How Much Do PhD Professors Make?

On average, PhD professors earn an average salary of $143,823 per year, according to data presented by the American Association of University Professors pertaining to the 2021-22 academic year. This number can vary greatly depending on your field and whether you work for a public, private, for-profit, or not-for-profit institution.

What Jobs Can You Get With a Doctorate Degree?

  • Senior Data Scientist | Average Salary: $128,060 . Senior data scientists use data to create strategies and orient the growth of organizations. They also serve as team leaders.
  • Senior Software Engineer | Average Salary: $121,578 . Senior software engineers are experts in their field and are tasked with developing innovative information systems to help organizations reach their goals.
  • Senior Research Scientist | Average Salary: $106,142 . Senior research scientists work in laboratory settings across various industries. They conduct research and experiments, which can have industrial, commercial, or academic purposes.
  • Top Executive | Average Salary: $98,980 . The main task of a top executive, regardless of the industry they work for, is to devise strategies and policies to ensure their organization meets its goals.
  • Postsecondary Teachers | Average Salary: $79,640 . Postsecondary teachers instruct students beyond the high school level. The subjects they teach depend on their academic track and areas of expertise.

Conclusion: Is a Doctoral Degree Worth It?

Yes, a doctoral degree is worth it if you want to position yourself as an expert in your field, gain access to senior, executive, or managerial positions, and enjoy higher salaries. It is also a great option if you wish to contribute new knowledge to your field by conducting groundbreaking research on a particular topic.

Completing a doctoral degree requires endurance, commitment, and an ability to overcome obstacles. It involves a strong time commitment of several years, as well as a considerable financial commitment, but it usually pays off. Whether you plan to work in academia, a private research firm, or any other public or private organization, a PhD will arm you with the skills and knowledge you need to help your career flourish.

About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication .

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What is a PhD?

As the highest degree level achievable at university, completing a PhD shows that you've made a meaningful new contribution to your chosen research field

PhDs at a glance

  • Involves three or four years of full-time study, or up to seven part time.
  • Typically undertaken after achieving a Masters degree.
  • Can either be funded or self-funded.
  • Assessed through a written thesis and oral exam.
  • Many Doctoral graduates choose to pursue an academic or research career.

What is the meaning of PhD?

The term PhD or Doctorate of Philosophy is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase 'philosophiae doctor'.

A PhD degree typically involves students independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field or subject, before producing a publication-worthy thesis.

While some Doctorates include taught components, PhD students are almost always assessed on the quality and originality of the argument presented in their independent research project.

How long is a PhD in the UK?

Full-time PhDs usually last for three or four years, while part-time PhDs can take up to six or seven. However, the thesis deadline can be extended by up to four years at the institution's discretion. Indeed, many students who enrol on three-year PhDs only finish their thesis in their fourth year.

While most PhD studentships begin in September or October, both funded and self-funded PhDs can be undertaken at any point during the year.

If you're planning on studying for a PhD abroad, take a look at our individual country profiles .

Do I need a Masters to do a PhD?

The majority of institutions require PhD candidates to possess a Masters degree , plus a Bachelors degree at 2:1 or above. However, some universities demand only the latter, while self-funded PhD students or those with significant professional experience may also be accepted with lower grades.

You may need to initially register for a one or two-year Master of Philosophy (MPhil) or Master of Research (MRes) degree rather than a PhD. If you make sufficient progress, you and your work will then be 'upgraded' to a PhD programme. If not, you may be able to graduate with a Masters degree.

If you need an MPhil or MRes before enrolling on your PhD, search Masters degrees .

What does a PhD involve?

A standard PhD degree is typically split into three stages. A three-year PhD may follow this pattern:

  • First year - You'll meet with your supervisor to discuss your research proposal and agree an action plan with deadlines. You'll then complete your literature review, in which you'll evaluate and critique existing works to inform the direction of your project and ensure that your research will be original.
  • Second year - Your focus will shift to gathering results and developing your thesis, and potentially begin writing chapters of your thesis. You may also present your results and ideas at academic conferences, gain teaching experience, collaborate with other students on similar projects, communicate the benefits of your research to the general public through workshops, lectures and presentations, or submit work for publication in an academic journal or book.
  • Third year - Primarily involves writing your thesis, though your research may still be in progress. After your supervisor gives their approval, you'll submit your thesis before undertaking a one to three-hour oral exam ( viva voce ) in which you'll discuss and defend your thesis in the presence of at least one internal and external examiner.

How do I find a PhD?

As a PhD is different to other degrees, you're committing to more than simply an advanced qualification. You've chosen to engage in a large-scale independent research project and so you'll need to take into account a range of factors that will drive your search.

A methodical approach to the process is required and you'll need to consider the subject you're interested in carrying out research in and the type of Doctorate you're looking for, making sure this is the right project for you. Only when you're fully prepared and have a good idea of your research proposal should you search for PhD opportunities .

What other types of Doctorate are there?

Alternative types of PhD include:

  • Higher Doctorate - These are usually granted on the recommendation of a committee of internal and external examiners, which assesses a portfolio of published, peer-reviewed research you've undertaken over the course of many years. This type of Doctorate is usually for those with several years of academic experience. Common award titles include the Doctor of Civil Law (DCL), Doctor of Divinity (DD), Doctor of Literature/Letters (DLit/DLitt/LitD/LittD), Doctor of Music (DMus/MusD), Doctor of Science (DS/SD/DSc/ScD) and Doctor of Law (LLD).
  • Integrated/New Route PhD - This four-year PhD course is offered by over 30 universities and involves taking a one-year MRes before studying a three-year PhD. It combines taught elements with independent research, allowing students to learn different methodologies while building their transferable skills.
  • Professional Doctorate - Geared towards students of vocational subjects such as medicine, education and engineering, professional Doctorates are focused on teaching and so normally involve smaller research projects and thesis component. They're often favoured by those aiming for a career outside of academia and are usually supported by employers.

How much does a PhD cost?

Tuition fees vary, but usually fall between £3,000 and £6,000 per year for UK students and those from the European Union (EU) with settled status. UK Research Councils pay universities £4,596 per year (from 2022/23) on behalf of each funded PhD student, so this gives a good indication of the average figure.

For EU students looking to pursue a Doctorate in 2022/23, you'll need to have gained settled or pre-settled status to be eligible for student finance - see PhD loans .

Non-EU students may pay considerably more for their tuition fees.

Despite this, many PhD students are now part or fully funded - scholarships and bursaries are widely available, and particular attention should be paid to Research Council grants .

PhD studentships and assistantships involving a mixture of research and teaching are also common, with scientific studentships usually paid at a higher rate.

How do I apply for a PhD?

Some students propose their own research area and apply for funding, while in some cases a supervisor may already have funding for a project and advertise it like a job. When making a PhD application, you'll typically be asked to submit:

  • an academic CV
  • your academic transcripts
  • two or three academic references
  • a personal statement
  • a research proposal.

International students without settled UK status looking to study certain courses in medicine, mathematics, engineering and material sciences are required to comply with the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) . This involves undergoing a security clearance process with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. International students may also have to prove their English proficiency.

What can I do next?

Your ability to critically analyse, display intellectual maturity, and research independently and honestly is highly valued within academia and the workplace.

Many students who undertake a PhD get an academic job or become an industry researcher, possibly following the PhD with postdoctoral study, then a fellowship or lectureship.

Other career options will depend on your study area.

Discover what a PhD degree can lead to at your PhD, what next?

Find out more

  • Consider your PhD options at 5 routes to getting a Doctorate .
  • Get help with choosing your PhD supervisor .
  • Explore funding postgraduate study .

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  • Harvard Business School →
  • Doctoral Programs →

PhD Programs

  • Accounting & Management
  • Business Economics
  • Health Policy (Management)
  • Organizational Behavior
  • Technology & Operations Management

Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice.

Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University. The PhD program curriculum requires coursework at HBS and other Harvard discipline departments, and with HBS and Harvard faculty on advisory committees. Faculty throughout Harvard guide the programs through their participation on advisory committees.

How do I know which program is right for me?

There are many paths, but we are one HBS. Our PhD students draw on diverse personal and professional backgrounds to pursue an ever-expanding range of research topics. Explore more here about each program’s requirements & curriculum, read student profiles for each discipline as well as student research , and placement information.

The PhD in Business Administration grounds students in the disciplinary theories and research methods that form the foundation of an academic career. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program has five areas of study: Accounting and Management , Management , Marketing , Strategy , and Technology and Operations Management . All areas of study involve roughly two years of coursework culminating in a field exam. The remaining years of the program are spent conducting independent research, working on co-authored publications, and writing the dissertation. Students join these programs from a wide range of backgrounds, from consulting to engineering. Many applicants possess liberal arts degrees, as there is not a requirement to possess a business degree before joining the program

The PhD in Business Economics provides students the opportunity to study in both Harvard’s world-class Economics Department and Harvard Business School. Throughout the program, coursework includes exploration of microeconomic theory, macroeconomic theory, probability and statistics, and econometrics. While some students join the Business Economics program directly from undergraduate or masters programs, others have worked in economic consulting firms or as research assistants at universities or intergovernmental organizations.

The PhD program in Health Policy (Management) is rooted in data-driven research on the managerial, operational, and strategic issues facing a wide range of organizations. Coursework includes the study of microeconomic theory, management, research methods, and statistics. The backgrounds of students in this program are quite varied, with some coming from public health or the healthcare industry, while others arrive at the program with a background in disciplinary research

The PhD program in Organizational Behavior offers two tracks: either a micro or macro approach. In the micro track, students focus on the study of interpersonal relationships within organizations and the effects that groups have on individuals. Students in the macro track use sociological methods to examine organizations, groups, and markets as a whole, including topics such as the influence of individuals on organizational change, or the relationship between social missions and financial objectives. Jointly administered by HBS and GSAS, the program includes core disciplinary training in sociology or psychology, as well as additional coursework in organizational behavior.

Accounting & Management  

Business economics  , health policy (management)  , management  , marketing  , organizational behavior  , strategy  , technology & operations management  .

Which program are you applying to?

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how does phd program work

April 15, 2023

Applying to PhD Programs: When, Where, How, and Why?

Applying to PhD Programs: When, Where, How, and Why?

The thought of pursuing a PhD can be daunting. You might ask yourself the following key questions:

  • When should I apply?
  • Where should I apply?
  • How do I get in?
  • Why do I want to go? 

Let’s consider these questions one at a time.

Question 1: “When should I apply?”

The right time to apply to graduate school is when your personal, academic, and professional experiences have aligned such that you know for certain you want to further your knowledge and skills in a specific field. Read on for some signs that these experiences are, in fact, aligned.

In your personal life

Think about when you were first introduced to your field of study. What made you want to keep learning about it? Is that drive to know more about your field of study still there? If the answer is yes, then you might be personally ready for graduate study. In addition, memorable personal experiences – and the lessons you have learned from them – can also make you personally ready for graduate study. 

For example, perhaps you were diagnosed with a condition and have spent the past decade managing it. The psychological strain of this experience has made you highly empathic toward patients suffering from chronic conditions. You’re now committed to studying the effectiveness of various approaches to promoting mental health among this population.

Or maybe one of your fondest childhood memories is birdwatching with your dad, who taught you all about various species and their migration patterns. This experience led you to pursue ornithology, and it still makes you excited to learn about birds.

Something doesn’t have to be deeply profound to others for it to be deeply meaningful to you.

In your academic life

You’ve demonstrated – via high grades or assignments on which you went above and beyond the basic requirements – that you have a strong grasp of the technical aspects of your intended field. You’ve done more than memorize core concepts and theories; you’ve contemplated how they relate to the broader aims of the field. You’ve taken more advanced classwork, completed an independent project, or did professional work that involved innovation and research. And you now want to apply those theories and concepts in graduate school and your career.

Let’s say you majored in civil engineering. You’ve excelled in all your engineering courses, as well as in chemistry, math, and physics. In the process, you’ve learned how to apply the core principles of each field to design resilient infrastructure that does not fail in extraordinary events and is socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable.

In your professional life

Whether you’ve worked/volunteered in a relevant setting for six months or six years, you’ve learned about and contributed to the rigorous research process. Ideally, you’ve taken on multiple roles, each one more demanding than the previous one. But at every stage, you’ve taken your responsibilities seriously because you understand that each task, no matter how seemingly trivial, must be performed diligently, lest you risk compromising the data and ultimately the findings of the entire study.

As an undergraduate research assistant, you might have begun with basic responsibilities such as data entry and cleaning in Excel. After you demonstrated that you are reliable and diligent, you were able to help conduct studies and maybe even run some of your own analyses using the data.

Then, by the time you entered your current role (the one you’re in when you apply to PhD programs), . You can not only evaluate all the variables being assessed but also identify other variables that aren’t being measured and articulate why they should be included in future research. At this point, you’re able to generate your own research questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and even design a hypothetical study in which the findings are interesting regardless of whether your hypotheses are supported.

When you’ve identified these signs in your personal, academic, and professional experiences, you’re ready to apply.

Question 2: “Where should I apply?”

To identify the right program(s) to apply to, it is crucial to look at more than just the ranking or reputation of the university . The “2022-2023 Best National University Rankings” by U.S. News & World Report should not be your primary source for one simple reason: PhD programs are very idiosyncratic. Even if you have chosen a field of study (ideally the field in which you received your undergraduate and/or master’s degree), there are likely many research areas within that field and even more specific topics within each area. The right research area for you will depend on your previous research experience, as well as on the specific topic(s) you want to investigate.

For example, within the field of psychology , there are many areas, including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, evolutionary psychology, personality psychology, and social psychology. Then within, say, social psychology, there’s a vast array of specific topics, such as attitudes, aggression, decision-making, emotion, prejudice, and prosocial behavior, to name a few. As you can imagine, these topics are not mutually exclusive. In fact, combining topics can generate unique findings. Therefore, when thinking about where to apply, you might prioritize programs where the faculty are studying combinations of topics you find particularly interesting.

Another factor to consider is that programs differ as a function of the research methods they employ. Thus, when thinking about where to apply, in addition to identifying programs where the faculty are researching the specific topics in which you are most interested, it’s necessary to consider whether those faculty members are using methods that you would like to apply in your future career. Do you want to master advanced statistical techniques? Do you want to work with state-of-the-art technologies? Do you want to interact with people? Do you want to observe phenomena in the “real world” or in experimental settings? It’s not only about what you’re researching; it’s also about how you’re researching it.

Once you’ve identified programs based on those considerations, it’s time to identify prospective faculty advisors within your chosen programs . After all, you’re not just applying to PhD programs; you’re applying to work with specific faculty members, and they are the ones who will be reviewing your application and deciding whether to accept you. Based on the faculty members’ professional biographies (which you can usually find on the program’s website), you’ll probably be able to identify the professors whose interests are most similar to your own.

But it is not enough to be confident that you want to work with a given faculty member. Next, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with that professor’s recent work by reading research papers they’ve published in the past couple years. As you’re reading, ask yourself whether this faculty member writes and thinks clearly and presents arguments and evidence in a compelling manner. You will be mentored by this person for five years (or more!), so it’s crucial that you find someone you admire and are motivated to learn from.

In sum, the steps in deciding where to apply for PhD study are as follows:

  • Choose your field of study.
  • Identify your area(s) within that field.
  • Discover the specific topics you find most fascinating.
  • Consider what methods you want to employ.
  • Evaluate the merits of prospective faculty advisors.

Question 3: “How do I get in?”

Once you’ve determined that you’re ready to apply, and you know where you want to apply , the focus shifts to whether you’ll be accepted. Getting into a PhD program is largely a matter of fit . The faculty members who evaluate your application want to know what insights you can offer to their current and future research studies, how your interpersonal style will contribute to their lab or research hub dynamics, and whether you are committed to extending their research in a meaningful way after you obtain your doctorate. You can convey all this crucial information in your statement of purpose.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of your statement of purpose. You might have an exceptional CV, but if your statement of purpose is lackluster and fails to convey to your prospective faculty advisor that you are the right fit, then you are unlikely to be accepted. Conversely, you might have a modest CV, or even a weakness such as a low GPA, but nevertheless be accepted if you convey in your statement that (1) you have taken (and will continue to take) concrete steps to become more prepared for PhD training, and (2) you possess unique skills and knowledge that are highly relevant to your prospective advisor’s research area but that might not be reflected in traditional metrics of achievement (e.g., your CV, GPA).

To write a compelling statement of purpose , you need to articulate everything relevant to Question 1: “When should I apply?” You have already reflected on how your personal, academic, and professional experiences have aligned such that you know that you are ready to apply. But it is not enough for you to know that you are ready. You need to convince your prospective advisor that you are. 

This is where Accepted comes in . The most valuable service we offer is essay consulting. We can teach you how to craft a narrative about your journey that is coherent, authentic, and distinctive. During each consultation, we will challenge you to think more deeply and clearly than you ever have about where you’ve been and where you’re going. You will learn how to identify and effectively convey the reasons your prospective advisor should accept you.

Question 4: “Why do I want to go?”

A PhD is an academic degree that prepares you to conduct original research, perform advanced statistical analyses, interpret empirical results, and evaluate competing theories. You will be trained to become an academic – that is, a university professor who directs a research lab and teaches students the nuances of a specific field. The skills you acquire during your doctoral training can be applied to industry, governmental, and nonprofit settings; however, doing so should not be your primary goal. Your prospective advisor will want to know that you are committed to the work of an academic. It is great if your research has important implications for those other sectors, so long as you are still committed first and foremost to the production and dissemination of knowledge in your field. The thought of conducting original research in a university setting should make you excited to get started.

Thus, the best reasons to pursue a PhD are intrinsic. After all, a PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy . You get a PhD because you are passionately drawn to the philosophy of your chosen field. You can’t help but think about it in your everyday life because you see it everywhere. It is a lens through which life makes sense. Discovering its guiding principles, subject matter, and potential applications allows you to identify patterns in the world around you – and sometimes within yourself as well. So why should you pursue a PhD? Because you can’t not .

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Vanessa Febo has ten years of experience teaching academic and professional writing at UCLA, with a special certification in teaching writing techniques. She has drawn on this expertise to guide clients to placements at top institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and USC. Before joining Accepted, Vanessa coached UCLA students through the application process for graduate programs, major grants, fellowships, and scholarships, including the Fulbright, Stanford Knight-Hennessey, and the Ford Foundation Fellowship. Additionally, Vanessa has extensive experience successfully guiding clients through applications for a diverse range of programs, including those in business, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Want Vanessa to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

  • Five Tips for Applying for Stanford’s Knight-Hennessy Scholarship
  • How Do You Choose the Right Graduate School?
  • It’s All About Authenticity and Community in Graduate Admissions , podcast Episode 518
  • An Admitted Johns Hopkins MD/PhD Candidate Reflects on His Journey
  • What to Know About Applying for a PhD in STEM , podcast Episode 410
  • How to Ace Your PhD Interview: Prepare to Discuss These 10 Topics

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how does phd program work

10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree

So you want to do a PhD degree, huh? Here we've got everything you need to know about getting started.

So you want to do a PhD degree, huh? Are you sure about that? It’s not going to be an easy decision, so I’ve put together a list of 10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree. Oh, and don’t panic!

I have recently graduated from the University of Manchester with a PhD in Plant Sciences after four difficult, but enjoyable, years. During those four years, I often felt slightly lost – and there was more than one occasion on which I didn’t even want to imagine writing up my thesis in fear of delving into fits of panic.

On reflection, I realise that – to quote a colleague – commencing my PhD was like “jumping in the deep end with your eyes closed.” If only I’d known to take a deep breath.

1. Are you sure you want to do a PhD degree?

Let’s be under no false impressions, completing a PhD isn’t easy. There will be times when you feel like Wile E Coyote chasing after the Roadrunner – a little bit out of your depth a lot of the time. It’s four years of your life, so make sure it is what you really want to do.

If you want to pursue a career in science, a PhD isn’t always necessary.

It is possible to make great inroads into industry without a doctoral degree. That said, a PhD can also be a very useful qualification with many transferable skills to add to your CV.

By the time you’ll have finished, you can include essentials such as time management, organisational skills, prioritising workloads, attention to detail, writing skills, presenting to an audience – and most importantly – resilience, to name but a few.

2. Choose your project, and supervisor, wisely.

This is  very  important.

Time after time, our experienced scientists at EI, including Erik Van-Den-Bergh (and I agree) say, “ make sure you’re extremely passionate about exactly that subject. ” When I saw the PhD opening that I eventually was offered, I remember being demonstrably ecstatic about the project before I’d even started it.

I was always interested in calcium signalling and organised a meeting with my potential supervisor immediately, which (to quote Billy Connolly) I leapt into in a mood of gay abandon.

Not only does this help you to keep engaged with your project even through the painstakingly slow times, it also greatly enhances your ability to sell yourself in an interview. If you can show passion and enthusiasm about the project and the science then you’ll be that one step ahead of other candidates – which is all the more important now that many studentships are competitive.

You have to  be the best  out of many, often exceptional candidates.

However, as important as it is to be passionate about your project, make sure that the person who will be supervising you is worthy.

Does your potential supervisor have a prolific track record of publishing work? What is the community of scientists like in the lab you may be working in? Are there experienced post-doctoral scientists working in the lab? Who will your advisor be? Is your supervisor an expert in the field you are interested in? Is the work you will be doing ground-breaking and novel, or is it quite niche?

There is nothing more frustrating – and I know many PhD degree students with this problem – than having a supervisor who is rarely there to talk to, shows little interest in your work, and cannot help when you are struggling in the third year of your project and some guidance would be much appreciated.

Personally, and I was very lucky to have this, I think it’s incredibly useful to have two supervisors. My PhD degree was split between the University of Manchester and the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. Between my supervisors, I had two people with expertise in different fields, who could give me some fantastic advice from different perspectives. This also meant that I had two people to check through my thesis chapters and provide useful comments on my drafts.

PhD students networking during the last Student Symposium

Make sure you are passionate about your subject before taking it to PhD level. And by passionate I mean  really  passionate.

For a start, you will most likely have to write a literature review in your first three months, which if done well will form the main bulk of your thesis introduction and will save you a lot of stress and strain when it comes to writing up.

At the end of your first year, you will have to write a continuation report, which is your proof that you deserve to carry on to the end of your three or four years. This doesn’t leave much time for lab work, which means time management is incredibly important. If you think you’ll be able to swan in at 11 and leave at 3, think again.

Fundamentally, never, ever rest on your laurels! As tempting as it may be to slack-off slightly in the second year of your four year PhD, don’t.

4. Be organised.

This is a no-brainer but still, it’s worth a mention. Take an hour on a Monday morning to come up with a list of short-term and long-term goals. You’ll probably have to present your work at regular lab meetings, so it’s always worth knowing what has to be done (lest you look a pillock in front of the lab when there’s nothing to show for your last two weeks.)

It’s always good to have a timeline of what will be done when. If you have a PCR, maybe you can squeeze in another experiment, read a few papers, start writing the introduction to your thesis, or even start collecting the data you already have into figures.

The more good use you make of your time, the easier it’ll be to finish your PhD in the long run. Plus, it’s lovely to sit back and look at actual graphs, rather than worry about having enough to put into a paper. Once you’ve typed up your data, you’ll realise you’ve done far more than you had anticipated and the next step forward will be entirely more apparent.

5. Embrace change – don’t get bogged down in the details.

Felix Shaw – one of our bioinformatics researchers at EI – put it best when he said, “ it felt like I was running into brick walls all the way through [my PhD]… you’d run into a brick wall, surmount it, only to run straight into another. ”

You’ll find that, often, experiments don’t work. What might seem like a great idea could turn out to be as bad as choosing to bat first on a fresh wicket on the first day of the third Ashes test at Edgbaston. (Yeah, we don't know what that means either - Ed).

Resilience is key while completing your PhD. Be open to change and embrace the chance to experiment in different ways. You might even end up with a thesis chapter including all of your failures, which at the very least is something interesting to discuss during your  viva voce .

6. Learn how to build, and use, your network.

As a PhD student, you are a complete novice in the world of science and most things in the lab will be – if not new to you – not exquisitely familiar. This matters not, if you take advantage of the people around you.

Firstly, there are lab technicians and research assistants, who have probably been using the technique you are learning for years and years. They are incredibly experienced at a number of techniques and are often very happy to help show you how things are done.

There are postdocs and other PhD students, too. Not only can they help you with day-to-day experiments, they can offer a unique perspective on how something is done and will probably have a handy back-catalogue of fancy new techniques to try.

There are also a bunch of PIs, not limited to your own, who are great to talk to. These people run labs of their own, have different ideas, and might even give you a job once you’ve completed your PhD.

Don’t limit yourself to the labs directly around you, however. There are a massive number of science conferences going on all around the world. Some of them, such as the Society of Biology Conference, take place every year at a similar time in different locations, attracting many of the leaders in their respective fields.

If you are terrified by the prospect of speaking at a full-blown science conference and having your work questioned by genuine skeptics, there are also many student-led conferences which will help you dangle your fresh toes in the murky waters of presenting your work.

One such conference, the Second Student Bioinformatics Symposium, which took place at Earlham Institute in October 2016, was a great place for candidates to share their projects with peers, who are often much more friendly than veteran researchers with 30 year careers to their name when it comes to the questions at the end of your talk.

Another great reason to attend conferences, of course, is the social-side too – make the most of this. You never know who you might meet and connect with over a few drinks once the talks are over and the party commences.

7. Keep your options open.

You should be aware that for every 200 PhD students,  only 7  will get a permanent academic post , so it’s  incredibly unlikely that you’ll become a Professor  – and even if you make PI, it probably won’t be until your mid-forties.

You may also, despite having commenced along the academic path, decide that actually, working in a lab environment isn’t for you. Most PhD graduates, eventually, will not pursue an academic career, but move on to a wide range of other vocations.

It might be that Science Communication is more up your street. This was certainly the case for me – and I made sure that I took part in as many public engagement events as possible while completing my PhD. Most Universities have an active public engagement profile, while organisations such as STEM can provide you with ample opportunities to interact with schools and the general public.

You might also consider entrepreneurship as a route away from academia, which might still allow you to use your expert scientific knowledge. There are a variety of competitions and workshops available to those with a business mind, a strong example being Biotechnology YES.

I, for example, took part in the Thought for Food Challenge, through which I have been able to attend events around the world and meet a vast array of like-minded individuals. Many of the participants from the challenge have gone on to set up successful businesses and have even found jobs as a result of the competition.

10 things phd fire

8. Balance.

Remember that you still have a life outside of your PhD degree – and that this can be one of the greatest opportunities to make amazing friends from around the world.

A science institute is usually home to the brightest students from a variety of countries and can provide a chance to experience a delightful range of different people and cultures. Don’t just stick to the people in your lab, go to events for postgraduate students and meet people from all over campus.

There are usually academic happy hours happening on Fridays after work where you can buy cheap beer, or some lucky institutions even have their own bar. At Norwich Research Park, we not only have the Rec Centre, along with bar, swimming pool, calcetto, samba classes, archery, and a range of other activities, but there are also biweekly “Postdoc pub clubs” which are very fun to join on a Tuesday evening.

Maintain your hobbies and keep up with friends outside of your PhD and you’ll probably find it’s not that gruelling a process after all.

Plus, the people you meet and become friends with might be able to help you out – or at least be able to offer a sympathetic shoulder.

10 things phd relaxing

9. Practical advice.

If, after reading all of this, you’re still going to march forth and claim your doctorhood, then this section should be rather useful.

Firstly, make sure your data is backed up. It’s amazing how many people don’t do this and you’d be bonkers not to. Keep your work saved on a shared drive, so that if your computer decides to spontaneously combust upon pressing the return key, you won’t have lost all of your precious work – or have to go through every one of your lab books and type it all up again.

Secondly, don’t leave your bag in the pub with your half-written thesis in it. I did this, the bag was fine, I was in a state of terror for at least half an hour before the kind person at Weatherspoons located said bag.

Thirdly, read. Read broadly, read anything and everything that’s closely related to your project – or completely unrelated. It’s sometimes amazing where you might find a stroke of inspiration, a new technique you hadn’t thought of … or even in idea of where you might like to go next.

Finally, ask questions – all of the time. No matter how stupid it might sound in your head, everyone’s probably been asked it before, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

You’ll probably look far less stupid if you just ask the person standing next to you how the gradient PCR function works on your thermal cycler rather than standing there randomly prodding buttons and looking flustered, anyway.

10. Savour the positives.

At the end of all of this, it has to be said that doing a PhD is absolutely brilliant. There’s no other time in your life that you’ll be this free to pursue your very own project and work almost completely independently. By the time you come to the end of your PhD, you will be the leading expert in the world on something. A real expert! Until the next PhD student comes along …

Related reading.

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PhD by experience

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What to expect from a phd schedule.

Take a look at a current student’s schedule and get the insider perspective from doctoral students and coordinators on what to expect from a PhD schedule.

The life of a PhD candidate can be stressful as you adjust to a rigorous academic and research schedule. Penn and Wharton offer a variety of resources to help support you in the transition to PhD life.

Wharton’s sense of community offers a level of comfort when reaching out to faculty as well as fellow students to help solve problems. Doctoral students and coordinators give the insider view on what to expect from a PhD schedule.

Class and Research First

The first two years of a PhD program are mainly made up of classes and the beginning stages of research. Deborah Small , the doctoral coordinator for the Marketing program , said, “It starts with heavy duty coursework and a lot of specific requirements. At the end of your first year, there are qualifying exams on all the core marketing courses. Second year they still have a lot of coursework to do, but more of that is elective with a focus more on their interests. During those years they’re expected to get started on research.”

In addition to taking classes and getting started with research, the Marketing program requires students to write two papers. The first research paper is due at the end of the second year, the other is due at the end of the third year.

The Real Estate and Business Economics and Public Policy programs run like the Marketing program. Fernando Ferreira , coordinator for the programs, said, “During the first year they complete six core courses. In the second year, the focus shifts to field courses and to independent research. They have two professors advising them in that year.”

After completing the main courses, students shift to conducting independent research. For REAL and BEPP students this means writing three dissertation chapters during the third and fourth years.

Time for Conferences and Seminars

Because coursework is usually completed by the second half of the program, there’s time for students to attend lectures and seminars. Andrea Contigiani , a fifth year student in the Management program, said, “In my fourth year, I usually attended a seminar around lunchtime. Wharton has an incredible seminar series throughout the year, with a good seminar happening almost everyday. Occasionally, I attended other events, like MBA events or speaker series. I then go back to research for most of the afternoon.”

Prof. Small said, “Students are expected to actively participate in seminars and activities. They’re also encouraged to go to academic conferences and try to present their work at those conferences. It is similar to the expectations of being a faculty member, minus teaching.”

Classes take up the majority of the first two years of the programs. When the focus then switches to research, you’re expected to work independently. Sometimes that can be intimidating. You become your own boss, which is an adjustment from being told what to do and when to do it.

So how do you manage it? Get advice from students and coordinators.

Posted: August 4, 2017

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Doctoral Programs

Matthew caulfield.

Hometown Ocean City, New Jersey

Concentration Management and Legal Studies & Business Ethics

Doctoral Stage Second Year

Typical Day at a Glance

8:30 am Wake up and get ready for the day

9:15 am Get to PhD Offices, respond to emails, check philosophy blogs and read news

10:30 am Journal article readings

11:30 am Meet with advisor

12:00 pm Attend departmental seminar speaker and lunch

1:30 pm Attend Wharton Social Impact Doctoral Community meeting

3:00 pm Attend business ethics seminar

5:00 pm Read for class

7:00 pm Meet with nonparametric statistics study group

8:00 pm Complete homework

12:00 am Go home

1:00 am Bedtime

What is your favorite part about Wharton?

First, the faculty are excellent. They are often leading experts in their fields, and they can offer advice that would be hard to find elsewhere.

Second, the other PhD students are just as passionate about research as you would hope. A huge part of my scholarly development has been due to the discussions I have had with other graduate students.

Third, the Wharton name can offer you serious advantages. In the course of research, I think industry practitioners as well as other academics have been more willing to talk or correspond with me because I am a graduate student at Wharton.

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How to Choose a PhD Program

Successfully completing a doctoral program requires commitment and perseverance. the most important step in this process is to consider whether academic life is right for you and what kind of doctoral program — from discipline to environment — will be the best fit for your goals and preferences., we asked our current students and faculty, “what is key to making this decision” following are some questions they suggested you ask yourself, and answer, in order to select the appropriate program..

First, a basic description of a doctoral program:

As a doctoral student, you will spend the first two years of your program exploring areas of interest through coursework. In the two to three years that follow, you will select and pursue your own research topic, one which will make an original contribution to the existing body of knowledge in your field. Your original research culminates in an extensive written document known as the doctoral dissertation.

General Questions

If you are considering your career options, answering these questions will help you clarify your goals and ambitions — and determine if a doctoral program is the right decision for you.

  • Am I the type of person who is suited for a career in academia? Am I independently motivated to answer questions that I find interesting?
  • Do I want to spend the rest of my career doing research, as well as reading and talking about it?
  • Do I have a strong enough academic background in order to apply and be accepted by the program?
  • Is now the time for me to pursue a PhD?
  • What are my goals after completing the PhD?

Program Questions

If you know you want to pursue a doctoral degree, answers to these questions will help you select the right program for you.

  • How many faculty are working with students?
  • How many faculty members are doing research in areas related to my own interests?
  • What opportunities are there to work with a variety of faculty and to be exposed to different approaches in research (modeling, work with data, experiment design)?
  • Am I technically prepared to learn to do research in this field?
  • Most PhD students change their vision of research and many change their intended concentration area after joining the program and being exposed to a variety of research styles. Does my program of choice offer flexibility needed to do so?
  • Is there financial support for students to attend academic conferences to present their own research?
  • What opportunities are there for students to participate in colloquia, both as an attendee and as a presenter?
  • What is the department’s placement record? What types of jobs do graduates take and where?
  • Finally, how well do graduates of the program perform in the long term (contributing to the field through publication, practice of management and earning tenure)?

Hear From Our Doctoral Community

From undergrad to phd, faculty expertise in housing economics attracted this phd student to wharton, wharton’s phd program prepared this doctor to perform economic evaluations in health care.

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How Graduate School Works: An Insider's Guide

When you’re applying for a graduate program , you’ll have a lot of financial and tactical questions on your mind, like cost, credits, and time to completion. But you’ll also have some really practical questions.

The questions we get the most include:

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  • What should I know before the first day?

Along with the academic, reading, and research challenges that face a typical Master’s degree student, there is the simple challenge that you can’t always know what’s around the corner.

You can ease that uncertainty by getting some insider tips on graduate school to help guide you smoothly into and through your program.

Consider this the Cliff Notes guide from someone who’s been there

What Will the Classes Be Like?

The first fear of grad school many people have is the unknown of what to expect on the first day.

What will a typical class structure look like? Will you be put on the spot? And what about the other people in the room - how well will you get along with your peers?

And, while every program is different, there are some common things to expect.

The In-Person Environment

At the Master’s level, most courses will have 10-20 students. This leads to a fair amount of interaction with your professor and your peers.

Typically, the course will include a variety of methods from group discussions to presentations to writing assignments.

graphic describes masters degree coursework

Every course is different in terms of the amount of time spent on lecture and discussion. You should expect a mix of the two, because all schools recognize the value of interpersonal contributions and debate. It’s likely the discussion will feel like just that - a discussion between peers rather than a forced answer from the back row of a lecture hall. Remember, you will be surrounding by people who, like yourself, want to advance in their understanding of the subject at hand.

This is in contrast to undergrad classes, which can be dramatically larger and is often focused more on a lecture technique.

The Online Environment

Online coursework continues to grow in availability.

The upside is students who have more flexibility in their schedule and an expanse of animated, video, and interactive material to more fully engage them. The downside is a decrease in the high-touch, high-personal environment that happens in person - but online learning can include a multitude of dynamic elements that it makes up for it.

For those who have never taken an online course, there are discussion boards, online text or video chats, lecture video replay, peer-to-peer interactions, and student-to-faculty sharing opportunities than in he classroom. You can access instructors immediately through chat, discussion thread, or email, without having to wait for office hours.

What matters most when choosing a master’s program? Compare features, benefits and cost to find the right school for you.

What will life be like while i’m pursuing my degree.

Yes, your life will be busy during this period of time.

A Master’s degree program carries a significantly heavier effort than a Bachelor’s course of study. You may have several hours of work to accomplish each day, on average. Even with a light course load, you may find yourself spending 15 or 20 hours a week on your studies.

To fit such a workload into your life, you’ll need to plan and balance carefully.

By assembling a time summary for yourself in week one, you can plan the rest of your semester by blocking off time as needed. For example, if a professor tells you that the coming week will have a lot of reading, then you’ll know you need to set aside seven hours instead of five.

4 Keys To Getting the Most Out of This Time

Your academic commitments will soon require much of your time. The following tips will help you stay focused on productivity, organization, and healthy habits.

  • Identify your sweet zones. Learn when you work more effectively and efficiently. For instance, you may find that early mornings are better for writing while evenings are better for reading. Or, vice versa. Not sure where to start? Learn how productivity guru Michael Hyatt sets himself up for a productive day.
  • Establish effective time management skills. Know how long it will take you to complete a task, and reserve time on your calendar for those activities. Make appointments with yourself to complete important milestones—and keep those appointments.

graphic displaying image of a calendar

  • Make time for the important things. You can’t always be head down on coursework. Don’t neglect social times - meet with friends, spend time with family, and enjoy fun activities. Those things can prove to be a great support system.
  • Keep up-to-date to-do lists. Use an app like Todoist, or old-fashioned pen and paper, to keep a list of important items you need to accomplish, both in your master’s work and personal life. This little trick can help you stay organized with less free time. ​

graphic displaying a 7 week planner

PRO TIP: This won’t always be fun. There’s a reason that most people don’t get a Master’s degree. To ensure you’re prepared for what’s ahead, do some soul-searching. Dig down deep and think about what you want to do and what you love to do - and ensure the Master’s program aligns with those things.

What Will You Need to Know Before the First Day?

One thing to remember about your first few times on campus or online: your admissions officer is probably your best resource as you get on board. If you have questions, just ask. Admissions officers either know the answer or will direct you to someone who does.

  • Learn the Campus. Some schools that are focused on in-person classes will have an in-person orientation and campus tour. But these days, more and more coursework is being completed online, including some programs that are 100% online. That’s why you might even see some evidence of online open houses that will welcome you and orient you right from the comfort of home.
  • Familiarize Yourself with the System for Online Work. A program that requires any amount of online work will typically have some sort of secure software for you to log in, learn, perform tasks or homework, and submit your work. At Franklin University, for example, we use BlueQuill, a custom learning system.
  • Identify Where to Go with Questions. For enrollment questions, the best person to ask will be someone in the admissions department. If you have questions about your course work, contact the instructor or even a peer in the class. Some schools may have a financial aid officer, a student liaison, or a concierge—depending on what language they use for their staff positions.

How Will You Work With Others?

In a Master’s degree program, it's important to work with the people around you.

Often, you’ll be assigned group projects that must be presented back to the larger group. Working effectively in these groups, while balancing everyone’s schedules and personalities, can seem daunting at first. But it doesn’t have to be.

To get the most from working in a group of students, approach the group assignment while “turning up” your skills in these areas:

  • Communication - Who is doing what? When does it need to be done? How will it be delivered? Make sure everyone understands the group goals and tasks.
  • Collaboration - What is the best way to divide and conquer? Who is great at what, and how can the group leverage each skillset at the table?
  • Specialization - Is everyone in your group from the same major? Maybe there is someone with a financial educational goal and someone with a marketing undergraduate degree; let each one handle an area of the project that suits their strengths.

A Word of Advice

Earning your Master’s is a grind. It’s challenging work that requires much from you.

According to Sara Burris, Associate Director of Graduate Admissions at Franklin University , “For a Master’s degree program, you have to ask yourself if you’re passionate about your program.”

Burris speaks from experience. She’s helped hundreds of students find their way into the right programs, and she’s also seen students who chose the wrong one.

“Six or seven classes in the program, you're going to run into a challenge. It might be a challenge at work, like your boss moves you to an office on the other side of town or completely changes the hours of your shift. It might be a challenge in life, like your kid gets really sick. And in some cases, a major change like that will derail students’ efforts and they’ll drop out. But not the passionate ones. If you have a passion for the program you’re in, you'll stick with it. So choose your passion.”

Bring On the Adventure

There’s no time like the present to take what you know and translate it into action. Now that you’ve heard an insider’s view on navigating into a Master’s program, take that new confidence and start your journey .

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Overview of the PhD Program

For specific information on the Applied Physics PhD program, see the navigation links to the right. 

What follows on this page is an overview of all Ph.D. programs at the School; additional information and guidance can be found on the  Graduate Policies  pages. 

General Ph.D. Requirements

  • 10 semester-long graduate courses, including at least 8 disciplinary.   At least 5 of the 10 should be graduate-level SEAS "technical" courses (or FAS graduate-level technical courses taught by SEAS faculty), not including seminar/reading/project courses.  Undergraduate-level courses cannot be used.  For details on course requirements, see the school's overall PhD course requirements  and the individual program pages linked therein.
  • Program Plan (i.e., the set of courses to be used towards the degree) approval by the  Committee on Higher Degrees  (CHD).
  • Minimum full-time academic residency of two years .
  • Serve as a Teaching Fellow (TF) in one semester of the second year.
  • Oral Qualifying Examination Preparation in the major field is evaluated in an oral examination by a qualifying committee. The examination has the dual purpose of verifying the adequacy of the student's preparation for undertaking research in a chosen field and of assessing the student's ability to synthesize knowledge already acquired. For details on arranging your Qualifying Exam, see the exam policies and the individual program pages linked therein.
  • Committee Meetings : PhD students' research committees meet according to the guidelines in each area's "Committee Meetings" listing.  For details see the "G3+ Committee Meetings" section of the Policies of the CHD  and the individual program pages linked therein.
  • Final Oral Examination (Defense) This public examination devoted to the field of the dissertation is conducted by the student's research committee. It includes, but is not restricted to, a defense of the dissertation itself.  For details of arranging your final oral exam see the  Ph.D. Timeline  page.
  • Dissertation Upon successful completion of the qualifying examination, a committee chaired by the research supervisor is constituted to oversee the dissertation research. The dissertation must, in the judgment of the research committee, meet the standards of significant and original research.

Optional additions to the Ph.D. program

Harvard PhD students may choose to pursue these additional aspects:

  • a Secondary Field (which is similar to a "minor" subject area).  SEAS offers PhD Secondary Field programs in  Data Science and in  Computational Science and Engineering .   GSAS  lists  secondary fields offered by other programs.
  • a Master of Science (S.M.) degree conferred  en route to the Ph.D in one of several of SEAS's subject areas.  For details see here .
  • a Teaching Certificate awarded by the Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning .

SEAS PhD students may apply to participate in the  Health Sciences and Technology graduate program  with Harvard Medical School and MIT.  Please check with the HST program for details on eligibility (e.g., only students in their G1 year may apply) and the application process.

In Applied Physics

  • How to Apply
  • PhD Timeline
  • PhD Model Program (Course Guidelines)
  • Qualifying Exam
  • Committee Meetings
  • Committee on Higher Degrees
  • AB/SM Information
  • Research Interest Comparison
  • Collaborations
  • Cross-Harvard Engagement
  • Clubs & Organizations
  • Centers & Initiatives
  • Alumni Stories

PhD Admissions

PhD Students - 2022 Cohort

Admission Requirements

A baccalaureate or master’s degree in nursing from a U.S. program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or an international program with commensurate standards is required for admission to the PhD Program in Nursing.

Post-baccalaureate Students

Applicants with a baccalaureate degree in nursing must demonstrate exceptional academic qualifications, have clear research-oriented career goals, and choose a dissertation topic congruent with the research program of a Graduate Faculty member in the School of Nursing. Applicants with baccalaureate degrees must complete a nursing research and a graduate-level statistics course.

Applying for Admission

The following admission materials must be submitted online to the  Duke University Graduate School . Prospective applicants should familiarize themselves with the Graduate School requirements.

Official, confidential transcript(s) of all college-level coursework.

Optional GRE (Graduate Record Examination) scores - Applicants can submit GRE scores should they feel the scores enhance their application. [Taken within the past 5 years]. For a free online GRE guide, see  http://www.greguide.com / . For free online GRE practice tests, see  http://www.greguide.com/gre-practice-tests.html . Or visit Go Grad for the GRE Guidebook .

Three letters of recommendation. These letters should be solicited from individuals with doctoral degrees who can address the applicant’s academic abilities and potential for doctoral study.

English language proficiency test scores. Foreign graduates must submit either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International Language Testing System (IELTS) accepted, but IELTS is preferred.

Personal Statement. Applicants should submit a paper (1 - 2 typed pages, 12-point font, single-spaced) indicating:

Purposes and objectives for undertaking graduate study

Research interests and career goals

Strengths and weaknesses in the chosen field

A description of a prior research project or research participation and how this has influenced career choice and desire to pursue graduate studies

Reasons for choosing Duke for PhD studies

Name(s) of PhD Nursing faculty members in the School whose research program most closely fits with the applicant’s research interests.

The application and the $95 application fee must be received by December 1.

Holistic Admissions

The Duke University School of Nursing PhD Program is committed to holistic admissions. A holistic review is a university admissions strategy that assesses an applicant’s unique experiences alongside traditional measures of academic achievement such as grades and test scores. It is designed to help universities consider a broad range of factors reflecting the applicant’s academic readiness, contribution to the incoming class, and potential for success both in school and later as a professional.

Holistic review, when used in combination with a variety of other mission-based practices, constitutes a holistic admission process. Many colleges and universities have employed a holistic admission process to assemble a diverse class of students with the background, qualities, and skills needed for success in the profession.

As part of the Duke University School of Nursing PhD Program holistic review process, faculty review principles of holistic admissions prior to reviewing applications. The PhD Program Admissions Committee utilizes an adapted version of the Duke University Center for Exemplary Mentoring holistic admissions review rubric to guide the evaluation of each applicant.

Personal Interview

Applicants may be asked to interview by Zoom or come to campus for an interview. The School covers the costs for campus interview travel except for international travel. International applicants are interviewed via Zoom.

Duke University's Annual Clery Security Report as Mandated by Federal Statute 20 USC § 1092

The Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report include institutional policies concerning campus safety and security, as well as statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Duke University property and on public property adjacent to campus and fires that have occurred in residence halls. A copy of this Report can be obtained by contacting the Duke Police Department at 684-4602 or writing to 502 Oregon Street, Durham, NC 27708, or by accessing:  duke.edu/police/news_stats/clery

Technology Requirements

Learn more on recommended computer specifications and Duke Office of Information Technology-supported software here .

Students with Disabilities: Duke University encourages persons with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided, please get in touch with the Duke Student Disability Access Office  in advance of your participation or visit.

Nursing License

Students must hold a valid current nursing license in a U.S. state, preferably North Carolina. To obtain information about nurse licensure procedures for the State of North Carolina, consult the  Licensure/Listing Page of the North Carolina Board of Nursing website , or telephone the North Carolina Board of Nursing at (919) 782-3211. Exceptions to holding a U.S state nursing license for international students can be waived by the PhD Program Director.

All PhD in Nursing applicants are required to have a baccalaureate or master’s degree in nursing accredited by either the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or an international nursing program with commensurate standards.

Applicants are expected to have completed a graduate-level statistics course prior to starting the program. This course must have been completed within the last 5 years.

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Report Helps Answer the Question: Is a College Degree Worth the Cost?

The analysis found that former students at most colleges had an annual income higher than high school graduates a decade after enrollment.

A diploma being swiped through a green device with a clock on it.

By Ann Carrns

Most people go to college to improve their financial prospects, though there are other benefits to attending a postsecondary institution. But as the average cost of a four-year degree has risen to six figures, even at public universities, it can be hard to know if the money is well spent .

A new analysis by HEA Group, a research and consulting firm focused on college access and success, may help answer the question for students and their families. The study compares the median earnings of former college students, 10 years after they enrolled, with basic income benchmarks.

The analysis found that a majority of colleges exceed minimum economic measures for their graduates, like having a typical annual income that is more than that of a high school graduate with no higher education ($32,000, per federal Scorecard data ).

Still, more than 1,000 schools fell short of that threshold, though many of them were for-profit colleges concentrating in short-term credentials rather than traditional four-year degrees.

Seeing whether a college’s former students are earning “reasonable” incomes, said Michael Itzkowitz, HEA Group’s founder and president, can help people weigh whether they want to cross some institutions off their list. Someone deciding between similar colleges, for example, can see the institution that has produced students with significantly higher incomes.

While income isn’t necessarily the only criterion to consider when comparing schools, Mr. Itzkowitz said, “it’s a very good starting point.”

The report used data from the Education Department’s College Scorecard to assess the earnings of about five million former students who had attended about 3,900 institutions of higher education, 10 years after they first enrolled. (The analysis includes data for people who didn’t complete their degree.) The report includes public colleges as well as private nonprofit and for-profit schools; the schools may offer nondegree certificates, associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees.

The analysis found that schools where students earned less than their peers who never attended college were generally those offering nondegree certificates, which can often be completed in 18 months or less, as well as for-profit institutions, although the list also includes some public and private nonprofit schools. At 71 percent of for-profit schools, a majority of students were earning less than high school graduates 10 years after enrolling, compared with 14 percent of public institutions and 9 percent of private nonprofit schools, Mr. Itzkowitz said.

“College is, indeed, worth it,” Mr. Itzkowitz said, but paying for it can be “substantially riskier” depending on the type of school you attend or the credential you seek.

(Another report found that former students of for-profit colleges tend to experience more financial risk than those who attended similarly selective public colleges. Those risks include having to take on more debt for higher education, a greater likelihood of defaulting on student loans and a lower likelihood of finding a job.)

Jason Altmire, president and chief executive of Career Education Colleges and Universities, a trade group representing for-profit career colleges, said lumping together schools offering mainly short-term certificate programs with colleges offering four-year degrees didn’t make sense. People who want to work in certain careers — hairdressing, for instance — generally can’t work in the field unless they earn a certificate, he said.

Mr. Altmire also said that income data from for-profit certificate schools might be skewed by “gender bias” because the programs had a higher proportion of women, who were more likely than men to work part time while raising families, lowering a school’s reported median income.

The HEA report also compared colleges’ performance with other benchmarks, like the federal poverty line ($15,000 annual income for an individual), which is used to determine eligibility for benefits for government programs like subsidized health insurance and Medicaid. Incomes at the “vast majority” of colleges exceeded this cutoff, the report found, although 18 — nearly all of them for-profit schools offering nondegree certificate programs in beauty or hairstyling — had students with median incomes below that threshold.

Majors also matter, since those in science, technology, engineering and nursing typically lead to significantly higher salaries than majors in the arts or humanities. (Last year, HEA published a separate analysis of the college majors that pay the most.)

When comparing the earnings after college, students and families shouldn’t look at the data in a vacuum, said Kristina Dooley, a certified educational planner in Hudson, Ohio. Many schools where former students go on to be top earners have programs focusing on health sciences, technology or business, but that may not be what you want to study.

“Use it as one piece of information,” Ms. Dooley said.

She said that students shouldn’t rule out a college just because it wasn’t at the pinnacle of the income list. Do ask questions, though — like whether its career services office helps with setting up internships and making alumni connections to assist you in finding a good-paying job.

Amy S. Jasper, an independent educational consultant in Richmond, Va., said postgraduate income might matter more to students and families who had to get a loan for college. “How much debt do they want to incur?” she said. “That is something that needs to be taken into consideration.”

But, she said, the benefits of college are not just financial. “I’d like to think that picking the right school is also about becoming a better person and contributing to the world.”

Here are some questions and answers about college costs:

What colleges had the highest median incomes?

Marquee names, like most Ivy League schools, Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, are heavily represented at the top of HEA’s analysis. Their students had median incomes of at least $90,000 a decade after enrollment. (A handful of for-profit schools, focused on careers like nursing and digital production, can be found there as well.) But the highest-earning colleges on the list? Samuel Merritt University, a nursing and health sciences school in Oakland, Calif., and the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis, each with incomes above $129,000. You can see the data on the HEA website .

How much does college cost?

The average estimated “sticker” price for college — the published cost for tuition, fees, housing, meals, books and supplies, transportation and personal items — ranges from about $19,000 a year at a two-year community college to about $28,000 for in-state students at a public four-year university to almost $58,000 at a four-year private college, according to 2022-23 data from the College Board . Some students, however, may pay much less because of financial aid.

Are some college programs required to meet income benchmarks?

A federal “gainful employment” rule , which aims to make career programs more accountable, is scheduled to take effect in July. The new rule, which mostly affects for-profit schools but also applies to certificate programs at all types of colleges, requires schools to show that at least half of their graduates earn more than a typical high school graduate in their state and that their graduates have affordable student loan payments. Colleges that miss either benchmark must alert students that the school could lose access to federal financial aid. Schools that fail the same standard twice in three years will become ineligible for federal aid programs.

A Guide to Making Better Financial Moves

Making sense of your finances can be complicated. the tips below can help..

Credit card debt is rising, and shopping for a card with a lower interest rate can help you save money. Here are some things to know .

Whether you’re looking to make your home more energy-efficient, install solar panels or buy an electric car, this guide can help you save money and fight climate change .

Starting this year, some of the money in 529 college savings accounts can be used for retirement if it’s not needed for education. Here is how it works .

Are you trying to improve your credit profile? You can now choose to have your on-time rent payments reported to the credit bureaus  to enhance your score.

Americans’ credit card debt and late payments are rising, and card interest rates remain high, but many people lack a plan to pay down their debt. Here’s what you can do .

There are few challenges facing students more daunting than paying for college. This guide can help you make sense of it all .

MBA Waitlist Strategy: What to Do Next

Here's some advice on how to increase the likelihood of ultimately getting admitted to your preferred business school.

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MBA applicants put on a waitlist have several different options to convince to the admissions committee to admit them.

Many business school applicants feel a bit defeated upon learning that they’ve been waitlisted for their preferred MBA program.

After what might seem like a never-ending admissions process, it can be frustrating to have the wait extended even longer. But the waitlist isn’t totally bad news – after all, there’s still a chance you can get admitted off the waitlist.

Steve Thompson, senior director of full-time admissions at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in Illinois, says waitlisted applicants are welcome to share additional information and context to help the admissions committee make a final decision on their application.

“We do not place someone on the waitlist if we cannot picture them thriving in our community,” Thompson wrote in an email.

If you’ve found yourself on the waitlist of one of your top-choice MBA programs, here are some tips from admissions experts to help boost your chances of getting accepted.

Contact the Admissions Committee

While some schools automatically include you on the waitlist, others require you to explicitly accept your slot on it. Be sure to read the fine print of your decision letter to make sure you understand which camp your program falls in.

If you have to accept your position on the waitlist, do so as soon as possible. If you decide you’d rather attend another school that’s already admitted you, let the school that is waitlisting you know as soon as possible to free up a spot on the waitlist for another applicant.

Once you’ve decided you want to remain on the waitlist, consider reaching out to the admissions committee to touch base and make sure they know you’re still interested. Maria Pineda, executive director of admissions at the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business , says her team offers waitlisted applicants the opportunity to schedule a consultation with an admissions officer to get tips for improving their applications.

Not all admissions teams provide personalized feedback on your application like this, but Pineda says contacting the admissions committee is a good way to show you’d be interested in attending the school if you’re accepted off the waitlist. However, Pineda also warns applicants to be careful not to pester the admissions committee with constant updates and emails.

Submit Supplementary Application Materials

Contacting the admissions committee early on will also help you gauge whether the committee wants to see additional application materials, such as a supplementary essay, updates to your resume , new letters of recommendation or even new test scores .

If you’re able to get feedback on your application from an admissions officer, use that feedback to tailor your supplementary materials accordingly. Pineda says it’s important to provide new information to the admissions committee – not repeating what they’ve already gathered in your initial application.

This new information can be something that you might have overlooked when submitting your application earlier, or it could be a new development in your professional or academic life. Take a long, hard look at the materials you submitted with your initial application and see what gaps you can fill.

“For example, if a waitlisted applicant received a promotion at work , became a board member for a non-profit, or led a project to a successful outcome – we'd want to know,” Thompson says.

If time allows, it could be worthwhile to retake your standardized tests or enroll in a class that could make your application a bit more well-rounded, says Rachel Beck, a managing director at mbaMission, an admissions consulting firm focused on MBA programs.

For example, if your application primarily highlights a qualitative background, you may want to take a course on statistics or calculus to show that you’re capable of succeeding in an MBA-level math class, she says.

Pineda advises waitlisted applicants to take at least a month to reflect on their application and write a compelling update letter. Sending an update letter right away could indicate that it was rushed or that you didn't take the proper time to contemplate your application.

Display Genuine Interest in the Program

One of the most important things you can do is show the admissions committee that you’re serious about enrolling in their program if you are accepted.

Visit the campus, if possible. Before your visit, consider reaching out to the admissions office to let them know you’ll be around to tour the campus . They may invite you to stop by and meet in person for an informal chat about your candidacy.

Another way to show your interest is to attend information sessions.

Beck notes that one purpose of the waitlist is to manage yield – schools want to make sure that the students they admit are likely to attend. By attending information sessions and connecting with current students, alumni and faculty, you can show the admissions team that their program is one of your top-choice schools.

“There is so much merit in showing your interest," Pineda says. "Interest translates to you wanting to be there, and any school would want to admit candidates that want to be there.”

Boost the Odds of MBA Acceptance

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Tags: MBAs , Online MBA , business school , graduate schools , education , students

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  • Open access
  • Published: 18 April 2023

Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping review

  • Hafidza Baharum 1 ,
  • Aniza Ismail 1 ,
  • Lisa McKenna 2 ,
  • Zainah Mohamed 3 ,
  • Roszita Ibrahim 1 &
  • Nor Haty Hassan 3  

BMC Nursing volume  22 , Article number:  125 ( 2023 ) Cite this article

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Difficulties in adapting to the workplace can affect newly graduated nurses’ transition. Such nurses must adapt quickly, as it can affect their future career prospects. Therefore, this review aimed to identify the success factors that promote newly graduated nurses’ effective transition and adaptation.

The Joanna Briggs Institute scoping reviews methodology was used. Data were extracted from MEDLINE, Scopus, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science publications published between 2011 and 2020. A total of 23 articles were included in this review, which comprised qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods primary research studies focusing on the contributing factors that aided newly graduated nurses’ adaptation to the work environment during their transition period. Key emerging themes were identified with thematic analysis.

Three main themes were identified: (1) organisational contribution (social development, organisational culture, work characteristics, work readiness, work commitment, professional role), (2) personality traits (self-embodiment, personality masking, being proactive and confident), and (3) academic institutions (pre-entry knowledge and role of nursing faculty). Newly graduated nurses’ adaptation should begin during nursing education, be supported by the workplace organisation, and driven by the nurse’s personality. We determined that that the role of nursing education in aiding the provision of the required knowledge and actual clinical experiences to students profoundly affected developing nurses’ self-confidence levels in delivering nursing care effectively. Additionally, a warm environment supported nurses emotionally and physically.

Conclusions

While organisations and educational institutions have undertaken numerous efforts to ensure that newly graduated nurses are adequately supported, the nurse’s personality and values are also equally important to ease adaptation during the transition process. Academic and workplace programs designed for newly graduated nurses should apply and emphasise this knowledge to develop and strengthen their personalities and values, especially to increase confidence and promote proactive values that facilitate newly graduated nurses’ rapid and effective adaptation to their new employment.

Peer Review reports

Globally, issues related to new nurses remain a concern among researchers and are well-documented to ensure that nurses practise nursing safely. Such issues also affect the retention of new nurses in the workforce and profession. Often referred to as newly graduated nurses, new nurses are certified nurses who have graduated from an accredited nursing school [ 1 ]. Newly graduated nurses are also referred to as newly registered nurses (RNs) [ 2 ], newly licensed RNs (NLRNs) [ 3 ], and new graduate RNs [ 4 ]. Newly graduated nurses are generally defined as nurses with a service period of < 2 years [ 1 , 5 ], although some researchers have categorised such nurses as those with < 3 years of working experience [ 6 , 7 ].

The transition period for newly graduated nurses to integrate into social and professional practice within the hospital environment is challenging [ 8 ], which is largely due to it being a turning point from being nursing students to RNs [ 9 ]. During the transition period, newly graduated nurses frequently experience reality shock as they experience conflict between educational and professional values [ 10 ]. This occasionally causes their transition journey to be stressful, discouraging, and demotivating [ 11 ], leading to burnout and consequently increasing turnover [ 12 ]. Therefore, newly graduated nurses are required to adapt quickly, learn to perform their duties, adjust to their new roles and responsibilities, acquire the appropriate attitudes, fit into their work unit and organisational culture, and become accepted into the organisation to transition successfully [ 13 ].

Adaptation is related to interactions between individuals and extrinsic factors. Based on Roy’s adaptation model, adaptation is a process whereby people use conscious awareness and choice to establish integration between themselves and their environment [ 14 ]. This equilibrium between ecological and individual stimuli results in adaptive responses that contribute positively to adaptive behaviours. Gajda et al. [ 15 ] stated that adaptation is categorised into two dimensions (social and professional), while the adaptation process involves three stages. In the first stage, the newcomer familiarises and introduces themselves to the organisational culture and embraces it. The second stage encourages application of the knowledge and philosophical and technical information required to perform specific roles. Finally, the newcomer is incorporated into a work team. This third stage is considered the most challenging, as it requires individual assimilation and adherence to standards developed by group members [ 15 ].

Previous studies have reported on the adaptation process onset in the nursing context. Based on the transition stage model, transition shock for newly graduated nurses occurs within 4, 5 [ 16 ], or 6 months of service [ 17 ] based on the individual’s ability to respond to stressors. In contrast, Kramer argued that the transition–integration process occurs after 1 year of service given that the nurse is still in the learning phase in the first 6–12 months and receives full attention and support from their preceptor [ 18 ]. Nonetheless, the adaptation process is considered to have begun when the person is exposed to external or internal pressures, threats, and demands. This is because the adaptation process involves the individual’s mental responses and actions to meet needs, overcome tensions, frustrations, and conflicts successfully, and produce a harmonious relationship between their needs and living environment norms or demands [ 19 ]. However, when the adaptation period ends is less clear. Carleto et al. stated that the adaptation process spans a relatively long duration because newly graduated nurses are unable to adapt, integrate, and socialise quickly in their new organisational culture [ 20 ]. Therefore, adaptation can begin as early as the recruitment stage and can span several months to years after admission.

Organisational socialisation theory states that the adaptation phase is critical for newly graduated nurses and is a prerequisite for a successful transition process [ 21 ]. Organisations have implemented various efforts to support newly graduated nurses in passing their transitional phase smoothly. Such strategies and programs include mentoring and preceptorship [ 22 ], orientation [ 1 , 21 ], nurse residency programs (NRP) [ 23 , 24 ], nurse transition programs (NTP) [ 25 ], and introductory programs [ 26 ]. These initiatives are vital to prepare newly graduated nurses to face workplace environment and cultural challenges. However, intention to leave, job stress, and job satisfaction issues among newly graduated nurses remain a concern for researchers, as they significantly affect the organisation [ 27 , 28 ].

Previous studies demonstrated that most transition programs span 6–12 months. In these programs, newly graduated nurses are in the ‘honeymoon’ phase and excitedly embarking on their new careers as RNs [ 6 ]. After passing the transition programs, nurses are expected to work independently in hectic work environments that involve resource constraints, high workloads, and different working cultures [ 29 ]. Subsequently, high expectations can cause transition shock among these nurses [ 30 ]. Their excitement gradually fades and new nurses frequently report feeling incompetent, unprepared, exhausted, disappointed, devalued, frustrated, and weak and powerless 5–7 months after completing their transition programs [ 31 ]. At this stage, it is crucial for nursing authorities to identify the factors required to support nurses to achieve social and professional adaptation. Late or failed adaptation responses can result in negative emotions such as fatigue, exhaustion, burnout, reality shock, early resignation or desire to resign, role conflict, and poor quality of life [ 32 , 33 ]. Therefore, the transition to professional practice should be viewed from an adaptation perspective to ensure that newly graduated nurses successfully negotiate the transition period.

Newly graduated nurses should be able to integrate positively and achieve equilibrium between the multitude of encountered factors. This would aid them in becoming independent and competent although they might enter the profession from various backgrounds and with a wide range of prior experiences. However, there appears to be insufficient analysis of such nurses’ professional and social aspects of adaptation. Although one study focused on nurses’ adaptation, it examined adaptation from nursing students’ perspectives in the context of organisational socialisation and strategies to adapt to the clinical setting. That study revealed that an appropriate clinical learning environment, workplace knowledge, nursing students’ disposition, and positive encouragement from peers influenced the socialisation process and promoted smooth adaptation [ 34 ]. Other studies focused on undergraduate nursing students’ socialisation and highlighted the challenges and importance of learning how workplace relationships should be bridged [ 35 , 36 ].

The research question for this review was formulated based on an identified research gap and is as follows: What are the transition success factors that might facilitate the adaptation process among newly graduated nurses? Accordingly, the review aimed to identify the transition success factors that aid newly graduated nurses in adapting professionally and socially to their workplaces. The findings can: (a) inform nursing authorities of the success factors related to adaptation that enhance success and retention, and (b) contribute to the growing body of knowledge and literature on newly graduated nurses’ adaptation and transition.

This scoping review examined what is known about the aspects that require emphasis to facilitate newly graduated nurses’ effective adjustment professionally to specifically answer the research question. Thus, this review identified existing research on the topic and the areas of need for practice and future research aimed at increasing support for newly graduated nurses. The review protocol was guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) scoping reviews methodology to identify knowledge gaps, map the literature, and clarify the factors associated with adaptation concepts [ 37 , 38 ].

Search strategy

The review began with a search of the relevant literature in a clinical electronic database subscribed by the National University of Malaysia digital library database service. The main keywords were derived from the research question and synonyms sourced from keywords identified in previous studies and expert suggestions [ 39 ]. The final search string was developed using Boolean operators in four major databases: Scopus, MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science (Additional file 1 ).

All included articles were screened based on the article selection criteria using the database sorting function. Studies published from January 2011 to January 2020 were included. Only English studies were included for review to avoid confusion and misunderstanding. The titles of items searched and retrieved from the database search (full text and abstract) were reviewed. Then, the relevant full-text articles were located for review. The reference lists of the articles sourced were also reviewed to locate additional relevant articles for inclusion.

Article selection and data extraction

Two authors performed the article selection and data extraction. Additional author reviewed the two authors’ work, and any disagreements were resolved by involving additional author. The initial search returned 6015 articles, of which 5687 articles with titles unrelated to the study scope were excluded, leaving 328 articles for abstract screening. Of the 328 articles, 246 were omitted after abstract screening, leaving 82 titles. Thirty-five of these 82 titles were removed because they were duplicates, which left 47 titles. Of these 47 articles, 24 were excluded as they did not fulfil the inclusion criteria. Hence, the full text of the 23 remaining studies were obtained and reviewed by two reviewers to ensure that all necessary information was extracted accurately (Fig.  1 ).

figure 1

Selection and extraction of studies. Flowchart adapted from Moher D, Liberati A, Tetzlaff J, Altman DG, PRISMA Group (2009). Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement. PLoS Med 6(7): e1000097. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed1000097

Inclusion criteria

Twenty-three studies were included based on the study participants, phenomenon of interest, context, and type [ 37 ]. Table 1 presents the review inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies involving newly graduated nurses working in clinical settings were included. Studies on nurses working in other settings, such as community or public health care, were excluded. All qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research designs examining transition factors relevant to newly graduated nurses’ adaptation were included. Literature reviews, discussion papers, and editorials were excluded.

Quality appraisal

While not specifically required, it is increasingly expected that studies included in scoping reviews undergo quality appraisal [ 40 ]. Thus, two evaluators rigorously validated the data extraction to confirm the accuracy of the extracted information. Both evaluators were required to agree that a study should be included, and disagreements were resolved through discussion until consensus was reached. The quality of the 23 included papers was assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Systematic Reviews and Research Syntheses [ 37 ], where each article was rated as ‘yes’, ‘no’, ‘unclear’, or ‘not applicable’. No article was excluded from the review based on these assessments.

Information collation, summarisation, and reporting

Information from the included studies was reviewed, summarised, and reported as the study findings. Codes and themes that emerged from the data were identified with inductive thematic analysis, which is a qualitative synthesis method, as the data were summarised to generate outputs in the form of themes [ 41 ]. Accordingly, the qualitative, quantitative, and mixed data were coded, translated into themes, and presented as qualitative data. The following data were extracted with Microsoft Excel: author, title, study design, objective, participants, methodology, findings, adaptation factors, and limitations. The extracted data are summarised in Table 2 . Based on the data extraction, the adaptation success factors were classified into three main themes: organisational contributions, nursing academic institutions, and personality characteristics.

Background of the included articles

Twenty-three studies were included in the review. Five studies were conducted in the US, four in China, three in Sweden, and two studies each were conducted in Australia, Canada, Singapore, and Turkey. One study each was conducted in Italy, New Zealand, and South Africa. There were 10 quantitative studies, 12 qualitative studies, and one mixed methods study (Table 2 ).

Workplace organisational commitment

Social development.

The main drivers of newly graduated nurses’ workplace adaptation were socio-emotional support, social construction, social acceptance, and sense of belonging. Social support is an important aspect in creating a sense of relaxation and security and increasing morale and belonging, which facilitated newly graduated nurses’ adaptation [ 2 , 23 , 42 , 54 , 59 ]. Workplace organisations should be encouraged to provide information and instrumental support to enhance newly graduated nurses’ abilities to develop coping skills. Providing support will enable nurses to build effective relationships with supervisors and colleagues, handle time/priority management, reduce stress and anxiety, increase self-confidence, and develop the ability to absorb workplace cultural norms [ 29 , 30 ].

The social construct includes bridging and bonding of connectivity between newly graduated nurses with their supervisors and co-workers. Newly graduated nurses’ interactions with their social community facilitated professional integration and promoted togetherness values, which created unity among co-workers, provided a sense of security, support, and belonging, and encourage affection [ 42 , 54 , 61 ]. Unfortunately, the expectation of being accepted as a team member was often challenging for newly graduated nurses if they were unable to interact and communicate effectively with their colleagues.

Newly graduated nurses believed that learning how to bridge the gap between knowing and practising was easier than learning how to behave appropriately and deal with people in the workplace [ 55 , 60 ]. The nurses encountered difficulties in finding their place within groups and being friendly with senior nurses due to a gap in relationships between new and senior nurses [ 44 , 49 ]. This situation rendered it difficult for newly graduated nurses to learn and understand their job requirements. In turn, the newly graduated nurses were unable to meet their workplace demands.

Greetings and personal experience sharing were micro-interactions that promoted social bonding and comfort newly graduated nurses as they felt accepted by the community [ 42 , 63 ]. Furthermore, newly graduated nurses felt accepted by their team when they gained staff recognition and were praised for their occupational achievements [ 26 ]. Colleagues’ acceptance indicates newcomers’ positive socialisation into the organisation, which facilitates the acquisition of high-quality knowledge and relationships [ 45 ]. When newcomers feel welcomed and respected, they feel accepted into the team and are able to survive in hectic work environments. Positive relationships with social communities are pivotal to newly graduated nurses’ self-confidence and work enjoyment [ 64 ].

Newly graduated nurses emphasised the importance of becoming integrated, feeling like a part of a social community, and developing a sense of belonging in environments that initially felt intimidating [ 44 , 52 ]. Problem- or idea-sharing and opportunities for building relationships with other nurses create a sense of belonging [ 42 ]. New nurses acknowledged that being in a group established a supportive environment, increased their self-esteem and self-confidence, and promoted a sense of ownership [ 44 , 49 ]. Therefore, positive relationship development and support systems ensured pleasant and less stressful work environments and were associated with positive adaptation. Conclusively, sufficient support, positive social construction, acceptance as an insider, and a feeling of belonging among newly graduated nurses aids in the onboarding process and is reflected in high retention rates.

Organisational culture

Organisational culture and social capital are inter-related. Social and cultural continuity is achieved via socialisation [ 65 ]. In the newly graduated nurses’ adaptation context, the reviewed studies mainly discussed organisational socialisation, new employees’ learning process when adapting to work culture, work policies and rules, and the knowledge, skills, and behaviours required to transition from outsider to insider [ 66 ]. Newly graduated nurses were required to possess the ability to learn workplace cultural norms as a part of the adjustment process [ 53 ].

A welcoming environment is crucial to make newly graduated nurses feel welcomed and appreciated and aid them in making the right start. A friendly and welcoming atmosphere is a part of daily micro-relations that aid the alleviation of feelings of isolation [ 42 ]. A welcoming atmosphere facilitates incorporation into the organisational culture from day 1. Newly graduated nurses should be facilitated to meet other staff, as this is essential to build relationships, develop convenient workspaces, participate in organisational activities, and create welcoming environments. A positive and supportive atmosphere is important in clinical practice to reduce stress and adapt to organisational culture [ 24 , 42 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].

A warm ward culture also supports newly graduated nurses’ adjustment to new environments and aids the alleviation of challenging workloads, addressing learning needs, and increasing confidence [ 24 ]. Newly graduated nurses opined that professional staff’s willingness to address any type of question without prejudice positively affected their confidence levels and social interactions between them and other professional staff [ 43 ]. Nevertheless, especially in Asian cultures, it was reported that senior nurses used their power unreasonably by constantly scolding, embarrassing, criticising, and laughing at newly graduated nurses who asked questions or made mistakes in their work [ 49 ]. Furthermore, frequent ward rotations can also exert high stress on newly graduated nurses, as they need to establish adaptation within teams and environments regularly [ 52 , 55 ]. Therefore, it is recommended that senior nurses be professional, provide supportive, constructive feedback, and give newly graduated nurses opportunities and time to learn and become familiar with work norms and co-worker behaviours.

Workplace characteristics

Newly graduated nurses’ supervisors should assign tasks wisely and provide learning support during the transition phase. Assigning complex tasks to newly graduated nurses undergoing transition could affect their abilities to make critical and accurate decisions, which could potentially endanger patient safety [ 59 , 62 ]. Newly graduated nurses reported that dealing with death and dying patients was the most common workplace stressor, as they were not psychologically prepared to deal with dying patients [ 55 ]. Such situations can weaken confidence and increase stress, anxiety, and depression levels [ 55 , 64 ]. Furthermore, newly graduated nurses experienced physical disorders and often felt nauseated if they were assigned excessive tasks and responsibilities during their transition [ 64 ]. The organisational socialisation model emphasises that appropriate workload allocation is a significant component in the adjustment phase. Appropriate allocation can enable newly graduated nurses to effectively and safely manage their tasks [ 21 ]. Therefore, newly graduated nurses undergoing the transition process should not be allocated tasks involving care for patients who require complicated treatment.

Working hours and shift and work rotations can influence newly graduated nurses’ perceived adjustment tolerance and can cause chronic and acute occupational fatigue. New graduates who worked longer hours, for example, > 49 h in 2 weeks, experienced smoother transitions [ 2 ]. Smoother transition occurs as new graduates are more engaged in the culture of practice and have opportunities to expand their experience. Contrastingly, other studies reported that long working hours affected newly graduated nurses’ quality of life and performance levels. Statistically, long working hours were significantly associated with lower job satisfaction and increased intention to leave among newly graduated nurses [ 60 ].

Newly graduated nurses who worked long hours encountered difficulties in integrating and transitioning to work [ 59 ]. Nurses who worked > 10 h per day experienced fatigue, sleep deprivation, and potentially had more needlestick injuries [ 63 ]. Compared with nurses who worked regular working hours, nurses who worked night shifts were affected differently in the context of person–environment fit, job satisfaction, and health status [ 2 , 51 ]. One study reported that low job satisfaction, poor sleep quality, chronic fatigue, psychological problems, and cardiovascular symptoms were prominent among newly graduated nurses who worked night shifts [ 51 ]. Therefore, nurses engaged in night shift rotations require special attention, such as shortened or flexible working hours or reduced workloads, to improve their health, experience satisfaction, and increase their desire to work at night.

Work readiness

Newly graduated nurses acknowledged that job readiness determined their successful workplace transition and integration. Coping skills, organising, prioritising, time management, decision-making, problem-solving, communication skills, collaborative relationships, teamwork integration, feedback, motivation, and work delegation skills were categorised as necessary for job readiness and required in the onboarding process [ 53 ]. Chandler et al. [ 43 ] argued that nursing schools should emphasise these essential job readiness skills so that they could be practised in the workplace.

Feng [ 44 ] examined coping strategies from the adaptive behaviour perspective. Newly graduated nurses with excellent coping strategies had professional role clarity, increased self-confidence, and reduced job stress during the transition phase [ 34 ]. Good coping strategies aided new graduate nurses in building resilience and developing the ability to manage challenging circumstances when evolving from an outsider to an insider [ 24 , 67 ].

Newly graduated nurses must prioritise and organise skills to evaluate their responsibilities to complete assignments with priority before developing professional nursing performance. It is essential for newly graduated nurses to organise and prioritise tasks related to time management skills to adapt to an unpredictable workplace [ 68 ]. By learning task prioritisation and wise time management, nurses can keep track of their responsibilities and reduce tension [ 24 ]. Nonetheless, both supervisors and newly graduated nurses reported difficulty in simultaneously prioritising and organising [ 23 ]. Moreover, newly graduated nurses frequently struggled during the transition phase, as they lacked conflict resolution skills [ 23 ].

Accompanying transition based on respectful feedback, effective socialisation improves confidence and skills in managing disputes [ 62 ]. The preceptor must provide feedback and guidance via positive and constructive feedback to foster a conducive learning environment [ 27 ]. Preceptors and newly graduated nurses frequently cited feedback workshops and the NRP Generation Pact as effective strategies to receive positive feedback [ 23 ]. The Generation Pact feedback system is an agreement between newly graduated nurses and supervisors to provide daily or frequent feedback to each other on the performance of various aspects of professional nursing [ 27 ]. This strategy encourages newly graduated nurses to identify means of obtaining the feedback required to maintain or restore their self-confidence.

Problem-solving requires confidence and decision-making skills [ 18 ]. Conflict resolution, effective decision-making, and coping skills are inter-related like a chain in problem-solving. Newly graduated nurses encounter problem-solving challenges as they have difficulty determining their patients’ conditions [ 18 ]. Therefore, a community of practice group would present a support system that can provide advice to newly graduated nurses [ 42 ]. The problem-solving ability drives an individual to think objectively and critically and aids them in making wise decisions. Thus, newly graduated nurses can manage their stress levels.

Communication skills are crucial in the transition and onboarding processes [ 24 , 59 ]. Good communication skills aid newly graduated nurses during task delegation, as performing the job requires clear communication and trust [ 69 ]. A newly graduated nurse who lacks the expertise and knowledge to delegate appropriate care risks jeopardising the patient and potentially losing their licence to practise [ 18 ]. Therefore, task delegation is a fundamental competency and basic skill for newly graduated nurses. Task delegation is related to constructive resolution determined by critical thinking and decision-making skills [ 18 ]. Deciding on the appropriate action aids newly graduated nurses in managing their stress levels and potentially promotes adaptation.

Newly graduated nurses perceived that effective communication skills were essential in the transition–integration process to establish collaborative nurse–physician relationships [ 18 ]. Good communication also aids newly graduated nurses’ socialisation, especially in building social networks and facilitating teamwork integration [ 27 ]. An interdisciplinary patient care cycle such as SBAR (Situations, Backgrounds, Assessments, and Recommendations), communication, and telephone call techniques were suggested as effective collaboration enhancement strategies [ 18 ]. These activities enable new graduates to improve communication, practice leadership, support network expansion, and gain professional satisfaction [ 59 ].

The data analysis demonstrated that all sub-themes in the work readiness component were interconnected. The main component influencing professional adaptation was effective communication. Hence, it can be concluded that communication skills are fundamental to a successful organisation and a requirement for effective adaptation.

Professional role

The key aspects of the onboarding process are work performance, practice development, role clarity, and task mastery involved in professional roles. Knowledge acquisition encompasses finding, gathering, and refining information for practice development and is the main component of work performance [ 70 ]. Newly graduated nurses can learn from their peers’ experiences. Competency can be enhanced by advice and information shared by seniors or supervisors. Actively seeking information and involvement with other staff members can yield better outcomes to increase knowledge, professionalism, and work performance [ 42 ].

Newly graduated nurses can accomplish their tasks effectively when they have job clarity and understand the required standards, responsibilities, guidelines, and organised work protocols [ 46 , 61 ]. Role clarity among newly graduated nurses is associated with excellent work performance, high job satisfaction, and low turnover rate [ 45 , 48 ]. Newly graduated nurses must understand their job scope, roles, and responsibilities to optimise their work performance. Enhancing work performance aids in maintaining job satisfaction and long-term retention [ 23 , 61 ]. Nurses should not be a ‘Jack-of-all-trades’ when adjusting to new workplaces. Newly graduated nurses might lack practical experience and skills at the beginning stage; therefore, it is not appropriate for them to perform multiple tasks in the adaptation phase. Once newly graduated nurses understand their roles and develop expertise in their roles, they can master the basic skills required in the nursing profession [ 45 ]. Mastering their role demonstrates newly graduated nurses’ commitment to their profession and organisation [ 61 ].

Nursing education contribution

Pre-entry knowledge/experience.

The knowledge and skills acquired in nursing school can help newly graduated nurses focus on adding new skills over time [ 43 ]. Newly graduated nurses’ abilities to relate and implement their nursing education knowledge and clinical experiences to be applied in employment practice significantly aid the improvement of their work and are key to successfully facilitating the adaptation process during transition [ 7 , 42 , 62 ]. However, newly graduated nurses did not feel well-prepared by their nursing education, as they were unable to integrate their nursing education knowledge with clinical practice. This prompted feelings of a lack of knowledge and clinical experience [ 2 , 26 , 44 , 60 , 62 ]. One study reported differences between nursing education professional values and workplace organisational values [ 44 ]. Nursing ideology (nursing theory, nursing diagnoses, evidence-based care, development of critical thinking) is prominent in nursing education, but in practice, good occupational skills are emphasised (practical/technical, complete tasks on time) [ 26 , 44 ]. Newly graduated nurses reported that the key factors hindering adjustment during transition were the feeling that they lacked knowledge and clinical experience and simultaneously facing overwhelming chaos (high workload, staff shortage) [ 44 ] while being required to complete given tasks within an allotted time. This constraint caused newly graduated nurses to feel disorganised, helpless, exhausted, and frustrated and in turn undermined their self-confidence as professional nurses [ 44 ].

Therefore, nursing programs should include topics related to students’ preparation for their future professional lives [ 60 ]. Furthermore, emphasising work readiness-related educational topics and providing students with experience with professional practice roles and managing clinical situations at the beginning of their transition period were recommended to promote integration in the transition phase [ 54 ]. Students could be assigned actual responsibilities in providing nursing care services with instructor support to aid their prioritisation of multiple tasks and task delegation to other workers [ 27 ]. Newly hired nurses who were introduced to their work environment during their preparation stages were more confident and accustomed to the new professional world.

Nursing faculty’s role

Nursing faculty are important in facilitating newly graduated nurses’ adaptation when transiting from being students to RNs. The Faculty Attributes with Confidence, Equilibrium, and Success (FACES) Theory was developed to contextualise faculty behaviours and responsibilities [ 7 ]. FACES encourages nursing authorities to educate students adequately for professional practice. Nursing schools should promote being knowledgeable, professional, caring, and strict teachers, having rigorous rules and protocols, and outstanding teaching plans to ensure that newly graduated nurses adapt quickly during their transition. Newly graduated nurses appreciated the role of nursing education that adhered to rigorous rules and policies to teach them self-discipline, demonstrated caring values by aiding the application of their knowledge, and provided knowledge and experiences on nursing practices to bolster their confidence and ability to find and learn new information independently. Thus, professional faculty behaviours aid newly graduated nurses in aligning themselves in working environments and building and adapting to healthcare industry social structures [ 7 ].

Newly graduated nurses’ personality values

Attitude, personality, behaviour, and manner of thinking are expressed through human decisions when determining positive or negative actions [ 71 ]. Newly graduated nurses with positive attitudes and personalities can manage themselves efficiently. Such nurses are psychologically prepared to face stressful situations and successfully make adjustments [ 26 , 55 ]. New employees can accelerate their adaptation process by recognising behaviours that help them fulfil expectations, learn organisational principles and values, and gain social approval [ 66 ], which is recognised as person–organisation fit [ 52 ].

Proactive personality

Newly graduated nurses should be diligent in seeking information to effectively reduce misconceptions about their new employment and work organisation. Curiosity motivates newly graduated nurses to actively seek knowledge and understand the organisational culture and standards [ 72 ]. The desire to learn and perform responsibilities proactively is a coping strategy that determines how quickly newly graduated nurses adapt to workplace demands [ 44 ]. Empirical evidence proved that a proactive personality aids newly graduated nurses in developing resilience, increasing self-confidence, and coping with stressful situations, and reduces turnover [ 44 , 45 ]. As mentioned earlier, feelings of a lack of knowledge and clinical experience weaken newly graduated nurses’ self-esteem and self-confidence. To increase competence, newly graduated nurses can learn through self-direction [ 44 ], which is difficult, as learning new knowledge and skills requires much time and enduring hardships [ 43 , 44 ]. Nevertheless, new employees’ proactive attributes are critical to discipline, increasing self-confidence, and assisting with the handling of stressful circumstances when adjusting to a new career.

In contrast, other researchers reported that a proactive personality did not affect newly graduated nurses’ decisions to leave their profession when exposed to hostile work environments and not achieving person–environment fit [ 51 ]. Nurses with higher proactivity attributes will likely be more willing to make changes when encountering unpleasant situations. Organisational culture influenced newly graduated nurses’ adaptation more than proactive values [ 51 ]. Nevertheless, it is believed that a proactive personality is essential when adjusting favourably to an organisation and community [ 73 ]. Likewise, a proactive personality facilitates a nurse’s adaptation to becoming an insider.

Confidence value

The concept of self-confidence is an individual’s trust in their own ability to achieve objectives and perform tasks and activities efficiently and effectively [ 74 ]. Newly graduated nurses are required to possess self-confidence to develop competency, overcome issues, and be resilient against individual and external stimuli [ 24 , 44 ]. However, newly graduated nurses confronted confidence crises due to a fear of harming patients and a lack of confidence in taking responsibility, which arose from a lack of knowledge and clinical skills. Reality generates stress, such as senior nurses’ expectations and perceived chaos at work, which results in significantly decreased self-confidence and self-esteem among newly graduated nurses [ 4 ]. This condition can cause emotional fluctuations as new nurses confront stress, boredom, feelings of isolation, and occasional physical and psychological weakness, which in turn can cause early burnout [ 62 ].

Preceptorship programs are a strategy used to increase and restore newly graduated nurses’ self-confidence, where preceptors provide constant support and development, guide problem-solving, create supportive learning environments, provide constructive feedback, and provide consistent support regarding clinical skills and knowledge [ 23 , 46 ]. Additionally, the role of nursing education in providing knowledge and exposing nursing students to clinical practice can aid newly graduated nurses in developing and increasing their confidence as professional nurses. These personality values are particularly important to aid adjustment and survival during transition. Newly graduated nurses with adequate self-confidence can communicate and engage with other healthcare team members, which effectively leads to professional partnerships [ 24 ]. Additionally, self-confidence aids newly graduated nurses in delegating tasks appropriately, making correct decisions, and prioritising and coordinating their daily activities [ 27 ]. Therefore, self-confidence and adaptive behaviour are inter-related.

Self-embodiment and self-awareness

Self-embodiment and self-awareness are key strategies used by newly graduate nurses to develop and fit into social groups, thus facilitating adaptation to complex clinical environments and ward cultures [ 25 ]. Newly graduated nurses must demonstrate their ability to master nursing practices and generate positive impressions to their seniors [ 61 ]. Furthermore, newly graduated nurses are encouraged to seize opportunities to collaborate with other staff to facilitate learning of the work group culture [ 23 ]. Such attitudes aid newly graduated nurses in becoming self-aware of their surrounding environment, work culture, and colleagues’ reactions and feedback to maximise the probability of acceptance into the social group and receiving support when needed [ 26 ].

Personality masking

Social hierarchy culture is still practised in Asian countries and is perceived as the norm, whereas it can be considered horizontal violence in non-Asian cultures. Unpredictable leadership behaviours and negative workplace cultures prevent newly graduated nurses from learning how to adapt by aligning personal, professional, and organisational identities [ 46 ]. Newly graduated nurses in Asia, reported that they were often scolded for no rational reason, risked being ‘yelled at in front of others’ if they failed to adapt to ward norms, and that senior nurses were searching for aspects to criticise and publicly blame when tasks were not performed well or mistakes were made [ 44 , 50 ]. This situation can worsen newly graduated nurses’ confidence and thus they may suffer from vulnerability and incompetence. Such behaviour can be a challenge for newly graduated nurses to adapt to and be accepted as insiders.

‘Covering themselves’ is a strategy newly graduated nurses use to be accepted as members of an organisation and can protect them in difficult and adverse situations. Newly graduated nurses reportedly covered themselves by hiding their natural personalities, concealing feelings and facial expressions, interacting carefully, and refraining from synchronising interpersonal relationships with senior nurses to harmonise relationships [ 49 ]. Newly graduated nurses were often advised not to display anger even if scolded and that putting on a ‘fake smile’ and displaying positive attitudes could attract supervisor praise and encouragement [ 50 ]. Nurses are considered more resilient by taking control of their own learning and situation management [ 24 ]. Newly graduated nurses with a strong sense of identity and ability are good at managing feelings and balancing emotions and are thus better able to recover from negative attitudes and unprofessionalism [ 25 ]. Eliminating unhealthy cultures in an organisational structure by proposing culture-specific and consistent preceptorship education is encouraged in organisations. Furthermore, treating newly graduated nurses as insiders may aid the creation of a positive work environment and aid smooth adaptation [ 49 ].

The main purpose of this study was to review the factors of successful transition related to newly graduated nurses’ adaptation. These factors were observed from the perspective of adaptation introduced by Gajda et al. [ 15 ]. The nursing education institution is involved in the first stage of adaptation, when newly graduated nurses are required to familiarise themselves and interact with and embrace organisational cultures, rules, and protocols. Workplace organisations are involved in the second stage of adaptation, where newly graduated nurses need philosophical and technical information to work as professional nurses. Both education and workplace institutions contribute to professional adaptation. The third stage of adaptation is perceived as more challenging, as newly graduated nurses are required to assimilate to the standards developed by a group and incorporate those standards into team work. At this stage, newly graduated nurses’ personality traits are key in facilitating their socialisation process. The data analysis revealed that the findings could be linked and summarised in an adaptation success factor model (Fig.  2 ).

figure 2

Adaptation success factors model

Nursing education institution and workplace organisational efforts to provide professional adaptation for newly graduated nurses are inter-related. However, undergraduate nursing programs may not adequately prepare nursing students to be practice-ready upon course completion [ 75 ]. Some newly graduated nurses experienced difficulty in applying the theories learned in their education institutions to clinical situations and received insufficient experience and opportunities to perform in clinical practice [ 26 , 76 , 77 ]. Thus, they encountered difficulty in integrating what they had learnt in the education institution with their work practice. A training style learning method, rather than classroom style, may aid students and newly graduated nurses in linking their learned knowledge directly to the practical skills needed for the job [ 77 ].

Pre-entry knowledge and clinical experience often influence the adaptation process. Nursing students are first exposed to the clinical environment by their nursing education institutions, which provide them with practical experience. Newly graduated nurses perceived that nursing students might need more access to clinical learning environments [ 7 ], such as clinical simulations or emergency scenarios, during their study period to gain additional clinical experience and exposure [ 78 ]. The clinical environment encompasses simulations and practical tasks that provide learners with learning experiences and knowledge. Knowledge aids newly graduated nurses in feeling confident and contributes to self-learning. The clinical environment presents unparalleled opportunities to develop theoretical knowledge [ 79 ] and practical skills, specifically aiding the decision-making and critical thinking skills [ 34 ] professional nurses need. Newly graduated nurses can draw on experience to aid their adjustment to new work environments, as they would have a clearer understanding of their work demands and concerns [ 80 ].

The knowledge and skills acquired from nursing school and occupational organisation (social development, work readiness, workplace characteristics) are the main driving force behind newly graduated nurses’ confident personalities. Nurses’ self-confidence develops in two phases. First, they acquire theoretical knowledge and critical thinking to support appropriate decision-making. In the second phase, they integrate their evidence-based learning in the workplace and education institution to develop feelings of being insiders and create a sense of workplace belonging [ 81 ]. Academic institutions should aid newly graduated nurses in building their confidence, impart clinical knowledge and experience, and bridge the gap between clinical theory and practice. Nursing education must provide knowledge and insights into actual workplace contexts to build confidence and prepare students as clinicians [ 82 ]. The workplace organisation should strengthen newly graduated nurses’ confidence and thus increase their commitment and job readiness, assist in professional role development and social coaching, and encourage newly graduated nurses to adapt to their work culture [ 28 ].

Appropriate work allocation is linked to confidence level. Newly graduated nurses will feel stressed if they are assigned high-risk tasks, such as dealing with chronically ill patients or patients who are on the verge of dying. Such tasks generate feelings of sadness, worry, frustration, helplessness, and guilt, and can even gradually decrease a nurse’s confidence [ 83 ]. Newly graduated nurses commonly experience feelings of anxiety, dissatisfaction, low self-esteem, and a lack of confidence [ 84 ]. The perception of being unprepared and lacking clinical expertise can trigger these negative effects [ 85 ]. In the transition phase, newly graduated nurses are considered to possess the expected work efficiency if they acquire professional skills in their work readiness, as this was a factor in achieving positive work results and aiding feelings of greater confidence, which subsequently aided the adaptation process [ 86 ].

Chesser-Smyth and Long [ 74 ] reported that newly graduated nurses’ self-confidence decreased during nursing education, especially in the clinical practicum course. This situation consequently discouraged independent action and led to newly graduated nurses’ heavy reliance on senior staff. Furthermore, a lack of self-confidence magnifies the fear of communicating with other disciplines, leading to the inability to prioritise tasks [ 3 ]. Simultaneously, such nurses struggle to delegate tasks and attempt to delay or avoid conversations [ 87 ]. Based on these findings, it is asserted that academic institutions are important for preparing students with the requisite skills and clinical expertise for their final year before they join the nursing profession.

Familiarity with workplace-related phenomena, knowledge enhancement through questioning and self-exploration, clinical skills learnt from personal or others’ experiences, validation (feedback from other experienced nurses, physicians, and managers), taking responsibility to increase capability, mutual interaction with patients and the work environment, and personal creativity are efforts and strategies for newly graduated nurses to increase confidence [ 88 ]. These strategies are closely related to a proactive attitude, where being proactive can enhance feelings of self-worth and inspire confidence in newly graduated nurses, invite more positive attitudes, and thus eliminate job stress [ 89 ]. A proactive personality eases the nurse’s adaptation to becoming an insider. This aids newly graduated nurses in actively seeking knowledge and understanding organisational culture and standards, developing resilience, and coping with stressful situations, and reduces turnover rates [ 45 , 72 , 73 ]. As the proactive value is closely related to hardiness, the characteristics of this trait are not specific. New employees’ proactive attributes are critical for handling stressful circumstances when adjusting to a new career, suggesting that proactiveness and hardiness build on each other in a virtuous cycle and create a strong sense of energy and effort, which thus facilitates the adaptation process.

Workplace organisation programs should be implemented at educational institutions, and include feedback workshops and the NRP Generation Pact, which are effective strategies for receiving positive feedback [ 3 ]. Praise or positive feedback are associated with increased motivation and confidence and are a factor in employees moving towards their goals, ensuring that they remain on the right track and work hard to continue their success. Therefore, nurses who are confident that they can cope with their new job demands are more capable of dealing with job stress [ 90 ] and tend to increase their professional adjustment levels.

Flexibility skills, which include self-embodiment and personality maksing, are associated with social construction and feelings of acceptance. Both newly graduated nurses and supervisors should consider building trust, communicating respectfully, practising honesty, creating team spirit, and being approachable and sociable [ 91 ]. In Asian countries, newly graduated nurses can easily feel alienated in a group, powerless, and perceive that being new is weak [ 49 ]. This situation presents the opportunity for senior nurses to bully and threaten new nurses verbally or physically. Newly graduated nurses without power and a voice cannot resist the violence, yet must continue to practise independently. Therefore, this scenario forces newly graduated nurses to adapt to their environments, compelling them to strive to achieve their goals and be accepted by the team. Contrastingly, Western countries consider workplace incivility, bullying, and workplace violence to be horizontal violence, which is a key contributing factor in decreased job satisfaction, increased stress, high turnover rates, and negative effects on newly graduated nurses [ 92 , 93 , 94 ]. Therefore, the organisation must provide and create a positive and healthy functional working environment to support newly graduated nurses in their adaptation process. Newly graduated nurses need social support, guidance, and recognition as they encounter difficulties in social construction and internalisation when becoming insiders [ 2 , 30 ].

A nurse’s transition from new graduate to professional must be considered an adaptation that allows individuals to successfully negotiate the process. Generally, adaptation must be supported and emphasised at the education institution level, empowered and strengthened in the organisational workplace, and boosted by a positive personality to effectively aid new nurses in achieving self-adjustment. Therefore, effective or successful transition factors should be viewed in the broader context, which includes academic institution contribution, workplace organisation contribution, and newly graduated nurses’ personalities.

Although various efforts have been made to improve new nurses’ performance and aid the transition process, newly graduated nurses’ personalities and soft skills are obvious key elements that aid in ensuring that every effort by both institutions is successful in the adjustment process. High self-confidence and proactivity render newly graduated nurses more resilient and able to adjust to demanding work environments. This review encourages educational institutions to aid nurses in developing self-assurance and proactive attitudes by providing extensive knowledge, experience, and insights into the real working world. Workplace organisations should prioritise the improvement of newly graduated nurses’ organisational skills, enhancement of their commitment and willingness to work, assistance with professional role development, and social guidance. Emphasising these elements can indirectly improve new nurses’ positive characteristics. Therefore, educational institution and work organisation partnerships are encouraged to create a continuum of adaptation improvement, particularly to foster and strengthen newly graduated nurses’ positive personalities in facilitating the adaptation process during transition. However, there remains a paucity of research specifically examining personality and soft skill involvement in enhancing the adaptation process.

Furthermore, newly graduated nurses’ adaptation processes may differ depending on their specialty. However, the studies chosen for this review did not specifically mention such distinctions. In the future, it is recommended that adaptation across units or departments be examined. The study scope provided insights into the success factors that facilitate transition, specifically to aid newly graduated nurses in achieving self-adjustment effectively. Thus, studies with stronger designs are recommended to consolidate these practices and determine the elements that should be included.

Limitations

The search was limited to university-subscribed databases. Hence, potentially relevant search keywords and databases might have been overlooked. Additionally, only English language studies were included, which excluded related studies in other languages.

Availability of data and materials

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this article.

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Acknowledgements

We thank librarian Liyana Jasman at the Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Library, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, for aiding the search strategy development and the literature search. We are also grateful to the Head of Department, Prof Madya Dr Mohd Rohaizat Hassan, for granting permission to publish this review article.

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Conceptualization, A.I. and H.B.; data searching and extraction, H.B., R.I., Z.M.; formal analysis, H.B., R.I., Z.M.; validation, A.I. and N.H.H.; writing—original draft preparation, H.B.; review and editing, A.I., L.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Baharum, H., Ismail, A., McKenna, L. et al. Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping review. BMC Nurs 22 , 125 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01300-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-023-01300-1

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  1. How the PhD Program Works

    How the PhD Program Works. Completing your doctorate at Wharton requires 5 years of full-time study. The first 2 years in the program prepare you for admission to candidacy by taking courses, qualifying exams, and starting research projects. In the last few years, you are primarily conducting research full-time including writing and defending ...

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    PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. This is one of the highest level academic degrees that can be awarded. PhD is an abbreviation of the Latin term (Ph)ilosophiae (D)octor. Traditionally the term 'philosophy' does not refer to the subject but its original Greek meaning which roughly translates to 'lover of wisdom'.

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    PhD Program Elements. PhD programs have common elements even though their specializations and concentrations may be very different. The first step is to be accepted into the program after passing the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or an equivalent entrance examination, if required. After that, you can expect to spend a minimum of 3 years taking required and elective courses, conducting ...

  4. How to get a PhD: Steps and Requirements Explained

    Step 1: Complete an undergraduate degree. Before you can take the next step toward your PhD, you'll first have to receive a bachelor's degree through an undergraduate program at a reputable university. This education will provide the foundation for your more advanced coursework later.

  5. 9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

    9. There are no real breaks. In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done."

  6. What Is a PhD?

    A Doctor of Philosophy, often known as a PhD, is a terminal degree —or the highest possible academic degree you can earn in a subject. While PhD programs (or doctorate programs) are often structured to take between four and five years, some graduate students may take longer as they balance the responsibilities of coursework, original research ...

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    Typically, PhD degree programs work based on a mix of coursework and research conducted over three to four years, although this can last longer depending on the program and the pace at which a student completes their research. Coursework is typically completed towards the beginning of the program, and towards the end, the dissertation or thesis ...

  8. How to Apply For a PhD: Step-By-Step

    Step 1: choose your research area. The first, and most obvious, step to applying for a PhD is to decide what research area you want to work in. Whether you're looking for an Arts and Humanities PhD or a STEM one, each individual subject is made up of a vast array of research topics. Most PhD courses will expect students to have a degree in a ...

  9. What is it Like to Do a PhD?

    The main element of doing a PhD is individual research. While your supervisor might help point you in the right direction, it is up to you to do the work and interpret your findings. As the progress of a PhD will be almost entirely on you, you will need to learn to prioritise tasks and justify the routes you take.

  10. What is a PhD?

    The term PhD or Doctorate of Philosophy is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase 'philosophiae doctor'. A PhD degree typically involves students independently conducting original and significant research in a specific field or subject, before producing a publication-worthy thesis. While some Doctorates include taught components, PhD students are ...

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    Students in our PhD programs are encouraged from day one to think of this experience as their first job in business academia—a training ground for a challenging and rewarding career generating rigorous, relevant research that influences practice. Our doctoral students work with faculty and access resources throughout HBS and Harvard University.

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    The Interview Process at Harvard. Beyond the written application, there exists the equally demanding interview process. The interview is a crucial step in the admissions process, allowing the admissions committee to gain a deeper understanding of the applicant's qualifications, motivations, and potential contributions to the Harvard community.

  13. Applying to PhD Programs: When, Where, How, and Why?

    Thus, the best reasons to pursue a PhD are intrinsic. After all, a PhD is a Doctor of Philosophy. You get a PhD because you are passionately drawn to the philosophy of your chosen field. You can't help but think about it in your everyday life because you see it everywhere. It is a lens through which life makes sense.

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    A PhD is a terminal academic degree students typically pursue when they're interested in an academic or research career. A PhD is the highest possible academic degree a student can obtain. PhD stands for "Doctor of Philosophy," which refers to the immense knowledge a student gains when earning the degree. While you can actually get a PhD in ...

  15. A Guide to PhD Success: How to Thrive During Doctoral Studies

    Answering this question is the first thing to do before starting any PhD program; remember, getting a doctorate will take several years and a lot of hard work. In most cases, a PhD is a highly specialized degree designed to prepare graduates for future careers in research or academia.

  16. 10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree

    5. Embrace change - don't get bogged down in the details. Felix Shaw - one of our bioinformatics researchers at EI - put it best when he said, " it felt like I was running into brick walls all the way through [my PhD]… you'd run into a brick wall, surmount it, only to run straight into another. It's true.

  17. What to Expect from a PhD Schedule

    The first two years of a PhD program are mainly made up of classes and the beginning stages of research. Deborah Small, the doctoral coordinator for the Marketing program, said, "It starts with heavy duty coursework and a lot of specific requirements. At the end of your first year, there are qualifying exams on all the core marketing courses.

  18. How does a PhD work? The FULL guide!

    So what does a PhD look like and how does a PhD work? In this video we are going to go over how a PhD works and the steps that are required to get through a ...

  19. How to Choose a PhD Program

    Successfully completing a doctoral program requires commitment and perseverance. The most important step in this process is to consider whether academic life is right for you and what kind of doctoral program — from discipline to environment — will be the best fit for your goals and preferences. We asked our current students and faculty ...

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    This leads to a fair amount of interaction with your professor and your peers. Typically, the course will include a variety of methods from group discussions to presentations to writing assignments. Every course is different in terms of the amount of time spent on lecture and discussion.

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    a Secondary Field (which is similar to a "minor" subject area). SEAS offers PhD Secondary Field programs in Data Science and in Computational Science and Engineering. GSAS lists secondary fields offered by other programs. a Master of Science (S.M.) degree conferred en route to the Ph.D in one of several of SEAS's subject areas.

  23. PhD Admissions

    The PhD Program Admissions Committee utilizes an adapted version of the Duke University Center for Exemplary Mentoring holistic admissions review rubric to guide the evaluation of each applicant. Personal Interview. Applicants may be asked to interview by Zoom or come to campus for an interview. The School covers the costs for campus interview ...

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    Applying for a PhD. PhD applications work a little differently to Bachelors and Masters degrees. Here are the answers to common questions you may have about applying, from entry requirements and eligibility to deadlines and research proposals. For more detailed guides, see our PhD application section.

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    Master of Social Work. If you choose to pursue a doctorate, you can choose from a Doctor of Psychology (PsyD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Education (EdD), or Doctor of Professional Counseling (DPC) program. Another option is to earn a medical degree (MD or DO) and specialize in psychiatry.

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    The new rule, which mostly affects for-profit schools but also applies to certificate programs at all types of colleges, requires schools to show that at least half of their graduates earn more ...

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    By attending information sessions and connecting with current students, alumni and faculty, you can show the admissions team that their program is one of your top-choice schools.

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    For example, some graduate certificate programs require as many as 40 credits, while some ask for just nine. Many certificates require in-person labs and clinical hours, while others are 100% online.

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    The nurse's educational background, personality, and work environment may influence their nursing leadership style. Each type of nurse leader role can be valuable when utilized in the right setting. The Transformational nurse leader works to inspire nurses to achieve a greater vision by helping with strength development. This nursing ...

  30. Success factors in adaptation of newly graduated nurses: a scoping

    In these programs, newly graduated nurses are in the 'honeymoon' phase and excitedly embarking on their new careers as RNs . After passing the transition programs, nurses are expected to work independently in hectic work environments that involve resource constraints, high workloads, and different working cultures .