PhD Program Admission Policy
General Statement
The faculty of the University of New Mexico, College of Nursing, is committed to excellence and diversity in its student body. Our admission policy for the baccalaureate, master, and doctoral degree programs is congruent with the mission statement of the College of Nursing and the Health Sciences Center. We believe that diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives among the student body help to insure a dynamic, productive, and positive learning experience. In seeking to achieve diversity, the admissions committees for each degree program may consider a wide range of factors in evaluating applicants for admission. Competency in the English language is required.
Since this college is a publicly funded institution, New Mexico residents are given preference. Geographical distribution from within the state also may be a factor in selecting the entering class as part of our search for diversity.
It has been our experience that a large percentage of the applicant pool is qualified to be admitted, and if admitted would succeed in the course of studies. Given limited clinical space and faculty and classroom space resources, however, admissions may be capped at a specified number each year to match resources. Many qualified applicants are regrettably denied admission.
The College of Nursing Admission Policy shall be subject to periodic review by the faculty and as requested by the Dean. Each admissions committee (i.e., baccalaureate, master, doctoral) operates within guidelines specific to that degree and/or concentration, as follows:
PhD Degree Program
Doctoral applicants must meet the UNM criteria for admission to graduate studies (i.e., bachelor’s degree and 3.0 minimum GPA). The College of Nursing also requires doctoral applicants to have a master’s degree in nursing or a related field (must be BSN if master’s degree is not in nursing), and submit a writing sample as part of the application packet. Applicants are evaluated for their potential to meet program goals.
Applicants to the doctoral program are considered for summer admission only. All required application materials must be received by the application deadline. These include (but are not limited to) the application, registration form, transcripts, three letters of reference, letter of intent, and writing sample.
Applicants must have at least a 3.0 GPA at the master’s level (with a 3.5+ GPA preferred) in order to be considered for admission to the doctoral program. A screening committee, comprised of at least two members of the PhD Subcommittee, reviews the application materials and interviews each applicant. Specific screening criteria are used in their evaluation. The screening committee forwards their admission recommendations to the PhD Subcommittee for consideration. The Subcommittee’s recommendation is then forwarded to the Graduate Committee for consideration, with final College approval given by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Note: The screening criteria used by the PhD Subcommittee and is reviewed annually.