Professional Doctorate in Nursing (DNurs)
The Professional Doctorate in Nursing is a new addition to the innovative Combined Professional Doctorate Programme based in social and health sciences offered by Cardiff University since 2003. It provides an integrated approach in which education, health and social work professionals work together for at least 50% of the study modules. This unique inter-professional learning allows students to reflect on both what is shared across professional boundaries and what is distinctive to their own practice traditions.
The nursing pathway seeks to equip nurses with the practical research skills and the critical thinking ability demanded of those practitioners working at the forefront of their profession. The award is geared to nurses working in a range of fields and aims to aid the dissemination, development and management of a range of professional practices and policy developments.
The creation of the Wales Centre for Evidence-Based Care (WCEBC), a Collaborating Centre of the Joanna Briggs Institute which is one of only four such centres in the UK is located within the Centre for Nursing, Health and Social Care Research, part of the School of Nursing & Midwifery. Officially launched in September 2006, the WCEBC places Cardiff University at the leading edge of UK health care education. It will also provide an exciting opportunity for clinicians and postgraduate research students to work collaboratively with academics on review projects in order to promote the acquisition of research utilisation skills and foster an understanding of the relationship between evidence, guidelines and decision making in practice.
Programme Content
The Directed Study (Taught) Element
All students will be required to take eight taught modules. As students will have substantial professional commitments, modules will normally be taught intensively over three days with suitable pre and post reading and activities. Typically, students will receive reading materials one month prior to each module. Three different types of modules will be offered — compulsory, generic options and specialist options. Students will be required to take:
Four compulsory modules
- Research Design (SIR022)
- Changing Modes of Professionalism (SIR026)
Four optional modules, at least three of which must be specialist to Nursing
- Advancing Professional Nursing (NRR003)
- Action Research (SIR025)
- Social Policy (SIR027)
- Public Sector Management (SIR029)
- Healthcare Governance and Management (SIR043)
The Research Element
Each student will be assigned an advisor when they first enrol on the programme, who, in most cases will become the primary research supervisor. Students will formally progress to the research stage once the study modules are successfully completed. After six months of undertaking the research, all students will be required to take part in a progress review. Students will submit a portfolio of thesis preparation tasks which will include research design, sample/participants, access, ethical and governance issues and a thesis literature review. The Director of Graduate Studies will appoint a review team to scrutinise the work as this process assists reviewers to identify students’ needs and other means of support as well allowing students to show their work to academics other than their supervisors and thereby receive formative feedback and advice.
The production and successful defence of a 50,000 word thesis will lead to completion of the programme the award of ‘Doctor of Nursing’.
Who should apply?
The programme is ideal for senior and/or experienced nurses from a range of backgrounds – clinical, management and education.
Mode of Study
This part-time programme comprises of two elements: a taught element of three study blocks per term over two years; and a research element which comprises a period of not less than two years and not more than five years. During both elements students will have full access to Research and Graduate School activities.
Length of Study
The normal expectation is for the taught element to be completed in two years, and the thesis to be completed within a further two years. The maximum time limit for the degree overall is 7 years.
Entry Requirements
Candidates should possess a good first degree and normally a masters degree; have a recognised recordable qualification (in the case of the Doctorate in Nursing route live registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council); and normally have the equivalent of at least 3 years verifiable relevant practice experience of working in a professional capacity. A further criterion is that the candidate is normally in employment in the context of health and social care, or that they have negotiated access to either clinical or education areas.
Programme Commencement
1 January 2010; 1 July 2010; or 1 October 2010
For further details regarding the course, please contact:
See this course on the University's Coursefinder website.