NursingPhD.org is sponsored in part by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education.

About NursingPhD.org

WELCOME to NursingPhD.org! This site provides information for nurses who are considering that next big step and pursing a Nursing doctorate degree. Whether you are looking for BS to PhD options, distance learning opportunities, or traditional programs, NursingPhD.org brings you information about doctoral programs in the Western United States.

The site will also supply fresh articles providing tips for being successful in your search for a program that meets your interests. It will bring news of developments, such as new programs that are in the planning stages or financial opportunities for students.

Why doctoral programs? While states are facing a nursing shortage, schools and colleges of nursing are unable to accept all qualified applicants, exacerbating the problem. One of the contributing factors is a shortage of qualified Nursing faculty. By increasing the pool of nurses with doctorates, we hope to alleviate this faculty shortage.

Why just the West? This website is a partnership of two organizations that serve higher education (Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education) and nursing (Western Institute for Nursing) in the Western states. For these two organizations, the West includes: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Funding for the site allowed us to focus on opportunities in the Western states. In the future, we may be able to expand the scope of this site.

Who funded the site? The site is currently funded through the Northwest Educational Outreach Network (NEON) grant, which was awarded to WICHE and the Northwest Academic Forum (NWAF), by the United States Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.

Are there future plans for the site? In consideration are plans to expand the site to include other geographic areas, provide services for current doctoral faculty and students, and other degree levels. For now, we will focus on our current mission in serving nurses seeking information about doctoral programs in the west and look for other opportunities as they come.

About WICHE

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is a regional organization created by an interstate compact adopted in the 1950s. WICHE was created to facilitate resource sharing, and assure access and excellence in higher education for all citizens of the West. Several programs extend WICHE’s reach nationally and internationally including student exchange programs, policy analysis & research, technology in education, and mental health. WICHE’s member states include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

WICHE’s Student Exchange Program was created in 1953 to give students access to professional degree programs (for doctors, veterinarians, etc.) that were not available in every western state. Through a series of agreements, students from a state that did not have a program could attend a program in another western state, usually at reduced tuition rate. Over time, programs were added to serve students in graduate and undergraduate academic programs.

About WIN

The Western Institute of Nursing (WIN) exists to bring together a diverse community of nurses in a shared commitment to transcend the boundaries of knowledge development and application; to advance the discipline; and to drive improvements in practice, outcomes, and, cost. Those involved in WIN include nursing educators, practitioners, researchers, and graduate students from throughout the West. Held every spring, WIN’s annual conference highlights the latest research findings in the nursing profession.

WIN was founded by WICHE as the Western Council on Higher Education for Nursing (WCHEN). The Western Institute of Nursing is the successor to WCHEN and became its own independent non-profit organization in 1998.