Info for Accepted PhD Students
Information on this page is intended for new and transferring Nursing PhD students planning to matriculate and begin their coursework at the UMass Amherst College of Nursing during the Fall 2023 semester.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR ACCEPTANCE INTO THE NURSING PHD PROGRAM AT UMASS AMHERST! WE ARE SO EXCITED TO WELCOME YOU TO THE UNIVERSITY AND OUR COMMUNITY OF SCHOLARS THIS FALL.
Comprehensive information about the Nursing PhD Program can be found in the College of Nursing's Graduate Handbook. The 2021-2022 version is available here. An updated version will be made available by the start of the fall 2023 semester.
CHECK OUT THE INCOMING PHD STUDENT CHECKLIST, HERE:
CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions about orientation, how to enroll in fall courses, accessing SPIRE, waiving student health insurance, or other matters related to the Registrar, please contact program staff member Lynn Yovina (LYOVINA@UMass.edu)
For questions about independent studies, career advising/mentoring or your plan of study, please speak to your assigned PhD advisor. This contact information can be found in your admission letter and email.
*Please note university faculty are off-contract May 25 through September 1, 2023, and may not be immediately available via email or phone. If you are having difficulty connecting with your assigned advisor, the PhD program Director can provide support while they are out of the office.*
Questions related to the teaching assistant role, approval of mentored research residencies or independent studies, and all other queries, or if you are unable to reach program staff or your advisor, can be directed to PhD Program Director Rae Walker (r.walker@umass.edu)
Additional contact information for the PhD Program can be found here.
NEW NURSING PHD STUDENT WELCOME & ORIENTATIONS
A new Nursing PhD student/transfer student welcome and orientation will be held in-person in Skinner Hall at 651 North Pleasant Street in Amherst, Massachusetts on:
Wednesday, August 30, 2023 from 9am-4pm EDT
Agenda Pending
Attendance at this event is critical for setting you up for success in this doctoral program.
Please note this orientation event is distinct from the UMass Graduate School New Student welcome and picnic (WUGS) which will be held on Friday, September 1. More information on that will be emailed by the Graduate School closer to the date.
New International Students should plan to attend the New International Student orientation, scheduled for Thursday, August 31. More information on this event can be obtained from the UMass International Programs Office.
Please save these dates. For logistical questions such as where to park, etc., please contact program staff member Lynn Yovina (LYOVINA@Umass.edu)
REGISTERING FOR FALL 2023 COURSES
The following plan of study has been approved by the faculty of the Elaine Marieb College of Nursing for all incoming PhD students starting in Fall 2023:
EMCON PhD Plan of Study beginning Fall 2023.docx
Incoming PhD Students should enroll for all 5 courses listed under "Term 1".
You should be able to enroll in first semester coursework by visiting the UMass course registration website, known as SPIRE. SPIRE can be accessed here (https://spire.umass.edu), using your UMass NetID and password.
PhD Program staff person Lynn Yovina (LYOVINA@UMASS.EDU) can assist with registration for fall classes, if you encounter any difficulties.
If you anticipate the need to alter this plan of study, please reach out to your PhD advisor first to discuss. Your PhD advisors have been included on this message.
If you’ve already developed an alternate plan of study with your advisor, such as in the case of part-time study and some BSN-to-PhD students, please contact the PhD Program Director (r.walker@umass.edu) for approval of an alternate plan of study.
Please check SPIRE for the most up-to-date information on course meeting times and locations. Most PhD courses meet synchronously on Tuesdays in Skinner Hall, located at 651 North Pleasant Street, Amherst, Massachusetts. Remote attendance is approved on a case-by-case basis by the PhD advisor and Program Director.
INFORMATION FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The UMass Office of International Programs (IPO) provides an array of services and supports to incoming international students, whose presence greatly enriches this community. You can access the IPO website here. Should you have any difficulty reaching them, please feel free to reach out to our Program Staff member Lynn Yovina (LYOVINA@UMASS.EDU) or PhD Program Director Dr. Rae Walker (r.walker@umass.edu) who can provide assistance.
You can read more about unique funding supports available to international students here on our Funding & Scholarships page.
And additional resources for international PhD students at UMass Amherst, here on our Forms & Resources page and our Writing & Language Arts page.
CORONAVIRUS POLICIES & RESOURCES
UMass and the Nursing PhD Program continue to monitor the evolving pandemic. Resources and links to the most up-to-date information on university policies and precautions related to COVID-19 can be found on our Coronavirus Resource page here.