Professional Socialization of Students Enrolled in an Online Doctor of Philosophy Program in Nursing

A descriptive online survey design was used to describe professional socialization of students enrolled in an online Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in nursing. Twenty-six (48%) of 54 students participated by completing the Doctoral Student Socialization Questionnaire. Activities associated with four of the six dimensions of professional socialization, including student-peer interactions, supportive faculty environment, collegiality, and student scholarly encouragement, were prevalent in the analysis. Activities associated with student-faculty interactions and preparation in scholarly activities were evident but were not prevalent. Students in an online PhD program in nursing can be socialized to the graduate school environment, as well as to their future role in an academic setting. Although challenging in the online environment, faculty need to promote activities related to student-faculty interactions and preparation in scholarly activities.