Kentucky State University Embarks on Its First Doctoral Degree Program

Kentucky State University, the historically Black educational institution in Frankfort, has announced the establishment of its first doctoral degree program. Beginning next year, the university will begin its doctor of nursing practice degree program.

The new doctoral program will have a concentration in gerontology. Most of the classwork will be conducted online and the degree program will include more than 1,000 hours in clinical practice where the student will be paired with a mentor who is a nurse practitioner.

According to a university statement, “students in the doctoral program will be educated to be leaders in the health care industry. They will be able to assess clients, to conduct research to enhance their practice, to improve systems of care which will influence patient outcomes, and to make changes to the enhance quality of care.”

Indira D. Tyler, chair and associate dean of the School of Nursing at Kentucky State University, says “the doctoral program for nurses with a specialty in gerontology is a major endeavor for the nursing program specifically and the university in general. The Doctor in Nursing Practice program supports the Institute of Medicine’s research on the future of nursing. The general public is aging, and to care for that public in a responsible way, higher education is needed for health care providers.”

Dr. Tyler holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the University of South Carolina. She holds master’s and doctoral degrees in nursing education from Hampton University in Virginia.