Comparative Study of Nursing PhD Education System and Curriculum in Iran and Alberta School of Nursing

Introduction: In order to adapt to a rapidly changing health care system, it is necessary to prepare the content of a High-quality nursing program. Comparing different educational systems is one of the evaluation methods that improves the content and quality of the curriculum. The aim of this study was to compare comparative nursing education in Iran and Alberta and provide practical suggestions for improving its quality. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-comparative study was carried out in 2018. The four-stage Beredy model of description, interpretation, neighborhood and comparison was used to compare the Iranian nursing education system the Canadian Alberta Nursing Faculty at Ph.D. Data were collected by searching the internet with using of databases Persian and English. Then, the data were categorized and compared according to the purpose of the research. Results: The program of both universities is based on the principles of strategic planning with mission, vision and values. At Alberta University, the appropriate link between the lesson plan and the needs and problems of the community. The curriculum of the Iranian Nursing Doctor in parts such as the profile and structure of the course coincide with the syllabus of the doctoral program of nursing University of Alberta. Also, the comparison showed that applications for admission to the University of Alberta apply for individuals with a postgraduate degree in nursing and a degree in research statistics and for non-Canadian language proficiency and clinical records for Ph.D. But in Iran, student admission is subject to a master's degree. Discussion and Conclusion: One of the strengths of the Ph.D. program in Iran can be the alignment of the values and beliefs of the program based on the Islamic values system and gaining competencies such as critical thinking, clinical argumentation, problem solving, evidence-based decision making, and the recording of an analytical report. Clinical the lack of focus and emphasis on theory and especially research are its weaknesses. Therefore, based on the experiences of the advanced countries and the needs of the Iranian community, we need to correct the weaknesses and strengthen the strengths.