Abstract
Doctoral programmes in nursing have a long history in the US where traditional research based PhDs and more clinically based doctoral programmes are common. In the rest of the world PhDs are better accepted though professional doctorates with a thesis component are common in the UK. In countries with newly established or planned doctoral programmes in nursing the research PhD seems the degree of choice. Here we discuss developments in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Ghana. This study used official documents, strategic plans, curriculum developments and other documentary evidence from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Ghana. We compared doctoral programmes and development with other countries by reference to the literature. We offer the example of public health and non-communicable diseases in particular as one area where doctorally trained nurses applying international standards in collaboration internationally may be of benefit.