The need and demand for new doctoral nursing programs in the South was assessed, using data collected by the Southern Council on Collegiate Education for Nursing (SCCEN). To learn how many doctoral nurses are now employed and how many are anticipated to be needed by 1990, SCCEN surveyed all collegiate nursing education programs in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) region, as well as the larger (over 250 beds) hospitals, and state health agencies. Doctoral-level nurses were needed as faculty for college nursing programs and as leaders in the health care system. Without any additional doctoral programs, the SREB region will be short by 91 doctoral nurses by 1990, and the region will fall short by between 21 and 84 entering positions for doctoral students per year during 1985-1990. However, five of the six existing doctoral nursing programs in the region have no waiting lists of qualified applicants, and about 20% of the enrollments in these programs are from out-of-region. While there is a need for more doctoral students each year, it is doubtful that student demand will justify educational expansion. Background information on nursing education in the SREB states is provided for each level (associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral). Current plans for doctoral programs and resource requirements are also reviewed in detail. (SW)