Doctor of Nursing Practice

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Critique and synthesize scientific, ethical, philosophical, and historical frameworks and theories to develop and implement the role of the DNP.
2. Integrate principles of systems theory to demonstrate the leadership role in development, evaluation, and management of health care systems, resulting in improved quality of care.
3. Use analytical methods to critically appraise research findings to design, implement, and evaluate evidence-based practices that result in safe and effective clinical outcomes for individuals and populations.
4. Disseminate and apply relevant findings to develop culturally competent practice guidelines and improve the health care environment.
5. Employ information systems/technology to monitor and improve patient outcomes and healthcare systems.
6. Utilize leadership skills to consult and collaborate on intra-professional and inter-professional teams to foster effective communication and enhance patient outcomes.

The B.S.N.-to-D.N.P. Program

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the B.S.N.-D.N.P. program, an applicant must have:

1. a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) or its equivalent from a regionally accredited institution
2. evidence of a current, unencumbered R.N. license
3. official transcripts from the B.S.N.-granting college/university and from any graduate coursework. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Transcripts must include certification that the applicant has received a bachelor's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution and state a calculated cumulative GPA.
4. three letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant's professional, intellectual, and academic abilities. If graduated within the last five years, one of the three letters must be from one of the applicant's professors.
5. a current vitae or resume including education, work experience and professional development, professional and/or community activities, and research and publications
6. a one- to two-page paper addressing career goals related to advanced practice nursing and the attainment of the D.N.P.
7. a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a B.S.N. (or its equivalent) program
8. for applicants whose native language is not English, official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 79 on the internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test.

Requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree--
B.S.N.-D.N.P. Program with Family Nurse Practitioner Certification

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Master's Core		10
NURS 7100	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NURS 7101	Role Transition: Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 7110	Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 7220	Advanced Evidence-Based Practice	3
FNP Core		8
NURS 7200	Advanced Health Assessment	3
NURS 7200L	Advanced Health Assessment Practicum	2
NURS 7230	Advanced Pharmacology	3
FNP Coursework		28
NURS 7328	Advanced Practice Nursing: Women's Health	3
NURS 7328L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Women's Health Practicum	2
NURS 7329	Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatrics	3
NURS 7329L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatrics Practicum	2
NURS 7330	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health I	3
NURS 7330L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health I: Practicum	3
NURS 7350	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health II	3
NURS 7350L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health II Practicum	3
NURS 7590	Advanced Practice Nursing: Capstone	6
DNP Core		16
NURS 8310	Epidemiology and Biostatistics	3
NURS 8312	Health Care Informatics	3
NURS 8313	Leadership and Ethics	4
NURS 8315	Process Improvement and Evaluation	3
NURS 8317	Organizational Policy and Practice	3
DNP Clinical Core		6
NURS 8311	Population Health	3
NURS 8314	Translating Research into Practice	3
DNP Coursework		10
NURS 8316	DNP Project Seminar	3
NURS 8318	DNP Project	7
Electives		6
Area-focused electives may include 2 of the following courses or additional graduate-level courses approved by the DNP advisor. Prerequisites for the following electives include admission to the program or approval by the course faculty.
PADM 7170	Organizational Theory and Behavior
LEAD 7310	Leadership for Community and Public Relations
LEAD 7130	Technology Leadership for School Improvement
MBA 7800	Introduction to Healthcare Systems and Policies
MBA 7870	Healthcare Strategic Leadership
CIED 7060	Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology Integration
Total Hours Required for the Degree		84
Total Clinical Hours Required for the Degree		MSN 715; DNP 500

MSN Opt-Out Option

The MSN Opt-Out allows students to exit the curriculum at a specified point, obtaining an MSN degree with an FNP concentration and enabling exploration of the field before returning to complete the remaining 3 semesters of the DNP degree. Students who choose the MSN Opt-Out will have 3 years to re-enroll in DNP coursework. The BSN-DNP Program with MSN Opt-Out consists of 7 semesters, 52 credit hours, and 715 clinical hours. The graduate is prepared and equipped for advanced nursing practice in an increasingly complex health system. Students can apply to graduate with their MSN degree in Fall of Year 3 of the program and continue to earn their DNP degree. 

Requirements for the B.S.N.-D.N.P./M.S.N. Opt-Out

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Master's Core		10
NURS 7100	Advanced Pathophysiology	3
NURS 7101	Role Transition: Issues in Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 7110	Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 7220	Advanced Evidence-Based Practice	3
DNP Core		6
NURS 8312	Health Care Informatics	3
NURS 8317	Organizational Policy and Practice	3
FNP Clinical Core		8
NURS 7200	Advanced Health Assessment	3
NURS 7200L	Advanced Health Assessment Practicum	2
NURS 7230	Advanced Pharmacology	3
FNP Coursework		28
NURS 7328	Advanced Practice Nursing: Women's Health	3
NURS 7328L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Women's Health Practicum	2
NURS 7329	Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatrics	3
NURS 7329L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Pediatrics Practicum	2
NURS 7330	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health I	3
NURS 7330L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health I: Practicum	3
NURS 7350	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health II	3
NURS 7350L	Advanced Practice Nursing: Adult Health II Practicum	3
NURS 7590	Advanced Practice Nursing: Capstone	6
Minimal Credit Hours Required		52
Minimal Clinical Hours Required		715

The M.S.N.-to-D.N.P. Program

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission into the M.S.N.-D.N.P. program, an applicant must:

1. have current advanced practice nurse certification as a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse anesthetist, or certified nurse midwife
2. be actively practicing as an APRN with an unencumbered APRN license
3. submit official transcripts from each graduate institution previously attended. Transcripts from undergraduate institutions are not required. Official international transcripts must have a foreign course-by-course credential evaluation by an independent evaluation service that is a member of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). Transcripts must include certification that the applicant has received a bachelor's degree in nursing from a regionally accredited institution and state a calculated cumulative GPA.
4. three letters of recommendation from individuals knowledgeable of the applicant's professional, intellectual, and academic abilities. If graduated within the last five years, one of the three letters must be from one of the applicant's professors.
5. a current vitae or resume including education, work experience and professional development, professional and/or community activities, and research and publications
6. a one- to two-page paper addressing career goals related to advanced practice nursing and the attainment of the D.N.P.
7. a cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale from a master's degree in nursing program
8. a certified document from a master's program to include clinical hours completed (500 hours minimum required)
9. for applicants whose native language is not English, official scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) with a minimum of 79 on the internet-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 550 on the paper-based test.

Requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree--
Post-Master's Program

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
DNP Core		16
NURS 8310	Epidemiology and Biostatistics	3
NURS 8312	Health Care Informatics	3
NURS 8313	Leadership and Ethics	4
NURS 8315	Process Improvement and Evaluation	3
NURS 8317	Organizational Policy and Practice	3
DNP Clinical Core		6
NURS 8311	Population Health	3
NURS 8314	Translating Research into Practice	3
DNP Coursework		10
NURS 8316	DNP Project Seminar	3
NURS 8318	DNP Project	7
Electives		6
Area-focused electives may include 2 of the following or additional graduate-level courses approved by the DNP advisor. Prerequisite for the following electives include admission to program or approval by course faculty.
PADM 7170	Organizational Theory and Behavior	3
LEAD 7130	Technology Leadership for School Improvement	3
LEAD 7310	Leadership for Community and Public Relations	3
LEAD 7420	Ethical and Legal Issues for Leadership	3
MBA 7800	Introduction to Healthcare Systems and Policies	3
MBA 7870	Healthcare Strategic Leadership	3
CIED 7060	Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology Integration	3
Total Hours Required for the Degree		38
Total Clinical Hours Required for the Degree		500

Requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree with Master of Business Administration--
Post-Master's Program

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Fall Year One
NURS 8310	Epidemiology and Biostatistics (*)	3
NURS 8311	Population Health (*)	3
NURS 8312	Health Care Informatics (*)	3
Spring Year One
NURS 8313	Leadership and Ethics (*)	4
NURS 8315	Process Improvement and Evaluation (*)	3
Summer Year One
NURS 8314	Translating Research into Practice	3
NURS 8316	DNP Project Seminar	3
Fall Year Two
NURS 8317	Organizational Policy and Practice	3
NURS 8318	DNP Project	3
MBA 7030	Managerial Accounting ((elective))	3
Spring Year Two
NURS 8318	DNP Project	4
MBA 7050	Marketing ((elective))	3
Summer/Fall Year 2
MBA 7350	Managerial Finance	3
MBA 7900	Strategy and Competition	3
MBA Elective		3
Total Hours Required for the Degree		47

* Courses for the dual degree.