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DNP: Degree Requirements

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Degree requirements vary by option (post-baccalaureate, post-master's) and by specialty area. Use this page as a guide, but consult your advisor for your individual program plan. Course descriptions: DNP Courses | Course Catalog


Post-Baccalaureate DNP
Post-Baccalaureate DNP Degree Requirements

The Post-Baccalaureate to DNP program offers a variety of specialties:

  • Neonatal Nurse Practitioner*
  • Nurse-Midwifery
  • Nurse-Midwifery/Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Women's Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
  • Pediatric Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Acute Care Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
  • Primary Care Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
    • Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
  • Psychiatric-Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist
  • Occupational Health / Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • School / Family Nurse Practitioner

    *Only offered for BSN to DNP students
POST-BACCALAUREATE DNP
 
Core Practice Competency Courses: 32 SH
NURS 525 Intermediate Statistics 3
NURS 526 Nursing Inquiry I 2
NURS 527 Nursing Inquiry II 2
NURS 528 Health, Environment and Systems 2
NURS 529 Issues of Advanced Practice in Nursing 1
EPID 400 or EPID 403 Principles of Epidemiology or Introduction to Epidemiology: Principles and Methods 3
BHIS 510 Health Care Information Systems I 4
NURS 550 Evidenced-based Practice 3
NURS 551 Promoting Health: Translating Science to Practice 3
NURS 552 Advanced Leadership Concepts 3
NURS 553 * Strategic and Financial Planning for Clinical Programs 3
NURS 554 Translating Evidence to Clinical Practice 3
 
Specialty-Specific and Role Competency: 38-51 SH
  Direct Care Roles: Nurse Practitioner (acute care, adult/geriatric, pediatric, women's health, family, psychiatric-mental health, occupational/family health, school/family health); Nurse Midwife; Clinical Nurse Specialist (pediatric, perinatal, psychiatric-mental health).  
 
DNP Synthesis Project and DNP Practicum: 20 SH
NURS 560 Synthesis Project Development 4
NURS 561 Synthesis Project Implementation 4
NURS 562 Synthesis Project Evaluation and Dissemination 4
NUPR 584 DNP Practicum I 4
NUPR 585 DNP Practicum II 4
Total Post Baccalaureate DNP Degree: 90-103 SH

Transitional Post-Baccalaureate DNP students:
Transition students are required to take an additional 1 to 4 courses in the beginning of their program plan. Students are evaluated on admission to determine which courses are necessary. The transitional courses are: NURS 210, NURS, 242, NURS 385, NURS 322.

Post-Master's DNP + new clinical specialty:
Post Master's DNP students who would like to add a clinical specialty will be required to take the specialty coursework and fulfill the core coursework in the Baccalaureate to DNP program plan. Previous graduate level courses are evaluated after admission to determine which core courses are necessary.

Post-Masters DNP
Post-Master's Degree Requirement:

Post-Master's DNP Degree Requirements
 
Core Practice Competency Courses: 32 SH
EPID 400 or EPID 403 Principles of Epidemiology or Introduction to Epidemiology: Principles and Methods 3
BHIS 510 Health care Information Systems I 4
NURS 550 Evidenced-based Practice 3
NURS 551 Promoting Health: Translating Science to Practice 3
NURS 552 Advanced Leadership Concepts 3
NURS 553 Strategic and Financial Planning for Clinical Programs 3
NURS 554 Translating Evidence to Clinical Practice 3
 
DNP Synthesis Project and DNP Practicum: 20 SH
NURS 560 Synthesis Project Development 4
NURS 561 Synthesis Project Implementation 4
NURS 562 Synthesis Project Evaluation and Dissemination 4
NUPR 584 DNP Practicum I 4
NUPR 585 DNP Practicum II 4
 
Graduate-level electives 3 SH
Total Post Master's DNP Courses: 45 SH
 
Credit for previous master's degree: 45 SH
 
TOTAL DNP Degree: 90 SH

Post-Master's Degree Requirements:
Executive Nursing Leadership Concentration

Executive Nursing Leadership
Post-Master's DNP Degree Requirements
 
Core Practice Compentency Courses: 31 SH
EPID 400 or EPID 403 Principles of Epidemiology or Introduction to Epidemiology: Principles and Methods 3
NURS 550 Evidenced-based Practice 3
NURS 552 Advanced Leadership Concepts 3
NURS 554 Translating Evidence to Clinical Practice 3
NUSP 580 Leadership Reflections: Building a Personal Map 2
NUSP 581 Collaboration for Strategic Financial Management in Healthcare 3
NUSP 582 Ethical Leadership in Providing Healthcare 2
NUSP 583 Transforming the Healthcare Organization 3
NUSP 584 Systems Approach to Healthcare Quality and Safety 3
NUSP 585 Seminar in Nursing Executive Leadership 1
  Graduate level electives (may include additional hours of NUSP 585) 5
 
DNP Synthesis Project and DNP Practicum: 20 SH
NURS 560 Synthesis Project Development 4
NURS 561 Synthesis Project Implementation 4
NURS 562 Synthesis Project Evaluation and Dissemination 4
NUPR 584 DNP Practicum I 4
NUPR 585 DNP Practicum 4
 
Graduate level electives ..........
(may include additional hours of NUSP 585): 5 SH
Total ENL Post Master's DNP Courses: 51 SH
 
Credit for previous master's degree: 45 SH
 
TOTAL ENL DNP Degree: 101 SH

Practicum Requirements for DNP

To qualify for the DNP, all students must document a minimum of 1000 hours of supervised clinical practicum work completed as part of an education program between the BSN and the DNP. Therefore all Post- Masters DNP students must submit verification of the number of supervised clinical practicum hours in their advanced practice educational programs. Students are responsible for obtaining this documentation from the school in which the program was done and submitting it during the first semester of the DNP program. Advisers will use this documentation to determine how many hours of practicum the student will need in the plan of study for the Post-Masters DNP.

DNP: Next Steps