Nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice, D.N.P.

The D.N.P. program prepares students to lead healthcare innovation at the highest organizational level and influence policy while allowing students to focus on a particular specialty area. The D.N.P. nurse impacts the practice of nursing, the healthcare delivery system and the shaping of health policy by providing the environment, resources and knowledge needed to provide high quality patient and family-centered nursing care and to practice as a professional within an interprofessional team. The program’s curriculum consists of 31 to 46 credit hours, including 1,000 course-related practice hours post-B.S.N.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the D.N.P. program prospective students must:

• Hold a master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited institution with a minimum 3.2 graduate studies GPA.
• Submit an official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended.
• Hold an unencumbered Registered Nurse license.
• Select a focus area for doctoral study:
  • Leadership in Healthcare Systems- national certification is desired but not required.
  • Advanced Practice Nursing applicants- APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) designation in their home states and national board certification as a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse Midwife, Clinical Nurse Leader, or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist in their areas of specialty (as appropriate).  Applicants without national certification will be individually evaluated but must submit evidence of their specialty expertise.
• Complete the online application for The Graduate School which includes submission of letters of recommendation from at least two persons and a statement of professional goals.
• Be admitted to The Graduate School .
• Meet the school’s technical standards for admission.
• Meet the school’s disability accommodation standards.
• Provide a current resume or curriculum vitae.
• Complete an interview upon request.
• Complete health documentation and CPR certification.
• For international students, provide evidence of passing grade on CGFNS exam (both parts) or IELFS score of at least 7.0, apply for VA RN license (TOEFL 570 required). Contact program director for more information. Additional documentation will be required upon admission.

Application Deadline

Applications are processed on a rolling admission basis until the class fills.

Application Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria includes previous academic and scholarly work, professional experience, professional references, and a professional goal statement and its relationship to both the mission of the School of Nursing and the area of scholarly inquiry focus. Professional references will be reviewed, and an interview may be required.