Nursing Practice, D.N.P.

The D.N.P. program prepares students to influence policy and lead healthcare innovation at the highest organizational level, 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 44 credit hours, including 1,000 course-related practice hours post-B.S.N., depending on review of the applicant’s transcripts.

Admission

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

• Hold a master’s degree in nursing with a minimum 3.2 GPA for graduate work.
• Advanced Specialty Certification. For Nurse Administrator applicants, national certification is desired but not required. Other applicants should have the 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
• Have an unencumbered registered nurse licensure.
• Complete the online application for The Graduate School.
• Be admitted to The Graduate School.
• Have relevant clinical experience.
• 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.
• Have health documentation and CPR certification.
• Statement of Professional Goals
• Provide three letters of recommendation: One from an academic reference; one from a current clinical supervisor and one from an additional academic or clinical reference.
• 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. Applicants who apply prior to August 1 will be given first consideration.

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.

All D.N.P. students complete the graduate courses.