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.

Applicants who have a Master’s of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) should apply to the Post-Masters D.N.P. which requires 40 to 46 credit hours, including 1,000 course-related practice hours.

Applicants who have a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.), should apply to the Advanced Practice Post-Bachelor’s D.N.P. which requires 77 credit hours, including 1000 course-related practice hours. Within the Post-BSN-DNP, students will select an advanced practice concentration in either Family Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner which will prepare them to be eligible for the certification exam in their chosen concentration. The Post-BSN-DNP plan of study does not award an M.S.N. Students who complete this program will receive a D.N.P. degree.

Admission Post-Masters to D.N.P.

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 undergraduate studies GPA.
• Submit an official transcript from each 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 and on NURSINGCAS which includes submission of letters of recommendation from at least two persons and a statement of professional goals.

  • Apply to The Graduate School.

    • After completing the Graduate School application, download a screen shot of your application fee receipt and save it as a PDF file, then upload to NURSINGCAS as directed in the instructions outlined in step 2 (below).

  • Apply to NURSINGCAS.

    • Submit all required documents.

    • DO NOT submit these within the JMU Graduate School application.

• Be admitted to The Graduate School.
• Meet the school’s technical standards for admission.
• 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 the program director for more information. Additional documentation will be required upon admission.

Application Deadline for Post-Masters to D.N.P.

Applications for the post Masters to DNP are processed on a rolling admission basis until the class fills.

Admission Post-Bachelors to DNP

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

• Hold a bachelor’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:
  • Advanced Practice Nursing applicants–APRN (Advanced Practice Registered Nurse) designation as Family Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner.

• Complete the online application for The Graduate School and on NURSINGCAS which includes submission of letters of recommendation from at least two persons and a statement of professional goals.

  • Apply to The Graduate School.

    • After completing the Graduate School application, download a screen shot of your application fee receipt and save it as a PDF file, then upload to NURSINGCAS as directed in the instructions outlined in step 2 (below).

  • Apply to NURSINGCAS.

    • Submit all required documents.

    • DO NOT submit these within the JMU Graduate School application.

• Be admitted to The Graduate School.
• Meet the school’s technical standards for admission.
• 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 for Post-Bachelors to D.N.P.

Applications are due October 1.

Application Evaluation Criteria

Evaluation criteria include 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.