Program Overview

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Introduction to the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing

The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing is committed to preparing nurses who embrace diversity and promote health equity to improve the quality of life and human health in the Commonwealth and beyond by leading and innovating in education, research, health care delivery, and public service.

Mission

The mission of the Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing is to prepare nurses who embrace diversity and promote health equity to improve the quality of life and human health in the Commonwealth and beyond by leading and innovating in education, research, health care delivery, and public service.

DNP Program

The Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is committed to transforming advanced nursing practice in preparing nurse practitioners and leaders through the following programs:

Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to DNP

The BSN to DNP pathway is designed for registered nurses who have completed a BSN from an accredited institution and wish to earn their DNP. This pathway is ideal for graduating nursing students, recent BSN graduates, and experienced nurses who aspire to advance their careers and gain the highest level of clinical expertise.

Pre-Graduate Option (PGO) to DNP

The PGO to DNP pathway is for registered nurses with a bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field who wish to earn their DNP. The PGO to DNP curriculum includes 1 to 2 additional courses taken during the summer prior to fall matriculation, ensuring all students are well-prepared to succeed in their advanced nursing studies and professional careers.

DNP Program Tracks

Pursuing one of the four tracks offered allows learners to tailor their advanced practice education to align with their career goals and interest in specific patient care areas.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

The Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner track equips future clinicians with the knowledge and skills needed for successful careers caring for acute, acute on chronic, and critically ill adult patients.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

The Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track curriculum is based on generalist training in primary care with a focus on health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease management across diverse settings and populations for ages 13 and older.

Family Nurse Practitioner

The Family Nurse Practitioner track equips future FNPs to provide family-centered primary care, from wellness to illness, to diverse populations across the lifespan.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) track is geared towards providing classroom and clinical experience needed to address the mental health needs of patients across the lifespan.

Full-Time DNP Program Curriculum

The full-time DNP program curriculum is designed to be completed in three years.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

• DNP Year 1 - Didactic
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology, N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods, N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• DNP Year 2 - Clinical
  • Fall: N 740 A Adv. Nursing Science: Nursing Science: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Theory & Clinical Practicum, N 740B AGACNP Clinical Practicum I
  • Spring: N 741A Adv. Nursing Science: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Theory II & Clinical Practicum II, N 741B AGACNP Clinical Practicum II, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 741C Adv. Nursing Science: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum III, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N741DH Advanced Nursing Science, Theory III
• DNP Year 3 - Scholarly Project
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

• DNP Year 1 - Didactic
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology, N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods, N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• DNP Year 2 - Clinical
  • Fall: N 730A Adv. Nursing Science: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Theory & Clinical Practicum I, N 730B AGPCNP Clinical Practicum I
  • Spring: N 731A Adv. Nursing Science: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Theory II & Clinical Practicum II, N 731B AGPCNP Clinical Practicum II, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 731C Adv. Nursing Science: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum III, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N 731DH Advanced Nursing Science, Theory III
• DNP Year 3 - Scholarly Project
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Family Nurse Practitioner

• DNP Year 1 - Didactic
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology, N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods, N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• DNP Year 2 - Clinical
  • Fall: N 760A Adv. Nursing Science: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory I & Clinical Practicum I, N 760B FNP Clinical Practicum I, N 659A Adv. Nursing Science: Maternal Child Health
  • Spring: N 761A Adv. Nursing Science: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory II & Clinical Practicum II, N 761B FNP Clinical Practicum II, N 659B Adv. Nursing Science: Maternal Child Health, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 761C Adv. Nursing Science: Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum III, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N 761DH Advanced Nursing Science, Theory III
• DNP Year 3 - Scholarly Project
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

• DNP Year 1 - Didactic
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology, N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods, N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, N 671 Psychotherapeutic Interventions I: Individual Therapy, NXXX Elective (optional)
• DNP Year 2 - Clinical
  • Fall: N 732A Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing I: Assessment and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan, N 732B Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum, N 673 Clinical Psychopharmacology
  • Spring: N 733A Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing II: Care of Adults, Older Adults and Consultation, N 733B Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum II, N 675 Psychotherapeutic Interventions II: Group, Couples and Family Therapy, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 734A Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing III: Care of Children Adolescents and Families, N 734B Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum III, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing
• DNP Year 3 - Scholarly Project
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Part-Time DNP Program Curriculum

The DNP program is available on a part-time status during the first year curriculum only. The total length of the program would increase from 3 years full-time to 4 years part-time. The final 2 years of the DNP program must be taken on a full-time basis to accommodate the clinical practicum and scholarly project hour commitments.

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner

• Year 1 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods
• Year 2 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 723H-1 Quality and Safety
  • Summer: N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• Year 3 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 740 A Adv. Nursing Science: Nursing Science: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Theory & Clinical Practicum, N 740B Clinical Practicum I
  • Spring: N 741A Adv. Nursing Science: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Theory II & Clinical Practicum II, N 741B Clinical Practicum II, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 741C Adv. Nursing Science: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum III, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N741DH Advanced Nursing Science, Theory III
• Year 4 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

• Year 1 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods
• Year 2 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety
  • Summer: N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• Year 3 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 730A Adv. Nursing Science: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Theory & Clinical Practicum I, N 730B AGPCNP Clinical Practicum I
  • Spring: N 731A Adv. Nursing Science: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Theory II & Clinical Practicum II, N 731B AGPCNP Clinical Practicum II, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 731C Adv. Nursing Science: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum III, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N 731DH Advanced Nursing Science, Theory III
• Year 4 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Family Nurse Practitioner

• Year 1 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods
• Year 2 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety
  • Summer: N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• Year 3 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 760A Adv. Nursing Science: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory I & Clinical Practicum I, N 760B FNP Clinical Practicum I, N 659A Adv. Nursing Science: Maternal Child Health
  • Spring: N 761A Adv. Nursing Science: Family Nurse Practitioner Theory II & Clinical Practicum II, N 761B FNP Clinical Practicum II, N 659B Adv. Nursing Science: Maternal Child Health, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 761C Adv. Nursing Science: Family Nurse Practitioner Clinical Practicum III, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N 761DH Advanced Nursing Science, Theory III
• Year 4 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

• Year 1 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 603A Societal Forces, N 603B.1 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 613H Advanced Pathophysiology
  • Spring: N 603B.2 IP Community Service-Learning Practicum, N 614 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics, N 716 EBP & Scholarly Inquiry, N 718H Scholarly Writing
  • Summer: N 715 Analytical Foundations of Practice Inquiry, N 727 DNP Practice Inquiry Methods
• Year 2 (Part-time)
  • Fall: N 704 Principles of Epidemiology, N 706 Health Policy
  • Spring: N 615 Advanced Health Assessment, N 723H-1 Quality & Safety
  • Summer: N 671 Psychotherapeutic Interventions I: Individual Therapy, N 729 Diagnostic Reasoning: Complexities Associated with the Care of the Older Adult, NXXX Elective (optional)
• Year 3 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 732A Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing I: Assessment and Diagnosis Across the Lifespan, N 732B Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum, N 673 Clinical Psychopharmacology
  • Spring: N 733A Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing II: Care of Adults, Older Adults and Consultation, N 733B Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum II, N 675 Psychotherapeutic Interventions II: Group, Couples and Family Therapy, N 7091 DNP Project Proposal
  • Summer: N 734A Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing III: Care of Children Adolescents and Families, N 734B Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practicum III, N 709II DNP Project Proposal, N 708 Organizational Systems & Health Care Financing
• Year 4 (Full-time)
  • Fall: N 772 DNP Scholarly Project: Implementation, N 776 Leadership for Advanced Practice, N 707 Biomedical Informatics
  • Spring: N 773 DNP Scholarly Project: Evaluation, N 778 Transition to Advanced Practice

Non-Degree Course Offerings

For those considering the DNP program, we invite interested students to take up to 3 courses (9 credits) as a non-degree student. Non-degree courses are offered in fall, spring, and summer semesters with a flexible enrollment process. Up to 3 courses can apply towards DNP degree completion. Non-degree courses that are offered to consider include Advanced Pathophysiology and Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics.