Program Overview
Introduction to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed to prepare leaders in clinical nursing who can improve the quality of care for individuals and populations through advanced practice and by improving systems of care. The curriculum is based on national standards for DNP education and is offered cooperatively with the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Program Outcomes
The DNP program is designed for graduates to attain the following program outcomes:
- Integrate nursing science, informatics, research, and ethical and legal principles to provide excellence in advanced clinical nursing practice.
- Translate research science to improve healthcare delivery and health outcomes.
- Provide multidisciplinary leadership through analysis of critical indicators and/or healthcare delivery systems to optimize patient care and safety.
- Influence health policy-making to improve health outcomes, shape healthcare delivery, and remove barriers to healthcare.
- Develop and evaluate strategies to establish best practices in a specific setting.
Curriculum Overview
Courses are designed to support nursing science, clinical research, leadership, and a specialty area. Concepts woven throughout the courses include:
- Methodologies for translating research into practice
- Using culturally competent leadership techniques with diverse and underserved populations
- Advanced nursing science and clinical scholarship
- Clinical prevention
- Advanced nursing practice and clinical decision making
- Understanding organizational systems and change
- Policy development
Admission Requirements
Admission to the DNP program requires:
- Graduation from an MSN program or post-MSN APN certificate program with national nursing accreditation
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
- 2 reference letters
- A proposed DNP project that matches faculty expertise
- Interview by invitation
- Evidence of eligibility for advanced practice certification or current certification in an advanced practice role
- Current or eligible for advanced practice nursing recognition in Missouri or eligible for recognition as an advanced practice nurse in Missouri
Curriculum Structure
The DNP curriculum is divided into 4 general categories:
- Leadership development and change
- Policy
- Practice-focused evaluation/translational research
- Clinical excellence
Prerequisites and Degree Requirements
A graduate-level general statistics course completed within the previous five years is a prerequisite to NURSE 7230, Epidemiology, and is required prior to the first fall semester. The completion of the DNP program requires the following courses:
- NURSE 7402, Research Institute 1 (2 credits)
- NURSE 7200, Nursing Science (3 credits)
- NURSE 7220, Leadership in Practice (3 credits)
- NURSE 7230, Epidemiology (3 credits)
- NURSE 7240, Health Informatics (3 credits)
- NURSE 7250, Frameworks for Health Care Delivery and Policy (3 credits)
- NURSE 7260, Program and Practice Evaluation (3 credits)
- NURSE 7291, Clinical Scholarship 1 (3 credits)
- NURSE 7292, Clinical Scholarship 2 (3 credits)
- NURSE 7293, Clinical Scholarship 3 (3 credits)
- NURSE 7299, DNP Seminar (1 credit)
Clinically Focused Project
Near the end of the DNP program, students will complete a clinically focused project that satisfies the Graduate School dissertation requirements. This project is completed while the student is enrolled in NURSE 7291, NURSE 7292, NURSE 7293, NURSE 7299.
Total Minimum Graduate Credit Hours
The total minimum graduate credit hours required for the completion of the DNP program is 30.