Program Overview

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Nursing Practice: Population Health Nursing, DNP

The Advanced Practice Population Health DNP Track focuses on preparing students to provide the bridge between epidemiological data and the individual/family lived experience of health and illnesses, improve the health of communities by conduction of population and systems assessments, driving equitable distribution of health and health care resources, assure individual and community resilience to mitigate the impact of health risks related to environmental and planetary climate threats, activate equitable policies and solutions to health problems for populations by applying principles of social justice, and to use system-level methods to communicate public health information, influence behavior and improve health for varying audiences.

Admissions

• Graduate admissions is a two-step process between academic programs and the Graduate School.
• Applicants must meet the minimum requirements of the Graduate School as well as the program(s).
• Once you have researched the graduate program(s) you are interested in, apply online.

Admission Requirements

• Fall Deadline: December 1
• Spring Deadline: This program does not admit in the spring.
• Summer Deadline: This program does not admit in the summer.
• GRE (Graduate Record Examinations): Not required.
• English Proficiency Test:
  • TOEFL (iBT): 100
  • IELTS: 8
  • Duolingo English Test: 130
• Other Test(s) (e.g., GMAT, MCAT): n/a
• Letters of Recommendation Required: 3

Additional Admission Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited baccalaureate program in nursing or masters degree from an accredited nursing, public health, or other health-related program (if applicable)
• One year of experience in nursing, public health, or a health-related field
• Minimum GPA requirements:
  • 3.0 in the last 60 baccalaureate credits and/or
  • 3.5 in master's degree credits (if completed master's degree)
• Grade of B or better in an approved graduate level statistics course within the last 5 years.
• Unencumbered Wisconsin RN license (by the program start)
• Certification as an advanced practice nurse (if applicable)
• Application essay
• Curriculum vitae or resume
• CGFNS Certification (for international applicants only)

Minimum Graduate School Requirements

Review the Graduate School minimum degree requirements and policies, in addition to the program requirements listed below.

Named Option Requirements

Mode of Instruction

• Mode of Instruction: Online
• Definitions:
  • Accelerated: Accelerated programs are offered at a fast pace that condenses the time to completion.
  • Evening/Weekend: Courses meet on the UWMadison campus only in evenings and/or on weekends to accommodate typical business schedules.
  • Face-to-Face: Courses typically meet during weekdays on the UW-Madison Campus.
  • Hybrid: These programs combine face-to-face and online learning formats.
  • Online: These programs are offered 100% online.

Curricular Requirements

• Minimum Credit Requirement: 58 credits
• Minimum Residence Credit Requirement: 32 credits
• Minimum Graduate Coursework Requirement: 29 credits must be graduate-level coursework.
• Overall Graduate GPA Requirement: 3.00 GPA required.
• Other Grade Requirements: A student may not receive more than one grade below a B (or a U grade) in any 12 month period.
• Assessments and Examinations: Students must complete a scholarly project, which represents the culmination of a student's doctoral education.
• Language Requirements: No language requirements.
• Graduate School Breadth Requirement: DNP students are not required to complete a doctoral minor or graduate/professional certificate.

Required Courses

• For students with a master's degree in nursing, a personalized program plan will be developed and some of the following courses may be satisfied with previous master's coursework.
• Course List:
  • B M I 573: Foundations of Data-Driven Healthcare (3 credits)
  • NURSING 702: Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Diverse Communities (3 credits)
  • NURSING 703: Health Care and Public Policy (3 credits)
  • NURSING 706: Nursing Research (3 credits)
  • NURSING 709: Leadership Foundations: The Discipline of Nursing (2 credits)
  • NURSING 714: Advanced Health Systems Leadership and Innovation (3 credits)
  • NURSING 715: Evaluation of Health Informatics Solutions (3 credits)
  • NURSING 720: Population Health Practicum I: Working in the Aggregate (3 credits)
  • NURSING 721: Population Health Practicum II: Community Action and Collective Impact (3 credits)
  • NURSING 723: Population Health Theory and Methods Seminar I: Contemporary Issues & Population Health Ethics (2 credits)
  • NURSING 724: Pop Health Theory & Methods Seminar II: Interdis Practice, Collective Impact & Coalition Building (2 credits)
  • NURSING 725: Population Health Theory and Methods Seminar III: Emerging Issues and Specialized Roles (2 credits)
  • NURSING 730: Critical Social Theories in Population Health (2 credits)
  • NURSING 761: Health Program Planning, Evaluation, and Quality Improvement (3 credits)
  • NURSING 772: Leadership and Organizational Decision-Making in Health Care (3 credits)
  • NURSING 806: Evaluation and Application of Evidence-Based Practice (3 credits)
  • NURSING 830: Leadership, Role Development, and Resource Stewardship Practicum (3 credits)
  • NURSING 847: Health Policy Practicum (3 credits)
  • NURSING 906: Scholarly Project 1 (6 credits)
  • POP HLTH/SOC 797: Introduction to Epidemiology (3 credits)
• Total Credits: 58

Three-Year Program Plan

First Year

• Fall:
  • NURSING 706 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 709 (2 credits)
  • NURSING 730 (2 credits)
  • POP HLTH/SOC 797 (3 credits)
• Spring:
  • B M I 573 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 703 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 806 (3 credits)
• Summer:
  • NURSING 702 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 772 (3 credits)

Second Year

• Fall:
  • NURSING 715 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 720 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 723 (2 credits)
• Spring:
  • NURSING 721 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 724 (2 credits)
  • NURSING 761 (3 credits)
• Summer:
  • NURSING 906 (2 credits)

Third Year

• Fall:
  • NURSING 725 (2 credits)
  • NURSING 847 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 906 (2 credits)
• Spring:
  • NURSING 714 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 830 (3 credits)
  • NURSING 906 (2 credits)

Graduate School Policies

The Graduate Schools Academic Policies and Procedures serve as the official document of record for Graduate School academic and administrative policies and procedures and are updated continuously.

Named Option-Specific Policies

Prior Coursework

• Graduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions: With program approval, students are allowed to transfer graduate coursework from other institutions.
• Undergraduate Credits Earned at Other Institutions or UW-Madison: No undergraduate coursework will be allowed to transfer toward DNP requirements.
• Credits Earned as a Professional Student at UW-Madison: Refer to the Graduate School: Transfer Credits for Prior Coursework policy.
• Credits Earned as a University Special Student at UWMadison: With program approval, students are allowed to transfer no more than 9 credits of coursework numbered 300 or above taken as a University Special student.

Probation

• Students meeting any of the following conditions will be placed on Academic Probation and will receive written notice of their status:
  1. Achieving less than a 3.0 GPA in a term.
  2. Earning a cumulative GPA less than a 3.0.
  3. Earning one grade below a B or one Unsatisfactory (U) grade.

Advisor / Committee

• Within the DNP Program, each student will have an assigned faculty advisor as well as an assigned academic advisor.

Credits Per Term Allowed

• 15 credit maximum.

Time Limits

• PostBS: Students must complete the requirements within six years of admission.
• PostMS: Students must complete the requirements within four years of admission to the program.

Grievances and Appeals

• These resources may be helpful in addressing your concerns:
  • Bias or Hate Reporting
  • Graduate Assistantship Policies and Procedures
  • Hostile and Intimidating Behavior Policies and Procedures
  • Office of the Provost for Faculty and Staff Affairs
  • Employee Assistance
  • Employee Disability Resource Office
  • Graduate School
  • Office of Compliance
  • Office Student Assistance and Support
  • Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards
  • Ombuds Office for Faculty and Staff
  • Title IX

Student Appeals, Petitions, and Grievance Procedures

Section One: Appeals

• Appeals are limited to requests to continue in the curriculum after being dropped from the program and/or course grade appeals.

Drop Appeals

• Any undergraduate or graduate student who feels they should not have been dropped from the program has the right to file an appeal.

Course Grade Appeals

• A student who believes a grade received in a Nursing course was an error or not consistent with guidelines outlined in the syllabus or campus standards has the right to appeal the grade.

Filing Appeal

1. The student must submit a petition for special consideration form to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs within 10 business days of notification of academic status or grade posting.
2. Within 15 business days after receiving the appeal, the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs shall arrange for a committee meeting.
3. Within 60 calendar days after the committee receives the appeal from the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, the committee shall send a written report of the committee's recommendations to the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs.
4. The Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs will consider the committees recommendation and issue a decision on the appeal.
5. If the appeal is granted, the Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs will discuss with the appellant any stipulations and recommendations for continuation in the program.
6. If a student chooses to appeal the decision, the appeal will be directed to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Section Two: Petitions

• If a student in the School of Nursing wishes to request an exception to a School of Nursing academic policy or regulation they should first consult their academic advisor.

Section Three: Grievances

• The following School of Nursing Student Grievance Policy and associated procedures are designed for use in response to individual student grievances regarding faculty or staff in the School of Nursing.
• Any individual student who feels they have been treated unfairly by a School of Nursing faculty or staff member has the right to file a grievance and receive a timely response addressing their concerns.

Informal Resolution

• Any student in the School of Nursing who believes they have been treated inequitably is encouraged to resolve the matter informally.

Formal Grievance Procedure

1. Any student in the School of Nursing who has attempted to informally resolve a grievance but has been unsuccessful, may submit a formal grievance to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
2. The student must submit a written grievance by email to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs within 20 business days of the alleged unfair treatment.
3. Within 30 business days after receiving the grievance, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall arrange for a committee meeting.
4. Within 60 calendar days after the committee receives the grievance from the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, the committee shall send a written report of the committee's recommendations to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
5. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will consider the committees recommendation and issue a decision on the grievance.
6. If a student chooses to appeal the decision, the appeal will be directed to the Dean of the School of Nursing.