Program Overview

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Nursing

Program Overview

The School of Nursing is committed to educating students at the baccalaureate and graduate levels to address evolving health care needs and to advance the practice of nursing in an ever-changing society. Graduates of the baccalaureate program have the theoretical base in nursing and related disciplines and the skills, both interpersonal and technological, required for practice and have the foundation for graduate study.

The Master of Science in Nursing prepares students with a broad knowledge and practice expertise that builds and expands on baccalaureate nursing practice. Nurses with a master’s degree are prepared for a variety of roles and areas of practice. Students in the MSN program complete the Nurse Educator track. Post-master’s certificates and second master’s degrees are offered. Graduates are qualified for national certification examination.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice prepares students to specialize in practice-focused advanced nursing practice. Depending on the student’s academic preparation, they may pursue one of two DNP tracks: (1) BSN to DNP Nurse Practitioner track or (2) Post-Master’s DNP track. Graduates of the BSN-to-DNP Nurse Practitioner track are eligible for national certification examination.

MSN – Master of Science in Nursing: Nurse Educator

Program Overview

The Master of Science in Nursing prepares students to meet the needs of an evolving healthcare environment by building on baccalaureate nursing education. The Nurse Educator track prepares students to meet the education needs of hospitals, health organizations, and colleges/universities. All MSN courses are offered online. New student orientation will be held at the beginning of the program.

MSN Program Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree with an upper-division major in nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program (graduates of non-accredited nursing programs will be evaluated individually).
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 on a 4.00 scale overall or 3.00 on the last 60 hours of earned credit.
• Completion of an undergraduate course in basic statistics, with a grade of C or above.
• Current unencumbered United States license as a registered nurse in Arkansas (or state where clinical experiences will take place).
• Applicants for whom English is not the native language are required to score 83 or higher on the iBT TOEFL exam. The exam must have been taken within the last two (2) calendar years. Only iBT TOEFL scores received directly from ETS or the UCA Testing center will be accepted as valid.
• Cover letter
• Résumé
• Interview

MSN Degree Post-Acceptance Requirements

• Complete a criminal background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results.
• Complete a drug screen, as directed by the School of Nursing, with negative results.
• Submit verification of specified health requirements (see School of Nursing Graduate Handbook for list of immunizations).
• Provide proof of health insurance coverage.

MSN Degree Requirements

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree requires 30 credit hours.

• NURS 6316 Advanced Health Assessment for Nurse Educators
• NURS 6306 Research Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6360 Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6420 Integrated Pathophysiology and Pharmacology for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7365 Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6345 Evaluation in Higher Education
• NURS 6348 Instructional Design and Teaching Strategies
• NURS 6350 Curriculum in Nursing and Health Professions
• NURS 6340 Clinical Specialty for the Nurse Educator
• NURS 6249 Teaching Practicum for the Nurse Educator

Program Retention Requirements

• Maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Earn a minimum of “B” in all graduate courses.
• Meet the policies and requirements of the School of Nursing Graduate Handbook.
• Meet all UCA Graduate School requirements for graduation.

Post-Master’s Certificates (PMCs) and Second Master’s Degrees

Master’s-prepared nurses seeking additional master’s preparation for national certification have the following options: (1) second master’s degree (minimum of 30 credit hours required) and (2) post-master’s certificate (minimum of 12 required hours). Two PMCs are offered, the PMC in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and the PMC in Nurse Educator. The PMC in Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) track requires that the applicant to be nationally certified and licensed as an APRN. Each applicant will have an individualized plan of study based on previous coursework.

PMC and Second Master’s Degree Admission Requirements

• Master’s degree in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program (graduates from non-accredited nursing programs will be evaluated individually).
• Current unencumbered United States license as a registered nurse or APRN license for PMC-FNP in Arkansas (or state where clinical experiences will take place).
• Minimum cumulative graduate GPA at or higher than 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Applicants for whom English is not the native language are required to score 83 or higher on the iBT TOEFL exam. The exam must have been taken within the last two (2) calendar years. Only iBT TOEFL scores received directly from ETS or the UCA Testing center will be accepted as valid.
• Cover letter
• Résumé
• Interview

MSN, PMC, and Second Master’s Degree Post-Acceptance Requirements

• Complete a criminal background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results.
• Complete a drug screen, as directed by the School of Nursing with negative results.
• Submit verification of specified health requirements (see School of Nursing Graduate Handbook for list of immunizations).
• Provide proof of health insurance coverage.

PMC and Second Master’s Degree Post-Acceptance Requirements

• Complete a criminal background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results.
• Complete a drug screen, as directed by the School of Nursing with negative results.
• Submit verification of specified health requirements (see School of Nursing Graduate Handbook for list of immunizations).
• Provide proof of health insurance coverage.

PMC and Second MSN Degree Requirements

The amount and type of credit hours depend on the previous MSN. Certified nurse practitioners seeking a PMC focused on family will have a gap analysis completed by the Graduate Program Coordinator to determine the appropriate plan of study.

Program Retention Requirements

• Maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Earn a minimum of “B” in all graduate courses.
• Meet the policies and requirements of the School of Nursing Graduate Handbook.
• Meet all UCA Graduate School requirements for graduation.

DNP – Doctor of Nursing Practice

Program Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused terminal degree that prepares graduates for the most advanced level of nursing. As practice leaders, the DNP-prepared scholar generates evidence through practice to guide improvements in the quality of health care, health outcomes, and health care systems. Graduates of the BSN-to-DNP track are qualified for national certification examination.

All courses in the Post-Master’s DNP program are offered online. Courses in the BSN-to-DNP FNP track with clinical components require minimal (2–4) on-campus meetings per semester. Campus intensives may be required periodically throughout the program. New student orientation will be held at the beginning of the program.

Post-MSN DNP

Post-MSN DNP Admission Requirements

• An earned master’s degree in Nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program (graduates from non-accredited nursing programs will be evaluated individually).
• Current unencumbered United States registered nurse license in Arkansas (or state where clinical experiences will take place).
• Minimum cumulative GPA at or higher than 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
• Applicants for whom English is not the native language are required to score 83 or higher on the iBT TOEFL exam. The exam must have been taken within the last two (2) calendar years. Only iBT TOEFL scores received directly from ETS or the UCA Testing center will be accepted as valid.
• Documentation of a minimum of 280 supervised clinical hours with a preceptor during the master’s nursing program.
• Cover letter
• Résumé
• Interview

Post-MSN DNP Post-Acceptance Requirements

• Complete a criminal background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results.
• Complete a drug screen, as directed by the School of Nursing, with negative results.
• Submit verification of specified health requirements (see School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook for list of immunizations).
• Provide proof of health insurance coverage.

Post-MSN DNP Degree Requirements

The Post-MSN DNP degree requires a minimum of 34 hours of planned sequential graduate nursing course work, including a DNP scholarly project in the last year of study.

• NURS 7105 Introduction to DNP Project
• NURS 6390 Statistical Methods and Data Analysis for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6332 Health Policy for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6360 Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7V15 DNP Clinical Internship
• NURS 7110 DNP Project Planning
• NURS 7120 DNP Project
• NURS 7315 Healthcare Quality and Organizational Systems for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7320 Healthcare Economics and Finance for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7325 Ethics for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7330 Healthcare Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7340 Leadership Principles for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7350 Translational Research Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7365 Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice

Program Retention Requirements

• Maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Earn a minimum of “B” in all graduate courses.
• Meet the policies and requirements of the School of Nursing Graduate Handbook.
• Meet all UCA Graduate School requirements for graduation.

BSN-to-DNP Nurse Practitioner

BSN-to-DNP Nurse Practitioner Application and Admission Requirements

• A baccalaureate degree in nursing from a nationally accredited nursing program (graduates of non-accredited nursing programs will be evaluated individually).
• A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.70 on a 4.00 scale or 3.00 on the last 60 hours of earned credit.
• A current unencumbered United States license as a registered nurse in Arkansas (or state where clinical experiences will take place).
• Applicants for whom English is not the native language are required to score 83 or higher on the iBT TOEFL exam. The exam must have been taken within the last two (2) calendar years. Only iBT TOEFL scores received directly from ETS or the UCA Testing center will be accepted as valid.
• Cover letter
• Résumé
• Interview
• Undergraduate Nursing students preparing to graduate should obtain a letter from the Dean or Director of Nursing School stating expected graduation date verifying current enrollment.

BSN-to-DNP Nurse Practitioner Post-Acceptance Requirements

• Complete a criminal background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results.
• Complete a drug screen, as directed by the School of Nursing, with negative results.
• Submit verification of specified health requirements (see School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook for list of immunizations).
• Provide proof of health insurance coverage.
• Submit a “Signed Hours Agreement” form acknowledging their understanding that they must provide verification of a minimum of 2,000 work hours as a registered nurse (RN) in order to be eligible to be licensed as an Advanced Practice Nurse – Nurse Practitioner in the state of Arkansas.

BSN-to-DNP Nurse Practitioner Degree Requirements

The BSN-to-DNP Nurse Practitioner degree requires 73 planned sequential graduate nursing course work. Students must also successfully complete a DNP Scholarly Project in the last year of study and meet all UCA Graduate School requirements for graduation.

• NURS 6306 Research Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6315 Advanced Health Assessment
• NURS 6320 Advanced Pathophysiology
• NURS 6325 Advanced Pharmacology
• NURS 6332 Health Policy for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6360 Philosophical and Theoretical Foundations for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6390 Statistical Methods and Data Analysis for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 6511 Introduction to Primary Care for Nurse Practitioners
• NURS 6512 Care of Adults Across the Lifespan I
• NURS 7105 Introduction to DNP Project
• NURS 7110 DNP Project Planning
• NURS 7120 DNP Project
• NURS 7230 Advanced Clinical Decision Making I
• NURS 7235 Advanced Clinical Decision Making II
• NURS 7315 Healthcare Quality and Organizational Systems for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7320 Healthcare Economics and Finance for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7325 Ethics for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7330 Healthcare Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7340 Leadership Principles for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7350 Translational Research Methods for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7365 Population Health and Epidemiology for Advanced Nursing Practice
• NURS 7513 Care of Adults Across the Lifespan II
• NURS 7514 Care of Children for Family Nurse Practitioners
• NURS 7V20 Residency for Doctor of Nursing Practice
• NURS 7V15 DNP Internship

Program Retention Requirements

• Maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
• Earn a minimum of “B” in all graduate courses.
• Meet the policies and requirements of the School of Nursing Graduate Handbook.
• Meet all UCA Graduate School requirements for graduation.

School of Nursing Policies

The current editions of the UCA Student Handbook and the School of Nursing Graduate Student Handbook specify the rules, regulations, and policies that apply to all UCA graduate nursing students. It is the responsibility of the student to know and follow the most recent policies and procedures.

Accreditation Status

The baccalaureate and master’s degree programs are approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. The DNP program is approved by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education and is designed to meet professional standards for the practice doctorate developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The baccalaureate, master’s, post-master’s nurse practitioner certificate, and DNP programs in nursing at UCA are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001.