Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed for nurses who want to practice at the highest clinical level. This program empowers nurses to make treatment decisions, order tests, and prescribe medications, while also leading people and teams, and improving systems and safety. The DNP program is available to students in two pathways: a BSN to DNP pathway and an MSN to DNP pathway.

Program Description

The DNP program is a hybrid format, offering an efficient plan of study that meets the needs of today's working nurses. The program is designed for nurses who have earned a BSN or generalist MSN degree and wish to become advanced practice nurses and achieve the highest level of nursing practice. The DNP program offers all the personal, professional, and financial benefits a doctoral degree confers, along with a UVA association that opens doors.

BSN to DNP Pathway

The BSN to DNP pathway program offers:

• In-person class about 1x/month with the balance of learning completed online
• 3-year plan of study requires less time and costs less than a traditional DNP program
• 750 clinical practicum hours, and guidance in finding clinical placements with qualified preceptors
• 7 specialty areas from which to choose, and ample preparation for the certification exam of your choice
• No clinical experience required: you can come right in after earning a BSN
• Guaranteed admission for UVA School of Nursing alumni

DNP Important Dates

• Application open: August 1
• Application deadline: January 5
• Decisions announced: First week of March

Specialty Tracks

Graduates of the BSN to DNP pathway are prepared for a national specialty certification exam of their choice in one of seven specialty tracks as advanced practice registered nurses (APRN):

• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist specialty
• Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty
• Family Nurse Practitioner specialty
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care specialty
• Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care specialty
• Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty

A dual-track Adult Gerontology Acute Care CNS + NP specialty is a full-time program and for military students only.

DNP or PhD?

A DNP degree is a doctorate of nursing practice, while a PhD is a research doctorate. Graduates of PhD programs are prepared to conduct independent research and disseminate their findings. PhD graduates are preferred for academic faculty positions, but DNP graduates are also recruited for academic and leadership positions emphasizing evidence-based clinical practice and teaching.

Comparison of DNP and PhD

• Focus: Nursing practice (DNP) vs. Nursing research (PhD)
• Goal: To perform at the highest level of nursing practice (DNP) vs. To prepare scholars with expertise in selected substantive areas to contribute to nursing theory and practice through systematic inquiry (PhD)
• Focus of courses: Expanding practice expertise to the highest level, theory related to practice, health care delivery systems, quality improvement methods, health policy, and advanced nursing practice leadership (DNP) vs. Philosophy of science, theory construction & analysis, statistics, research methods, qualitative and quantitative, history of health care and historical methods, instrumentation and measurement (PhD)

Admission Requirements

BSN to DNP Pathway Admission Requirements

BSN to DNP pathway applicants must:

• Submit a completed application and submit an $85 application fee
• Have a baccalaureate or master's degree in nursing from a nationally accredited (CCNE or NLN ACEN) school
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate and graduate study
• Submit a resume or CV
• All graduate nursing students, except those in the CNL master’s-entry program, and PhD students, are required to have an active unencumbered nursing license in the Commonwealth of Virginia or a compact license from the state in which they reside
• Send official transcripts for all post-secondary study
• Be available for an interview, if requested

MSN to DNP Pathway Admission Requirements

Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive and based on evaluation of all portions of the application. To be considered for the DNP, applicants must submit a completed application and:

• Have an MSN degree from a nationally accredited (CCNE or NLN ACEN) school
• Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate and graduate study
• All graduate nursing students, except those in the CNL master’s-entry program, and PhD students, are required to have an active unencumbered nursing license in the Commonwealth of Virginia or a compact license from the state in which they reside
• Have a valid certification in specialty nursing (NP, CNS, etc.), if applicable, by the time of entry into the program
• Submit a current resume or CV
• Send official transcripts for all post-secondary study
• Be available for an interview if requested

DNP Classes and Clinicals

DNP Core Courses (29 credits)

• GNUR 8180: Healthcare Data Analysis (3 credits)
• GNUR 8620: Quality and Safety in Healthcare Systems (4 credits)
• GNUR 8645: Ethics and Leadership in Interprofessional Practice (3 credits)
• GNUR 8650: Information Systems and Patient Care Technology (3 credits)
• GNUR 8660: Evidence-Based Practice (3 credits)
• GNUR 8680: Culturally Sensitive Care/Population Health (3 credits)
• GNUR 9026: Health Policy, Economics & Finance (3 credits)
• GNUR 9027: Practice Change Management (2 credits)
• GNUR 9710: Implementation of Practice Change (3 credits)
• GNUR 9720: Dissemination of Practice Scholarship (2 credits)

Specialty Track Concentration and Elective Courses

• Electives (9 credits)
• Specialty track courses (22-26 credits)

Practicum

All DNP students enroll in 14 credits (750 hours) in direct care practicum. Students select courses in consultation with their academic and faculty advisors based on the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to conduct their DNP projects.

DNP Tuition and Fees

Post-BSN DNP [full-time, 12+ credits]

Post-BSN DNP [part-time]