Program Overview

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville is designed to prepare advanced practice nurses for clinical practice, education, and research. By combining advanced practice nursing skills, appraisal and application of research, and leadership competence, students are empowered to become more efficient and effective practitioners.

Concentrations

The DNP program offers several concentrations, including:

• BSN-DNP Family Nurse Practitioner: prepares graduates for advanced nursing practice in delivering primary care to individuals across the lifespan.
• BSN-DNP Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: prepares students to become advanced practice nurses in the psychiatric mental health field.
• Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Dual Nurse Practitioner: prepares graduates to practice as advanced practice registered nurses with specialized education.
• Post-master’s DNP: a hybrid online curriculum with on-campus visits twice per semester throughout the students’ program of study.
• BSN-DNP Nurse Anesthesia: permits the graduate an opportunity to take his or her place among the ranks of the highly respected CRNAs.
• Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: prepares graduates to practice as advanced practice registered nurses with specialized education.

Admissions

The DNP program at the College of Nursing uses a holistic admissions process, in which the applicant’s essay and personal interview are given priority. These items are used to assess the applicant’s previous educational and work-related accomplishments and their readiness for the DNP program. Career goals and areas of focus of the applicant are considered.

Key Application Deadlines

• September 1: Nurse Anesthesia Application Deadline
• January 7: Final Application deadline

Following the January 7 deadline, applications will be reviewed based on program availability but no later than February 15.

Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education.
• Have a minimum cumulative graduate grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for previous college work.
• Hold an unencumbered Registered Nurse license in the state of residency.
• Have a total score of 80 on the internet-based TOEFL or a 6.5 overall band score on the IELTS if native language is not English.

Minimum Application Requirements

All prospective College of Nursing students must apply online and pay the application fee. Application materials must be submitted directly prior to the application deadline. A completed application will consist of:

• Official transcripts from all Graduate programs and courses attended.
• Essay addressing College of Nursing essay prompts.
• Resume/CV
• Recommendations from three college level instructors and/or nurses and administrators who have supervised the applicant’s professional work.
• Nursing License
• Interview with the College of Nursing DNP admissions committee, as specified by the program.
• TOEFL scores, if required

Program Features

• Immersion in an area of professional practice
• Knowledge and skill acquisition for application
• Appraisal and application of evidence to advance practice
• Leadership in health care systems
• Curriculum focused in evidence-based practice, leadership, population health policy, and quality improvement project planning
• Blended curriculum delivery combining face-to-face instruction and online learning
• Individually tailored scholarly project in your area of practice and interest
• Scholarly project funding available by application
• Colloquium, a time for DNP and PhD students and faculty to share and discuss their topic of interest
• A faculty that includes expert clinicians, educators, and nurse executives
• Faculty commitment to guiding students through the project development and implementation process
• Full accreditation by CCNE

Doctoral Intensives

The core courses in the DNP program are offered in a flexible blended format. The blended format consists of two required on-site, face-to-face visits per term complemented with live online group and collaborative discussions and activities; structured asynchronous individual, group, and self-directed work; and individual guidance, mentoring, and advising.

Clinical Intensives

Once students are in the clinical concentration portion of their program of study, they are no longer required to attend the doctoral intensive dates; However, the FNP, PNP-PC, PNP-AC, and PMHNP concentrations have mandatory clinical intensive sessions consisting of full-day experiences such as clinical labs or simulations.

Catalog

More Information about the program, admission requirements, and individual course descriptions can be found in the Graduate Catalog.