Program Overview

Program Overview

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed to prepare advanced practice nurses to provide high-quality patient care and lead in the development of healthcare policies and practices.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements

• The program requires a total of 68 credits, including 56 required credits and 12 practicum credits for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPC) concentration and for the Family-Individual Across the Lifespan (FIAL) concentration.
• A minimum grade of B- must be earned for all required courses.

Required Courses for DNP, Family-Individual Across the Lifespan Concentration (Full-Time)

• Year 1:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 5401: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (4 credits)
    • EPBI 5001: Biostatistics for Health Professions (3 credits)
    • HRPR 8985: Teaching in Higher Education: Health Professions (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 5402: Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics (4 credits)
    • NURS 8201: Health Indices of Urban Populations in Primary Healthcare (3 credits)
    • NURS 8205: Nursing Leadership for Systems and Communities (2 credits)
    • HRPR 5001: Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions (0 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 5501: Theories for Advanced Practice Nursing of Families and Individuals (3 credits)
    • NURS 5552: Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (4 credits)
• Year 2:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 5101: Translation of Evidence in Healthcare (3 credits)
    • NURS 8204: Policy: Health Care Advocacy in Advanced Nursing Practice (2 credits)
    • NURS 9377: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9387: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Practicum (2 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 8101: DNP Project I: Problem Identification (2 credits)
    • NURS 8206: Health Economics and Business Practices in Primary Healthcare (2 credits)
    • NURS 8207: Advancing Health Through Information Technology (2 credits)
    • NURS 9477: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9487: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Practicum (2 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 8102: DNP Project II: Planning and Development (2 credits)
    • NURS 8302: Managing Outcomes Through Nursing Quality Initiatives (3 credits)
• Year 3:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 8103: DNP Project III: Implementation, Evaluation and Dissemination (3 credits)
    • NURS 9577: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9587: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Practicum (2 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 9777: Primary Care of Children and Youth Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9787: Primary Care of Children and Youth Practicum (2 credits)
    • EPSY 8960: Seminar Series: Problems in Educational Psychology (3 credits)

Required Courses for DNP, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Concentration (Full-Time)

• The course sequence is similar to that of the Family-Individual Across the Lifespan concentration, with variations in the focus of practicum courses.

Required Courses for DNP, Family-Individual Across the Lifespan Concentration (Part-Time)

• Year 1:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 8204: Policy: Health Care Advocacy in Advanced Nursing Practice (2 credits)
    • HRPR 8985: Teaching in Higher Education: Health Professions (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 8205: Nursing Leadership for Systems and Communities (2 credits)
    • NURS 8206: Health Economics and Business Practices in Primary Healthcare (2 credits)
    • NURS 8207: Advancing Health Through Information Technology (2 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 5501: Theories for Advanced Practice Nursing of Families and Individuals (3 credits)
    • NURS 8302: Managing Outcomes Through Nursing Quality Initiatives (3 credits)
• Year 2:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 5401: Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology (4 credits)
    • EPBI 5001: Biostatistics for Health Professions (3 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 5402: Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics (4 credits)
    • NURS 8201: Health Indices of Urban Populations in Primary Healthcare (3 credits)
    • HRPR 5001: Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions (0 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 5552: Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning (4 credits)
• Year 3:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 5101: Translation of Evidence in Healthcare (3 credits)
    • NURS 9377: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9387: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Practicum (2 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 8101: DNP Project I: Problem Identification (2 credits)
    • NURS 9477: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9487: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Practicum (2 credits)
  • Summer:
    • NURS 8102: DNP Project II: Planning and Development (2 credits)
• Year 4:
  • Fall:
    • NURS 8103: DNP Project III: Implementation, Evaluation and Dissemination (3 credits)
    • NURS 9577: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9587: Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Practicum (2 credits)
  • Spring:
    • NURS 9777: Primary Care of Children and Youth Theory (3 credits)
    • NURS 9787: Primary Care of Children and Youth Practicum (2 credits)
    • EPSY 8960: Seminar Series: Problems in Educational Psychology (3 credits)

Required Courses for DNP, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Concentration (Part-Time)

• The course sequence is similar to that of the Family-Individual Across the Lifespan concentration, with variations in the focus of practicum courses.

Culminating Event

Clinical Practice Project

• Over the course of completing NURS 8101 DNP Project Development I, NURS 8102 DNP Project Development II, and NURS 8103 DNP Project Implementation, the student develops an evidence-based clinical practice project in consultation with DNP Project Faculty Advisors.
• A doctorally prepared mentor with content expertise is optional.
• The DNP project courses include specific deliverables related to the project.
• If deliverables are not completed by the end of the course, the student must register for a DNP project continuation course.
• DNP project courses are sequential and must be completed according to the plans of study.
• Deliverables specific to each DNP project course must be successfully completed to qualify for progression to the next DNP project course.