Program Overview

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Program Overview

The UAB School of Nursing provides support and assistance to MSN and DNP students in securing appropriate clinical placement sites and qualified preceptors from among more than 5,000 clinical affiliates.

Doctoral Programs

• PhD Program
• Dual DNP-PhD Pathway
• DNP Program
  • Adult-Gero Acute Care NP
  • Adult-Gero Primary Care NP
  • Family NP
  • Neonatal NP
  • Nurse Anesthesia
  • Nurse Executive
  • Pediatric Acute Care NP
  • Pediatric Primary Care NP
  • Population Health
  • Post-MSN to DNP
  • Psychiatric/Mental Health NP
  • Women's Health Care NP

Master's Program

• Accelerated Master's
• Adult-Gero Acute Care NP
• Adult-Gero Primary Care NP
• Care Transitions
• Clinical Research Management
• Family NP
• MSN/MBA Dual Degree
• Neonatal NP
• Nurse Educator
• Nurse-Midwifery
• Nursing Administration
• Nursing Informatics
• Pediatric Acute Care NP
• Pediatric Primary Care NP
• Psychiatric/Mental Health NP
• RN to MSN
• Women's Health Care NP

Non-Degree Options

• Certificates
• Subspecialties

Office of Student Success

The Office of Student Success provides support to students throughout their program.

Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner

Graduates of the DNP Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) Specialty are prepared for advanced nursing practice to deliver primary health care with specialized knowledge of women's health.

Admission Requirements

Prospective students must meet the following requirements for admission:

• A BSN from a regionally accredited institution, equivalent to that offered by UAB School of Nursing.
• Possess an unencumbered/unrestricted license to practice nursing in the state where coursework will be completed (didactic and clinical).
• An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale either cumulatively or on the last 60 semester credit hours.
• Students with less than a 3.2 GPA (last 60 hours undergraduate GPA or overall undergraduate GPA) are required to complete and submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or GMAT.
• A combined score of 297 on the verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE or a score of 480 on the GMAT.
• Test scores submitted to UAB from the GRE or GMAT must not be more than five years old.
• Applicants should submit an official transcript from every college or university they have ever attended (even if for only one semester).
• Three (3) letters of professional reference attesting to the applicant's potential for graduate study.
• A resume or curriculum vitae (CV).
• If admitted to the DNP program, students must show proof of completion of a descriptive statistics course, equivalent to UAB's MA-180, before starting the program.

State Regulations Governing Distance Programs

Out-of-state applicants to any of our distance-accessible programs should become familiar with their state's regulations governing distance accessible programs.

Application for Admission

Application deadlines:

• Summer 2026: October 9, 2025
• Fall 2026: February 13, 2026

Sample Program of Study

The curriculum is accomplished through 79 credit hours of course work, with 59 credit hours of didactic coursework and 20 credit hours of clinical practica, that is completed in nine or ten successive semesters depending on the semester of entry.

DNP Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the DNP Program, students will be able to:

• Design care delivery models to guide entry level and advanced nursing practice based on the translation of scientific evidence.
• Translate scientific, theoretical, and ethical principles into healthcare for individuals, families, and populations.
• Assume complex leadership roles to advance clinical practice and healthcare delivery at the organizational and systems level and to improve health outcomes of individuals and populations.
• Disseminate evidence and outcomes to support high-quality healthcare delivery and ongoing scholarly nursing practice.
• Contribute to a culture of patient and provider quality and safety within the healthcare environment.
• Assume complex leadership roles including social and financial responsibilities within interprofessional teams to advance nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
• Demonstrate social and financial responsibilities within health related organizational systems.
• Appraise informatics and emerging technologies to improve healthcare delivery.
• Demonstrate an evolving professional identity that maximizes contributions to the advancement of the nursing profession and organizational systems.
• Develop continuous self-assessment behaviors that enhance personal and professional growth and capacity for leadership.

Tuition and Fees

The estimates below are based on the costs listed at the UAB Office of Planning and Analysis website.

• DNP Coursework (in classroom per semester hour): $628 (Resident), $1,550 (Non-resident)
• DNP Coursework (distance-accessible format per semester hour): $723
• Fees - UAB School of Nursing: Educational Support and Technology Fee (per course): $235
• Other Related Expenses (Estimated):
  • Travel/Lodging for Attending Annual On-Campus DNP Intensive (annual estimate): $800
  • Books and supplies (estimate per term): $600
  • Student Hospitalization Insurance Fee (estimate per month): $270
  • Background Check (annual estimate): $92

Funding Your Education

• University Scholarships and Financial Aid: Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships and other funding opportunities are available on UAB's Cost & Aid website.
• UAB School of Nursing Scholarships: The UAB School of Nursing offers many scholarships, both need and merit based, to support nursing students across all programs.
• Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships: There are a limited number of Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships that are awarded through the UAB School of Nursing that require students to meet specific requirements, and are only awarded when funds are available.

Information for International Students

Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.

• F1 or J1 Visa Acceptable: Not eligible for this program
• College Degree (BSN Equivalent): Required
• Foreign Transcripts Evaluated: Required
• English Proficiency: Required
• Graduate Record Exam (GRE): Required
• Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the U.S.: Required

Application Requirements for International Students

• Prospective students must have a bachelors degree in nursing equivalent to that offered by a U.S. regionally accredited educational institution.
• For Graduate Clinical Programs such as the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program, prospective students must also be licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S., in the state in which they will reside while completing the program.
• International applicants must, as part of their application, provide a detailed course by course evaluation of their academic transcripts and verification of their academic credentials.
• Applicants must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university course work.
• Applicants must complete and submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of the application process.
• Completion of a formal admission interview.
• Meet English language requirements: Students must submit scores on Tests of English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) and achieve the following minimum scores:
  • TOEFL iBT 80 and minimum of 18 in each of the 4 test sections, or
  • IELTS 6.5 and minimum of 6.0 in at least 2 of the 4 test sections.