Program Overview

University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing offers a variety of programs for students pursuing a career in nursing.

Programs

• Doctoral Programs: The School of Nursing offers several doctoral programs, including the PhD Program, Dual DNP-PhD Pathway, and DNP Program.
  • DNP Program: The DNP Program is designed for advanced nursing practice and offers several specialties, including 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, and Women's Health Care NP.
• Master's Program: The Master's Program offers several specialties, including 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, and Women's Health Care NP.
• Non-Degree Options: The School of Nursing also offers non-degree options, including certificates and subspecialties.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the DNP Program, prospective students must meet the following requirements:

• A BSN from a regionally accredited institution
• An unencumbered/unrestricted license to practice nursing in the state where coursework will be completed
• An undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
• Students with less than a 3.2 GPA may be required to complete and submit scores for the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or GMAT
• Official transcripts from every college or university attended
• Three letters of professional reference
• A resume or curriculum vitae (CV)

Program Information

The DNP Program is offered via a part-time program of study delivered through a distance-accessible format that combines synchronous online classes with on-campus intensives. The curriculum is accomplished through 79 credit hours of coursework, with 59 credit hours of didactic coursework and 20 credit hours of clinical practica.

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 tuition and fees for the DNP Program are subject to change annually based on approval from the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and/or university. 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: Educational Support and Technology Fee (per course): $235
• Other related expenses: 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

The University of Alabama at Birmingham offers various funding opportunities, including university scholarships and financial aid, UAB School of Nursing scholarships, and graduate fellowships and traineeships.

Information for International Students

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. International students must meet the following requirements:

• A bachelor's degree in nursing equivalent to that offered by a U.S. regionally accredited educational institution
• Licensure as a registered nurse in the U.S.
• A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university coursework
• Completion of a formal admission interview
• Meet English language requirements: 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.