Program Overview

Post-BSN to DNP Program

The Post-BSN to DNP program is designed for advanced practice nurses who wish to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

Overview

The program focuses on providing leadership for evidence-based practice, requiring competence in translating research into practice, evaluating evidence, applying research in decision-making, and implementing viable clinical innovations to change practice.

Admission & Application

• I am an applicant who is transferring graduate credits from another program. How many credits can I transfer to this program? You can transfer up to six (6) credits only if those credits are consistent with university requirements and the curriculum requirements of the graduate program.
• What prerequisite courses are required for the program? You must have successfully completed an introductory course in statistics (3 credits) and health assessment (3 credits) at the undergraduate level.
• Do I have to take the GRE? No. The GRE is not required for admission to any of our DNP programs.
• What happens if I don't meet the admission requirements for the program? FIU Graduate Nursing programs are limited enrollment and admission is highly competitive. If you are not admitted and wish to have more information about your individual application, contact the Nicole Wertheim College of Nursing & Health Sciences Student Services office for an appointment with an admission advisor or the Director of Admissions and Student Services for Nursing.
• Do I have to reapply if I was admitted to the program, but couldn't enroll at the time? Degree-seeking students who were admitted to a graduate nursing program but were not enrolled at FIU for one full academic year or longer must reapply for admission to the University Graduate School and to the FIU Graduate Nursing program in accordance with the current admission requirements for that program.

Program Expectations

• Can I take a semester off? No. Each track requires you to take a certain number of credits and clinical hours each semester.
• Does the program require a thesis? No. You have three options to develop your knowledge and gain experience related to the research process. You can do a thesis, a master's paper, or a research practicum.
• Is your DNP program online? Our Traditional DNP program is completely online. It is designed to be convenient for working professionals.
• Does the DNP program at FIU admit non-clinical advanced practice nurses who are educators or administrators? No. Currently the Traditional DNP program at FIU is only open to advanced practice nurses prepared as Nurse Practitioners (e.g., ANP, GNP, PNP, FNP, etc.), Certified Nurse Specialist (CNS), Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM), or Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), and who have their Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree.
• Are you still offering MSN degree programs? Yes, we offer the MSN Nurse Educator and the MSN Nurse Practitioner in the following four Primary Care specialties: Adult-Gerontology, Pediatric, Psychiatric-Mental Health, or Family.

About DNP

• How is a DNP different from the PhD in Nursing? The DNP focuses on providing leadership for evidence-based practice.
• Why has the advanced nursing practice moved toward a DNP? Is there a gap in clinical practice? Recent reports from the Institute of Medicine describe the challenge of healthcare and represent a mandate for change in the educational program for the health professions.
• Does implementation of the DNP mean that current advanced practice nurses will no longer be permitted to practice without a doctorate? No, nurses with master's degrees (MSN) will continue to practice in their current capacities.
• Will the DNP program at FIU prepare me to assume a role as a physician? No. Nursing and medicine are distinct health disciplines that prepare clinicians to assume distinct roles and meet different practice expectations.
• What is a good reliable information resource about the DNP? The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) maintains a current up-to-date website that includes information about the DNP.