Courses - Doctor of Nursing Practice

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program has two entry options:

1. MSN to DNP — curriculum will be composed of five components for a total of 38–46 credits. (Your total number of credits will depend on the number of practicum hours you need to meet the 1,000-hour requirement.)
   1. DNP Core Courses – 12 credits
   2. Other Required Courses – 20 credits
   3. Advanced Practice Clinical – 0–8 credits (Your number of credits depend on the number of hours completed in the student's MSN program; if you have completed 600 hours, additional clinical practice hours are not required.)
   4. DNP Project Requirement – 6 credits (minimum)
2. B.S. to DNP — curriculum will be composed of seven components for a total of 61 credits.
   1. Master's Core – 9 credits
   2. Nurse Administrator Option Courses – 13 credits
   3. DNP Core Courses – 12 credits
   4. Other Required Courses – 8 credits
   5. Statistics Requirement – 3 credits
   6. Advanced Practice Clinical – 4 credits (needed to meet the 1,000-hour requirement)
   7. DNP Project Requirement – 6 credits (minimum)
   8. Electives – 6 credits

Practicum Hours

A total of 1,000 hours of post–BS practicum are required in the DNP program. You may transfer 550 hours of practicum (if applicable) from the master's program. The DNP project course (NURS 835) includes a total of 300 hours related to the DNP project. Leadership courses (NURS 832 and NURS 833) include a total of 150 hours of prescribed practicum experiences. The remaining practicum hours will be fulfilled in an individualized plan based on your area of interest and are scheduled in NURS 834.

You will develop this plan in consultation with the NURS 834 faculty member and with the approval of the DNP faculty adviser. Development of the plans for practicum experiences begins with your admission to the program and should be completed at the first Intensive meeting.

MSN to DNP Curriculum

B.S. to DNP Curriculum

DNP Project

The DNP project is an important aspect of the program. You and your advising team will meet prior to the beginning of the first semester to begin planning your DNP project. Following NURS 830, you will typically sit for candidacy. As part of your candidacy portfolio, you will submit a one-page description of your topical area of interest and a preliminary plan for your project. At this point, you will meet with your advising team to discuss and receive approval for the plan prior to entering NURS 831. During this course, you will develop the DNP project proposal. Following NURS 831, comprehensives will occur, where you orally present the proposal to the doctoral committee and other faculty and students. The project is implemented during NURS 835. This course, which will be available every semester, must be taken for a minimum of 6 credits and must continue to be taken for 2 credits every semester (except summers) until you have completed your DNP project and paper. Once the project is complete and the paper is approved by the doctoral committee, you will proceed to the final oral presentation.