Plan of Study

There are four clinical courses provided throughout the program. 

In accordance with the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accreditation requirements, a total of one thousand post-baccalaureate clinical hours is required for graduation. Up to 500 clinical hours from MSN or other graduate level nursing studies may be applied to the total hours if the clinical experiences meet program outcomes. The remainder of the clinical hours will be completed in the four clinical courses in the DNP curriculum. 

Students who wish to have their previous clinical hours considered for transfer to their DNP plan of study may apply for approval by submitting/emailing the following to the Program Director for review

• The completed Request to Transfer Clinical Hours form. 
• An official copy of the transcript reflecting the successful completion of courses which include clinical hours 
• The catalog description for each successfully completed clinical course 
• A copy of the course syllabus for each clinical course successfully completed
  
   

The DNP Scholarly Project

The DNP project is the umbrella term used to describe a scholarly project with the express purpose of translating evidence into practice. You may also hear it referred to as a final or research DNP project. The scholarly project differs from a PhD Dissertation in that the PhD candidate looks for gaps in nursing research and develops original research to meet that gap in knowledge while the DNP candidate translates current existing evidence-based research into interventions for a population. The DNP program prepares students to bridge the gap between new science and integration into practice. 

The DNP candidate in Population Health uses existing evidence-based nursing research and applies that research to solve a verified problem in a chosen population. The DNP candidate applies research principles to describe, analyze, and offer adoptions, adaptations and change to current nursing practice or policy.

A DNP project may seek to:

1. Enhance nursing health interventions, practice, or policy outcomes
2. Evaluate health outcomes, nursing practice outcomes, or policy outcomes
3. Reflect a culmination of practice inquiry
4. Engage in new nursing or interprofessional partnerships
5. Translate evidence into nursing practice changes and interventions

Development of the DNP project begins in the first semester of study

Beginning in the first semester of the program, students will identify an issue of concern and a population of interest as a focus for their scholarly project. With guidance from faculty, students will begin to develop a problem statement using theoretical, ethical and practice based concepts in preparation for the continued development of the chosen topic for their project. As coursework progresses, students will be paired with a project mentor to help them gain confidence and competence in the development of their project. By the end of their studies, students will have created, enacted and evaluated an evidence based, population centered project designed to meet the needs of the identified population.