BSN to DNP With Population Public Health Specialization

• completed application form accompanied by a $50 nonrefundable application fee
• baccalaureate degree in nursing from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited program.
• applicants with international degrees must have their transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited institution in the United States
• official transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate records
• minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate coursework
• preferred undergraduate minimum GPA of 3.0 in science courses
• official report on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from international applicants for whom English is not their first language
• professional resume or curriculum vitae
• 3 professional references - one must be from a clinical supervisor
• statement of intent that demonstrates the candidate’s leadership and practice experience and reasons for pursuing doctoral study (Please Note: The statement should be representative of the applicant’s writing ability. The statement should be two-to-four typed pages, double-spaced and written in 12-point font.)
• proof of residency required for in-state tuition
• interview may be required

Here we provide information on course descriptions and recommended plan of study.

Course Requirements

DNP Course Descriptions

• All students are expected to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00 (grade of B) or greater in their graduate program.
• Students who earn less than a B, including a grade of U, in a required nursing course will have their status reviewed by the DNP program director.
• Students who do not achieve a minimum grade of B in Advanced Health Assessment, Advanced Pathophysiology or Advanced Pharmacology must repeat the course and may not progress in clinical courses.
• Students who earn a grade less than B- in the required science courses, including BIOL 535 and BIOL 536, will be placed on probationary status.
• Students on probationary status must achieve a minimum grade of B in all required nursing courses over the next 9 credits.
• Two grades below a B are sufficient cause for consideration of dismissal. The decision regarding a student's status will be made by the DNP program director in consultation with the dean.
• Students may be required to repeat a course at the discretion of the DNP program director.

Students of the DNP Program will demonstrate mastery of all of the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) and the AACN (2021) Competencies and level-2 Sub-competencies within the Ten Domains for Nursing, leading to achievement of the following DNP End-of-Program Outcomes: 

• demonstrate the integration, translation, synthesis, and application of established and evolving knowledge from basic science, nursing knowledge and other ways of knowing, and other disciplines that results in clinical judgment founded on a broad knowledge base [Domain 1] [DNP Essentials I, III, VIII]
• evaluate person-centered care at the advanced nursing level across the organization/system, provider, patient, and/or population level that focuses on the individual within multiple complicated contexts, including family and/or important others [Domain 2] [DNP Essential II, V, VI, VII, VIII]
• design population health systems that span the healthcare delivery continuum from public health prevention to disease management of populations [Domains 3, 6, 9] [DNP Essentials VI, VII, VIII]
• generate, synthesize, translate, criticize, apply, and disseminate nursing knowledge that improves health and transforms health care [Domains 1, 4, 5, 7, 10] [DNP Essentials I, II, III, IV, V, VIII]
• optimize health and healthcare outcomes using principles of health, quality, safety, and implementation science, through both system effectiveness and individual performance [Domain 5, 7] [DNP Essentials I, II, IV, VII, VIII]
• lead collaborative initiatives across professions and with care team members, patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes [Domains 2, 6,7] [DNP Essentials V, VI, VII, VIII]
• design evidence-based methodologies, system-thinking, business, and financial acumen to provide safe, quality, evidence-based and equitable care to diverse populations [Domains 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10] [DNP Essentials , II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII]
• analyze information and communication technologies and informatics processes to gather data, support care delivery, and inform decision making [Domains 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10] [DNP Essentials , II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII]
• cultivate an advanced-level professional nursing identity that encompasses self-reflective practice, commitment to inclusivity and social justice, accountability, collaborative disposition and ethical comportment that reflects nursing’s values [Domains 6, 9, 10] [DNP Essentials I, II, V, VI, VIII]
• foster organizational commitment to promote personal health, resilience, well-being; contribution to lifelong learning; expansion of nursing expertise, and the assertation of leadership [Domains 9, 10] [DNP Essential VIII] 

DNP Program Tuition and Fees Breakdown