Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
Program Description:
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Virginia School of Nursing enrolls master’s-prepared nurses with clinical specialty preparation. It builds upon the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice as ratified by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and avails itself to the high quality of graduate education at the University of Virginia by encouraging DNP students to tailor an individualized program using cognate courses from any School or department throughout the University.
The DNP Program at the University of Virginia received approval from the State Commission on Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) in January 2007. We enrolled the first cohort in Fall 2007, and the second cohort will enroll in Fall 2008.
The DNP program curriculum for most students will be a minimum of 38 credits. All DNP students will pursue some courses in common (the core curriculum). With your faculty mentor you will also select 9 credits of cognates drawn from the offerings of the University of Virginia or elsewhere to contribute to your scholarly project. Students will also complete additional clinical requirements to meet the mandated 1000 hours of specialty training that is one of the hallmarks of a DNP graduate.
The DNP program culminates in the successful completion of a scholarly project, which is designed by the student in collaboration with a 3-member committee. The scholarly project must be a significant, evidence-based contribution to existing nursing knowledge and be suitable for publication in a peer reviewed journal or a book. This scholarly 'Capstone Project' could be a program needs assessment with program development and evaluation, evaluation of an existing program, development of an assessment instrument/protocol, a cost/benefit analysis of program models, or other scholarly project as approved.
The length of time requires to complete the program depends on several factors: whether you are a fulltime/parttime student, the number of practica hours required, and your capstone project. Students are encouraged to discuss concepts for the capstone project early in their study, and could incorporate elements of the project in their clinical preceptorship.
The required core classes will use a combination of classroom and distance learning modalities. Face-to-face didactic classes will be scheduled with the working nurse (or nurse faculty member) in mind, in an "executive" format with classes meeting face-to-face at the beginning and end of the semester. Some of the core classes has synchronous class sessions (face-to-face, using the internet, or video-conferencing) to accompany classroom and distance learning during the semester. Each student will select 9 credits of cognate classes to complement their individual DNP program. These cognate classes could be graduate classes from any School at the University of Virginia (or transferred from elsewhere).
The schedule for class meetings in Charlottesville in Fall 2008 can be downloaded here. The schedule for classes in Spring 2009 schedule can be downloaded here.
Information Sessions
We hold monthly information sessions on the DNP program. Click here for the schedule of upcoming sessions. Parking is available in the garage beneath McLeod Hall after 5pm.
Program Director: Ann Hamric, PhD, RN; (434) 924-0112; Email: abh4f@virginia.edu
Financial Aid
Students applying for or enrolled in the PhD in Nursing or DNP programs can apply for the Virginia Doctoral Nursing Student Loan Assistance Repayment Program administered through the State Commission for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV). Full-time doctoral students are eligible to borrow up to $25,000/year during the coursework phase of their programs (Year 1 and Year 2 in either doctoral program). These loans would be cancelled if you taught full-time at any public or private nursing program in Virginia for four years (two year of teaching for each year of loan). The application deadline is March 15.
DNP students are also eligible for other School of Nursing aid (teaching assistantships, scholarships, nurse traineeship funds, and the Nurse Faculty Loan Program.) Visit our Financial Aid website for more information.
Clinicals
The American Academy of Colleges of Nursing have mandated that all DNP graduates have completed at least 1000 hours of precepted clinical experiences in their specialty area. Most MSN programs and Advanced Practice certifications require only 500 hours.
All DNP students at the University of Virginia will complete at least 1000 precepted clinical hours post-BSN. As part of the admissions application, please indicate how many hours were required as a part of your prior MSN or Post-Masters programs. Your faculty mentor in the DNP program at the University of Virginia will create an individualized clinical plan with you to meet the goals and objectives of your clinical practica.
Clinical requirements do not need to be met at the University of Virginia Medical Center; the School has existing clinical contracts across Virginia. Students are also welcome to ‘bring their own’ clinical sites from the area or outside of Virginia. . Be sure that that you communicate your clinical site intentions with your faculty mentor since it may take 2-3 months to establish new contractual arrangements.
Certification
Students entering the Doctor in Nursing Practice program should have advanced education in a clinical specialty. Candidates who are eligible for clinical certification as Advanced Practice nurses should have valid APN licenses. Graduates from other advanced specialty areas (such as public health or health administration) need not have APN certifications.
MSN-prepared individuals with generalist/non-specialty MSNs (such as in education or Clinical Nurse Leader) should pursue a post-masters program to obtain clinical specialization prior to pursuing DNP study at the University of Virginia.
Admission Requirements
Admission to the School of Nursing is competitive and based on evaluation of all portions of the application. To be considered for the Doctor in Nursing Practice, applicants must submit a completed application and:
- Have a Master's degree in nursing (MSN) from a nationally accredited (CCNE or NLN) school.
- Have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in undergraduate and graduate study.
- Have completed a course in statistics within the past 5 years.
- Possess an unencumbered RN license in the state where you intend to do your clinical practica.
- Have a valid certification in specialty nursing (NP, CNS, etc), if applicable, by the time of entry into the program.
- The GRE test is not required for those applicants with a MSN degree. It is your option whether you want to submit these scores or not.*
- Submit two essays as a part of the application. One of these must include a clear statement of educational and professional goals, and indicate what sort of a clinical project you hope to undertake. The second essay concerns the school’s diversity statement.
- Submit three satisfactory academic and professional recommendations.
- Submit a copy of your resume or CV.
- Send official transcripts for all post-secondary study.
- Be available for an interview if requested.
Application deadline -
Fall entry: March 1
* Submission of GRE scores is optional for MSN-prepared applicants. If you do wish to submit them, the Institutional Code for the University of Virginia is R-5820. You can learn more about the GRE at www.gre.org .
International applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination. Visit their websites for more information. The University of Virginia institutional code number is R-5820, nursing #0610.
Program of Study, Downloads & Links
For More Information
For additional information on admission to and programs of study at the UVa School of Nursing, please fill our our online form. You are also welcome to call the Office of Addmissions at (434) 924-0141 / (888) 283-8703.
Questions on admissions and financial aid should be directed to Clay Hysell, Assistant Dean for Graduate Student Services, email hysell@virginia.edu