Nursing Practice (Doctor of Nursing Practice)
See: Nursing Practice (DNP)
College/School: Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions
Program Accreditation: Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree provides a foundation for leadership development and refinement of clinical management skills for practicing registered nurses. UIW offers two tracks in the DNP program: the MSN to DNP for the nurse who has a master’s degree, and the BSN to DNP track for the registered nurse with a baccalaureate degree in nursing who wishes to become a Family Nurse Practitioner or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
MSN to DNP track
The MSN to DNP program prepares currently practicing Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) to extend their practice to the system and population level. Students identify a vulnerable population of interest at the beginning of coursework. Each subsequent course allows for exploration of the population from differing perspectives and builds on the students’ empirical knowledge base. The population of interest also serves as the focus for clinical skill development. The degree program is offered primarily in an asynchronous online format augmented by synchronous online teaching. The program consists of a 32-credit-hour online curriculum requiring 10 courses and 528 clinical practicum/residency hours, building on the preparation of certified APRNs.
Admissions
Application to the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions. Begin your application at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing NursingCAS website.
- Evidence of an earned Master of Science in Nursing degree from an accredited college or university with a minimum 3.0 GPA in graduate studies.
- Proof of a current unencumbered license to practice as a Registered Nurse. Additionally, for the MSN to DNP program, an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) Certification in an AACN-recognized specialty (NP, CNS, CNM, CRNA) with recognition to practice as an APRN by the Board of Nursing in one’s state of residence/practice.
- Licensure in Texas or one of the compact states is required for clinical on non-Federal property.
- Documentation of supervised clinical practicum hours in a MSN program.
- Interview with UIW graduate faculty, as indicated.
- Acceptance to graduate study by the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW) and the IFMSN DNP program.
- Three satisfactory professional references (academic, professional).
- Official transcripts sent from each college/university attended.
* No GRE or GMAT required
Prerequisites
- Graduate-level course credit in Advanced Statistics and in Informatics within the last 5 years.
- Completion of “3 Ps” courses (Advanced Pathophysiology, Advanced Pharmacology, and Advanced Health Assessment).
Individual consideration will be given to those applicants who do not entirely meet specific requirements.
Upon acceptance into the MSN-DNP program, students will be required to submit the following:
CPR certification, exposure insurance, criminal background check, OSHA, HIPPA, PPE certification, and current immunizations. Throughout the duration of study, students are required to meet all clinical clearance requirements.
For Texas Residents
Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse and an APRN in Texas.
For Non-Texas Residents
Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse and an APRN in a compact state in which one resides or practices.
Additional Admission Criteria
Nursing program applicants must meet additional criteria for admissions. These criteria are found at the end of this section.
Apply to UIW
Application for the Master of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice program
Requirements for the MSN to DNP Degree
To qualify for the DNP degree, a candidate must complete a 32-credit-hour online curriculum (plus 528 supervised clinical/practicum hours) building on the preparation of a certified APRN, and successfully complete and present a DNP Project.
Full-time and part-time study options are available for each student enrolled in the MSN to DNP program. Full-time doctoral study includes a minimum of 6 credit hours per semester and part-time doctoral study is less than 6 credit hours per semester.
Individual consideration may be given by the Graduate Nursing Committee to those applicants who do not entirely meet selected admission requirements.
MSN to DNP Courses
| NURS 7440 | Epidemiology and Vulnerable Populations for Advanced Nursing Practice | 4 |
| NURS 7370 | Quality and Safety in Healthcare | 3 |
| NURS 7337 | Statistics for Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7375 | Foundations for System Leadership | 3 |
| NURS 7374 | Clinical Inquiry for DNP | 3 |
| NURS 7309 | Informatics in HealthCare | 3 |
| NURS 7460 | Project I: Translation of Evidence | 4 |
| NURS 7240 | Data Management and Analysis | 2 |
| NURS 7461 | Project II: Implementation of Evidence | 4 |
| NURS 7372 | Healthcare Economics and Finances | 3 |
| NURS 7371 | Project III: Evaluation and Sustainment | 3 |
| NURS 7373 | Health Policy Leadership | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 44 |
Prereqs for MSN-DNP
| NURS 7309 | Informatics in HealthCare | 3 |
| NURS 7337 | Statistics for Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 6 |
BSN to DNP with FNP or PMHNP Concentrations
Students completing the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will have attained the knowledge and skills to be eligible for the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) or Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) certification exam. Graduates of both concentrations can assume an active role in a variety of settings. BSN to DNP coursework allows the FNP, as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), to address populations in the primary care setting across the lifespan. PMHNP graduates are prepared to work in a variety of mental health settings with individuals of all ages. Nurse practitioners who graduate from the DNP program are skilled in interdisciplinary practice, culturally competent, and have instilled in their practice the core values of faith, service, innovation, truth and education. The concentration consists of an 77 credit hour curriculum (FNP) with 1,152 supervised clinical/practicum hours, or 76 credit hour curriculum (PMHNP), with 1,216 supervised clinical/practicum hours.
Admission Criteria for the BSN to DNP degree track
Application to the Ila Faye Miller School of Nursing and Health Professions. The application is available here: NursingCas website.
- A baccalaureate degree with a major in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
- A license to practice nursing in the State of Texas or one of the compact states recognized by the State of Texas.
- A minimum of one year of relevant experience in professional nursing is preferred, but not required.
- A course in basic statistics with a grade of “C” or better and a nursing course in basic physical assessment skills.
- A grade point average of 2.75 in all undergraduate work and an average of 3.0 in upper-division nursing courses that serve as the foundation for the graduate major.
- Three satisfactory references (academic, professional).
- Official transcripts sent from each college/university attended (including hospital school of nursing, if appropriate).
- An in-person interview will be arranged as needed.
* No GRE or GMAT required
Upon admittance into the program, students must submit a confirmation fee, which serves as acceptance of the seat in the UIW DNP program. The $500 deposit is required within the time frame designated by the acceptance letter in order to hold and confirm the spot in the entering class. The full fee is non-refundable if a student decides not to attend UIW. Upon confirmed entry into the program and two weeks after the first day of class, $400 will be applied to the student’s UIW account.
Upon acceptance into the BSN-DNP program, students will be required to submit the following:
CPR certification, exposure insurance, criminal background check, OSHA, HIPPA, PPE certification, and current immunizations.
For Texas Residents
Licensed to practice as a Registered Nurse in the State of Texas.
For Non-Texas Residents
Multi-state compact license to practice as a Registered Nurse.
Requirements for the BSN to DNP Degree
To qualify for the DNP degree with the FNP concentration, a candidate must complete 77 credit hours and 1,152 clinical practicum hours; the DNP degree with the PMHNP concentration requires 76 credit hours and 1,216 clinical practicum hours. The candidate must successfully complete and present a Doctoral Project.
The Post–BSN to DNP track is a full-time doctoral program in which students take 6 to 12 credits each semester. It is offered in a blended format with classes using both on-ground and online modalities.
FNP Concentration Course Requirements
Year 1 Courses
| NURS 7321 | Nursing Theory for Advanced Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7325 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURS 7381 | Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Professional Roles | 3 |
| NURS 7341 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 7355 | Research for Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7323 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NURS 7337 | Statistics for Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7360 | Health Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 |
Year 2 Courses
| NURS 7440 | Epidemiology and Vulnerable Populations for Advanced Nursing Practice | 4 |
| NURS 7450 | Integrated Behavioral Health and Family Systems | 4 |
| NURS 7345 | The Foundations for Doctor of Nursing Practice: Scientific Underpinnings of Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7480 | Family Nurse Practitioner I: Primary Care of Adults (Diagnosis and Management) with Chronic and Acute Conditions | 4 |
| NURS 7320 | Principles of Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7359 | Doctor of Nursing Practice—Project I | 3 |
| NURS 7482 | Family Nurse Practitioner II: Primary Care of Adults (Diagnosis and Management) with Chronic and Acute Conditions | 4 |
| NURS 7309 | Informatics in HealthCare | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 28 |
Year 3 Courses
| NURS 7225 | Concepts of Evaluation and Dissemination | 2 |
| NURS 7380 | Doctor of Nursing Practice—Project II | 3 |
| NURS 7484 | Family Nurse Practitioner III: Primary Care of Women (Diagnosis and Management) with Chronic and Acute Conditions | 4 |
| NURS 7486 | Family Nurse Practitioner IV: Primary Care of Children and Adolescents (Diagnosis and Management) with Chronic and Acute Conditions | 4 |
| NURS 7393 | Doctor of Nursing Practice—Project III | 3 |
| NURS 7488 | Family Nurse Practitioner Residency | 4 |
| NURS 7315 | Resource Management for Nurse Leaders | 3 |
| NURS 7288 | Clinical Skills Seminar | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 22 |
PMHNP Concentration Course Requirements
Year 1 Courses
| NURS 7321 | Nursing Theory for Advanced Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7325 | Advanced Pathophysiology | 3 |
| NURS 7381 | Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Professional Roles | 3 |
| NURS 7341 | Pharmacotherapeutics for Advanced Practice Nursing | 3 |
| NURS 7355 | Research for Evidence Based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7323 | Advanced Health Assessment | 3 |
| NURS 7337 | Statistics for Nursing Research and Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7360 | Health Policy Analysis | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 24 |
Year 2 Courses
| NURS 7440 | Epidemiology and Vulnerable Populations for Advanced Nursing Practice | 4 |
| NURS 7333 | Advanced Psychopharmacology for the Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner | 3 |
| NURS 7345 | The Foundations for Doctor of Nursing Practice: Scientific Underpinnings of Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7447 | Individual, Family, and Group Psychotherapy | 4 |
| NURS 7320 | Principles of Evidence-based Practice | 3 |
| NURS 7359 | Doctor of Nursing Practice—Project I | 3 |
| NURS 7410 | Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice I: Advanced Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing across the Lifespan (Diagnosis and Management) | 4 |
| NURS 7309 | Informatics in HealthCare | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 27 |
Year 3 Courses
| NURS 7225 | Concepts of Evaluation and Dissemination | 2 |
| NURS 7380 | Doctor of Nursing Practice—Project II | 3 |
| NURS 7414 | Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice II: Advanced Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing across the Lifespan (Diagnosis and Management) | 4 |
| NURS 7418 | Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing Practice III: Advanced Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing across the Lifespan (Diagnosis and Management) | 4 |
| NURS 7393 | Doctor of Nursing Practice—Project III | 3 |
| NURS 7487 | Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Residency | 4 |
| NURS 7315 | Resource Management for Nurse Leaders | 3 |
| NURS 7287 | Psychiatric Clinical Seminar | 2 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 22 |