Doctor of Nursing Practice
About This Program
The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program builds on a foundation of previous advanced nursing education and prepares nurses who demonstrate leadership, clinical expertise and innovation in problem recognition and resolution. The required courses identified for the DNP curriculum meet the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials. Our innovative DNP Program prepares clinical leaders to advance nursing and improve health care in our local community and around the world. This program is offered with two formats: accelerated online asynchronous and traditional semester online with synchronous online classes.
Competencies
- Upon completion, students will be able to translate clinical and/or administrative science to transform practice.
- Upon completion, students will demonstrate organizational and systems leadership in promoting inter-professional collaboration and quality improvement.
- Upon completion, students will be able to appraise and synthesize the evidence for translation in advanced nursing practice.
- Upon completion, students will be able to apply knowledge of information systems and technology in the evaluation and use of data to improve healthcare outcomes.
- Upon completion, students will be able to analyze and advocate policy to improve healthcare outcomes.
- Upon completion, students will be able to evaluate issues and trends in global and population health to improve healthcare outcomes.
Admissions Criteria
The applicant for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree must meet the general requirements for graduate admissions. Applicants with an MSN that prepares them for a role in advanced nursing practice, as defined in The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations (AACN 2015), are eligible for admission.
The program is open to individuals who have completed their MSN at an institution accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), National League for Nursing Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (NLN-CNEA), or an equivalent accrediting body, including Board-certified Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN's), Nurse Practitioners (NP); Nurse Midwives (CNM); Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA); Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS); and Nurse Administrators who completed a Master's of Science in Nursing with a Nursing Administration specialty (MSN-ADM), BSN nurses who are Master's prepared with an MBA, MHA, MSN Ed., Informatics, Population Health, or a related Master's degree - approval by the DNP Director or Designee. Students will complete a Scholarly DNP Project applicable to their clinical specialty.
The program does not accept course transfers from other DNP programs. All required courses must be completed at UTA.
All NP students must have an unencumbered APRN and RN license as designated by the Board of Nursing (BON) for practicum courses. It is imperative that any student whose license becomes encumbered by the BON immediately notify the graduate nursing department chair. The complete policy regarding encumbered RN licenses is available online in the DNP student handbook.
Unconditional Admission
Applicants must meet the following criteria for unconditional admission.
- GPA of 3.5 or higher in an earned master's degree in nursing (Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Science in Nursing) or a postmaster's Nurse Practitioner (NP) or Nursing Administration (Admin) Certificate from a program or school accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC), the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), or equivalent accrediting body.
- Submission of transcripts from all universities or colleges attended or received a degree.
- Students must complete a graduate-level statistics course with a grade of B or higher before being admitted to the DNP Program. Students can apply before completing the statistics course but cannot be admitted to the DNP Program until the course has been completed.
- Proficiency in using computers for word processing, spreadsheet development, and data and text file creation and manipulation evaluated by the Admissions Committee.
- For APRNs, current certification by an APRN national certifying board with an unencumbered APRN license in any U.S. State or Territory. Students must submit a copy of active certification during admission as evidence of clinical hours evaluated by the Associate Dean or designee.
- For administrators, current national certification as a Nurse Administrator is preferred. Applicants must submit a completed and signed practice/clinical hour verification form with a school seal or a certified letter on university letterhead verifying the number of MSN clinical/practice hours completed during the program of study.
- Current NP practice or current Nurse Administrator practice evaluated by the Admissions Committee.
- A minimum of 1000 clinical practice hours. Up to 500 clinical/practice hours or related certifications obtained during the student's MSN program may be applied to the 1000 post-bachelor practice hours. Evaluation and approval by the DNP Director or designee.
Probationary Admission
Probationary admission may be offered to applicants with a GPA of 3.0 to 3.49 on a 4.0 scale. Evaluation and approval by the DNP Director or Designee.
Provisional Admission
An applicant unable to supply all required documentation prior to the admission deadline but whom otherwise appears to meet admission requirements may be granted provisional admission.
Deferred Status
Deferred decision is granted when a file is incomplete or when a denial decision is not appropriate.
Denial of Admission
An applicant will be denied admission if they have less than satisfactory performance on a majority of admission criteria listed in the DNP Graduate Admission Table.
Individuals Ineligible to Continue Graduate Study at Another University
If potential students are ineligible to continue graduate study at another university and apply to The University of Texas at Arlington DNP Program, they may request to be reviewed by an admission committee. The admissions committee will be composed of (at a minimum): two representative faculty and the DNP Graduate Advisor and the DNP Program Director or Designee.
The Admissions Committee will make their recommendation for admission or denial based on the following:
- Admission materials (GPA on the Master in Nursing or post-master’s certificate, grade of B or higher in graduate statistics, current vita, and English language score if applicable).
- A narrative statement from the potential student providing a rationale for their ineligibility at another university.
- A plan for successful study at UT Arlington.
The committee reserves the right to ask for additional materials as needed. The admissions committee will recommend admission or denial to the Graduate Office for the University.
Curriculum
A degree plan is developed for the student upon admission to the DNP Program. Students are required to have any changes in planned program approved by the DNP Graduate Advisor prior to registration. The DNP Program includes 36 semester hours of required courses.
| Core Courses | ||
| NURS 6327 | CLINICAL SCHOLARSHIP TO IMPROVE HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES | 3 |
| NURS 6320 | LEADERSHIP IN HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS | 3 |
| NURS 6307 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| NURS 6322 | TRANSLATIONAL RESEARCH | 3 |
| NURS 6324 | CLINICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS | 3 |
| NURS 6323 | EVIDENCE APPRAISAL | 3 |
| NURS 6326 | PROJECT PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT | 3 |
| NURS 6382 | HEALTH CARE POLICY | 3 |
| NURS 6620 | DNP PRACTICUM I | 6 |
| NURS 6621 | DNP PRACTICUM II | 6 |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Program Completion
DNP Scholarly Project
In addition to coursework, students will complete a Scholarly Project.
Planning the DNP Scholarly Project formally begins in the Course 6323 Evidence Appraisal in which a Prospectus is developed. The DNP Project Proposal is completed in Course 6326 Project Proposal. The Proposal is presented to the Graduate Nursing Review Committee for approval. Following approval, the Project is implemented in Practicum 1. In Practicum 2, the Project is evaluated and presented in virtual Podium Presentations and manuscript is written for publication. The required submission for publication may include manuscript submission to the UTA DNP Repository.
Graduate Nursing Review Committee Approval
The Graduate Nursing Review Committee is a sub-committee of UTA's Institutional Review Board. All DNP Scholarly Projects are approved by the GNRC before implementation of the DNP Scholarly Project in Practicum 1. Students attain 180 practicum hours with GNRC approval of the project proposed.
DNP Independent Study
An Independent Study is applicable to students who:
Skipped a semester between 6323 Evidence Appraisal in which a prospectus for the DNP Scholarly Project is written and the subsequent course 6326 Project Proposal,
Skipped a semester between GNRC Project approval and 6620 Practicum One in which the project is implemented.
Is unable to implement a project due to organizational or job change and needs to develop a new Prospectus or Proposal.
Additional work is needed to meet conditions required by the GNRC for approval.
It is the student’s responsibility to notify the DNP program director and Academic Adviser if they have changed jobs or otherwise are unable to complete the project at their work site.
Advising Resources
Graduate nursing students will be assigned a degree plan once admitted to the program. They are encouraged to make phone, in-person, or virtual appointments as needed to discuss their academic progression.
Location:
554 Pickard Hall
Email:
msnadvising@uta.edu
Phone:
817-272-2776