Nursing Practice

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Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed as a terminal degree for nurses who wish to advance their practice*. Students may enroll through the Savannah campus, while all of their coursework will be online with an in person practicum experience**. South University’s DNP program provides options for nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses to incorporate various competencies into their skills, such as leadership and clinical inquiry. The DNP program is offered as a post-master’s program, providing a pathway for master’s prepared nurses to achieve doctoral level competencies consistent with a clinical program of study.
*South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
**Ground program may offer online courses. Material does not refer to our online program.
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the Master of Science in Nursing, and Doctor of Nursing Practice Programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (http://www.ccneaccreditation.org).
Admission Requirements
Procedure for Admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program
Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
The criteria used to determine admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program include:
- Completion of an application for admission.
- Completion of a master's degree in nursing (MSN) from an accredited institution.
- A cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
- Submission of official documentation of the actual number of verified clinical hours completed during the post-baccalaureate program of study within 5 weeks after the initial start date. This requirement may come in the form of the credentialing documents used to verify the hours for certification examination or a statement from the graduate degree-granting institution verifying the actual number of hours completed during the master's program.
- Submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended within 5 weeks of the class start date (refer to Conditional Acceptance).
- A valid unencumbered single-state and/or a valid unencumbered Enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC) multistate license as a registered nurse in all U.S. states or territory in which the student is licensed, including the state in which the student completes all assignments for the program. (Note that military, federal, and foreign educated nurses must meet this state requirement for nursing licensure). An unencumbered license(s) must be maintained throughout the program.
- Submission of a minimum paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 600 or the electronic-based score of 250 for applicants for whom English is a Second Language (ESL).
Once all required admissions documents and information are submitted, the application will be reviewed and evaluated for an admission decision.
For additional admissions information please see the admissions section here.
Course Requirements
Program credits are determined based on evaluation of MSN program of study and clinical/practicum hour attainment.
*Practice Immersion Experience courses are eligible for PLA (Prior Learning Assessment) based on post-baccalaureate clinical experiences. Students are required to have a minimum of 1000 documented hours of post baccalaureate clinical experience to earn the DNP degree.
Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Demonstrate organizational and care systems leadership for quality improvement through advancing nursing practice.
- Use contemporary healthcare science to advocate through policy change for resolution of complex healthcare problems and disparities.
- Integrate information technology and informatics to provide scalable solutions for real-world systems problems.
- Evaluate scientific findings health promotion and disease prevention and impact on transformative care and outcomes.
- Provide the highest level of nursing practice through integration of advanced competencies in leadership, ethics and the practice sciences, including biophysical, psychosocial, analytical, organizational, and public health sciences.
Comments and Concerns
All Fields Are Required
The purpose of this form is to provide a process for the general public to submit comments, concerns, or complaints regarding their interaction with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing, Post Graduate Certificate, or Doctor of Nursing Practice program. A record of all complaints will be maintained and secured by campus administration. If you are a South University student, please submit your comments, concerns, or complaints according to the process outlined in the University Catalog or programmatic handbook. Please contact your Program Director or Academic Counselor if you need additional guidance.
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Career Outlook
These are some of the career options* you can explore when you have earned your degree:
- Nurse Practitioner, Graduate Nurse Education
*South University does not promise or guarantee licensure, employment, or salary amounts.
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Campuses offer flexible learning formats* including: on-campus, virtual instructions, and online courses.
*Clinical, practicum, and externship requirements exist in certain programs and require field experiences. Learning formats may not be flexible.
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