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Doctor of Nursing Practice
South University’s DNP program is for advanced nurses who wish to maintain nursing practice as their professional emphasis*. Students can enroll through the Tampa campus, while having online coursework with in person practicums**. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program provides options for advanced nurses and nurse practitioners to expand their repertoire of skills and knowledge and provide guidance for their patients. South University’s 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. Ultimately, the DNP degree is designed to provide practicing clinicians with the depth and breadth of clinical skill, leadership, and clinical inquiry competencies essential to achieving the highest level of clinical excellence.
*South University does not promise or guarantee employment.
**Ground program may offer online courses. Material does not refer to our online program.
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 10 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.
- 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.
*Effective August 14, 2023 – Students beginning classes at Online Programs will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation.
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.
Note(s):
*Students are required to complete 2 program elective courses (8 credits). Students may also elect to complete 4 courses (16 credits) across the different program elective areas to earn a General specialization or to complete 4 courses within a single program elective area to earn an Administration, Information Technology, Leadership, Project Management, or Public Health specialization. In all cases, students should work closely with their Academic Counselor and Faculty Mentor to select appropriate coursework that meets their career needs and course prerequisites.
Note(s):
**Students entering the DNP program with 500 or more hours of documented, post-baccalaureate clinical experience must take the DNP Clinical Field Experience coursework at 6 credits each. Students entering the DNP program with less than 500 hours of documented, post-baccalaureate clinical experience must take NSG7220 prior to their enrollment in NSG7200 to reach the minimum 500 hours of documented, post-baccalaureate clinical experience. NSG7220 may be repeated up to three times. In all cases, students should work closely with their Academic Counselor and Faculty Mentor to schedule the appropriate clinical and field experience coursework needed to reach the total minimum required 1,000 documented hours of, post-baccalaureate clinical experience- required upon completion of the DNP program.
Outcomes
Offered at Savannah, Tampa, and Online Programs.
Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.
Program Description
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in the College of Nursing is designed as the highest degree for advanced nurses who wish to maintain nursing practice as their area of professional emphasis. The DNP program provides options for current nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses to incorporate progressive and thoughtful clinical practice, inquiry, and leadership competencies into their clinical practice repertoire.
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. Coursework in the program emphasizes current topics in nursing, experiences, and scholarship. The program is offered in an online format as well as a hybrid format incorporating both online and campus-based educational experiences that support ongoing education for working nurses. Courses are provided online or in a blended format with the practice component (i.e., advanced nursing field experiences which are guided by agency mentors) provided campus-based in the students' geographical regions.
In 2004 the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) endorsed the DNP degree and proposed that the DNP is the terminal degree for nursing practice. The Essentials for Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice (AACN, 2006) outlines the eight competencies that are the foundation for all DNP graduates, regardless of specialty. The South University College of Nursing is uniquely qualified to provide the framework for this practice doctorate degree. As an integrated, national system of higher education, the exposure to outstanding faculty, coupled with state-of-the-art online coursework and industry-standard practice opportunities in the student's geographical area provides a dynamic environment for DNP students to grow into new leadership roles and clinical arenas.
**NOTE: Minnesota residents are not eligible to enroll in the online programs for the Doctor of Nursing Practice, Post Graduate Certificates in Nursing, the Master of Science in Nursing or the RN to Master of Science in Nursing.
For more information about the Doctor of Nursing Practice within the nursing profession, please visit the American Association of Colleges of Nursing website at http://www.aacn.nche.edu/DNP/index.htm.
Program Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates should be able to:
- 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.
- 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.
- Evaluate scientific findings for health promotion and disease prevention and impact on transformative care and outcomes.
- Integrate information technology and informatics to provide scalable solutions for real-world systems problems.
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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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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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).