Degree Offered
- Doctor of Nursing Practice
Nature of the Program
Description
- advanced practice nurse
- nurse entrepreneur
- nurse administrator
- health care advocate
The programs are offered by faculty on the Morgantown and Charleston campuses. Courses are offered via web-based modalities, with both synchronous and asynchronous formats. Enrollment in nursing courses is based upon readiness, availability of space, and an adequate cohort of students. The DNP project proposal and final presentation take place on either campus depending on the preference of the committee chair.
It is a strong recommendation by the University and the School of Nursing that graduate students limit their credit load if they are also involved in full-time work. Full-time work and studies may negatively affect the student’s ability to succeed academically.
Admissions
Criteria
Applicants for the DNP Program must have:
- a Master of Science in Nursing degree from a nationally accredited nursing program and regionally accredited institution,
- a minimum overall nursing GPA or a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale,
- a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on all graduate work attempted. (Provisional admission may be considered if the overall GPA is 2.75-2.99 depending upon space available and other qualifications.)an overall GPA on all college work attempted of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale,
- an active, unrestricted RN license in at least one state at the time of application (and licensure in the state in which he or she plans to complete clinical immersion),
- Letters of good standing (required for transfer students or those that have taken courses in another graduate program but did not complete the degree).
Applicants must submit official transcripts from all degree programs of attendance, a curriculum vitae/resume, evidence of licensure, and an application fee by the specified deadline. It is also strongly recommended that students shadow a CRNA prior to applying to the program.
Competitive applicants will be invited for an on-campus interview. Applicants will not be admitted without an interview.
Students must satisfactorily complete background checks and drug screens upon admission.
Notes: To be considered, applicants must meet all WVU admission requirements, in addition to program specific admission criteria. Admission criteria are subject to change. Please see the School of Nursing website for the most up-to-date criteria at https://nursing.hsc.wvu.edu. Any student who has been dismissed from the West Virginia University School of Nursing or any other nursing program will not be eligible for admission or readmission. Exceptions may be considered if the dismissal was academic and was followed by successful completion of an additional degree or credential.
Applicants may apply at any time for fall admission by going to the West Virginia University Graduate Admissions website and completing the main graduate student application. Applicants should select the fall term, “Professional” as the student type, and “Nursing DNP” as the intended program. Applicants will then be asked to select a full-time or part-time progression plan. Applicants to the DNP program need to complete the following steps in order to be considered for admission:
- Application for Admission to Graduate Studies
- Request an official transcript of records from each college or university attended.
- It is preferred that official transcripts be sent via an online, secure service such as eScrip-Safe, National Student Clearinghouse, or Parchment to graduateadmissions@mail.wvu.edu.
- Alternatively, sealed, untampered, physical official transcripts can be sent directly to WVU Graduate Admissions, P.O. Box 6510, Morgantown, WV 26506-6510.
- Applicants who completed prior education outside of the U.S. must have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (WES). Please request a “course-by-course” International Credential Advantage Package (ICAP).
- Submit a current curriculum vitae.
- Submit a professional writing sample using the guidelines provided on our website.
Admission Process for the DNP Program
The Graduate Admissions Committee will meet periodically throughout the year to review all qualified applicants. Acceptance is dependent upon space available in the program, and the most qualified applicants are accepted.
Admission Requirements 2024-2025
The Admission Requirements above will be the same for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.
Major Code: 8664
Doctor of Nursing Practice Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
NSG 702 | Population Health Promotion | 3 |
NSG 704 | Health Care Leadership | 3 |
NSG 707 | Evidence Based Practice Methods | 3 |
NSG 710 | Health Care Issues, Policy, and Ethics | 3 |
NSG 724 | Health Research Statistics 1 | 3 |
NSG 739 | Scientific Underpinnings of the DNP Role | 3 |
NSG 745 | Clinical Immersion * | 5 |
NSG 754 | Transforming Health Care Through Information Technology | 3 |
DNP Project ** | ||
NSG 830 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Development | 2 |
NSG 831 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Implementation | 2 |
NSG 832 | Doctor of Nursing Practice Project Presentation | 2 |
Total Hours | 32 |
- *
A minimum of 5 credits of Clinical Immersion is required prior to graduation. A total of 1000 hours post baccalaureate supervised clinical practice is required prior to graduation and therefore students may be required to take additional credits to meet this total. Spread over multiple semesters.
- **
Total DNP Project hours - at least 6 credits. Spread over multiple semesters.
- ***
Individual progression plans to be developed based on previous course work. Total credit hours will vary according to previous course work provided credit for, including number of post-baccalaureate clinical experience hours gained prior to admission to the program.
Suggested Plan of Study
First Year | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
NSG 724 | 3 | NSG 707 | 3 | NSG 702 | 3 |
NSG 739 | 3 | NSG 754 | 3 | NSG 745 | 1 |
NSG 830 | 2 | ||||
6 | 6 | 6 | |||
Second Year | |||||
Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
NSG 704 | 3 | NSG 710 | 3 | NSG 745 | 1 |
NSG 745 | 1 | NSG 745 | 1 | ||
NSG 831 | 1 | NSG 831 | 1 | ||
5 | 5 | 1 | |||
Third Year | |||||
Fall | Hours | ||||
NSG 745 | 1 | ||||
NSG 832 | 2 | ||||
3 | |||||
Total credit hours: 32 |
Progression and Performance Standards
To progress in the DNP curriculum, a student must meet the following performance standards. Failure to meet the criteria below will result in dismissal from the program.
- Grade Point Average (GPA) requirements:
- DNP students are required to maintain a 3.0 in all work attempted in the program. A student who falls below 3.0 after nine or more credit hours are completed in the program will be placed on academic probation and has only one semester to bring up the GPA to the 3.0 requirement. Failure to raise the cumulative GPA to 3.0 in one semester will result in dismissal from the program.
- Earn a letter grade (A, B, C) on all required courses. A grade of F in any course results in dismissal from the program.
- Carry forward only one C grade in a nursing course. A second C in any nursing course will result in dismissal from the program.
- Students can withdraw from only one course (resulting in a “W” on the academic transcript), and only one time.
- If a student needs to withdraw from all courses in a semester, the student must meet with his or her faculty advisor (see Leave of Absence and Withdrawal policies in program handbook).
Note: Any student who has been dismissed from the WVU SON will not be readmitted to the program.
Grading Scale
The grading scale for nursing as posted in each course syllabus is:
- A = 93-100, B = 85-92, C = 77-84, F = 76 and below.
Major Learning Outcomes
Post-Master's DNP Program Goals
Upon completion of the program, the graduate will be able to:
1. Use disciplined reasoning, science-based theories, and concepts from sciences and humanities to:
a) Determine the nature and significance of health and health care delivery phenomena.
b) Describe actions and advanced strategies to improve health care delivery, to diverse populations.
c) Develop, deliver and evaluate theory based health care.
d) Analyze nursing history to expand thinking and provide a sense of professional heritage and identity
2. Demonstrate organizational and systems leadership that:
a) Emphasizes clinical practice.
b) Continually improves health outcomes.
c) Ensures patient safety.
3. Use analytic methods, evidence, and nursing science to:
a) Critically appraise existing literature to identify and evaluate best practices and practice guidelines.
b) Facilitate the evaluation of systems of care in order to improve patient outcomes.
c) Serve as a practice specialist/consultant in collaborative knowledge generating research.
d) Disseminate results through translational scholarship.
4. Demonstrate proficiency and provide leadership for the integration of information systems/technology to:
a) Support, monitor, and improve patient care, healthcare systems, clinical decision-making, nurse-sensitive outcomes, and academic settings.
b) Support quality improvement and patient safety.
5. Assume a leadership role in advocacy and health care policy development.
6. Establish, participate in, and lead interprofessional collaborations for improving patient, population, and systems outcomes.
7. Develop, implement, and evaluate practice and healthcare delivery models for the purpose of quality improvement and improved patient outcomes considering:
a) Safety and quality.
b) Epidemiological, bio-statistical, environmental, and other appropriate scientific data.
c) Culturally appropriate care.
d) Values based professional practice and behaviors.
e) Economies of care, business principles and health policy related to individual, aggregate, and population health.
8. Ensure accountability for advanced practice based on refined assessment skills, advanced communication skills, biophysical, genetic, genomic, psychosocial, sociopolitical, economic, ethical, and cultural principles.
9. Practice and provide services for populations within the area of advanced nursing specialization.