DNP Curriculum Overview
Because DNP education is specialized, the specialty content preparing DNP graduates for various practice roles will differ substantially across specialty areas. However, all DNP graduates will demonstrate the competencies delineated in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's (2006) The Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nursing. These include:
- Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
- Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking
- Clinical Scholarship and Analytic Methods for Evidence-based Practice
- Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care
- Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care
- Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes
- Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation's Health
- Advanced Nursing Practice
DNP Course List
A complete listing of all core and elective courses is available in the Nursing section of the JMU Graduate Catalog.
Post-MSN to DNP Curriculum Plan
Course # | Course Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
650 | Organizational Behavior in Health Care | 3 |
690 | Epidemiology in Population Health | 3 |
692 | Health Policy for Practice and Advocacy | 3 |
711 | Analytic Methods for Health Care | 3 |
712 | Issues and Methods in Translational Inquiry | 3 |
713 | Evidence Based Practice: Clinical Prevention and Population Health | 3 |
714 | Evidence Based Practice: Chronic Illness | 3 |
771 | Advanced Practicum I | 1 - 5 |
772 | Advanced Practicum II* | 1 - 5 |
773 | Advanced Practicum III* | 1 - 5 |
799 | DNP Project | 1 |
800 | Scholarly Writing and Presentations | 3 |
N/A | Cognates^ | 6 |
Total Credit Hours | 31-46 |
- *The DNP requires 1000 course-related practice hours post-BSN to DNP. Post-master's student will have completed a variable number of MSN contact hours.
- ^ Cognate courses can be taken any semester or over the summer.
- For more information, contact Dr. Jeannie Garber, DNP Coordinator at 540-568-7052 garbe2js@jmu.edu
Sample Plans of Study for the DNP Program
Full Time Post Master’s to DNP Curriculum
Program Total: 31-46 credits
Year One
Spring (12 credits)
- NSG 690 Epidemiology & Population Health (3)
- NSG 692 Health Policy (3)
- NSG 714 Evidence Based Practice: Chronic Illness (3)
- Focused Cognate (3)
Year Two
Fall (7-11 credits)
- NSG 711 Analytical Methods (3)
- NSG 713 Evidence Based Practice: Health Promotion (3)
- NSG 771 Advanced Practicum I (1 -5)
Spring (7 credits)
- NSG 712 Issues and Methods of Translational Inquiry (3)
- NSG 650 Organizational Behavior (3)
- NSG 772 Advanced Practicum II (1 -5)^
Year Three
Fall (8 - 12 credits)
- Focused Cognate (3)
- NSG 773 Advanced Practicum III (1-5)^
- NSG 800 Scholarly Writing and Presentations (3)
- NSG 799 DNP Project (1)
^The DNP requires 1000 course-related practice hours post-BSN to DNP. Post-master’s students will have completed a variable number of MSN program contact hours.
Part-Time Post Master’s to DNP Curriculum
Program Total: 31-46 credits
Year One
Spring (6 credits)
- NSG 690 Epidemiology and Population Health (3)
- NSG 692 Health Policy (3)
Year Two
Fall (6 credits)
- NSG 711 Analytical Methods (3)
- NSG 713 Evidence Based Practice: Health Promotion (3)
Spring (9 credits)
- NSG 714 Evidence Based Practice: Chronic Illness (3)
- NSG 712 Issues and Methods of Translational Inquiry (3)
- Focused cognate (3)
Year Three
Fall (4 - 8 credits)
- NSG 650 Organizational Behavior (3)
- NSG 771 Advanced Practicum I (1 - 5)^
Spring (4 -8 credits)
- Focused Cognate (3)
- NSG 772 Advanced Practicum II (1 - 5)^
Year Four
Fall (5 - 9 credits)
- NSG 773 Advanced Practicum III (1- 5)^
- NSG 799 DNP Project (1)
- NSG 800 Scholarly Writing and Presentations(3)
^The DNP requires 1000 course-related practice hours post-BSN to DNP. Post-master’s students will have completed a variable number of MSN program contact hours.