Nursing Practice (DNP)

Admissions Criteria

A holistic review process is used when considering applications for admission to the DNP program.  The holistic review considers multiple criteria for admission, including the applicant's professional career goals, academic capabilities, GPA, work experience, leadership, and institution and community engagement.

The University of Louisville School of Nursing participates in Nursing's Centralized Application Service (NursingCAS), which provides you with an online application.  NursingCAS collects and processes your application documents and verifies your transcripts.  The School of Nursing will receive your application information from NursingCAS and use it to make admission decisions.

To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the following items must be submitted:

To the Graduate School

To NursingCAS

  1. Transcripts
    • BSN -DNP applicant: Official transcripts representing all college coursework with a recommended undergraduate cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. BSN degree must be from a regionally accredited institution and a CCNE-, ACEN-, or NLN-accredited nursing program.
    • MSN-DNP applicant:  Official transcripts representing all college coursework with a recommended graduate cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.  BSN degree must be from a regionally accredited institution. BSN and MSN degrees must be from CCNE-, ACEN, or NLN-accredited nursing programs.
  2. Applicants who have attended a college or university outside the United States are also required to submit a course by course evaluation of their transcript through World Education Services (WES) or Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). Please note that transcript evaluations can sometimes take several weeks.
  3. Two letters of recommendation from individuals who can speak of academic and/or professional capabilities and potential for a scholarly career. Recommendation should be requested from former faculty, current or immediate past employers, or other nursing/health professionals.  Recommendations must be completed within the last year.  
  4. Current resume or curriculum vitae (CV)
  5. Verification of an unencumbered RN license from a US state board of nursing. (Prior to starting clinicals students must have a RN license in the state of Kentucky or in a compact state). 
  6. Responses to all questions asked on the NursingCAS application.
  7. Students for whom English is not their primary language must show English Proficiency.

Additional Admission Requirements for Acute Care Specialties

Neonatal specialty: Minimum of one year of RN clinical experience in a Level III or Level IV NICU prior to admission.  All NNP applicants must have the equivalent of two years of full-time RN clinical experience within the last five years in a Level III or Level IV NICU inpatient setting before beginning clinical courses.

Adult Gerontology Acute Care specialty: One year of RN clinical experience in an ICU or one year of RN clinical experience in any area and a commitment to complete one year of RN clinical practice in an ICU before beginning clinical courses. Applicants that do not have one year of RN experience at the point of application, but will complete one year before beginning clinical courses, will satisfy the work requirement.   

Pediatric Acute Care: One year of RN clinical experience in an acute care setting or one year of RN clinical experience in any area and a commitment to complete one year of RN clinical practice in an acute care setting before beginning clinical courses. Applicants that do not have one year of RN experience at the point of application, but will complete one year before beginning clinical courses, will satisfy the work requirement. 

Program Requirements

BSN-DNP Curriculum

Core Courses Required - See Below for Additional Required Coursework for Each Specialty
NURS 607Foundational Concepts of Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 643Quality and Safety in Advanced Practice Nursing2
NURS 657Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Culturally Diverse and Vulnerable Populations.3
NURS 725Analysis of Leadership and Health Policy3
NURS 740Advanced Pharmacology (Not required for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Specialty)3
NURS 741Advanced Pathophysiology4
NURS 742Advanced Physical Assessment (Not required for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Specialty)3
NURS 743Epidemiology3
NURS 744Synthesis and Evaluation of Evidence in Practice3
NURS 746Program Development & Evaluation3
NURS 747Finance Management2
NURS 748Application of Leadership and Health Policy1
NURS 749The Business of Healthcare2
NURS 840Clinical Seminar I1
NURS 841Clinical Seminar II1
NURS 842 (84 clinical hours) 21
NURS 8433
NURS 791Applied Statistics for Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 750DNP Project I: Project Inception (84 clinical hours) 33
NURS 751DNP Project II: Project Implementation (84 clinical hours) 32
NURS 752DNP Project III: Project Evaluation, Analysis and Dissemination (84 clinical hours) 33
NURS 787Clinical Practicum for the DNP NP I (336 clinical hours) 14
NURS 788Clinical Practicum for the DNP NP II (252 clinical hours) 13
NURS 789Clinical Practicum for the DNP NP III (84 clinical hours) 11
Students who do not complete the DNP project within the DNP coursework will be required to enroll in the DOC 600 completion course until degree requirements are met.
A minimum of 1000 clinical hours is required for the DNP degree.
Minimum Total Hours60

MSN-DNP Curriculum 

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPMSN

NURS 725Analysis of Leadership and Health Policy3
NURS 743Epidemiology3
NURS 744Synthesis and Evaluation of Evidence in Practice3
NURS 746Program Development & Evaluation3
NURS 747Finance Management2
NURS 748Application of Leadership and Health Policy1
NURS 8451
NURS 791Applied Statistics for Evidence Based Practice3
NURS 750DNP Project I: Project Inception (84 clinical hours) 33
Elective3
NURS 751DNP Project II: Project Implementation (84 clinical hours) 32
NURS 752DNP Project III: Project Evaluation, Analysis and Dissemination (84 clinical hours) 33
Advanced pathophysiology, pharmacology and physical assessment, clinical reasoning, as well as specialty coursework required for non-nurse practitioner MSN-DNP or for nurse practitioner seeking an additional specialty.
A minimum of 1000 clinical hours is required for the DNP degree.
Students who do not complete the DNP project within the DNP coursework will be required to enroll in DOC 600 completion course until degree requirements are met.
Minimum Total Hours30
1

This course contains patient care focused clinical hours. Clinical hours in this course are counted as direct patient care hours. 

2

This course contains clinical hours in the professional role of the NP. Clinical hours in this course should not be counted as direct patient care hours. 

3

This course contains clinical hours specific to the DNP project development.  Clinical hours in this course should not be counted as direct patient care hours.  


DNP Specialties

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care 

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPAAC

Adult Gerontology Acute Care specialty requires one year of RN clinical experience in an ICU or one year of RN clinical experience in any area and a commitment to complete one year of RN clinical practice in an ICU before beginning clinical courses.

NURS 754Clinical Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing1
NURS 776Procedures and Diagnostics for the Acute Care NP I1
NURS 777The Adult/Gerontology Acute Care NP Role1
NURS 779Diagnosis & Management in Acute Care I4
NURS 780Procedures and Diagnostics for the Acute Care NP II2
NURS 781Diagnosis & Management in Acute Care II3
NURS 783Diagnosis & Management in Acute Care III1
NURS 792Pharmacology for the Acute Care APRN1
Minimum Total Hours14

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care 

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPAPC

NURS 753Adolescent Well Child Theory1
NURS 754Clinical Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing1
NURS 755Diagnosis and Management of Adult Health in Primary Care4
NURS 756Procedures & Diagnostics for Adult Health1
NURS 757Diagnosis and Management of Women's Health in Primary Care2
NURS 758Diagnosis and Management of Mental Health in Primary Care2
NURS 759Diagnosis and Management of the Older Adult in Primary Care3
Minimum Total Hours14

Family Nurse Practitioner 

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPFNP

NURS 754Clinical Reasoning in Advanced Practice Nursing1
NURS 755Diagnosis and Management of Adult Health in Primary Care4
NURS 756Procedures & Diagnostics for Adult Health1
NURS 757Diagnosis and Management of Women's Health in Primary Care2
NURS 758Diagnosis and Management of Mental Health in Primary Care2
NURS 761Pediatric & Adolescent Well Child Theory2
NURS 759Diagnosis and Management of the Older Adult in Primary Care3
NURS 762Diagnosis & Management of Pediatrics in Primary Care2
Minimum Total Hours17

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPNNP

Neonatal specialty requires a minimum of one year of RN experience in a Level III or Level IV NICU prior to admission.  All neonatal applicants must have the equivalent of two years of full-time RN experience within the last five years in a Level III or Level IV NICU inpatient setting before beginning clinical courses.

NURS 763Advanced Neonatal Physiology & Pathophysiology I3
NURS 764Neonatal Diagnostic Reasoning I1
NURS 765Advance Neonatal Physiology & Pathophysiology II3
NURS 766Neonatal Diagnostic Reasoning II1
NURS 767Neonatal Residency I (252 clinical hours) 13
NURS 768Neonatal Residency II (252 clinical hours) 13
NURS 769Neonatal Residency III (252 clinical hours) 13
NURS 844Advanced Practice Care: Birth up to 2 years of age2
NURS 784Advanced Neonatal Pharmacology3
NURS 785Advanced Neonatal Assessment3
NURS 786Human Embryology and Genetics3
Minimum Total Hours28

Pediatric Acute Care

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPPAC

Pediatric Acute Care specialty requires one year of RN experience in an acute care setting or one year of RN experience in any area and a commitment to complete one year in an acute care setting before beginning clinical courses.

NURS 761Pediatric & Adolescent Well Child Theory2
NURS 762Diagnosis & Management of Pediatrics in Primary Care2
NURS 800Pathophysiology for Pediatric Acute Care1
NURS 801Pharmacology for Pediatric Acute Care1
NURS 802Procedures for Pediatric Acute Care1
NURS 803Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care I: Special Needs in Chronic Illness3
NURS 804Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care II: Acute Illness2
NURS 805Diagnosis and Management for Pediatric Acute Care III: Critical Illness3
NURS 806The Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Role1
Minimum Total Hours16

Psychiatric Mental Health

Academic Plan Code(s): NURSDNPPMH

NURS 770Adv. Psychiatric Assessment of Psychopathology and Clinical Interviewing Across the Lifespan2
NURS 771Foundations of Individual and Group Psychotherapy for the Adv. Practice Psychiatric Mental Health NP2
NURS 772Psychopharmacology2
NURS 773Diagnosis and Management of Children and Adolescents in Adv. Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing3
NURS 774Diagnosis and Management of Adults in Advanced Practice Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing3
NURS 775Diagnosis and Management of Special Populations in Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing2
NURS 794The Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Role2
Minimum Total Hours16

DNP graduates from the UofL School of Nursing are prepared to apply for APRN certification in their population track upon graduation; however, educational preparation does not guarantee professional licensure. If you have questions regarding Kentucky APRN licensure, please contact the Kentucky Board of Nursing (https://kbn.ky.gov/Pages/advanced-practice-registered-nurse.aspx). For APRN  licensure questions in other states, please contact the respective state board of nursing (https://ncsbn.org/contact-bon.htm).