Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
The Online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at USA prepares nurse practitioners and graduates with additional roles in the profession to provide advanced nursing care for individuals and communities, to address the major issues of healthcare, to research theoretical issues and transform research into quality care, to fill leadership roles and teach future nurses and nurse practitioners.
DNP students are seeking to demonstrate expertise in their specialty area. The University of South Alabama College of Nursing offers specialty certification programs in 15 different areas, more than most other nursing programs.
Every DNP student completes a major project that translates evidence into practice. Projects can be designed to achieve an evidence-based, quality improvement systems change in a clinical setting. Students work with a faculty advisor from South and a preceptor or mentor at their clinical site. All projects must seek to improve patient outcomes and all are designed to improve healthcare at a local, regional, national or global level.
All graduate programs in the USA College of Nursing are offered online so students can maintain their career while pursuing their degree. Though remote from the campus, students have easy contact with professors via email, phone or using other forms of technology.
Students who enter the DNP program with a BSN degree may earn a MSN degree during the DNP studies.
Upon completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, graduates should be able to:
- Synthesize current and evolving knowledge from nursing science and related disciplines to inform and direct innovative nursing care at the highest level of practice
- Critically analyze systems-level nursing leadership in the provision of holistic, person-centered, and culturally inclusive nursing care of individuals, families, and communities
- Address the impact of social determinants of health on individuals, families, and communities within the healthcare delivery continuum through utilization of collaborative partnerships, while advocating for improved health outcomes across populations
- Advance nursing knowledge through the integration and dissemination of evidence-based practices to improve health outcomes and transform healthcare delivery systems
- Leverage improvement science to design strategies that achieve a culture of safety in a high-quality care environment
- Design, implement, and evaluate nurse-led partnerships that include individuals, families, communities, and stakeholders to transform care delivery and strengthen outcomes across systems and populations
- Design, implement, and evaluate innovative, evidence-based solutions that apply systems knowledge to optimize care delivery, improve cost-effectiveness, and advance outcomes across the continuum of complex healthcare systems
- Lead the strategic integration and use of informatics and healthcare technologies to generate knowledge, optimize care delivery, improve documentation and communication across systems, and advance health outcomes
- Lead with integrity and a strong professional nursing identity by modeling ethical practice, fostering participatory care, and ensuring accountability to individuals, community, and the profession within legal and regulatory frameworks
- Model advanced leadership, professional maturity, and a commitment to lifelong learning and personal well-being, fostering a spirit of inquiry and adaptability to drive transformative change in healthcare systems
- The DNP program is an online program. Coursework is completed online and clinical hours can be completed in your region with an approved Preceptor.
- Nurse practitioner track students are required to report to the CON for about 3-5 days for orientation. Additional onsite visits may be required and are listed on the specialty track’s web page. Please refer to the Available Tracks within the DNP program below.
- GRE and/or MAT– not required
- Letters of reference – not required
- All DNP students pay the same tuition rate: Web Course Tuition for Graduate Students
- All requirements for the DNP degree must be completed within seven calendar years from admission
- Additional requirements for admission are located in the University of South Alabama Undergraduate/Graduate Bulletin.
- Students are responsible for costs related to the required admission background check and drug screen. Students are responsible for all travel costs for any required on-campus visit and for travel costs to clinical sites.
- Students are responsible for all costs related to monitoring/proctoring tests and identity authentication when required by a course.
- Admission is contingent upon the college's ability to secure an approved clinical site by the end of the first semester of program enrollment. Students are encouraged to secure their own clinical placement within an acceptable geographical area if desired. Submission of a formal letter of commitment will be required to verify guaranteed placement for future clinical rotations. If a student is unable to secure an acceptable site within their own geographical area, the college will work to identify an appropriate clinical placement which must be accepted by the student.
- Initial course registration is contingent upon the student's acceptable completion and results of the following requirements: Acceptance Packet, Drug and Background Screen, and Required Documents and Attestations within the Medical Documents Manager. If a student is unable to meet the initial registration requirements, they may transfer their first semester of enrollment to a future semester.
- Applicants should have two years of nursing experience as required by all specialty tracks prior to beginning clinical rotations. One year of experience is required for admission to the program. The remaining one year experience may be obtained while completing core and support courses. Some specialty tracks may have additional professional experience requirements. Students who have not obtained the requisite experience prior to the first clinical term will not be allowed to progress until the requisite experience is obtained.
- CON graduate programs are not approved in NY or SD. Graduates will not be able to obtain APRN licensure in these states.
The University of South Alabama, College of Nursing provides three Pathways to the Doctor of Nursing Practitioner Degree:
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to DNP Pathway
- Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) to DNP Bridge Program for Clinical Nurse Leaders to Executive Nursing Administration Pathway
- BSN to DNP Pathway
Master of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (MSN to DNP)
The MSN to DNP program includes the MSN to DNP for Advanced Nursing Practice Roles, as well as the MSN to DNP for adding a new certification specialty area.
- MSN to DNP for Advanced Nursing Practice Roles is for students who have completed their MSN degree in an area of advanced practice nursing we offer here at the USA College of Nursing and want to earn their DNP in this same specialty area.
- MSN to DNP for adding a new Specialty Certification Area is for students who have completed their MSN degree in one specialty area but want to add a new specialty certification area along with their DNP in this same specialty area.
Master of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice Bridge Program for Clinical Nurse Leaders to Executive Nursing Administration Pathway (MSN/CNL to DNP/ENA)
MSN to DNP Bridge Program for Clinical Nurse Leaders to Executive Nursing Administration Pathway is for students who completed their MSN in the area of CNL and want to complete their DNP in the specialty area of Executive Nursing Administration.
Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice Pathway (BSN to DNP)
The BSN to DNP Pathway is for students who have completed their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from a regionally accredited institution, and desire to complete their MSN and DNP degrees.
Contact Information
For all inquiries related to the admissions process: condnpadmit@southalabama.edu
For all current and continuing students: condnp@southalabama.edu