Admission Requirements

All applicants to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program must meet the general admission requirements for graduate study at the University of North Alabama (see Admission to Graduate Studies). All required application materials must be submitted by the published deadline.

In addition to UNA’s graduate admission requirements, applicants to the DNP program must meet the following criteria:

• A completed application to the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions (ACONHP) graduate program (available online at https://www.una.edu/graduate/)
• A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree from a professionally accredited nursing program in the United States, with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher from the degree-granting institution.
• A current professional resume.
• Two letters of recommendation from academic or professional colleagues who can evaluate the applicant’s accomplishments, leadership potential, contributions to healthcare, and overall readiness for doctoral study.
• A current national certification as an advanced practice nurse is required for applicants to the Advanced Practice track.
• A current, unencumbered registered nurse (RN) license. Applicants with restrictions, reprimands, or participation in any disciplinary alternative program are not eligible for admission.
• Submission of a professional statement outlining a proposed Doctor of Nursing Practice project. The statement should include a brief review of relevant literature and a discussion of a potential evidence-based project. The proposed topic should align with the applicant’s desired track, address a change that directly or indirectly impacts healthcare, and focus on a systems or population level issue. The statement must be formatted according to APA guidelines, limited to one written page with a second page for references.
• Completion of a criminal background check and drug screen.

Readmission

Students seeking readmission to the graduate nursing program must submit a formal petition to the Chair of Graduate Programs in the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions (ACONHP). The petition must include:

• A clear explanation of any extenuating circumstances that contributed to the student’s previous lack of academic success.
• A detailed plan for successfully completing the program upon readmission, including specific strategies for academic improvement and program completion.

The petition will be reviewed by the graduate faculty and the Chair of Graduate Programs. Recommendations will be forwarded to the Dean of ACONHP, who will make the final decision. Students will be notified of the decision by the Dean. Readmitted students must comply with any conditions or stipulations set forth by the Dean and faculty as part of the readmission process.

Unclassified Student Status

Students who wish to take graduate nursing courses without formal admission to the MSN program may request to enroll as unclassified (non-degree-seeking) students. The following conditions apply:

• A maximum of six credit hours may be taken as an unclassified student.
• Approval must be obtained from the Chair or Director of the MSN program.
• The MSN application must be completed, and official transcripts submitted to the University of North Alabama.
• Enrollment is subject to space availability in the requested course(s).
• Enrollment beyond six credit hours requires formal admission to the MSN program.

Please note: There is no guarantee that credit earned as an unclassified student will be applied toward the MSN degree program or accepted by another institution. Successful completion of courses while in unclassified status does not guarantee admission to the MSN program.

Transfer Credit

Refer to the Special Regulations section of the General Regulations and Procedures in the university catalog for overall transfer policies. Courses submitted for transfer credit are subject to review by the graduate nursing faculty, who will determine eligibility based on course content and relevance to the MSN curriculum.

• A maximum of six credit hours may be transferred.
• Only courses in which a grade of “B” or higher was earned will be considered for transfer credit.

Requirements for the Doctor of Nursing Practice

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
DNP Core Courses
NU 700	Data Management and Health Analysis	3
NU 702	Health Care Informatics	3
NU 704	Writing for Dissemination	3
NU 706	Evidence-Based Practice Design and Translation	3
NU 708	Epidemiology	3
NU 800	DNP I: Project Identification	1
NU 802	DNP II: Project Development	2
NU 804	DNP III: Project Implementation	3
NU 806	DNP IV: Project Evaluation	3
NU 900	Advanced Experiential Clinical	0-3
Select one of the following tracks:		15-18
Advanced Practice Track
Population Health Leadership and Simulation Track
Educational Leadership and Simulation Track
Total Hours		39-45

DNP Track Options

Advanced Practice Track 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
DNP Advanced Practice Track
NU 720	Scientific Underpinnings	3
NU 722	Health Policy and Politics	3
NU 724	Health Disparities	3
NU 726	Patient Outcomes and Sustainable Change	3
NU 728	Leadership	3
Total Hours		15

Population Health Leadership and Simulation Track 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
DNP: Population Health Leadership and Simulation Track
NU 730	Leadership and Innovation in Population Health	3
NU 732	Finance and Policy for Healthcare Delivery	3
NU 734	Population Health I	3
NU 736	Population Health II	3
NU 750	Role of Technology and Simulation in Population Health	3
NU 752	Advanced Nursing Simulation	3
Total Hours		18

Educational Leadership and Simulation Track 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
DNP: Educational Leadership and Simulation Track
NU 730	Leadership and Innovation in Population Health	3
NU 734	Population Health I	3
NU 740	Transformational Teaching Learning Resources, Strategies, and Evaluation I	3
NU 742	Transformational Teaching Learning Resources, Strategies, and Evaluation II	3
NU 750	Role of Technology and Simulation in Population Health	3
NU 752	Advanced Nursing Simulation	3
Total Hours		18