Doctorate of Nursing Practice

Admission to the DNP program requires the following:

• Overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in the candidate’s Master of Science in Nursing.
  • For those with a MS in a closely related field other than nursing an overall GPA of 3.0 is required and satisfactory completion of NSG 7299, Transition to D.N.P., prior to beginning the MSN program. NSG 7299 course is only offered in the fall term.

• A master's degree in nursing (from a CNEA or CCNE accredited school) or a master's degree in a related field. If the applicant's master's degree is not in nursing, the applicant must have a B.S.N.

• Current active United States professional nursing (R.N.) licensure. Licensure must remain current in the jurisdiction of the practicum throughout the program.
• A curriculum vitae
• Writing sample in APA 6^th edition format
  • Discuss your professional and personal goals related to the DNP.
  • Discuss a problem or issue you see in your professional practice today that needs to be addressed from a DNP Perspective.
• Two reference letters
  • These must be completed by individuals other than relatives. Some suggested sources are professors, academic advisers, clinical or nonclinical supervisors or community associates
• Official documentation of all supervised post baccalaureate practice hours from a regionally accredited or internationally accredited school. Documentation must be from the program director of the previous post baccalaureate program and include the following information on university letterhead:
  • date
  • applicant's full name
  • university name and department
  • contact information for follow up, if necessary
  • date and title of degree earned
  • total number of preceptor-verified clinical experience hours
  • program director's signature

Transfer Credits

No more than 6 graduate credits may be transferred into the DNP program from other Ph.D. in Nursing or DNP programs. Courses will be evaluated by the program director and the associate dean on an individual basis for credit towards the DNP. Their decision will be final. To be considered for credit, a course must have been taken at an accredited graduate program and be the equivalent of a course offered in the DNP program. The student must have earned a grade of B or higher in the course. Students must submit the syllabus of any course for which they are seeking credit directly to the program director. Additional documentation may be required by the program director before credit may be granted. Only courses completed prior to the matriculation in the DNP program will be considered for transfer credit.

• Submit your NursingCAS application online at: www.nursingcas.org.

The Ron and Kathy Assaf College of Nursing participates in the centralized applications service called NursingCAS. NursingCAS is used for document verification but does not take part in the student selection.

• Request all official transcripts from all previously attended institutions to be sent directly to NursingCAS.

NursingCAS
P.O. Box 9201 
Watertown, Massachusetts, 02471

Coursework taken at foreign institutions must be evaluated for U.S. institutional equivalence by an approved National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) organization such as one of the services listed below.

World Education Services
www.wes.org

Josef Silny and Associates
www.silny.com

Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
www.ece.org

It is the applicant's responsibility to have this coursework evaluated. An official course-by-course evaluation with a cumulative grade point average must be sent directly from the evaluation service.

• Submit additional supplemental items (R.N. license, CV, writing sample, reference letters, & verification of clinical hours) directly to NursingCAS.

• Once the NursingCAS application is completed, an applicant needs to complete the supplemental NSU Application online.

• Once all applications and documents have been received the application will be processed and reviewed.

The deadline to complete and submit the NursingCAS and supplemental NSU applications for Fall admission will be August 1 and for Winter admission the deadline is December 15. The Office of Admissions works on a rolling basis. Applications are accepted year-round. 

Students entering the program without an M.S.N. but have a M.S. in a closely related field (Bridge)

*Students who enter the D.N.P. program without a M.S.N. but have a M.S. in a closely related field will only be allowed to enter the program in August. They will be required to enroll in the bridge course NSG 7299 in the first semester of admission to the program. 

Students entering the program with an M.S.N.

A student must have 500 clinical hours obtained in their M.S. program and verified by the Program Director prior to starting NSG 7431 Project I. If a student does not have 500 clinical hours to apply from the M.S. program, the student will be enrolled in NSG 7442 Project Matriculation until the 500 hours are met. Each NSG 7442 requires 250 clinical hours and is 2 credits. A student may need to enroll in one or two NSG 7442 courses to meet the required 500 clinical hours. in this case, the student total credits will be 38-40 credits. 

** Require 125 Practicum Hours

To review course descriptions please view the HPD Catalog.

TUITION AND FEES

• One Time NSU Application Fee - $50: This fee is non-refundable and is required with each application.
• One Time Seat Deposit - $500: This fee is required to reserve the accepted applicant's place in the entering first-year class. This advance payment will be deducted from the tuition payment due on registration day, but is not refundable in the event of a withdrawal. It is payable within two weeks of an applicant's acceptance.
• Health Professions Division General Access Fee - $145: is required each year.
• NSU Student Services Fee - $500 -  The student services fee is required annually. The fee is pro-rated for part-time students.
• Extra Fees - Students will incur additional cost such as; Books, FNSA dues, uniforms, lab coat and Graduation Costs.
• Background Checks: The college pays for the first background check per student any additional background check will be funded by the student.
• All tuition charges and fees are subject to change by the board of trustees without notice.

The first semester's tuition and fees, less than the $500 previously paid (seat deposit), are due upon registration. Tuition and fees for each subsequent semester are due upon registration. Students will not be admitted until their financial obligations have been met. The financial ability of applicants to complete their education at the college is important because of the limited number of positions available in each class. Applicants should have specific plans for financing 60 semester hours of professional education. This should include tuition, living expenses, books, equipment, and miscellaneous expenses.The Financial Aid Office is eager to assist you to explore all possible financial aid options.

Each student is required to carry adequate personal medical and hospital insurance. Students may purchase Student Health Insurance for NSU Students through the University. Students who have adequate personal medical and hospital insurance may waive the health insurance by filling out the Student Health Insurance Waiver.