Apr 18, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Nursing Major, DNP


The College of Nursing offers the Doctor of Nursing Practice program (DNP), designed for BSN or MSN graduates or those with a BSN and a Master’s degree in a business or health related field, who are interested in earning a clinical doctorate in nursing. Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) - Graduates of the program are expected to:

  • Integrate nursing science with other disciplines as the basis for the provision of the highest level of evidence-based advanced nursing care.
  • Demonstrate and promote professionalism, advocacy, social justice, equity, ethical principles, and scientific integrity in advanced nursing practice.
  • Engage in and promote intra and inter-professional collaboration in clinical practice models, health policy, and standards of care for individuals, families, and communities across culturally diverse populations.
  • Generate ethically responsible system and outcomes research and analyze evidence from nursing and related sciences to translate findings into practice.
  • Utilize current and emerging information systems/technology to support, evaluate, and improve: 1) nursing care, 2) healthcare systems, and 3) patient and population health.
  • Synthesize and use appropriate theories, concepts and scientific data to support, evaluate and improve patient and population health.
  • Assume leadership in advanced practice, health policy, mentoring, scholarship, and scientific inquiry.
  • Disseminate credible and relevant evidence supporting decisions using various forms of communication.

Concentrations (Required)

Family Nurse Practitioner

Nurse Anesthesia

Nurse Executive Practice

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Primary Care)

Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Dual Nurse Practitioner

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner

Campus Code

Distance Education

Admissions Standards/Procedures

  • All applicants must hold a Bachelor’s degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Collegiate Commission on Nursing Education.
  • Submit online application to the Graduate Admissions Office. Meet admission requirements of Graduate School.
  • Hold a master’s degree in nursing or a business or health related field [e.g., MBA, MPH, MHA).
  • Have a minimum cumulative graduate grade-point average of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale for previous college work.
  • Have completed 3 credit hours of graduate-level statistics within 2 years of admission.
  • Achieve competitive score on the verbal and quantitative portions of the Graduate Record Examination if undergraduate GPA is below 3.30. If undergraduate GPA is 3.30 or above, then applicants are exempt from the GRE requirement.
  • Have TOEFL scores of at least 550 on the paper test or 80 on the internet-based test if native language is not English.
  • Complete College of Nursing Graduate Program Data Form.
  • Submit College of Nursing Graduate Rating Forms from three college level instructors and/or nurses and administrators who have supervised applicant’s professional work.
  • Submit an essay describing personal and professional aspirations.
  • Complete a personal interview with the College of Nursing DNP admissions committee. Applicants may be interviewed by telephone or teleconferencing at the discretion of the admissions committee.

Academic Standards

  • Prior to enrollment in the DNP program, each student must successfully complete a criminal background check.
  • Each student must hold personal professional liability insurance and health insurance.
  • As Registered Nurses, DNP students must be licensed to practice nursing in the state where employed and in all states where their clinical experiences will occur (if different from state of employment).
  • Each student must present evidence of meeting current health requirements. See College of Nursing website, www.nursing.utk.edu.
  • Each student must present evidence of current health care provider CPR certified.
  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.
  • A minimum grade of B in all DNP and other graduate-level nursing courses and a 3.00 graduate cumulative GPA is required for continuation in the program.
  • The College of Nursing prohibits students from repeating graduate coursework with two exceptions: NURS 505  (Advanced Clinical Pharmacology) and NURS 515  (Advanced Pathophysiology for Nursing Practice). Students may only repeat these courses after earning a D or F; original and repeat grade will be included in the graduate GPA.
  • Residence Requirement
    • For the doctoral degree, a minimum of two consecutive semesters of full-time registration is required. A statement as to how and during what period of time the residence requirement has been met will be presented with the Application for Admission to Candidacy along with signatures of approval from the major professor and the department head/program director.

The College of Nursing will observe the following grading scale:

A    =  92 – 100 4 quality points
B+  =  88 – 91 3.3 quality points
B    =  83 – 87 3 quality points
C+ =  78 – 82 2.3 quality points
C   =  75 – 77 2 quality points
D   =  67 – 74 1 quality point
F    =  66 or below 0 quality points

Family Nurse Practioner Concentration

Family Nurse Practitioner

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 61 to maximum 72 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy after successfully passing a comprehensive examination and defending the DNP Scholarly Project proposal.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of two doctoral-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Nurse Anesthesia Concentration

Credit Hours

Minimum 112 to maximum 123 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy after successfully passing a comprehensive examination and defending the DNP Scholarly Project proposal.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of two doctoral-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Nurse Executive Practice Concentration

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 60 to maximum 71 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy after successfully passing a comprehensive examination and defending the DNP Scholarly Project proposal.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of two doctoral-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (Primary Care) Concentration

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 62 to maximum 73 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy after successfully passing a comprehensive examination and defending the DNP Scholarly Project proposal.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of two doctoral-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Pediatric Primary/Acute Care Dual Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Students cannot get a standalone DNP in Pediatric Acute Care. They can get a dual DNP in Pediatric Primary and Acute care by completing the full PNP Primary care program and then adding an additional semester to take the two acute care courses listed below.

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 70 to maximum 80 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy after successfully passing a comprehensive examination and defending the DNP Scholarly Project proposal.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of two doctoral-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration

Credit Hours Required

Minimum 63 to maximum 74 graduate credit hours

Required Courses

Additional Course Requirements

  • A maximum of 6 graduate credit hours taken before acceptance into the DNP program may be applied toward the degree.

Non-Course Requirements

  • Students will be admitted to candidacy after successfully passing a comprehensive examination and defending the DNP Scholarly Project proposal.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project produces a tangible and deliverable academic product that is derived from the practice immersion experience and is reviewed and evaluated by an academic committee.
  • The DNP Scholarly Project committee is composed of a minimum of two doctoral-prepared (DNP or PhD) faculty.
  • When appropriate, a third committee member may be selected, who holds special expertise relative to the specific project. The third member may be a faculty member from another academic unit, or external to the university.