Nursing DNP, MSN to DNP Curriculum

Program Requirements

The UMSL College of Nursing is committed to admitting a diverse group of students who will become nurse leaders responsive to the specific needs of the communities and populations we serve. We value diversity, intellectual discourse and rigor, caring, professionalism, mutual respect and support, innovation, collaboration, and transparency.  Applicants will be selected using inclusive and balanced admission criteria that measure their potential in nursing practice, education, research, and scholarship. We measure our success by graduates who become lifelong learners and leaders in their communities and in the profession of nursing.

Applicants to the DNP program will be holistically reviewed using criteria such as GPA, a personal statement, an essay, work/volunteer experiences, professional activities, leadership roles, honors, award recognitions, etc.

Due to higher education regulation changes, the University of Missouri–St. Louis cannot admit students from all states for online programs.  Please see the Center for Teaching and Learning for additional information:  http://www.umsl.edu/services/ctl/onlinelearning/state_authorization.html

The post master’s entry point is designed for graduate-prepared nurses who want to develop the knowledge, skills, and expertise to become clinical scholars, transformational leaders, and function at the highest level of nursing practice while obtaining a terminal degree in nursing practice.

Admission Criteria

• A completed University of Missouri-St. Louis Nursing CAS application
• MSN from a nationally accredited nursing program
• MSN 3.0 GPA
• Current professional licensure
• Completion of an undergraduate general statistics course or graduate level general statistics course

Spaces in the  DNP program are limited. Based on space availability, applications will be accepted until the class is full. 

Degree Requirements

NURSE 6424	Social Determinants of Health for Underserved Populations	3
NURSE 7211	Biostatistics I	3
NURSE 7215	Evidence-Based Practice for the DNP	3
NURSE 7220	Leadership in Practice	3
NURSE 7230	Epidemiology	3
NURSE 7240	Health Informatics	3
NURSE 7260	Program Evaluation and Quality Management in Healthcare	3
NURSE 7291	DNP Clinical Scholarship Project I	2
NURSE 7292	DNP Clinical Scholarship Project II	2
NURSE 7293	DNP Clinical Scholarship Project III	2
NURSE 7443	Healthcare Policy and Economics	3
Nursing elective		3
Total Hours		33

Prior to completion of the DNP program, students will complete a clinical scholarship project that satisfies the graduate school requirement. 

Learning Outcomes

A successful graduate should, upon completion, be able to:

• Integrates evidence-based concepts from advanced practice nursing, the arts, sciences, and humanities to provide comprehensive, competent, holistic, and patient-centered care promoting healthy outcomes and health equity for diverse individuals, families, communities, and populations.
• Demonstrates clinical decision-making and actions based on ethical and legal obligations, standards of practice, economics, health equity, and nursing values.
• Applies knowledge of health care policies in their regulatory environment and their influence on health care access and quality.
• Generates, synthesizes, translates, applies, and disseminates research to improve health outcomes, quality of care, and minimize risk of harm.
• Evaluates approaches to practice utilizing information and communication technologies to promote, safe, high-quality care, and efficient health delivery services according to best practice, professional, and regulatory standards.
• Demonstrates responsibility and accountability for decisions and actions based on professional intrapersonal values, ethical and legal obligations, standards of practice, social justice, and economics.
• Demonstrates mastery of specialized nurse practitioner competencies, as outlined by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) Population-Focused Nurse Practitioner Competencies.