Applicants who seek admission to the Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program must first achieve admission to the Office of Graduate Studies at the University level. Once admission to Graduate Studies is attained and all materials have been received by the graduate nursing program, the applicant may be considered for admission to the DNP program. The USI Department of Distance Learning provides updated information regarding out-of-state student acceptance.
The following criteria must be met to be considered for admission into the Post-Master's DNP program. Students who do not meet the minimal criteria will not be eligible for admission.
- A master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school of nursing
- A minimum graduate grade point average of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent
- Satisfactory completion of a graduate course in research with a grade of B or better.
- Submit a copy of unencumbered RN licenses
- Submit a curriculum vitae
Admission Requirements
To be eligible for the Post MSN option of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program, an applicant must have:
- A master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited school of nursing
- A minimum graduate GPA of 3.00 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent
- Satisfactory completion of a graduate course in research with grade of B or better
Admission requires submission of the online application, application fee, and official transcripts to Graduate Studies. Applicants must also submit the following items:
- A copy of unencumbered RN license(s)
- A resume/curriculum vitae
- Non-native speakers of English must provide an official report confirming a TOEFL score of 525 (paper test) or 71 (Internet based) or ILELTS score of 6.5.
Once admission to Graduate Studies is attained and all application materials have been received by the graduate nursing program, the applicant will be considered for admission to the DNP program. Admission to the DNP program is competitive. Faculty may request an interview with an applicant once all of the admission criteria as listed above have been met. Additional information about the DNP program and admission process may be found on the college web site at www.usi.edu/health.
Concentrations (Post MSN option)
Students admitted to the Post MSN option of the DNP program may select from two areas of study: Advanced Nursing Practice or Organizational and Systems Leadership. In both concentrations, the plan of study is the same with all students enrolling in the 12 required DNP courses. Students complete assignments within each course that address the identified study concentration. The capstone project focuses on an endeavor consistent with the student’s identified study concentration.