About This Program
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program is designed for experienced nurses who are looking to advance their career. With a focus on evidence-based practice, leadership and patient care, this program prepares you for a wide range of roles in healthcare. Students in this program will have access to experienced faculty, cutting-edge technology and clinical experiences that will prepare you for the challenges of the modern healthcare industry. Read more...
Contact Information
Program Delivery
Examples of Possible Careers and Salaries*
Medical and health services managers
- 31.5% much faster than the average
- 422,300 number of jobs
- $104,280 potential earnings
Nurse practitioners
- 52.4% much faster than the average
- 211,300 number of jobs
- $111,680 potential earnings
Nursing instructors and teachers, postsecondary
- 17.6% much faster than the average
- 72,900 number of jobs
- $75,470 potential earnings
Accreditation
The D.N.P. degree in Nursing at Kent State University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.
* Source of occupation titles and labor data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook. Data comprises projected percent change in employment over the next 10 years; nation-wide employment numbers; and the yearly median wage at which half of the workers in the occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
For more information about graduate admissions, visit the graduate admission website. For more information on international admissions, visit the international admission website.
Admission Requirements
- Undergraduate and graduate degrees:
- Executive Nurse concentration - bachelor's degree in nursing and a master's degree in nursing
- Systems Leadership concentration - one of the following: (1) bachelor's degree in nursing1; or (2) master's degree in advanced practice registered nursing2 that is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing; or (3) B.S.N. degree and a master's in nursing3
- Minimum overall 3.000 GPA on a 4.000 point scale
- Official transcript(s)
- Completion of an undergraduate- or graduate-level statistics course with a minimum C grade
- Active, unrestricted registered nurse license in the state in which the student's practica will be completed
- GRE scores, no more than five years old (only for post-Bachelor of Science in Nursing applicants) effective for spring 2024 admission term, GRE scores are no longer required
- Résumé or curriculum vitae that demonstrates professional experience in nursing
- Essay (300 words) describing professional goals and reasons for seeking the professional practice doctorate
- Three letters of reference from health care professionals or academic faculty who can speak to the applicant's professional and academic abilities
- Pre-admission interview
- English language proficiency - all international students must provide proof of English language proficiency (unless they meet specific exceptions) by earning one of the following:
- Minimum 560 TOEFL PBT score
- Minimum 83 TOEFL IBT score
- Minimum 78 MELAB score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 55 PTE score
- Minimum 110 Duolingo English score
Students selected for admission to the nursing program must meet the College of Nursing's Clinical Compliance Policy. Priority admission to the Nurse Executive concentration will be given to candidates who hold American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) certification or American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) Nurse Executive certification or have experience in nursing management or administration.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Priority deadline: March 1
- Spring Semester
- Priority deadline: November 1
- Summer Term
- Priority deadline: March 1
Applications submitted by these deadlines will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| HI 80411 | CLINICAL ANALYTICS | 3 |
| NURS 70620 | DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE SEMINAR | 3 |
| NURS 70630 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70635 | APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70670 | QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY | 3 |
| NURS 70680 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| NURS 70592 | DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM 1 | 7 |
| 9 |
| |
| |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 34 |
Executive Nurse Concentration Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| NURS 70641 | EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP IN NURSING | 3 |
| NURS 70651 | ADVANCED LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NURSE | 3 |
| NURS 70686 | APPLIED ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NURSE EXECUTIVE | 3 |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Systems Leadership Concentration Requirements
Course List | Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| NURS 70640 | ADVANCED LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE | 3 |
| NURS 70650 | ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS | 3 |
| NURS 70685 | HEALTHCARE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC POLICY | 3 |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Progression Requirements
Student who do not earn a minimum B grade in a course must repeat it and cannot take other courses that require that course as a prerequisite until the course is successfully repeated. Students who do not earn a minimum B grade in the second attempt may be dismissed from the D.N.P. degree.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation Requirements Summary | Minimum Major GPA | Minimum Overall GPA |
| - | 3.000 |
- Minimum B grade in all courses
- Completion of 1,000 hours, (M.S.N. + D.N.P.) of practicum post- baccalaureate that includes completion of a minimum 525 hours in the D.N.P. degree.
- Submission and defense of a scholarly project to a committee that includes, at minimum, the student's academic advisor and two other doctoral-prepared members. The project must result in a manuscript suitable for publication.
Roadmap
This roadmap is a recommended semester-by-semester plan of study for this major. However, courses designated as critical (!) must be completed in the semester listed to ensure a timely graduation.
Plan of Study Grid | Semester One |
|---|
| NURS 70620 | DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE SEMINAR | 3 |
| NURS 70630 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 6 |
| Semester Two |
|---|
| NURS 70592 | DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM | 1-2 |
| NURS 70635 | APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| Concentration Requirement | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 7 |
| First Summer Term |
|---|
| HI 80411 | CLINICAL ANALYTICS | 3 |
| NURS 70592 | DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM | 1-2 |
| Concentration Requirement | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 8 |
| Semester Three |
|---|
| NURS 70592 | DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM | 1-2 |
| NURS 70670 | QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY | 3 |
| NURS 70680 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 8 |
| Semester Four |
|---|
| NURS 70592 | DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM | 1-2 |
| Concentration Requirement | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 5 |
| | Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 34 |
Program Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will be able to:
- Develop and implement systems-focused care and innovative strategies to promote positive, sustainable health and fiscal outcomes across the healthcare continuum.
- Provide population-focused, advanced nursing care to diverse populations within a variety of settings based on evidence, ethics, theory, professional standards and medical model of care.
- Provide leadership and interprofessional collaboration to plan, implement and evaluate programs of care delivery to improve outcomes for individuals, populations and aggregates.
- Synthesize and translate evidence for implementation and dissemination for equitable, evidence-based and inclusive healthcare outcomes.
Full Description
The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree in Nursing is the terminal degree for nurses who want to advance their knowledge of nursing practice, gain leadership and technology skills and become clinical scholars. Students develop leadership skills to affect health outcomes for individuals and populations by translating scientific evidence into clinical interventions, managing healthcare systems and collaborating with other health care providers.
The Nursing major comprises the following concentrations:
- The Executive Nurse concentration prepares nurse leaders for the role of nurse executive at the highest level of healthcare administration.
- The Systems Leadership concentration prepares nurse leaders in advanced practice and clinical experts to lead interprofessional teams focused on evidence-based practice, quality improvement and translational research.
Professional Licensure Disclosure
This program is designed to prepare students to sit for applicable licensure or certification in Ohio. If you plan to pursue licensure or certification in a state other than Ohio, please review state educational requirements for licensure or certification and contact information for state licensing boards at Kent State's website for professional licensure disclosure.
