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Nursing DNP at Kent State

Nursing - D.N.P.

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.

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More About This Program

Kent State's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will prepare you to become a healthcare leader and improve patient care through the application of scientific evidence.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice is the terminal degree for nurses who want to advance their knowledge of nursing practice, gain leadership and technology skills, and become clinical scholars.

In this program, 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.

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Program Information

Program Description

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.

Admissions

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.

1

Upon admission to the D.N.P. degree, students who hold only a CCNE- or NLNAC-accredited bachelor's degree in nursing will be admitted also to an APRN M.S.N. degree. This will allow students to complete M.S.N. coursework and enroll in some D.N.P. coursework after successfully completing their first two full-time semesters of graduate study. Students must first complete M.S.N. coursework, earn the M.S.N. degree and obtain APRN national certification before they can continue with D.N.P. coursework and earn the D.N.P. degree.

2

Students with a master's degree must submit proof of current, national certification as an advanced practice registered nurse within their first semester or prior to beginning their practicum hours, whichever comes first.

3

All students must complete or have completed a course or courses in Advanced Pharmacology, Advanced Health Assessment and Advanced Pathophysiology to meet AACN D.N.P. requirements.

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.

Learning Outcomes

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will be able to:

  1. Develop and implement systems-focused care and innovative strategies to promote positive, sustainable health and fiscal outcomes across the healthcare continuum.
  2. 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.
  3. Provide leadership and interprofessional collaboration to plan, implement and evaluate programs of care delivery to improve outcomes for individuals, populations and aggregates.
  4. Synthesize and translate evidence for implementation and dissemination for equitable, evidence-based and inclusive healthcare outcomes.
Coursework

Program Requirements

Major Requirements

Major Requirements (min B grade in all courses)
HI 80411CLINICAL ANALYTICS 3
NURS 70620DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE SEMINAR 3
NURS 70630RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 3
NURS 70635APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 3
NURS 70670QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY 3
NURS 70680POPULATION HEALTH 3
Culminating Requirement
NURS 70592DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM 17
Concentrations
Choose from the following:9
Minimum Total Credit Hours:34
1

Students must be continuously enrolled in NURS 70592 and complete a minimum of 7 credit hours (525 clock hours) of practicum in a clinical setting. If the student is unable to complete and successfully defend the scholarly project after being enrolled continuously for 7 credit hours (525 clock hours), the student must continuously enroll in 1 credit hour of NURS 70592 each semester for up to three semester, until the scholarly project is successfully defended. The IP grade will be used until the scholarly project is successfully defended, at which time all IP grades in NURS 70592 will be changed to satisfactory grades.

Executive Nurse Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (min B grade in all courses)
NURS 70641EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP IN NURSING 3
NURS 70651ADVANCED LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NURSE 3
NURS 70686APPLIED ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NURSE EXECUTIVE 3
Minimum Total Credit Hours:9

Systems Leadership Concentration Requirements

Concentration Requirements (min B grade in all courses)
NURS 70640ADVANCED LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE 3
NURS 70650ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS 3
NURS 70685HEALTHCARE 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

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

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 OneCredits
NURS 70620 DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE SEMINAR 3
NURS 70630 RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 3
 Credit Hours6
Semester Two
NURS 70592 DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM 1-2
NURS 70635 APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE 3
Concentration Requirement 3
 Credit Hours7
First Summer Term
HI 80411 CLINICAL ANALYTICS 3
NURS 70592 DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM 1-2
Concentration Requirement 3
 Credit Hours8
Semester Three
NURS 70592 DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM 1-2
NURS 70670 QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY 3
NURS 70680 POPULATION HEALTH 3
 Credit Hours8
Semester Four
NURS 70592 DOCTORAL NURSING PRACTICE PRACTICUM 1-2
Concentration Requirement 3
 Credit Hours5
 Minimum Total Credit Hours:34
Program Delivery
  • Delivery:
    • Fully online
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.

Pathways to the D.N.P.

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 nursing 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 nursing

 

B.S.N. to D.N.P.

The first two years of the program are focused on preparing you for an advanced practice role in the concentration you choose. After completing the necessary coursework and practicum hours, you will receive your MSN and will be eligible to sit for certification. During these two years, you may begin your DNP coursework.

Pathways to the DNP graphic

Concentration Options

You may choose to complete your DNP in any of these advanced practice areas:

  • Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist - 100% online
  • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Family Nurse Practitioner
  • Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner
  • Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner- 100% online
  • Women's Health Nurse Practitioner - 100% online
M.S.N. to D.N.P. Online

Kent State's MSN to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program can be completed 100% online in less than two years.

Our DNP program will prepare you to assume a leadership role in healthcare, make an impact on healthcare policy, apply current research and evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes, and practice with interdisciplinary teams, information systems, and quality improvement.

There is a growing demand for nurses with advanced leadership and technology skills which enable them to navigate the increasingly complex healthcare environment. There is also an increasing need for nurses who possess advanced knowledge that enables them to improve nursing practice and patient outcomes.

The DNP is the terminal degree for nurses who want to advance their knowledge of nursing practice and gain exceptional leadership and technology skills.

D.N.P. or Ph.D.?

Are you unsure of which nursing doctorate is the best choice?

Compare and contrast the Ph.D. and DNP programs

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

Notice: Career Information Source
* 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.

Accolades & Accreditation

The Kent State University College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Education and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing to award the Baccalaureate of Nursing Degree. Graduates of this program meet educational eligibility requirements to take the National Certification and Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse (NCLEX-RN). For specific state RN licensure, students should contact the states in which they are interested in working. See the National Council of State Boards website and the Kent State Professional Licensure website for specific information about each state.

The baccalaureate degree program in nursing, master’s degree program in nursing, Doctor of Nursing Practice program, and post-graduate APRN certificate program at Kent State University are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791. Kent State University College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.  Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) concentrations within the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program and APRN Certificates, along with the Bachelor of Science in Nursing to Doctor of Nursing Practice (BSN-to-DNP) program qualify graduates to sit for national APRN certification and APRN licensure in Ohio.  States other than Ohio may have additional requirements to apply for or obtain an APRN license, including but not limited to specific state examinations, letters of recommendation, or proof of completion of an accredited nursing program. The College of Nursing is in the process of collecting information from all states and has not yet made a determination whether graduates from the Kent State University College of Nursing MSN, Certificate, and BSN-to-DNP programs meet the requirements for APRN licensure outside the state of Ohio.

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