Nurse Practitioner (DNP)
This program prepares students for the highest level of advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) blending the theoretical knowledge with clinical application and is a terminal degree that prepares graduates to meet the needs of complex and changing healthcare systems. The program prepares nurse leaders who will improve patient outcomes and translate research into practice.
Practicing nurses and nursing students are held to high standards of professionalism and competence to perform responsible and safe care. Successful completion of the nursing program requires that students demonstrate the ability to perform essential skills effectively and safely. Additionally, students must demonstrate proficiency in interpersonal and organizational skills, as well as ethical comportment. Students considering this major must meet the required standards.
This program is offered in the following concentrations:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Alternate Entry
The alternate entry program is designed for the student who has no previous degrees in nursing, who desires a career in advance practice registered nursing (APRN), and who holds at minimum a bachelor's degree in a discipline other than nursing.
This program is offered in the following concentrations:
- Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner
- Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Admission
All students are expected to complete an approved upper-division statistics course before the first semester of enrollment.
The entering student must be a registered nurse who holds at minimum a bachelor's degree in nursing from a program accredited by the National League for Nursing or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.
Factors considered in the admission decision include a grade point average of at least 3.00 in upper-division and graduate coursework; current Texas RN licensure or Texas Board of Nursing eligible; information derived from academic and professional references; professional background; and proficiency in the English language. An interview may also be required. The composite picture presented by these factors is an important part of the holistic admission review and decision.
Alternate Entry
All students are required to complete seven approved prerequisite courses (anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, life span development, nutrition, and statistics) prior to the first semester of enrollment.
Prerequisite courses in upper-division statistics and the natural and behavioral sciences must be completed prior to enrollment. Of the required prerequisites, the courses in anatomy and microbiology and any three of the other courses must be completed by December 31 of the application year. All students must be fully compliant with program requirements prior to starting the program, including completing all seven required prerequisite courses and criminal background clearance from the Texas Board of Nursing prior to beginning the alternate entry pre-licensure summer courses.
Factors considered in the admission decision include a grade point average of at least 3.00 in upper-division undergraduate and graduate coursework; information derived from academic and professional references; professional background and goals; and proficiency in the English language. An interview may also be required. The composite picture presented by these factors is an important part of the holistic admission review and decision.
Accreditation
Alternate Entry
The alternate entry program prepares students for the highest level of advanced nursing practice blending theoretical knowledge with clinical application. The program is fully approved by the Texas Board of Nursing and is nationally accredited.
Licensure
Alternate Entry
The alternate-entry DNP student is eligible to take the NCLEX-RN licensure examination to become a registered nurse (NCLEX-RN) in the state of Texas after completing 38 credit hours of foundation courses. The student must pass all foundation year courses and have an unencumbered nursing license to enroll in graduate nursing courses beyond the foundation year.
Total Hours Required: 70
Family Nurse Practitioner: 70
Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: 72
Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Alternate Entry: 110
Acute Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner: 73
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner: 73
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Alternate Entry: 111
Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| DNP core | ||
| Nurse Practitioner concentration | ||
| Advanced leadership practicum | ||
| All students in this program must also follow these requirements and policies: | ||
| Graduate Nursing Requirements | ||
| Graduate University Requirements | ||
Alternate Entry Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | ||
| Accelerated foundation (all major clinical areas of nursing) | ||
| DNP core | ||
| Nurse Practitioner | ||
| Advanced leadership practicum | ||
Scholarly project within the leadership practicum | ||
| All students in this program must also follow these requirements and policies: | ||
| Graduate Nursing Requirements | ||
| Graduate University Requirements | ||
Additional Requirements and Policy
All pre-licensure courses must be completed with a grade of at least C to progress to the post-licensure alternate entry curriculum.
Within the leadership practicum seminars, students will select and develop an area of focus that will culminate in the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly project.