Degree Requirements

Degree: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

MSN Clinical Nurse Leader Bridge to DNP Executive Nursing Administration Pathway

A. MSN Clinical Nurse Leader (Completed before admission)

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Bridge Courses
NU 560	Adm & Mgt for Adv Nsg Practice	3
NU 565	Nursing Administration Finance	3
DNP Core Courses
NU 607	Scientif Underpinnings Adv Nsg	3
NU 608	EBP & Quality Improvement HCS	3
NU 610	Healthcare Policy & Finance	3
NU 611	Translat Evidence Practice Sys	3
NU 612	Clinical Prev Population Hlth	3
NU 613	Organizational & Sys Leadrshp	3
NU 615	Qual Improv & Outcomes Assmnt	3
NU 616	Data & Dec Mkng Healthcare Sys	3
DNP Residency Courses
Executive Nursing Administration
NU 661	Executive Nsg Admin PP&D	3
NU 662	Nurse Exec Admin Res I	3
NU 663	Nurse Exec Admin Res II	3
NU 664	Nurse Exec Admin Res III	3
Total Hours		42

Subspecialties

Students can earn a Post-Graduate Certificate Subspecialty when adding the requirements for any of the following subspecialties to their degree program curriculum.

Addictions Nursing

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 580	OUD/SUD Prevention/Screening	2
HSC 581	OUD/SUD Assessment/Treatment	2
HSC 582	OUD/SUD Recovery/Sys Practice	2
NU 510	Addictions Practicum I	1
NU 511	Addictions Practicum II	2
NU 512	Addictions Practicum III	2
NU 513	Addictions Practicum IV (Elective)	4
Total Hours		15

Advanced Forensic Nursing

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NU 500	Explore Culture Sexual Assault	2
NU 503	Trauma Care Sexual Assault Vic	2
NU 504	Adv Pharm Care Post Assault	2
NU 505	Sup Care Comorbid Post Assault	2
Total Hours		8

Nurse Educator

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NU 620	Prin Teach/Learn/Assess Nu Ed	3
NU 621	Curr Design/Outcome Eval Nu Ed	3
NU 622	Current Topics in Nu Education	2
NU 623	Nsg Educ Synthesis Practicum	3
Total Hours		11

Palliative Care

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
AHN 530	Found Palliative Care/Adv Role	2
AHN 531	Adv Palliative Cr/End of Life	2
AHN 532	Adv Chronic Illness Care	2
AHN 533	Adv Palliative Care Practicum	3
Total Hours		9

Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities

May be added to any concentration.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 501	Foundations of Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities	2
HSC 502	Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities in Population Health	2
HSC 503	Current Issues and Trends in Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities	2
HSC 504	Leadership and Change Management Advancing Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities	2
Total Hours		8

Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare

May be added to any concentration

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HSC 510	IPT for TI-IBH Primary Care	1
HSC 511	IPT Telehealth Deliv TI-IBH	1
HSC 512	TI-MI in IBH Seminar	1
NU 526	Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Practicum I	1
NU 527	Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Practicum II	2
NU 528	Trauma-Informed Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Practicum III	2
Total Hours		8

Elective Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
NU 509	Bioethics Advan Practice Nsg	1
NU 597	Intro to Scholarly Writing	3
HSC 573	Resp Prescrib Common Used Drug	1

Additional Information

MSN in Clinical Nurse Leader Bride to DNP Executive Nursing Administration

MSN to DNP Clinical Nurse Leader with Advanced Concentration in Leadership Bridge to Executive Nursing Administration Pathway is for students who completed their MSN in the area of Clinical Nurse Leader with Advanced Concentration in Leadership and want to complete their DNP in the specialty area of Executive Nursing Administration.

Students may pursue a DNP in the specialty area of Nursing Executive Administration after receiving an MSN degree with Advanced Concentration in Leadership.

Students would be required to complete 36 credit hours of the DNP program and two bridge courses to matriculate from the Clinical Nurse Leader with Advanced Concentration in Leadership to the Nursing Executive Administration specialty. Graduates of this program would complete a total of 42 credit hours.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice Program, graduates should be able to:

1. Synthesize current and evolving knowledge from nursing science and related disciplines to inform and direct innovative nursing care at the highest level of practice
2. Critically analyze systems-level nursing leadership in the provision of holistic, person-centered, and culturally inclusive nursing care of individuals, families, and communities
3. Address the impact of social determinants of health on individuals, families, and communities within the healthcare delivery continuum through utilization of collaborative partnerships, while advocating for improved health outcomes across populations
4. Advance nursing knowledge through the integration and dissemination of evidence-based practices to improve health outcomes and transform healthcare delivery systems
5. Leverage improvement science to design strategies that achieve a culture of safety in a high-quality care environment
6. Design, implement, and evaluate nurse-led partnerships that include individuals, families, communities, and stakeholders to transform care delivery and strengthen outcomes across systems and populations
7. Design, implement, and evaluate innovative, evidence-based solutions that apply systems knowledge to optimize care delivery, improve cost-effectiveness, and advance outcomes across the continuum of complex healthcare systems
8. Lead the strategic integration and use of informatics and healthcare technologies to generate knowledge, optimize care delivery, improve documentation and communication across systems, and advance health outcomes
9. Lead with integrity and a strong professional nursing identity by modeling ethical practice, fostering participatory care, and ensuring accountability to individuals, community, and the profession within legal and regulatory frameworks
10. Model advanced leadership, professional maturity, and a commitment to lifelong learning and personal well-being, fostering a spirit of inquiry and adaptability to drive transformative change in healthcare systems

Admission Criteria

To be considered for admission to the DNP program, the applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Citizen or Permanent Resident of the United States of America.
2. Current registered nurse licensure with no restrictions. Nurses with any restrictions on their license, including participation in a voluntary disciplinary alternative program, cannot be admitted.
3. Previous Nursing degree (BSN) must have been obtained from a nationally accredited institution. The nursing program must have been accredited by a nursing accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) such as CCNE, ACEN, and NLN.
4. Applicants to the MSN-DNP Pathways must have an overall graduate GPA no less than 3.0 as calculated by NursingCAS. A minimal grade point average of 3.0 on all MSN work (A=4.0) as calculated by NursingCAS.
5. Applicants to the BSN-DNP pathways must have an overall undergraduate GPA no less than 3.0 as calculated by NursingCAS. A minimal grade point average of 3.0 on all BSN work (A=4.0) as calculated by NursingCAS.
6. For graduates of universities using a Pass/Fail grade mode, a transcript with a degree awarded GPA must be provided.
7. Students must be in good standing with all academic institutions/nursing programs that they have attended in order to be admitted to the DNP program.
8. Prior to enrolling in nurse practitioner clinical course, students are required to have at least 2 years of experience in an area appropriate to the specialty track.
9. Students are admitted to a specialty track and may not change their track without permission.

Contingency for Admission and Initial Registration

Admission and initial registration is contingent on completion of the following requirements:

1. Acceptance Packet

2. Negative Drug Screen

3. Acceptable Background Check

4. All Health Requirements as outlined in the Medical Documents Manager.

5. Clinical Placement: Agency and Preceptor Agreements.

Notification of missing documents will be sent to your personal email account associated with your application. Only students who have successfully completed the Acceptance Packet in its entirety, have a negative drug screen and acceptable background check, and completed all required portions of the Medical Documents Manager will be permitted to register for classes.

Application Procedures

Admission to the program is limited and selective. Application forms and other information may be obtained from the College of Nursing's website or by contacting the college directly at:

College of Nursing
University of South Alabama
Mobile, Alabama 36688
condnpadmit@southalabama.edu
Telephone: (251) 445-9400.

1. Completion of the Primary Application: 

   1. Primary Application submitted through Nursing Centralized Application System (NursingCAS).

   2. Official transcripts of all college and university studies within the United States and Canada, regardless of the outcome of enrollment, must be sent directly from the home institution to the NursingCAS. These documents become the property of the NursingCAS and will not be returned to the applicant. Applicants are responsible for any fees required by NursingCAS for their services.

   3. All other foreign transcripts must be evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators. The transcript evaluation should be sent directly to NursingCAS in lieu of foreign transcripts.

   4. Personal Goal Statement is required. The Personal Goal Statement is a description of the applicant's purpose for completing the graduate degree. This essay serves as a writing sample to be reviewed by the Graduate Admissions Committee to determine the applicant’s scholarly writing skills.

   5. Submission of a résumé which documents clinical experience.

2. Completion of the Supplemental Application:

   1. The Supplemental Application is submitted electronically directly to the MSN Office at the USA College of Nursing.  

   2. Please note that the Supplemental Application should be completed AFTER you have completed your NursingCAS application and it has moved through the following stages: received, complete then VERIFIED.  Once it is verified you may complete the Supplemental Application.

   3. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their completed Supplemental Application is submitted by the deadline for the semester for which they are applying. Incomplete applications will not be processed. 

   4. This application requires a non-refundable processing fee of $100.00.

Admission of International Students

International Students must reside in the United States and have a current U.S. registered nurse licensure with no restrictions. Nurses with any restrictions on their license, including participation in a voluntary disciplinary alternative program, cannot be admitted. Students are required to complete clinicals in the U.S.

Any applicant who has attended a college or university outside of the United States or Canada, must have their official foreign transcripts translated and evaluated by Educational Credential Evaluators. The course-by-course transcript evaluation should be sent directly to the College of Nursing in lieu of foreign transcripts.  Please have them mailed to 5721 USA North Drive-HAHN 3068, Mobile, AL 36688-0002. Previous Nursing degrees (BSN, MSN, and/or DNP) must have been obtained from a nationally accredited institution. The nursing program must have been accredited by a nursing accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) such as CCNE, ACEN, and NLN.

International students should contact the Office of International Services by email at  intlservices@southalabama.edu or internationaladmissions@southalabama.edu or by telephone at (251) 460-6050. Deadlines for applications and supporting documents for new international students are usually one month earlier than the deadlines for U. S. citizens. International students are required to complete the internet based TOEFL (minimum acceptable score of 25 on each subsection), or a bachelor’s or graduate degree earned at an accredited United States Institution of higher learning and are required to demonstrate proficiency on the English Language Proficiency Examination administered by the University.

Application Deadlines

The College of Nursing posts application deadlines on our website for the DNP programs. Applications are accepted three times a year.

In keeping with the dynamic changes in the nursing and health field, the graduate nursing curriculum may undergo change. Changes in curricula and/or admission requirements will be published as far in advance as possible. Advisors are available to assist students in adapting to those changes and planning their course of study accordingly. 

Graduate Student Clinical Placement Policy and Procedure

The University of South Alabama College of Nursing (USA CON) offers students a wide variety of clinical opportunities as required by their selected program of study. Clinical practice experiences, supervised and evaluated by faculty, promote the integration of new knowledge into advanced nursing practice. Because students are located across the nation and abroad, they have the flexibility to complete clinical requirements in approved clinical sites within a geographically accessible area.

The USA CON recognizes students have diverse needs related to scheduling and travel to clinical site rotations. Therefore, the USA CON encourages students to locate acceptable clinical sites and preceptors within their geographical area using their known professional network when possible. This process allows students to determine opportunities that fit their personal time commitments.  

A clinical placement must be identified to meet full admission requirements. Students who do not meet this requirement will be admitted conditionally pending the guarantee of future clinical site placement after the completion of 9 credit hours maximum of support courses (the 3 Ps). Students are encouraged to work with the USA CON's Office of Clinical Affairs staff to secure an appropriate clinical site and preceptor within the first semester of matriculation to be eligible for full admission. Upon enrollment in the first nursing course, the USA CON will work collaboratively with students, as needed, to identify appropriate sites but no guarantee of approved placement is offered. Should the USA CON or student be unable to secure clinical placement or the student be unwilling to accept potential placement identified by the USA CON, the student may request a transfer of completed academic credit (e.g., the 3Ps) to another institution. Transfer credit approval is only granted by the receiving institution and is not guaranteed.

Post-graduate certificate students admitted directly to the clinical specialty must provide evidence of a guaranteed clinical placement and preceptor to be granted full admission to the program. 

Academic Progression Policy

Students in the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader Bridge to DNP Executive Nursing Administration Pathway program must meet the following requirements to progress in the program:

1. Maintain an overall GPA of 3.0. Any term in which a graduate student drops below a 3.0 Program GPA, the student is placed on probationary status and has a period of two terms to attain a 3.0 Program GPA or be dismissed.
2. Students in these programs can have a maximum of two Cs.
3. A maximum of two (2) courses with a grade of "C" can be counted towards a degree; however, only one (1) "C" is permitted in support or specialization courses. If a second "C" or lower is earned in a support (NU, 518, NU 545, NU 578) or specialization course, the course in which the second "C" or lower is obtained must be repeated before a student may move forward with a specialty course. All corresponding specialty clinical and didactic courses must be taken in sequence.
4. Degree requirements will not be fulfilled by a grade lower than a “C”. 
5. A student earning a third "C" or lower will be academically dismissed from the program.
6. A student earning two grades of "F" in the program will be academically dismissed.
7. Students who have been absent from the College of Nursing graduate program for one year or more will be required to repeat any graduate courses that have timed out during a student's absence from the program. Courses to be repeated may include core, support, or specialization courses.
8. Failure to show good moral character as evidenced by any of the following merits immediate dismissal from the program: a) conviction of a crime; b) disciplinary action against a nursing license in Alabama or any other state; c) positive drug test; d) adverse background check; or e) disruptive behavior. All students must notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Dean of the College of Nursing immediately or no later than 48 hours of any of the above state incidents.
9. All students must notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or the Dean of the College of Nursing immediately or no later than 48 hours following an arrest. Failure to report an arrest may result in removal from the program.
10. All students are subject to testing for controlled substances and must submit to random drug testing as requested. A positive test or refusal to submit to testing will result in removal from the program.
11. All students are subject to a background check and must submit to additional background checks as requested. An adverse finding or refusal to submit to a background check may result in removal from the program.
12. A student who has been academically dismissed is not eligible for readmission to the DNP program and is not eligible for admission to the MSN program.
13. Degree requirements for the MSN to DNP Advanced Practice Roles and the MSN CNL Bridge to DNP ENA Pathway must be completed within seven (7) years of starting the program; this includes the following courses: NU 607 Scientific Underpinnings of Advanced Nursing, NU 608 EBP & Quality Improvement in Health Care Systems, NU 610 Strategic Resource Management in Health Care, and NU 613 Organizational and Systems Leadership.

Policy for Students Who are Dismissed from a Clinical Setting for Unprofessional Behavior or Refused Approval by the Setting due to Previous Experience with the Student

Professional behavior is expected of all USA CON students within the clinical setting. Students who are asked to leave a clinical setting (by an administrator or preceptor) due to unprofessional behavior will be removed from the clinical site with no approval of return to the same site.

Should a clinical agency refuse to allow a student to obtain clinical hours in their facility for any reason, the agency’s request will be honored by the college.

Students dismissed from a clinical site or refused by a clinical agency will be assisted to find an appropriate clinical placement at an affiliated clinical site at the college’s discretion.  Students who decline the placement provided will be delayed in completing the program. 

Depending on the nature of the unprofessional behavior, action taken by the college may include dismissal from the academic program.

DNP Residency Coursework Policy

The DNP Residency Coursework includes the DNP Project Planning and Development, Residency I, Residency II, and Residency III.  Students who need to change their DNP project focus after successfully completing the DNP PP&D course will be required to retake PP&D for project redesign prior to moving forward in the residency courses. Students who need to change a DNP Residency course clinical site after approval of the original project idea must meet with the DNP Program Director, DNP Department Coordinator, DNP Specialty Track Coordinator, and Faculty Advisor. The DNP PP&D as well as any previously completed Residency courses may be required of the student before progressing to a subsequent residency course.

Scientific Review Committee Policy

The DNP project will be reviewed by the USA College of Nursing DNP Scientific Review Committee to evaluate rigor and feasibility. The review process will occur during Project Planning and Development.  The DNP project must be reviewed by the Scientific Review Committee before enrolling in Residency I.

Graduation Information

The program must be completed in seven years of matriculation for the MSN Clinical Nurse Leader Bridge to DNP Executive Nursing Administration Pathway. Each candidate for the Doctor of Nursing practice degree must submit an application for the degree the semester preceding their anticipated graduation through the Registrar's Office. See the University Calendar for specific deadlines. Deadlines for each semester application are located on the Registrar’s Graduation Website.