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 them for the challenges of the modern healthcare industry. Read more...
Contact Information
- Teresa Adams | tadams27@kent.edu |
330-672-8761
- Connect with an Admissions Counselor: U.S. Student | International Student
Program Delivery
- Delivery:
- Fully online
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
- Previous degree:
- Executive Nurse concentration – master's degree in nursing or a related field
- Nurse Administration and Executive Leadership concentration – bachelor's or master's pre-licensure degree in nursing
- Practice Leadership concentration – bachelor's1 or master's degree in nursing
- 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
- 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 healthcare 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 to waive) by earning one of the following:2
- Minimum 79 TOEFL iBT score
- Minimum 6.5 IELTS score
- Minimum 58 PTE score
- Minimum 110 DET 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 who have experience in nursing management or administration.
- 1
Post-baccalaureate students admitted to the Practice Leadership concentration also will be admitted to the M.S.N. degree in one of the advanced practice registered nurses concentrations. This dual admit 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
International applicants who do not meet the above test scores may be considered for conditional admission.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- Priority deadline: March 1
- Spring Semester
- Priority deadline: October 1
All application materials (including applicable fee, transcripts, recommendation letters, etc.) submitted by these deadlines will receive the strongest consideration for admission.
Program Requirements
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Major Requirements (min B grade in all courses) | ||
| NURS 70016 | ADVANCED ASSESSMENT, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE LEADER 1 | 3 |
| NURS 70621 | D.N.P. ROLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP | 1 |
| NURS 70630 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70635 | APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70640 | ADVANCED LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE | 3 |
| NURS 70670 | QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY | 3 |
| NURS 70680 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| NURS 70711 | SCIENTIFIC WRITING | 3 |
| NURS 70750 | D.N.P. DATA SCIENCE FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY | 3 |
| Culminating Requirement | ||
| NURS 72692 | D.N.P. PROJECT I: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT PLANNING AND PROPOSAL | 3 |
| NURS 72792 | D.N.P. PROJECT II: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS | 3 |
| NURS 72892 | D.N.P. PROJECT III: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| Concentrations | ||
| Choose from the following: | 6-30 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 40-64 | |
- 1
NURS 70016 is required for students who have not completed graduate coursework in advanced assessment, advanced pharmacology and advanced physiology. Students who have previously completed the course will be waived the requirement and may graduate with 37 credit hours (or 61 credit hours if in the Nursing Administration and Executive Leadership concentration).
Executive Nurse Concentration Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements (min B grade in all courses) | ||
| NURS 70089 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES 1 | 3 |
| or NURS 70686 | APPLIED ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NURSE EXECUTIVE | |
| NURS 70651 | ADVANCED LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NURSE | 3 |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 6 | |
- 1
NURS 70089 is only offered in another country for students who travel abroad.
Nursing Administration and Executive Leadership Concentration Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements (min B grade in all courses) | ||
| NURS 70020 | LEGAL AND REGULATORY MANAGEMENT FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATORS | 3 |
| NURS 70024 | HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| NURS 70089 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES 1 | 3 |
| or NURS 70686 | APPLIED ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NURSE EXECUTIVE | |
| NURS 70101 | THEORETICAL BASIS FOR NURSING PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70292 | INTEGRATION OF CLINICAL EXPERTISE INTO THE HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT ROLE PRACTICUM | 2 |
| NURS 70315 | BUDGETARY AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT FOR NURSES | 3 |
| NURS 70651 | ADVANCED LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NURSE | 3 |
| NURS 74002 | PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATORS | 3 |
| NURS 74292 | NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP I PRACTICUM | 2 |
| NURS 74302 | NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR | 2 |
| NURS 74692 | EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PRACTICUM | 3 |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 30 | |
- 1
NURS 70089 is only offered in another country for students who travel abroad.
Practice Leadership Concentration Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concentration Requirements (min B grade in all courses) | ||
| NURS 70089 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES 1 | 3 |
| or NURS 70685 | HEALTHCARE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC POLICY | |
| NURS 70650 | ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS | 3 |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 6 | |
- 1
NURS 70089 is only offered in another country for students who travel abroad.
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 minimum 500 practicum hours for post-master's students. Post-baccalaureate students are required to complete additional hours based upon their selected concentration.
- 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.
Roadmaps
Executive Nurse Concentration
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.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| NURS 70016 | ADVANCED ASSESSMENT, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE LEADER | 3 |
| NURS 70621 | D.N.P. ROLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP | 1 |
| NURS 70630 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70711 | SCIENTIFIC WRITING | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70635 | APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70640 | ADVANCED LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 70651 | ADVANCED LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NURSE | 3 |
| NURS 70750 | D.N.P. DATA SCIENCE FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 70670 | QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY | 3 |
| NURS 70680 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70089 or NURS 70686 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES or APPLIED ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NURSE EXECUTIVE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 72692 | D.N.P. PROJECT I: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT PLANNING AND PROPOSAL | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 72792 | D.N.P. PROJECT II: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 72892 | D.N.P. PROJECT III: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 40 | |
Nursing Administration and Executive Leadership Concentration
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.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| NURS 70101 | THEORETICAL BASIS FOR NURSING PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70315 | BUDGETARY AND FISCAL MANAGEMENT FOR NURSES | 3 |
| NURS 70621 | D.N.P. ROLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP | 1 |
| NURS 70711 | SCIENTIFIC WRITING | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70020 | LEGAL AND REGULATORY MANAGEMENT FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATORS | 3 |
| NURS 70024 | HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE AND BEHAVIOR | 3 |
| NURS 70640 | ADVANCED LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 9 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 70651 | ADVANCED LEGAL, REGULATORY AND POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR NURSE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 70016 | ADVANCED ASSESSMENT, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE LEADER | 3 |
| NURS 70292 | INTEGRATION OF CLINICAL EXPERTISE INTO THE HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT ROLE PRACTICUM | 2 |
| NURS 70630 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70635 | APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 74002 | PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION FOR NURSE ADMINISTRATORS | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 70750 | D.N.P. DATA SCIENCE FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 70670 | QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY | 3 |
| NURS 70680 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| NURS 74292 | NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP I PRACTICUM | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70089 or NURS 70686 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES or APPLIED ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PRINCIPLES FOR THE NURSE EXECUTIVE | 3 |
| NURS 74302 | NURSING ADMINISTRATION AND HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADERSHIP SEMINAR | 2 |
| NURS 74692 | EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PRACTICUM | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 72692 | D.N.P. PROJECT I: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT PLANNING AND PROPOSAL | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 72792 | D.N.P. PROJECT II: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 72892 | D.N.P. PROJECT III: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 64 | |
Practice Leadership Concentration
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.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| NURS 70016 | ADVANCED ASSESSMENT, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY AND PHARMACOLOGY FOR THE NURSE LEADER | 3 |
| NURS 70621 | D.N.P. ROLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP | 1 |
| NURS 70630 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70711 | SCIENTIFIC WRITING | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 10 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70635 | APPLICATION OF EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| NURS 70640 | ADVANCED LEADERSHIP IN HEALTHCARE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 70650 | ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEMS | 3 |
| NURS 70750 | D.N.P. DATA SCIENCE FOR HEALTHCARE QUALITY | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 70670 | QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY | 3 |
| NURS 70680 | POPULATION HEALTH | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 70089 or NURS 70685 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICIES or HEALTHCARE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC POLICY | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Summer Term | ||
| NURS 72692 | D.N.P. PROJECT I: EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE PROJECT PLANNING AND PROPOSAL | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| NURS 72792 | D.N.P. PROJECT II: IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| NURS 72892 | D.N.P. PROJECT III: DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION FOR EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Minimum Total Credit Hours: | 40 | |
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 and professional standards.
- 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 Nurse Administration and Executive Leadership concentration prepares B.S.N. nurses for entry-, mid- and executive-level leadership roles.
- The Practice Leadership concentration prepares advanced practice and clinical experts to lead interprofessional teams focused on evidence-based practice, quality improvement and translational research.