Doctor of Nursing Practice

About the Program

This online program allows registered nurses at the baccalaureate, and master’s level to advance their education by earning the degree and seeking education eligibility, if needed, to apply for national certification with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) in the role of Family Nurse Practitioner and to apply for state licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in primary care of families/across the lifespan.

Program Options:

• BSN-DNP 3 Years (6 Semesters): 65 Credit Hours
• BSN/Post Master’s (Non-FNP) DNP: 3 Years (6 Semesters); 65 Credit Hours
• Post Master’s (FNP) DNP: 1.5 Years (3 Semesters); 31 Credit Hour

Program Goals

1. Provide doctoral nursing education that builds on prior nursing education.
2. Provide graduates with enhanced knowledge and skills to practice as competent and professional family nurse practitioners.
3. Prepare graduates to be leaders in the profession and to deliver high-quality health care through the dissemination of evidence-based practice initiatives to patients, families, communities, and populations.

Program Learners [Student] Outcomes

1. Develop and evaluate new practice approaches based on science from nursing and other disciplines.
2. Employ leadership skills to design and evaluate strategies that improve care delivery and outcomes for diverse populations.
3. Lead inter-professional teams and partnerships to analyze and improve health outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.
4. Assume a leadership role in the application and dissemination of best evidence for practice to promote efficient, effective, and equitable patient-centered care.
5. Design, influence, and implement health care and ethical policies that affect financing, practice regulation, access to care, and outcomes for individual, families, and communities.
6. Analyze scientific data and synthesize concepts to develop, implement, and evaluate interventions that address health promotion and disease prevention for culturally diverse populations.
7. Utilize and evaluate information and communication technologies to improve health care and to implement change in health care systems.
8. Utilized advanced clinical judgment and specialty focused competencies to improve the care of diverse populations.

Admission Requirements

General Requirements for the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing

• Each student will be required to submit a completed health and immunization form provided by the School of Nursing, evidence of personal health insurance, and current Basic Life Support (BLS) for healthcare provider certification after being accepted for admission.
• Students must comply with Mississippi legislative statues and regulations regarding criminal background checks by having fingerprints taken and a criminal background check completed. Any cost of this requirement will be the student’s responsibility.
• Students who want to receive credit for prior nursing course(s) taken at another institution must submit a written request with supporting documentation and credit be negotiated before admission to the School of Nursing and not after the student is enrolled.
• Proof of total clinical hours completed while enrolled in an FNP program [Post Master’s FNP students ONLY]

BSN to DNP Admission Requirements

1. Apply to Delta State University Graduate School and meet admission requirements as outlined in the Delta State University Graduate Catalog.

2. Meet admission requirements to the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing Graduate Program as follows by February 15:

• Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing degree with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• A grade of “C” or better on an introductory course in statistics
• Completion of a Robert E. Smith School of Nursing Graduate Program Application.
• A copy of a current unencumbered registered nurse license to practice in the state in which the student will perform clinical.
• At least one year of continuous clinical nursing experience with patient contact as an RN within the past three years.
• Submission of a resume’
• Completion of an interview with the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing faculty.
• A grade of “C” or better on a graduate level pathophysiology course (prerequisite).

Post Master’s (Non-FNP and FNP) to DNP Admission Requirements

1. Apply to Delta State University Graduate School and meet admission requirements as outlined in the Delta State University Graduate Catalog.

2. Meet admission requirements to the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing Graduate Program as follows by February 15:

• Master of Science degree in Nursing with a minimum 3.0 GPA
• A grade of “C” or better on an introductory course in statistics
• Completion of a Robert E. Smith School of Nursing Graduate Program Application
• A copy of a current unencumbered registered nurse license to practice in the state in which the student will perform clinical
• A copy of current national family practitioner certification (ANCC & AANP) [FNP only
• At least one year of continuous clinical nursing experience with patient contact as an RN or advanced practice nurse within the past three years.
• Submission of a resume’
• Completion of an interview with the Robert E. Smith School of Nursing faculty.
• A grade of “C” or better on a graduate level pathophysiology course (prerequisite) [Non-FNP].

Full Time Program of Study:
BSN/Post-Master’s (non-FNP) to DNP
BSN – 65/Post Master’s (non-FNP) – 56 – 65 credit hours

• Total Credit Hours BSN-DNP = 6 Semesters/65 Credit Hours
• Total Credit Hours Post-Master’s (Non-FNP) = 6 Semesters/56 – 65 Credit Hours (9 hours available to transfer)
• **Non-FNP students may be able to transfer the following courses upon approval from Chair:
  • NUR 603 Advanced Pathophysiology
  • NUR 602 Advanced Health Assessment
  • NUR 605 Advanced Pharmacology
• A minimum of seven credit hours will be required for completion of the DNP Project – students will select # hours per semester based on the progression of their project.
• 780 clinical hours – FNP Role and 420 clinical hours – DNP Project  Total Clinical Hours = 1,200

Prerequisite: *NUR 603 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)

Fall I 1^st semester

Spring 2^nd Semester

Fall 3^rd Semester

Spring 4^th semester

Fall 5^th Semester

Spring 6^th Semester

Part-time Program of Study:
BSN/Post-Master’s (non-FNP) to DNP
BSN – 65/Post Master’s (non-FNP) – 56 – 65 credit hours
Prerequisite: *NUR 603 Advanced Pathophysiology (3 credit hours)

1^st semester

2^nd semester

3^rd semester

4^th semester

5^th semester

6^th semester

7^th semester

8^th semester

9^th semester

Post-Master’s FNP-DNP Full-time and Part-time

Full-time Total Credit Hours: 31

• 420 clinical hours – DNP project – required regardless of number of clinical hours obtained in Master’s program.
• Total Semester/Semester Hours Post-Master’s FNP-DNP = 3 semesters/31 semester hours
• A minimum of seven hours will be required for completion of the DNP Project Development/DNP Project – students will select # hours per semester based on the progression of their project
• Additional clinical hours may be required if total clinical hours in FNP program was less than 580

Part-time Total Credit Hours: 31

• 420 clinical hours – DNP project – required regardless of number of clinical hours obtained in a Master’s program.
• Total Semester/Semester Hours Post-Master’s FNP-DNP = 5 semesters/31 semester hours
• A minimum of seven hours will be required for completion of the DNP Project Development/DNP Project – students will select # hours per semester based on the progression of their project
• Additional clinical hours may be required if total clinical hours in FNP program was less than 580

Degree Requirements

A candidate for the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is required to meet the following:

1. Take all core and role specific courses, and the scholarly project to total specific semester hours for program of study.
2. The student must complete one of the following: a HESI APRN FNP Exam with a score of 800 or better; an APEA Post Predictor University Exam with a score of 70% during the last semester of the student’s plan of study. To take the comprehensive exam, the candidate must be enrolled in, or have completed, the final coursework and have a GPA of 3.0 or better (required only for post BSN and post MSN [non-FNP]).
3. A grade point average of at least 3.0 in the major field and overall.
4. Successfully present the project proposal, implement the project, and complete a successful final paper and oral presentation of the project. Professional dissemination of the project requires successful completion of:
5. An oral defense of both the proposal and final project to the DNP  Project Advisory Committee members for approval before it is implemented
6. Submission of an abstract to a professional organization for poster or podium presentation at a state, regional, national, or international level
   OR
7. Submission of a manuscript for publication in a peer-reviewed journal
8. Submission of an electronic DNP Portfolio

DNP Course/Lab Fees 2024-2025

BSN/Post-Master’s (Non-FNP)-DNP

*Instructors may require exam proctoring services to verify student identity to minimize the risk of academic dishonesty. When required, these services may include an additional cost to the student. 

POST-MASTER’s FNP-DNP

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) curriculum meets state educational requirements for professional certification and licensure as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). To determine the state requirements for professional nursing licensure as an APRN, please visit the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) webpage, http://www.ncsbn.org/14730.htm, then select the state where you want to know the professional licensure requirements.

This program prepares students to apply for applicable licensure and/or certification examinations in the state of Mississippi. In order to comply with regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Education regarding professional licensure, Delta State University is required to make the following disclosure with respect to professional licensure outside the state of Mississippi: Professional Licensure Disclosure page.