Nursing DNP

Learn more about the Doctor of Nursing Practice.

About the Program

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Programs at Temple University, College of Public Health reflect the mission, vision and goals of the Department of Nursing, College of Public Health and Temple University. The DNP program prepares graduates to become leaders in their practice in evidence-based practice and research. Embedded in the program is the social context of health systems, health policy, and health economics and their impact on the individual, family and community. Based on the selected program concentration, students are prepared to provide direct primary care to individuals across diverse settings and indirect administration of systems of care, as well as to participate in the development and implementation of health policy. The DNP program extends the students' knowledge and skills in their selected area of study. Through the integration of the evidence-informed clinical practice, quality improvement and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) essentials of nursing education, faculty work with DNP students to cultivate the value of evidence-based practice and its potential impact on populations and health systems.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location: Main Campus

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: Both full-time and part-time schedules are available to DNP students. Classes may be offered between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Most didactic classes are held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings via a synchronous online platform. Other weekday evening classes may be required as per the nursing department. The DNP program plans of study run across all three semesters (fall, spring and summer).

Accreditation: The Doctor of Nursing Practice programs at Temple University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (https://www.aacnnursing.org/ccne-accreditation).

Areas of Specialization: Post-BSN and Post-Masters concentrations are available:

Post-BSN DNP includes:

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPC), which can be completed as full-time (3 years) or part time (4 years). Graduates of the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care track are eligible to take the national Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner board certification exams from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).
Family-Individual Across the Lifespan (FIAL), which can be completed as full-time (3 years) or part time (4 years). Graduates of the Family-Individual Across the Lifespan track are eligible to take the national Family Nurse Practitioner board certification exams from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP).

Post-Masters DNP includes:

DNP degree without a concentration, which can be completed in 2-3 years on a full-time or part-time basis. The program is designed for nurses who hold a master's degree and desire to obtain a DNP degree to advance their current practice.
DNP with a Health Systems Leadership (HSL) concentration, which can be completed in 3-4 years. The program is designed for nurses who hold a master's degree and desire knowledge and advancement in the business and administrative ranks of a health system.

The Post Masters DNP programs do not lead to national licensure nor certification. The DNP program remains in compliance with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Job Prospects: Graduates of the program are employed in a variety of advanced practice nursing positions.

Licensure/Experience: Professional Nurse Licensure (RN) in Pennsylvania or a multistate licensure is required for both post-BSN and post-masters applicants. Additional licenses are required in states in which clinical work is to be done. Students admitted in to FIAL track must have prior pediatric clinical nursing experience. For more information about licensure, see https:// www.ncsbn.org/membership/us-members/contact-bon.page.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students can take a total of 6 graduate credits prior to matriculation. DNP Program Director and Department Chair approvals are required for registration as a non-matriculated student. After completion of 6 credits, non-matriculated students must apply for admission within 12 months.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: April 15

All applicants to the DNP in Nursing program must apply via the Centralized Application Service for Nursing Programs (NursingCAS). The system can be accessed at https://www.nursingcas.org/.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 2

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should assess the applicant's ability to work independently, academic and scholarly performance, analytical thinking and aptitude for advanced study, commitment to urban health, communication skills, and professional contributions. Authors should be supervisors or academics and indicate how long they have known the applicant and in what capacity.

Coursework Required for Admission Consideration: Two admission options are offered for the DNP program:

Post BSN-DNP – Post-BSN applicants choose between two concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPC) and Family Individual Across the Lifespan (FIAL). Candidates who apply for post-BSN entry must have earned a baccalaureate degree in Nursing. Experience as a Registered Nurse is preferred. All transcripts of applicants will be reviewed by the graduate admissions team. Offers of acceptance will be made based on their recommendations. The program reserves the right to request that an applicant take the GRE exam based on a review of the transcript.
Post-Masters DNP – Applicants to the post-masters DNP program may elect to pursue a concentration in Health Systems Leadership (HSL). All applicants must have an active registered nurse license, practice experience, and an earned masters degree. The DNP degree requires 1,000 nursing practice hours. Students may apply up to 500 hours earned during their master’s program toward the 1,000-hour requirement. Hours required for national certification may also be applied. Upon admission, a gap analysis process will be completed to determine the number of hours required to achieve the 1000 nursing practice hours. Students with non-nursing master's degrees will be evaluated for admission on an individualized basis.

Bachelor's Degree in Discipline/Related Discipline: All applicants must present credentials that are the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree at Temple University. Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended must be submitted.

A WES evaluation is required for applicants who completed their bachelor's degree outside of the United States. This can be requested at https:// www.wes.org/ and submitted through NursingCAS.

Statement of Goals: In a 500 to 1,000-word personal statement describe your background, academic and professional goals, and you plan to advance nursing practice following completion of your DNP at Temple University.

Standardized Test Scores:
GRE/MAT: Optional, although applicants who believe GRE scores would complement their application are encouraged to submit scores directly to NursingCAS using code 4033. If submitted, scores are expected to be at or above the 50th percentile.

Applicants who earned their baccalaureate degree from an institution where the language of instruction was other than English, with the exception of those who subsequently earned a master's degree at a U.S. institution, must report scores for a standardized test of English that meet these minimums:

TOEFL iBT: 79 (send officially to NursingCAS using the NursingCAS-specific TOEFL code B506)
IELTS Academic: 6.5
PTE Academic: 53
Duolingo: 110

Resume: Current professional resume or CV is required.

Interview: An interview may be required with the DNP applications committee following submission of all required documents.

Laptop: All incoming students in the College of Public Health are required to have a laptop. Academic programs in the college are technology intensive. They incorporate statistical and database analyses; utilize specialized tools for athletic training, kinesiology and physical therapy; stream audio and video for communication sciences; facilitate online interactive counseling for social work; and foster clinical experiences and online assessments. The laptop requirement enables the College of Public Health to improve opportunities for active learning and provide greater access to specialized software and required tools in and out of the classroom, better preparing students for the workforce. Learn more about device specifications and suggested vendors. Students can use excess financial aid (i.e., funds that are reimbursed after all tuition and fees are paid) to meet student needs, including the purchase of a laptop. Scholarships may also provide funding.

Transfer Credit: With departmental approval, DNP students may satisfy a maximum of 20% of their coursework requirement through transfer credit. This equates to 9 credits, external to Temple University's Department of Nursing, for a post-baccalaureate DNP applicant and 6 credits, external to Temple University's Department of Nursing, for a post-master's DNP applicant. A transferred course must be equivalent to coursework offered at Temple, and the grade must be a "B" or better. The decision is made by the Graduate Program Coordinators in conjunction with the appropriate faculty member and forwarded to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for final approval. Students must provide the syllabus with details of requirements for course completion including assignments for the course(s) being considered for transfer credits. Additional documentation may be required for evaluation of courses for transfer of credit.

Clearances: The Nursing DNP program requires students to complete clinical/field education experiences at facilities both on and off Temple University's campuses. Placements require a Pennsylvania state criminal background check, Pennsylvania state child abuse clearance, FBI fingerprinting clearance, and a drug screen. Negative results may limit or eliminate placement options for the student, resulting in their inability to meet admission/graduation requirements. Conviction of a misdemeanor, felony, or felonious or illegal act may prevent an individual from becoming licensed and/or obtaining Advanced Practice Nursing approval. Students need a physical examination, proof of required immunizations, Quantiferon testing, CPR certification and personal health insurance. Students who do not comply with the required health and immunization requirements will not be permitted to attend clinical and may be dismissed from the Nursing program.

Other: Copies of the applicant's current nursing licenses must be provided with the application. Note that students who hold advanced practice licenses must maintain licensure throughout enrollment in the DNP program.

Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required to Earn the Degree: 68, including 56 required credits and 12 practicum credits for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care (AGPC) concentration and for the Family-Individual Across the Lifespan (FIAL) concentration

Required Courses for DNP, Family-Individual Across the Lifespan Concentration (Full-Time)

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
NURS 5101	Translation of Evidence in Healthcare	3
NURS 5401	Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology	4
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
NURS 5402	Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics	4
NURS 8201	Health Indices of Urban Populations in Primary Healthcare	3
NURS 8205	Nursing Leadership for Systems and Communities	2
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
	Credit Hours	9
Summer
NURS 5501	Theories for Advanced Practice Nursing of Families and Individuals	3
NURS 5552	Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning	4
	Credit Hours	7
Year 2
Fall
NURS 8204	Policy: Health Care Advocacy in Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 9377	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Theory	3
NURS 9387	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Practicum	2
HRPR 8985	Teaching in Higher Education: Health Professions	3
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
EPSY 8960	Seminar Series: Problems in Educational Psychology	3
NURS 8101	DNP Project I: Problem Identification	2
NURS 9477	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Theory	3
NURS 9487	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	10
Summer
NURS 8102	DNP Project II: Planning and Development	2
NURS 8302	Managing Outcomes Through Nursing Quality Initiatives	3
	Credit Hours	5
Year 3
Fall
NURS 8103	DNP Project III: Implementation, Evaluation and Dissemination	3
NURS 9577	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Theory	3
NURS 9587	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	8
Spring
NURS 8206	Health Economics and Business Practices in Primary Healthcare	2
NURS 8207	Advancing Health Through Information Technology	2
NURS 9777	Primary Care of Children and Youth Theory	3
NURS 9787	Primary Care of Children and Youth Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	9
	Total Credit Hours	68

Required Courses for DNP, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Concentration (Full-Time)

Plan of Study Grid
Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
NURS 5101	Translation of Evidence in Healthcare	3
NURS 5401	Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology	4
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
NURS 5402	Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics	4
NURS 8201	Health Indices of Urban Populations in Primary Healthcare	3
NURS 8205	Nursing Leadership for Systems and Communities	2
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
	Credit Hours	9
Summer
NURS 5501	Theories for Advanced Practice Nursing of Families and Individuals	3
NURS 5552	Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning	4
	Credit Hours	7
Year 2
Fall
NURS 8204	Policy: Health Care Advocacy in Advanced Nursing Practice	2
NURS 9377	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Theory	3
NURS 9387	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly I Practicum	2
HRPR 8985	Teaching in Higher Education: Health Professions	3
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
EPSY 8960	Seminar Series: Problems in Educational Psychology	3
NURS 8101	DNP Project I: Problem Identification	2
NURS 9477	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Theory	3
NURS 9487	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly II Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	10
Summer
NURS 8102	DNP Project II: Planning and Development	2
NURS 8302	Managing Outcomes Through Nursing Quality Initiatives	3
	Credit Hours	5
Year 3
Fall
NURS 8103	DNP Project III: Implementation, Evaluation and Dissemination	3
NURS 9577	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Theory	3
NURS 9587	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly III Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	8
Spring
NURS 8206	Health Economics and Business Practices in Primary Healthcare	2
NURS 8207	Advancing Health Through Information Technology	2
NURS 9677	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly IV Theory	3
NURS 9687	Primary Care of Adults and the Elderly IV Practicum	2
	Credit Hours	9
	Total Credit Hours	68

Minimum Grade to be Earned for All Required Courses: B-

Culminating Event:
Clinical Practice Project:
Over the course of completing NURS 8101 DNP Project Development I, NURS 8102 DNP Project Development II, and NURS 8103 DNP Project Implementation, the student develops an evidence-based clinical practice project in consultation with DNP Project Faculty Advisors. A doctorally prepared mentor with content expertise is optional. The DNP project courses include specific deliverables related to the project. If deliverables are not completed by the end of the course, the student must register for a DNP project continuation course. DNP project courses are sequential and must be completed according to the plans of study. Deliverables specific to each DNP project course must be successfully completed to qualify for progression to the next DNP project course.