COLLEGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH

Learn more about the Doctor of Nursing Practice.

About the Program

Graduate nursing education strongly reflects the values and goals of nursing and the broad mission of Temple University. The DNP program prepares graduates to provide primary care for individuals, families and communities grounded 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. 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 expands students' scope of practice while maintaining a clinical primary care focus. Through integration of the educator, clinician and research roles, faculty work with DNP students to cultivate the value of evidence-based clinical practice and its potential impact on individuals, groups and communities.

Time Limit for Degree Completion: 7 years

Campus Location: Health Sciences Center

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. on Wednesdays and other evenings throughout the year. Summer courses are included as a part of the curriculum.

Accreditation: The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Temple University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530, Washington, DC 20036, 202-887-6791.

Areas of Specialization: Three concentrations are offered:

• Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP), which can be completed in 3-4 years.
• Family and Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner (FNP), which can be completed in 3-4 years.
• Health Systems Leadership (HSL), which can be completed in 2 years. It is designed specifically as a post-master's program for nurses who hold a master's degree and desire knowledge and advancement in the business and administrative ranks of a health system.

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

Licensure/Certification: Professional Nurse Licensure (RN) is required in Pennsylvania and either New Jersey or Delaware for both post-BSN and post-master's applicants. Additional licenses may be obtained in states in which clinical work is to be done. For more information about licensure, see https://www.ncsbn.org/contact-bon.htm.

Nurse practitioner graduates of the AGPCNP and FNP concentrations are suited to sit for national board certifications with the American Nurses Credentialing Center (AANC) and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). The HSL concentration does not lead to national licensure nor certification. The DNP program remains in compliance with the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students can take a total of 9 graduate credits prior to matriculation. Only the following courses may be taken while a non-matriculated student: 

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
NURS 5103
NURS 5105

Financing Opportunities: Funds are available to matriculated students. Students are required to complete a FAFSA application annually to be eligible for funding.

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:

• Direct entry from the BSN – Post-baccalaureate applicants choose between two concentrations: Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) and Family and Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner (FNP). Candidates who apply for post-BSN entry must have earned a baccalaureate degree in Nursing. All transcripts of applicants will be reviewed by the graduate faculty. 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-Master's – Applicants to the post-master's DNP program may elect to pursue a concentration in AGPCNP, in FNP, or in Health Systems Leadership (HSL). All applicants must have an earned master's in Nursing and are required to complete a total of 1,000 clinical practicum hours. Students may apply up to 500 hours earned during their master’s program toward the 1,000-hours requirement. Hours required for national certification may also be applied. Prior to an applicant's formal admission to the program, clinical practicum hours must be evaluated and verified via a gap analysis process.

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 statement of purpose, describe your background, academic and professional goals, and how your interests relate to the DNP program at Temple.

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 required.

Interview: An interview conducted by the Nursing Graduate Faculty is scheduled when all required materials have been submitted by the applicant.

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 to transfer. The decision is made by the Director of Graduate Programs in conjunction with the appropriate faculty member and forwarded to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs for final approval. Students must provide the syllabus for the course(s) being considered for transfer credits.

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: 77, including 43 required credits and 34 practicum credits for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) and for the Family and Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner (FNP) concentrations; 49-55, including 41 required credits and 8-14 practicum credits for the Health Systems Leadership (HSL) concentration

Required Courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
HRPR 8984		1
NURS 5101	Translation of Evidence in Healthcare	3
NURS 5102		3
NURS 5103		3
NURS 5104	1	2
NURS 5105		3
NURS 5106		2
NURS 5107		3
NURS 5108	2	3
NURS 5109	2	3
NURS 5201		4
NURS 5202	2	3
NURS 5401	Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology 1	4
NURS 5402	Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics 1	4
NURS 5552	Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning 1	4
DNP Capstone Courses
NURS 8101	DNP Project Development I 3	1
NURS 8102	DNP Project Development II 3	1
NURS 8103	DNP Project Implementation 4	2

¹

Course is taken only by students in the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration (AGPCNP) and the Family and Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Concentration (FNP) concentration.

²

Course is taken only by students in the Health Systems Leadership Concentration (HSL) concentration.

³

Course is taken by students in the Health Systems Leadership Concentration (HSL) concentration for 2 credits.

⁴

Course is taken by students in the Health Systems Leadership Concentration (HSL) concentration for 3 credits.

Additional course requirements for each of the three concentrations are identified in the following course grids:

Practicum Courses for the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration (AGPCNP)

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Practica Sequence
NURS 9378		3
NURS 9385		5
NURS 9478		4
NURS 9485		5
NURS 9578		4
NURS 9585		5
Final Practica
NURS 9678		3
NURS 9685		5
Total Credit Hours		34

Practicum Courses for the Family and Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner Concentration (FNP)

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Practica Sequence
NURS 9378		3
NURS 9385		5
NURS 9478		4
NURS 9485		5
NURS 9578		4
NURS 9585		5
Final Practica
NURS 9778		3
NURS 9785		5
Total Credit Hours		34

Practicum Courses for the Health Systems Leadership Concentration (HSL)¹

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
NURS 9389	DNP I Practicum	4-7
NURS 9489	DNP II Practicum	4-7
Total Credit Hours		8-14

¹

The number of credits required for each practicum is determined by a gap analysis.

The following course grids offer proposed plans for full-time study for each of the three concentrations:

Full-Time Plan of Study for Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) Concentration¹

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
HRPR 8984		1
NURS 5101	Translation of Evidence in Healthcare	3
NURS 5401	Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology	4
	Credit Hours	11
Spring
NURS 5102		3
NURS 5103		3
NURS 5402	Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics	4
	Credit Hours	10
Summer
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
NURS 5105		3
NURS 5107		3
NURS 5552	Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning	4
	Credit Hours	10
Year 2
Fall
NURS 5104		2
NURS 9378		3
NURS 9385		5
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
NURS 5106		2
NURS 9478		4
NURS 9485		5
	Credit Hours	11
Summer
NURS 5201		4
	Credit Hours	4
Year 3
Fall
NURS 8101	DNP Project Development I	1
NURS 9578		4
NURS 9585		5
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
NURS 8102	DNP Project Development II	1
NURS 8103	DNP Project Implementation	2
NURS 9678		3
NURS 9685		5
	Credit Hours	11
	Total Credit Hours	77

¹

Plans of study for part-time enrollment and for those pursuing the DNP post-master's are available from the Program Director.

Full-Time Plan of Study for Family and Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Concentration¹

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
HRPR 8984		1
NURS 5101	Translation of Evidence in Healthcare	3
NURS 5401	Advanced Physiology and Pathophysiology	4
	Credit Hours	11
Spring
NURS 5102		3
NURS 5103		3
NURS 5402	Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics	4
	Credit Hours	10
Summer
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
NURS 5105		3
NURS 5107		3
NURS 5552	Advanced Health Assessment and Clinical Reasoning	4
	Credit Hours	10
Year 2
Fall
NURS 5104		2
NURS 9378		3
NURS 9385		5
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
NURS 5106		2
NURS 9478		4
NURS 9485		5
	Credit Hours	11
Summer
NURS 5201		4
	Credit Hours	4
Year 3
Fall
NURS 8101	DNP Project Development I	1
NURS 9578		4
NURS 9585		5
	Credit Hours	10
Spring
NURS 8102	DNP Project Development II	1
NURS 8103	DNP Project Implementation	2
NURS 9778		3
NURS 9785		5
	Credit Hours	11
	Total Credit Hours	77

¹

Plans of study for part-time enrollment and for those pursuing the DNP post-master's are available from the Program Director.

Full-Time Plan of Study for Health Systems Leadership (HSL) Concentration¹

Plan of Study Grid

Year 1
Fall		Credit Hours
EPBI 5001	Biostatistics for Health Professions	3
HRPR 8984		1
NURS 5101	Translation of Evidence in Healthcare	3
	Credit Hours	7
Spring
NURS 5102		3
NURS 5103		3
	Credit Hours	6
Summer
HRPR 5001	Current and Emerging Issues in Public Health and Health Professions	0
NURS 5105		3
NURS 5107		3
	Credit Hours	6
Year 2
Fall
NURS 5108		3
NURS 5109		3
	Credit Hours	6
Spring
NURS 5106		2
NURS 5202		3
	Credit Hours	5
Summer
NURS 5201		4
NURS 8101	DNP Project Development I	2
	Credit Hours	6
Year 3
Fall
NURS 8102	DNP Project Development II	2
NURS 9389	DNP I Practicum 2	4-7
	Credit Hours	6-9
Spring
NURS 8103	DNP Project Implementation	3
NURS 9489	DNP II Practicum 2	4-7
	Credit Hours	7-10
	Total Credit Hours	49-55

¹

A plan of study for part-time enrollment is available from the Program Director.

²

The number of credits required for each practicum is determined by a gap analysis of previous clinical hours completed.

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 a committee composed of faculty and site mentor.

Contacts

Department Contacts: