Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

A Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is an option for master’s prepared advanced practice nurses and post baccalaureate prepared nurses. This program prepares graduates who will practice at the highest clinical level. DNP graduates demonstrate expertise in advanced clinical nursing practice, clinical scholarship, and analytical methods to improve patient care. Expertise in quality improvement, leadership, collaboration, health care policy and finance is developed.

The DNP program is offered online and there are a few courses that require a visit to campus.

The MUSC DNP Program enables students to:

  • Demonstrate expertise in advanced clinical nursing practice roles based on mastery of a specialized area of knowledge derived from a strong scientific foundation.
  • Use clinical scholarship and analytical methods to improve quality and safety in health care systems through organizational leadership, systems thinking, and practice management acumen.
  • Implement continuous quality improvement in patient care and provide leadership in practice and clinical decision-making through use of information systems and technology resources.
  • Foster interprofessional collaboration and teamwork in the improvement of population health outcomes.
  • Influence health care policy that determines the financing, regulation, access, and delivery of care.
  • Promote health equity in the provision of care to eliminate health disparities.

The DNP program is a practice-focused doctoral program in nursing that awards both the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and the terminal professional degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) upon graduation. Graduates will be employed in primary care settings, hospitals, public health agencies, and schools of nursing. The purpose of the program is to prepare graduates who will practice nursing at the highest clinical level.

Admissions

Learn more about the admission steps and requirements for the program.

Curriculum

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program has two-entry options:

  • Post-Baccalaureate (BSN)
  • Post-Master's (MSN) for Advanced Practice Nurses

There are four areas of specialty focus for Post-BSN students:

  • Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (A-GNP)
  • Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)
  • Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP)
  • Psychiatric Mental Health (PMHNP)

There are two program options for Post-MSN students:

  • Advanced Practice Nursing (APN)
  • Lifespan Palliative Care (LPC)

Year 1, Spring

NRPHD 708 Advanced Health Policy & Advocacy 3
NRDNP 846 Frameworks for Leadership 3
Semester Total 6

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 830 Applied Health Care Economics and Finance 3
NRDNP 860 Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4
Semester Total 7

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 838 Advanced Pathophysiology 3
NRDNP 856A Advanced Clinical Assessment and Reasoning A 3
NRDNP 836 Informatics in Health Care Delivery 3
Semester Total 9

Year 2, Spring

NRDNP 856B Advanced Clinical Assessment and Reasoning B 3
NRDNP 842 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics 4
Semester Total 7

Year 2, Summer

NRDNP 864 Advanced Care Management I 6
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 865 Advanced Care Management II 6
NRDNP 873 Scientific Underpinnings IV 3
Semester Total 9

Year 3, Spring

NRDNP 866 Advanced Care Management III 6
NRDNP 858 Evidenced Based Practice, Quality and Safety 3
Semester Total 9

Year 3, Summer

NRDNP 848B Role Practicum 7
NRDNP 862 Practice Inquiry and IRB 3
Semester Total 10

Year 3, Fall

NRDNP 850 Organizational Theory & Health Care Systems 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 8

Year 4, Spring

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 5
Curriculum Minimum Total 76

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 838 Advanced Pathophysiology 3
NRDNP 850 Organ Theory & Health Care Management 3
NRDNP 860 Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4
Semester Total 10

Year 1, Spring

NRDNP 856 Advanced Clinical Assessment & Reasoning 6
NRDNP 842 Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics 4
NRDNP 870 Scientific Underpinnings I 1
Semester Total 11

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 864 Advanced Care Management I 6
NRDNP 871 Scientific Underpinnings II 1
Semester Total 7

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 836 Informatics in Health Care Delivery 3
NRDNP 865 Advanced Care Management II 6
NRDNP 872 Scientific Underpinnings III 1
Semester Total 10

Year 2, Spring

NRDNP 846 Frameworks for Leadership 3
NRDNP 858 Evidence-Based Practice, Quality & Safety 3
NRDNP 866 Advanced Care Management III 6
Semester Total 12

Year 2, Summer

NRDNP 848B Role Practicum 7
NRDNP 862 Practice Inquiry & IRB 3
Semester Total 10

Year 3, Fall

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
NRDNP 830 Applied Health Care Economics & Finance 3
Semester Total 8

Year 3, Spring

NRPHD 708 Adv Health Policy & Advocacy 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 8
Curriculum Total 76

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 850 Organ Theory & Hlth Care Mgmt 3
NRDNP 860 App Epi Biostat Healthcare 4
Semester Total 7

Year 1, Spring

NRPHD 708 Adv Health Policy & Advocacy 3
NRDNP 846 Framewks for Ldrshp & Interpro 3
NRDNP 870 Scientific Underpinnings I 1
Semester Total 7

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 830 Applied Hlth Care Econ & Fin 3
NRDNP 871 Scientific Underpinnings II 1
Semester Total 4

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 836 Informatics in Hlth Care Deliv 3
NRDNP 838 Advanced Pathophysiology 3
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Spring

NRDNP 842 Advanced Pharmacology 4
NRDNP 856 Adv Clin Assess Reasoning 6
Semester Total 10

Year 2, Summer

NRDNP 864 Advanced Care Management I 6
Semester Total 6

Year 3, Fall

NRDNP 865 Advanced Care Management II 6
NRDNP 872 Scientific Underpinnings III 1
Semester Total 7

Year 3, Spring

NRDNP 858 Evid Based Prac Qual Safety 3
NRDNP 866 Advanced Care Management III 6
Semester Total 9

Year 3, Summer

NRDNP 848B Role Practicum 7
NRDNP 862 Practice Inquiry & IRB 3
Semester Total 10

Year 4, Fall

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 5

Year 4, Spring

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 5
Curriculum Minimum Total 76

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 850 Organ Theory & Hlth Care Mgmt 3
NRDNP 860 App Epi Biostat Healthcare 4
NRDNP 873 Scientific Underpinnings IV 3
Semester Total 10

Year 1, Spring

NRDNP 858
Evidenced Based Practice, Quality & Safety
3
NRDNP 846
Frameworks for Leadership
3
Semester Total 6

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 862
Practice Inquiry and IRB
3
NRDNP 830
Applied Health Care Economics and Finance
3
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 890
Residency 5
NRDNP 836
Informatics in Health Care Delivery
3
Semester Total 8

Year 2, Spring

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
NRDNP 708
Advanced Health Policy and Advocacy
3
Semester Total 8
Curriculum Minimum Total 38

Year 1, Spring

NRPHD 708 Adv Health Policy & Advocacy 3
NRDNP 846 Framewks for Ldrshp & Interpro 3
Semester Total 6

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 860 Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4
Semester Total 4

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 836 Informatics in Hlth Care Deliv 3
NRDNP 873 Scientific Underpinnings IV 3
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Spring

NRDNP 890 Residency 2
NRDNP 858 Evid Based Prac Qual Safety 3
Semester Total 5

Year 2, Summer

NRDNP 830 Applied Hlth Care Econ & Fin 3
NRDNP 862 Practice Inquiry and IRB 3
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 850 Organ Theory & Hlth Care Mgmt 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 3
Semester Total 6

Year 3, Spring

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 5
Curriculum Minimum Total 38

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 850 Organ Theory & Hlth Care Mgmt 3
NRDNP 860 App Epi Biostat Healthcare 4
NRDNP 873 Scientific Underpinnings IV 3
Semester Total 10

Year 1, Spring

NRDNP 846 Framewks for Ldrshp & Interpro 3
NRDNP 858 Evid Based Prac Qual Safety 3
NRDNP 874 Palliative Care Management I 3
Semester Total 9

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 830 Applied Hlth Care Econ & Fin 3
NRDNP 875 Palliative Care Mgmt II 3
NRDNP 862 Practice Inquiry and IRB 3
Semester Total 9

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 836 Informatics in Hlth Care Deliv 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 8

Year 2, Spring

NRPHD 708 Adv Health Policy and Advocacy 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 8
Curriculum Minimum Total 44

Year 1, Spring

NRPHD 708 Advanced Health Policy & Advocacy 3
NRDNP 846 Frameworks for Leadership 3
NRDNP 874 Palliative Care I 3
Semester Total 9

Year 1, Summer

NRDNP 860 Applied Epidemiology and Biostatistics 4
NRDNP 875 Palliative Care II 3
Semester Total 7

Year 1, Fall

NRDNP 873 Scientific Underpinnings IV 3
NRDNP 836 Informatics in Health Care Delivery 3
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Spring

NRDNP 858 Evidence-Based Practice, Quality and Safety 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 2
Semester Total 5

Year 2, Summer

NRDNP 862 Practice Inquiry and IRB 3
NRDNP 830 Applied Health Care Economics and Finance 3
Semester Total 6

Year 2, Fall

NRDNP 850 Organizational Theory and Health Care Systems 3
NRDNP 890 Residency 3
Semester Total 6

Year 3, Spring

NRDNP 890 Residency 5
Semester Total 5
Curriculum Minimum Total 44

Additional palliative care clinical hours may also be added dependent on individual student goals/needs with the course NRDNP 876.

Graduate students can elect to add Nurse Educator courses to include:

  • NURSM 615 Methodology of Online Teaching, 3 credit hours
  • NURSM 703 Instructional Processes, 3 credit hours
  • NURSM 713 Curriculum Design & Development, 3 credit hours
  • NRPHD 800 Mentored Teaching, 3 credit hours