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About the Program
This program educates advanced nurse clinicians for expert practice in leadership and clinical roles. This doctoral-level education provides the clinical and management expertise to improve health care outcomes. The program enables nurses to become expert nurse leaders and collaborators in solving health care problems in systems. Students may attend full time or part time, allowing the opportunity to work while attending school. The program is approved by the Georgia Board of Regents as a web based program with one to two Augusta campus visits.
This program prepares graduates to:
- Systematically assess and appraise a focused area of nursing practice to advance the science of nursing.
- Model exemplary professional values and ethical decision-making.
- Demonstrate advanced knowledge of evidence-based practice and scholarship in nursing practice.
- Investigate the social, economic, political and policy context of health care and related systems which affect patient care outcomes.
- Assume, enhance and create leadership roles in clinical practice, advocacy/policy and education.
- Evaluate, synthesize and apply theory, models, and research to impact health care of diverse populations.
For more information, call 706-721-3676, or visit www.gru.edu/nursing/futurestudents.htm.
Career Opportunities
Doctors of nursing practice have leadership opportunities in clinical practice arenas, including higher education settings.
Salary Information
The salary for a Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate can range based on professional setting and region of the country. On average, DNP graduates can expect a salary between $80,000 and $110,000.
Accreditation
This program is fully accredited by Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).
Technical Requirements
Computer literacy - a laptop computer is required upon enrollment. See minimum laptop specifications at http://www.gru.edu/its/computing/hardware.html.
Admission Requirements
Completed Online Application for Graduate Programs. Please check the Office of Academic Admissions website for fee information: http://www.gru.edu/Admissions/
Application deadlines for application and required materials and documents:
Early submission of all application materials is strongly advised.
Fall entry - December 2
Spring entry - April 2
Note: All required application materials and documents must be received in order for an application to be considered complete and before an admission decision can be made. Applications and supporting materials received after the program deadline will only be considered on a space-available basis.
GPA: Minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and minimum overall graduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with an overall undergraduate GPA less than 3.0 can submit additional documents for special consideration that include evidence of outstanding professional leadership, practice, or scholarship.
Minimum Degree Requirement: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and a Master’s degree in Nursing from an accredited program and an accredited college or university. A Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree alone may fulfill the minimum degree requirement, which will be determined on a case-by-case basis. To be used to satisfy degree requirements, evaluation of foreign educational transcripts must show degree(s) earned that are the U.S. equivalency of degree required by the program.
Official Transcripts: Official transcripts are required from all universities and colleges ever attended. Only in the case of transcripts from international colleges/universities will an official course-by-course transcript evaluation be accepted in lieu of an official transcript.
Official transcripts should be sent to GRU’s Office of Academic Admissions. To remain official, all transcripts must remain in the original, unopened, sealed and stamped/signed envelope from the Registrar’s office of the issuing institution. Alternatively, GRU will accept official electronic transcripts from the registrar’s office at your prior institution. Electronic transcripts should be directed to admissions@gru.edu.
Transcript/Credential Evaluation of Foreign Transcripts: An official, professional course-by-course evaluation based on official transcripts and documents is required for all foreign educational transcripts and documents from one of the following three credentials evaluation services: Josef Silny & Associates, Inc., World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc. (ECE). Silny and WES are recommended. Official evaluations based on unofficial transcripts, documents, or copies will not satisfy this requirement.
References: Recommendations (which include a reference form and letter of recommendation) from three individuals are required. Referees should be individuals qualified to critically assess the applicant’s prior academic (usually college professors), employment, artistic, research and/or clinical experience (clinical or research supervisor/mentor) and qualifications (as applicable) as well as the applicant’s potential as a graduate student in the field/program selected.
Graduate reference forms and letters of recommendation can be submitted online only. As part of the online application process, applicants provide the names and current email addresses for three individuals they have asked to serve as their referees. Once the online application is submitted, each referee will receive an email notification directing him/her to the online site where he/she can complete the reference form and submit his/her letter of recommendation. To change a referee after the application has been submitted, the applicant is instructed to log into his/her CollegeNet account and update the name and current email address for the referee. Status updates of your referees’ submissions will be provided to you directly from CollegeNet.
GRE Requirement: Official GRE scores are required (only the General GRE test is required). Test takers who took the GRE prior to August 1, 2011 were scored on the old scoring scale of 200-800. The minimum score requirement of 900 total (combined Verbal and Quantitative Scores) will continue to be used for those who took the GRE prior to the scoring changes. Test takers who took the GRE after August 1, 2011 are scored on the new scoring scale of 130-170. The minimum score of 290 total (combined Verbal and Quantitative Scores) will be required for those who took the GRE after the scoring changes.
All official GRE scores must be submitted to GRU’s Office of Academic Admissions directly from the Education Testing Service (ETS) and must be less than five years old. The institution code for submission of GRE scores to GRU is 5406. Please do not select a department code.
The GRE is not required (will be waived) for applicants with a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale AND a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale. *NOTE: cumulative undergraduate and graduate GPA’s are based on GRU’s calculation by the Office of Academic Admission of cumulative GPA using the Georgia Board of Regent’s standards. A GRE and/or MAT waiver will not be granted until ALL official transcripts have been received by the Office of Academic Admission and cumulative GPA’s have been calculated and confirmed. Please be sure to verify that your GRU calculation of cumulative GPA’s meet requirements of this waiver. If your GRU calculation of cumulative GPA’s do not meet the minimum cumulative GPA’s for this waiver, then you will be required to submit official GRE or MAT test scores. Meeting conditions of this waiver is not an indication of acceptance into the program.
Millers Analogy Test (MAT) scores with a minimum of 400 will be accepted in place of GRE scores; test must be taken within the last 5 years. All official MAT scores must be submitted to GRU’s OAA directly from Pearson Education, Inc. The institution code for submission of MAT scores to GRU is 1108. Please do not select a department code.
TOEFL Requirement: Minimum score of 550 paper-based, 213 computer-based, or 79 internet-based.
Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English. The institution code for submission of TOEFL scores to GRU is 5406. Please do not select a department code.
Exemption from the TOEFL requirement is allowed for graduate students who submit proof of earning a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college/university where English is the language of instruction.
International Applicants: GRU DNP programs are structured to deliver approximately 60% to 95% of the program content on-line each academic period. The remainder of each program’s content is clinical/residency coursework requiring the student to participate in clinical or residency experiences in varied practice settings across Georgia.
GRU-DNP programs do not offer sufficient on-campus course work for students in F-1 or J-1 student status to meet the full course of study requirement. GRU will not issue a Certificate of Eligibility for F-1 Academic Student (Form I-20) or J-1 Exchange Visitor, Student Category (Form DS-2019) for these students.
Program Specific Requirements
Prerequisite course work: Completion of a three credit hour undergraduate or graduate statistics or biostatistics course with a grade of “B” or better.
Personal Interview: Interviews by invitation only. Applicants will be selected for an interview based on an initial review of submitted application materials. Selected applicants will be notified directly by the program.
Resume or CV (curriculum vitae): Including date of most current revision.
Written Component: In addition to providing the Experience and Autobiographical Information as part of the Application for Graduate Programs, applicants must also submit a two-page paper detailing the concept of the role of a doctor of nursing practice and how the receipt of the DNP degree will impact the applicant’s nursing practice.
Licensure and Certification: Proof of current unrestricted professional nurse licensure and national certification as an advanced practice nurse. National certification in specialty area is required.
Post-Baccalaureate Clinical and Practice Hours: All DNP graduates must complete a total of 1000 hours of supervised clinical practice as mandated by the American Academy of Colleges of Nursing. These hours include previous MSN clinical hours plus clinical hours obtained in the DNP Program. Applicants must submit the Verification of Post-Baccalaureate Clinical and Practice Hours Form as part of the applicant to certify total number of clinical practice hours in previous MSN or Post-Master’s Certificate program(s).
For more information, please contact the DNP Program Office at 706-721-3676.
Admission Recommendations
Experience: More than one year of practice in a specialty area indicating mastery in nursing practice is recommended.
GPA: Minimum overall GPA of 3.3 on a 4.0 scale.
Certification: National certification in speciality area (as appropriate) is strongly encouraged.
*Substitutions and/or waivers of minimum requirements must first be supported and approved at the program level and then formally approved by the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies.
*While every effort is made to maintain this information as current, it may be subject to change. Please check with GRU’s Office of Academic Admissions for recent updates.
*Applications deferred to another semester are subject to all admission requirements and program requirements in effect for the semester to which they are deferred.
How to Apply
Apply online at www.gru.edu/Admissions.
For more information on this program, visit www.gru.edu/nursing/futurestudents.htm
Office of Academic Admissions
170 Kelly Building–Administration
Georgia Health Sciences University
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Telephone: 706-721-2725
Toll free: 800-519-3388
Fax: 706-721-7279
E-mail: Admissions@gru.edu
Web site: www.gru.edu/admissions
Estimated Tuition and Fees
For estimated tuition and fees, please see the Financial Information section of this catalog.
