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Doctor of Nursing Practice Online

Develop your skills and expertise as an advanced practice nurse.

7/21/23

Next Application Due Date

8/14/23

Start Classes

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Program Overview

Gain insights into our online DNP program

$19,560* Total Tuition
As few as 32 months Program Duration
40 Credit Hours

Prepare to be a leader in the field of nursing with the Doctor of Nursing Practice online degree from The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Designed for advanced practice nurses, this online program focuses on administrative, organizational, and systems leadership competencies that will prepare you for a variety of nursing leadership positions.

In this program, you will prepare to evaluate and redesign nursing and healthcare systems and gain the relevant knowledge you need to guide complex hospital and community-based care for patients and families. Taught by the same dedicated faculty as on campus, this writing intensive program will teach you how to translate evidence from original research and implement it within clinical practice.

Complete your DNP online as a full-time or part-time student and gain the expertise and credentials to help transform healthcare. Note: A full-time course load is 9 credit hours, or 3 courses, per semester. A course load of less than 9 credit hours per semester is considered part-time.

The Master's Degree Program in Nursing at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) College of Nursing is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (www.ccneaccreditation.org).

Upon graduation of this online DNP program, you will be prepared to:

  • Synthesize scientific evidence for the development of clinical interventions for practice
  • Evaluate policy, care delivery, and organizational systems for current and future health care needs
  • Demonstrate intra and interprofessional collaboration to address health disparities and to improve health care quality across diverse populations and cultures
  • Incorporate knowledge of current and emerging health technologies to improve care delivery and organizational systems
  • Translate scientific, theoretical, and ethical principles into health care for individuals, families, and populations
  • Assume complex leadership roles to advance clinical practice and health care delivery at the organizational and systems level and to improve health outcomes of individuals and populations.
  • Advocate for social justice, equity, and ethical policies in health care
  • Deliver evidence-based care using clinical reasoning and analysis of complex healthcare issues to improve patient outcomes

Also available online:

UAH offers value in a variety of nursing programs online, including our RN to BSN and MSN Nursing Administration. Check out all our quality, affordable online nursing programs.

$19,560* Total Tuition
As few as 32 months Program Duration
40 Credit Hours
Request Info > Apply Now >
Need More Information?

Call 844-749-8043

Call 844-749-8043

Tuition

UAH offers affordable tuition

Tuition for our DNP online is affordable and can be paid by the course. Financial aid may also be available for students who qualify.

Tuition breakdown:

As low as $19,560* Total Tuition
$489 Per Credit Hour
View additional tuition information +

Program Per Credit Hour Per Course Per Program
DNP $489 $1,467 $19,560*

Tuition breakdown:

$19,560* Total Tuition
$489 Per Credit Hour

Calendar

These are the important dates for our students

Our DNP online program features a flexible format with 10- to 15-week courses and multiple start dates a year, so you can complete your coursework on a full-time or part-time basis. View the full calendar to find upcoming deadlines for submitting your application, documents and tuition payment.

Now enrolling:

7/21/23 Apply Date
8/14/23 Class Starts

View full calendar  + 

SessionCourse StartApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class DayTerm Length
Summer DNP5/30/234/28/235/5/235/30/235/30/238/2/2315 weeks
Fall DNP8/14/237/21/237/28/238/14/238/14/2315 weeks

Now enrolling:

7/21/23 Apply Date
8/14/23 Class Starts

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

REQUEST INFO >

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from The University of Alabama in Huntsville?

APPLY NOW >

Have questions or need more information about our online programs?

REQUEST INFO >

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from The University of Alabama in Huntsville?

APPLY NOW >

Admissions

Are you ready to apply to our online DNP program? Check our admissions requirements first

The admission process for the DNP online is simple and streamlined to help you get started right away. Please review the admission guidelines carefully.

Admission Requirements:

  • MSN degree from an accredited nursing program
  • 3.0 GPA on master's degree coursework
  • RN license current and unencumbered
View all admission requirements +

The admission process is the first step toward earning your online degree. At this time, the DNP program cannot admit nurses from the state of New York. Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible for admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice online degree program:

  • 3.0 GPA in Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a regionally accredited university and a nursing program that is accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or the NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation (CNEA)
  • MSN must be in one of the following advanced practice areas: Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nurse Midwifery, Nursing Administration, or Informatics
  • Submission of official transcripts from all schools attended
  • Submission of a two-page professional (evidenced-based) statement, written with the following guidelines in mind.
    • First page: Statement of a clinical problem, a summary of the literature, followed by a possible evidence-based DNP project that could address the stated problem
      • Prospective students should select a topic based on their interests and alignment with the UAH faculty research activities
      • Examples of topics submitted by former DNP students include fall-prevention protocols, adherence to asthma guidelines, and early recognition of sepsis
      • Education-only topics are not acceptable for the UAH DNP program
      • Paper should not be personal in nature or opinion-based, as this document will be used as a main consideration of acceptance into the program
      • If you have questions about appropriate topics or format, contact Janiece Smith at [email protected]
    • Second page: No more than five references, in APA format
    • The professional statement is assessed for correct grammar, punctuation, word usage, APA format, coherent writing, and adequacy of the one-page paper
  • Resume or CV
  • RN license

Students must submit the following documents by the end of the first semester (as part of NUR 737):

  • Criminal background check and drug testing
  • Physical/health exam
  • Immunization records for Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap); hepatitis B; varicella; MMR; and influenza
  • Evidence of a PPD skin test, a chest X-ray, or a QuantiFERON-TB Gold blood test
  • CPR or ACLS certification
  • Student consent forms and policies
  • Cultural Diversity, OSHA, and HIPAA certifications
  • Liability insurance
  • Current health insurance

Student must also submit verification of clinical hours from master's programs to be finished by the end of the first semester.

Transcripts

View application and transcript information

Send your official transcripts to UAH Graduate Admissions through an electronic delivery service. UAH Graduate Admissions accepts official transcripts from Parchment and Student Clearinghouse.

Courses

Below are the topics you will study in our online program

The DNP online curriculum includes 12 courses totaling 40 credit hours. Post-master's DNP students with less than 500 clinical hours must take an additional course (NUR 734: Advanced Experiential Clinical), which is between 1-6 credit hours, for a potential total of 46 credit hours.

Courses are 15 weeks in length in fall and spring semesters whereas summer offerings are 10 weeks in length.

Expand All
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides students with the knowledge to understand, collect, manage, and measure clinical data. Students will explore data collection and management processes, level of measurement, basic statistics, and measurement for improvement in order to effectively use clinical data. Data entry exercises employed through analytical tools and statistical software packages will allow the students practice and apply the basic data management and analysis skills needed for the evaluation of clinical data and evidence-based practice. This course will be 10 weeks during summer term.
Duration: 15 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course concerns the development of skills in writing, editing, and preparing manuscripts for publication from initial idea to submission of a publishable manuscript. The course emphasizes a writing process that encourages productivity and collegial peer review. Legal and ethical aspects of authorship prepare students for responsible practices expected of scholars. Students should have mastered basic writing skills, e.g. grammar, syntax, and computer skills, prior to enrolling in this course.
Duration: 10 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on organizational and systems leadership and skills critical to role development in independent and interprofessional practice. Content includes communication, conflict resolution, collaboration and negotiation, leadership, and team functioning to enhance the experience and outcomes of patient care and to reduce the cost of care.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course assists students to use theory and conceptual models to guide the advanced nursing practice and scholarship at the doctoral level. The content is derived from the philosophical and scientific underpinnings of nursing, natural and psycho-social sciences. Prerequisite: NUR 701. Ten week course for summer term.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The purpose of this course is to provide students with models for evidence-based practice (EBP) design and improvement science. Students learn to formulate clinical questions in answerable format and search for and identify best research evidence. The focus of the course is to evaluate and critically appraise evidence for rigor and applicability to a clinical problem and the impact on the improvement of clinical outcomes. Students will translate evidence into practice environments for safe, quality care. Students will gain access to information that will support optimal clinical decision-making. All content and assignments are applied by the student to begin development of the DNP Project. Prerequisite: NUR 700. Ten week course during summer term.
Duration: 15 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the unique challenges of engaging and influencing health care policy at local, state, national or international levels. It is designed to develop skills, techniques, and approaches to the critical analysis of health policy proposals, health policies, and to identify stakeholders in policy development. The health policy framework is analyzed from a governmental, institutional, and organizational perspective. Prerequisite: NUR 729.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course prepares students to implement population-based health promotion and disease prevention activities. The course applies an epidemiologic framework and focuses on a spectrum of issues affecting health which includes emerging infectious diseases, emergency preparedness, disparities in health and healthcare services, and the impact of exposomics on population health. Prerequisite with concurrency: NUR 729. Ten week course during summer term.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course expands on evidence-based design to refine a problem statement and a clinical question. Content includes conducting a systematic review of the literature to guide the selection of methods, strategies, tools and metrics needed to complete a successful DNP project. Students will develop and have approved a proposed DNP project plan. Prerequisite: NUR 742. Course will be 10 weeks for summer term.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 6
This course is designed to validate Master's level competencies in clinical and organizational leadership. The course is required for post-master's DNP students who are graduates of Master of Science in Nursing program, with less than 500 clinical hours. Course will be ten weeks for summer term.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on the collection, organization, and analysis of information in nursing and health care. Students are introduced to the specialty of nursing informatics, the information system life-cycle, telemedicine, and the use of technology to enhance nursing care delivery and patient safety. Students will also learn how to manipulate large and small patient databases for the analysis of patient outcomes. Prerequisite with concurrency: NUR 729. Course will be ten weeks during summer term.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The purpose of this course is to synthesize knowledge related to translation/implementation science models and strategies to improve health outcomes. The emphasis in the course is the use of program evaluation as a tool to achieve positive changes in health status, initiate and manage quality improvement, engage in risk anticipation, and facilitate organizational and system level changes. Prerequisite with concurrency: NUR 729. Course is 10 weeks during summer term.
Duration: 10 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is designed to assist the student in finalizing the DNP project plan and developing an application to the Institutional Review Board (IRB) for the protection of human subjects. The student will document previously acquired abilities and competencies in a professional portfolio. Students will participate in the seminar sessions to obtain guidance and receive peer suggestions about the portfolio and project plans. Prerequisites: NUR 734, NUR 742 and NUR 743.
Duration: 10 for summer terms weeks
Credit Hours: 7
The DNP project is planned, implemented, and evaluated by the DNP student in consultation with the DNP committee. The student writes a manuscript suitable for publication and makes a scholarly presentation of findings to peers and faculty. A minimum of seven credit hours for this course are distributed across several semesters as determined by the chair. Prerequisite with concurrency: NUR 738. Course will be 10 weeks during summer term.

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*Price subject to change for all programs. Tuition cost of DNP does not include an additional clinical course that may be required.