Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Our DNP program emphasizes advanced clinical practice, research application, and evaluation of practice and care-delivery models. Your knowledge and skills will be enhanced through practical courses and relevant clinical experiences. The DNP program may be taken on a full or part-time basis.

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The DNP program at Southern Adventist University located at Collegedale, Tennessee is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), 3390 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30326, (404)975-5000.

The most recent accreditation decision made by the ACEN Board of Commissioners for the DNP program is Continuing Accreditation.

View the public information disclosed by the ACEN regarding this program at http://www.acenursing.us/accreditedprograms/programSearch.htm.

The post-master’s DNP degree program is for the registered nurse or advanced practice nurse who has completed a master’s degree in nursing and who wishes to expand their scope of practice. All emphases may be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis.

DNP Emphases

We have seven areas of emphasis to choose from:

Acute Care—Adult/Gerontology NP (AGACNP)
Primary Care—Adult/Gerontology NP (AGPCNP)
Lifestyle Medicine (fully online)
MBA Healthcare Administration (fully online)
Nurse Educator (fully online)
Primary Care—Family NP
Primary Care—Psychiatric Mental Health NP (fully online)

This DNP program offers campus-based nurse practitioner options and online options for nursing education, lifestyle medicine, and the DNP/MBA programs. All students, including those in completely online options, are required to register for and attend a DNP seminar on campus each fall until completion of their program.

Any student wishing to complete clinical experiences outside the State of TN must verify that State is a member of NC-SARA and seek permission from that State Board of Nursing. Clinical placements in some States may not be able to be accommodated due to specific State Board of Nursing regulations.

DNP Eligibility and Prerequisites — Post Master’s Option

Master’s degree: A master's in nursing from an accredited program
Graduate GPA: A minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0
Statistics course: An undergraduate or graduate course in statistics
RN licensure: Current RN licensure in your state or location of residence
Work experience: A minimum of two years (4,000 hours) of work as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner
Acute-Care emphasis: Provide verification of your current advanced-practice certification and licensure and documentation of your acute-care skills set.

Submit official college and university transcripts. Many institutions subscribe to the convenient transcript-request service at National Student Clearinghouse, or you may also contact your institution directly. Have your transcripts sent to the Graduate and Professional Studies office (gradtranscripts@southern.edu). If you earned your prerequisite degree at Southern, you do not need to complete this step.

Submit three recommendation forms—one academic and two from a clinical setting. This should be done as part of the online application process.

Write a statement describing your purpose and goals for pursuing this degree. Your statement should be thoughtfully written to demonstrate your writing skills. It should be submitted through your Application Status Page.

Submit a curriculum vitae. Upload to your Application Status Page.

Submit a scholarly writing sample, such as a previous graduate-level paper through your Application Status Page.

Schedule a faculty interview after completing your Graduate application from your Application Status Page.

Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States are considered international students and must meet additional requirements for admission.

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