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Graduate Record 2026-2027
Nursing Practice, D.N.P.
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 Return to: School of Nursing: Degree Programs
History and Philosophy
The School of Nursing (SON) opened the first Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program in Virginia in 2007 in response to the demands associated with increasing complexity in the health care system, expansion of scientific knowledge, and growing concerns regarding the quality of patient care delivery and outcomes. The UVA program, fully accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), supports the vision for transformational change in education for professional nurses who practice at the most advanced level. The American Association for Colleges of Nursing (AACN) position statement on the DNP degree recommends that nurses practicing at the highest level should receive doctoral-level preparation.
Students interested in pursuing specialty preparation in Adult-Gerontology Acute Care (AGAC) Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) and/or Adult Gerontology Acute Care (AGAC) Nurse Practitioner (NP), Family NP, Pediatric Primary Care NP, Psychiatric-Mental Health NP, Neonatal NP or Pediatric Acute Care NP may choose a post-baccalaureate option to the DNP. Students obtaining a DNP in this manner are poised to become the kind of advanced practice nurses originally envisioned by the AACN; that is, entry into advanced nursing practice with a DNP.
Purpose
The DNP program at the University of Virginia School of Nursing prepares graduates to drive the highest level of advanced nursing practice. Through direct or indirect care roles, our graduates are prepared to lead system level initiatives that provide high quality care while optimizing population health and improving outcomes.
Program Objectives
Objectives for the DNP program are derived from the AACN, Essentials. At the completion of this program, students are expected to demonstrate the competencies required for the highest level of nursing practice. DNP graduates will be able to do the following:
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Synthesize nursing science with knowledge from ethics, the biophysical, psychosocial, analytical, and organizational sciences as the basis for high quality advanced nursing practice. (Domain I)
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Integrate moral, legal, and humanistic principles to create a professional nursing and healthcare culture that reflects nursing core values. (Domain IX & X)
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Develop interprofessional partnerships to apply innovative and evidence-based strategies to optimize outcomes for patients and patient populations across systems (Domain VI)
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Demonstrate organizational and systems leadership for quality improvement in healthcare systems using scholarly approaches, data-driven processes and policy changes. (Domain IV, V, VII, and VIII)
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Evaluate patient and population health outcomes using systematic processes that improve accountability of equitable health care delivery and address health policy across many levels. (Domain II, III, and VII)
Admission
 Information about the DNP admission requirements and the application process may be found Admissions • UVA School of Nursing.
Degree Requirements
To earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, the post-MSN pathway student must successfully complete the prescribed plan of study, including the required courses described below, a minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate practicum hours, and a DNP Scholarly Practice Project.
To earn a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, the BSN-DNP pathway student must successfully complete the prescribed plan of study, including the required DNP core courses described below, one of the specialty concentrations, a minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate practicum hours (this includes the 750 practicum hours for the specialty concentration), and a DNP Scholarly Practice Project.
The University’s full-time minimum is 9 credits and part-time minimum for some financial aid types is 6 credits. Students who must meet the corresponding full-time or part-time status may be advised to enroll in elective(s) when the required coursework is below the minimum threshold. In this case, students must request a modified plan of study and complete the Graduate Student Enrollment Status Change form, which may be found on the advising platform, Stellic.
For the post-master’s DNP, full-time students complete the plan of study in two years and part-time students typically complete the plan of study in three years. In the post-baccalaureate pathway, full-time students typically complete in three years and part-time students typically complete in five years.
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Program Requirements
The post-master’s portion of the DNP program requires a minimum of 38 credits, including DNP practica, and is designed to enable the student to meet the Essentials and competencies found in the AACN Essentials. These courses provide the conceptual and theoretical basis required for all DNP graduates, and practice change competencies necessary for effective leadership at the highest level of evidence-based practice. In addition to the DNP Core Courses below, the post-baccalaureate pathway requires courses pursuant to a specialty concentration: -
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Concentration -
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Concentration -
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Concentration with AGACNP Elective for Military Students Only -
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care Concentration -
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Primary Care Concentration -
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Concentration Required DNP Core Courses:
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The AGACNP concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice roles providing direct patient care in collaboration with the healthcare team. Graduates manage adolescent and adult gerontology patients with acute, critical, or chronic illness across the care continuum. The program emphasizes advanced knowledge, diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, prescriptive authority preparation, and systems leadership for optimal patient and family outcomes. After completing 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible to take the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) or the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification examination for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 73
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- AGACNP Concentration: 35 credit hours
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist
The AGACNS concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice in the care of young adults, adults, older adults, and frail older adults across the continuum of health and illness. Graduates are equipped to manage adult patients in diverse clinical settings, emphasizing advanced theoretical knowledge, diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, and integrative evidence-based practice. The program fosters expertise in system transformation and collaborative interprofessional care to enhance and monitor clinical outcomes. Upon completion of 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible to sit for the American Nursing Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) certification examination for Adult-Gerontology CNS. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 73
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- AGACNS Concentration: 35 credit hours
Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Clinical Nurse Specialist with Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Elective for Military Students Only
Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 77 - 83
Family Nurse Practitioner
The FNP concentration offers student-centered learning to develop foundational knowledge and skills for primary care practice. Graduates are prepared to provide care for individuals and families across the lifespan in various settings, including rural and underserved areas. The curriculum emphasizes clinical and simulation experiences, advanced diagnostic and decision-making skills, and collaborative practice. Upon completion of 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) Family Nurse Practitioner certification examination. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 75
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- FNP Concentration: 37 credit hours
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
The NNP concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice roles providing direct patient care to neonatal patients in collaboration with the healthcare team. Graduates manage newborns and high-risk neonates across a variety of clinical settings, including newborn nurseries and Level II, III, and IV NICUs. The program emphasizes advanced knowledge, diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, prescriptive authority preparation, and systems leadership for optimal patient and family outcomes. After completing 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible to sit for the National Certification Corporation (NCC) certification examination for Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 74
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- NNP Concentration: 36 credit hours
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Acute Care
The PNP-AC concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice roles providing direct patient care to pediatric patients with acute, complex, critical, and chronic illness in collaboration with the healthcare team. Graduates manage infants, children, adolescents, and young adults across a variety of acute care settings. The program emphasizes advanced knowledge, diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, prescriptive authority preparation, and systems leadership for optimal patient and family outcomes. After completing 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible to sit for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) certification examination for Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Acute Care. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 74
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- PNP-AC Concentration: 36 credit hours
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner – Primary Care
The PNP-PC concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice roles providing direct patient care to pediatric patients in primary care settings in collaboration with the healthcare team. Graduates manage infants, children, and adolescents across the continuum of health and illness, with an emphasis on community-based primary health care. The program emphasizes advanced knowledge, diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, prescriptive authority preparation, and systems leadership for optimal patient and family outcomes. After completing 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible to sit for the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB) certification examination for Primary Care Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 72
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- PNP-PC Concentration: 34 credit hours
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
The PMHNP concentration prepares nurses for advanced practice roles providing direct patient care in the field of psychiatric-mental health nursing in collaboration with the healthcare team. Graduates manage patients across the lifespan with psychiatric and mental health needs in a variety of clinical settings. The program emphasizes advanced knowledge, diagnostic and clinical decision-making skills, prescriptive authority preparation, and systems leadership for optimal patient and family outcomes. After completing 750 clinical practicum hours, students are eligible to sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP) certification examination for Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Required Courses:Total Required Credits: 73
- DNP Core: 38 credit hours
- PMHNP Concentration: 35 credit hours
Practica
The AACN requires 1,000 hours of post-baccalaureate clinical practice for the DNP degree. Most MSN-DNP students will come to the DNP program with at least 500 supervised clinical practice hours from their specialty master’s program, and some will have 750 hours. At UVA, students receive credit for 250 documented DNP Scholarly Practice Project hours in the program. Upon acceptance to the program, the DNP program lead completes a gap analysis and students are notified of the need to complete additional DNP practicum hours to meet the total 1,000 clinical practice hours expectation. A practicum course is available to assist students in achieving the 1,000 practice hour requirement for the DNP degree. DNP Scholarly Practice Project
The DNP program culminates in the successful completion of a DNP Scholarly Practice Project. This DNP Project is conceptualized in the early stages of the program and continues throughout the program. The DNP Project is designed by the student in collaboration with the DNP Project Team. The DNP Project must aim to facilitate a significant practice change guided by the translation of evidence and be suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed, practice-focused nursing journal. Each DNP Project should: a. Focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes either through direct or indirect care. b. Have a systems (micro-, meso-, or macro- level) or population/aggregate focus. c. Demonstrate implementation in the appropriate arena or area of practice. d. Include a plan for sustainability (e.g., financial, systems or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions). e. Include an evaluation of processes and/or outcomes (formative or summative). DNP Projects should be designed so that processes and/or outcomes will be evaluated to guide practice and policy. Clinical significance is as important in guiding practice as statistical significance is in evaluating research. f. Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship (AACN, 2015). Electives
Three electives totaling 9 credit hours are built into the DNP plan of study to support individualized growth in specialty areas as identified by the student. Public Professional Licensure Disclosure
Federal regulations require the University of Virginia to disclose whether its licensure-related degree programs meet or do not meet U.S. jurisdictions’ (states and territories) educational requirements for licensure (34 CFR 668.43(a)(5)). Furthermore, per 34 CFR 668.14(b)(32), UVA must, prior to a student’s enrollment into a licensure-related program, ensure the student plans to pursue licensure and employment in a jurisdiction in which the program meets that jurisdiction’s academic requirements. Please refer to the UVA’s Professional Licensure Program Disclosure Tool to either a.) determine if a UVA program meets or does not meet the educational requirements specified by the associated licensing board in a specific jurisdiction, or b.) view the status of all programs in a specific jurisdiction. Instructions for searching the Index are available on the Index page. Enrolled students who change their location to a different state or territory must notify UVA by contacting the University Registrar’s Office to update that information |
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