Post-Bachelor's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Cathy R. Taylor, Dean, College of Health Sciences
Martha  Buckner, Associate Dean, School of Nursing
Linda Wofford, Interrim Director, Graduate Studies in Nursing
Erin Shankel, Interim Director, FNP Clinical Track 

Faculty: Loretta Bond, Jeannie Giese, BJ Hutchins, Elizabeth Morse, Erin Shankel, Linda Wofford, Dave Wyant.

Post-Bachelor’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BSN-prepared RNs can continue their education for advanced practice with the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree at Belmont University School of Nursing. Belmont University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program prepares nurses for advanced practice roles with the highest level of clinical nursing competence.   The DNP is a clinical doctorate serving as a terminal professional degree for nurses in advanced practice and nursing administration.

The program will develop nursing leaders skilled in measurement of patient and population outcomes, education of diverse populations, leadership in health policy development and implementation, translation of evidence into clinical practice, and advocacy for safe and quality care within complex health care delivery systems.  Graduates will attain clinical, organizational and leadership expertise designed to meet the changing demands of the present and future health care system.

The Belmont DNP meets the professional standards for the practice doctorate ("Doctoral Essentials") developed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN).

Graduates of Belmont’s Post-Bachelor’s DNP program will be able to:

1. Integrate knowledge from nursing, biophysical, social, analytical, and organizational sciences to develop and transform advanced practice nursing.
2. Translate nursing, biophysical, social, analytical, and organizational knowledge to improve patient and population health outcomes.
3. Manage increasingly complex health care system demands by incorporating knowledge of current and emerging health technologies.
4. Provide leadership and advocacy for social justice, equity, and ethical policies in health care.
5. Develop, implement and evaluate effective and sustainable educational programs for varying populations.
6. Demonstrate intra- and inter-professional collaboration to improve healthcare quality and outcomes across diverse populations and to address health disparities.

Minimum Admission Requirements

1. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from a nationally accredited baccalaureate-granting institution with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA from all undergraduate coursework. A student may transfer up to six graduate hours from another institution upon the recommendation of the Graduate Admissions and Progression Committee.  Transfer courses taken more than 5 years prior to application are not acceptable.
   
   Proof of a current RN license from the student's state of residence and/or practice. A Tennessee RN license or a license from a state that is in the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC) is required for clinical experiences in Tennessee.
   
   3. Graduate Record Examination taken within the last five years. Note: The GRE may be waived for applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or better in all undergraduate coursework (3.2 or better for applicants who have completed a BSN from Belmont), once all transcripts have been verified by NursingCAS.
   
   4. A completed application file (per the Application Steps below).

 Application Steps

1. Create an account for your online application at www.nursingcas.org.
   
   2. Log in to your application and complete all sections as directed.
   
   3. As part of your application, enter all previously completed (and yet to be completed) college courses (you will need a copy of transcripts from all colleges attended to do this).
   
   4. As part of your application (in the Colleges Attended section), download Transcript Request Forms for each college attended to arrange for an official transcript to be sent to NursingCAS.
   
   5. As part of your application, complete all sections in the Program Materials area.  Click on each tab at the top of the program page for instructions.
   
   6. Submit your completed application to NursingCAS with the appropriate program designated.
   
   7. Separate from your NursingCAS application, submit an official GRE score report directly to Belmont University:Office of Admissions, Belmont University, 1900 Belmont Blvd., Nashville, TN 37212.  Please see note above about GRE waiver.
   
   8. Wait to hear from Belmont University via email regarding the status of your application.  Update your application file as necessary.
   
   9. If selected to interview based on a preliminary review of your credentials, come to campus during one of the Friday interview days listed above.  Plan to be available on the interview day for up to 3 hours, typically beginning at 9:00 a.m.

 MPre-enrollment Checklist

Once accepted, candidates must complete the following requirements before enrolling:

   1. $500 non-refundable enrollment deposit by a specified deadline after acceptance,
       applied to first semester tuition

   2. Final official transcript of BSN degree sent directly to Belmont University, if not
       previously submitted through NursingCAS.

   3. RN licensure information, if not already submitted at time of application

   4. A background check, as directed by the School of Nursing, with favorable results

   5. Required immunizations

   6. Proof of health insurance coverage

If any of these requirements are not satisfied, admission to the program may be rescinded.

International Applicants

International applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by submitting official TOEFL scores (required minimum of 550 PBT or 80 iBT) or by successful completion of ELS Language Center Level 112.

2. International applicants with college level course work from foreign institutions must have their transcripts evaluated by a credential evaluation service such as World Education Services (www.wes.org) or Joseph Silny & Associates (www.jsilny.com).

3. In order to be issued an I-20 for the desired entry term, international applicants must be admitted no later than June 1 in order to begin enrollment in the fall.

Program of Study