School of Nursing Graduate Program Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective DNP Students. 1. What is the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program?

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1 School of Nursing Graduate Program Frequently Asked Questions for Prospective DNP Students 1. What is the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program? The DNP is a practice-oriented doctoral program designed to prepare experts in specialized advanced nursing practice that is innovative and evidence-based, reflecting the application of credible research findings. For more information on the DNP degree, see 2. Is the DNP program part-time or full-time? Can I remain employed while in the program? The Post-Master s DNP program is a part-time program, based on the number of hours in which students are enrolled each semester. Students are expected to be employed, preferably in their specialty areas, while in the program. Their DNP projects will usually be completed at their places of employment. 3. How long does it take to complete the DNP program? The Post-Master s DNP program consists of credits beyond the master s level specialty content. This program is completed over 5 semesters. 4. How do I apply to the DNP program? Please see the School of Nursing s website for application instructions: Application must be made to both the School of Nursing and the SIUE graduate school When are applications due? Applications are due by March 1 for the following August admission. 6. I have a degree in a field other than Nursing. Can I still apply to the DNP program? You must have a master s degree in nursing (e.g., MSN, MA, or MS) in order to apply to our post-master s DNP program. The master s degree in nursing must be a clinical degree (e.g., maternal-child health, mental health, nurse practitioner, nurse anesthetist, nurse midwife) or in nursing administration.

2 7. What is the minimum GPA requirement for the program? When making admissions decisions, we review 3 different GPA calculations: cumulative master s, graduate nursing courses, and graduate science courses. If there are no science courses in the master s program, undergraduate science courses will be used to calculate the science GPA. 8. Do I need to take the GRE or another standardized test? No, we do not require any standardized tests for admission consideration. 9. Do I need to submit transcripts from every college or university I attended or just from the ones at which I completed my degrees? You must submit transcripts from EACH college or university that you attended. 10. Can I take classes before I am officially admitted to the program? It may be possible to enroll in some doctoral courses as an unclassified student before admission to the DNP program. Please note that the School of Nursing can only accommodate unclassified graduate students AFTER current DNP students have enrolled in their courses. If there is space available in classes after current student enrollment, unclassified students will be registered on a firstcome, first-served basis. To discuss taking courses as an unclassified graduate student, please contact the Graduate Academic Advisor at Do I need work experience before I can apply to the DNP program? Applicants to the DNP program are expected have a minimum of 1 year of professional nursing practice. 12. Can I transfer courses taken at other universities to SIUE? A student is allowed to transfer up to 1/3 of the total required credit hours for a degree from unclassified status or from another university. Students who wish to transfer a course from another university will be required to submit a transcript showing successful completion of the course, as well as a course syllabus to determine equivalency. The syllabus will be reviewed by SIUE doctoral faculty and must be approved by the faculty.

3 Students are STRONGLY encouraged to submit a syllabus for a potential transfer course PRIOR to taking it. Students must earn a grade of A or B in order for a course to be accepted from unclassified status or from another university. Final approval of transfer courses will be made by the Graduate Student Affairs Committee of the School of Nursing. 13. Is the DNP program online? Will I have to come to campus to attend courses? The post-master s DNP will use online teaching methods. Most courses will be asynchronous, with some synchronous sessions. Students will also be required to attend scheduled intermittent intensive face-to-face learning experienced on campus during the program. 14. Can I enroll in the DNP courses in any order? The curriculum has been developed to build upon prior course work throughout the program. Courses will be offered in sequence each academic year. Any change in the sequence in which courses are taken must be approved by the Assistant Dean for the Graduate Program. 15. What is the time frame for offering courses? Fall and Spring semesters are 16 weeks long, and summer semesters are 10 weeks long. 16. Do I work at my own pace? The program is structured on a semester basis with assignments due at specific times. You may work at your own pace during the assignment period but students must meet deadlines set by course faculty How are online courses managed? The Blackboard course management system is used at SIUE for online courses. Each course will follow are specific format to facilitate navigation as students enroll in each course. Students will access syllabi, course calendars, and other course materials through Blackboard. Asynchronous discussion boards are often used for assignments to allow students to post information and for the instructor and other students to respond. Live chats may also be used for small group discussion. Synchronous class sessions may also be held using WIMBA through Blackboard or Skype.

4 18. How do I communicate with course instructors? You can communicate with your instructors via , phone, fax, Skype, Blackboard messages, and in person. 19. What are the technology requirements for the DNP program? For the intensive week, you will need to bring a laptop computer with Ethernet in order to connect to SIUE s wireless system. This laptop does not, however, need to have all the requirement/recommendations listed below. For your home computer, the requirements and recommendations are: Required Hardware Processor 2 GHz (depending on the operating system may need more) Memory 2GB of RAM (depending on the operating system may need more) Hard Drive 2 GB free disk space minimum Space Modem 56 kbps or higher (Note: Broadband strongly recommended; wireless Internet NOT recommended) Printer Graphics capable (inkjet or laser) CD-ROM Drive Required Monitor 17 inch or larger (1024 x 768 w/256 colors) Sound Card 16 bit Microphone Required Speakers Required Webcam 640 x 480 video resolution or higher with 1.3MP sensor (minimum) USB 1 or more required Recommended Hardware Flash Drive 1 GB or higher Headset In lieu of speakers and/or microphone (may have improved sound quality) Required Software Windows MAC Operating System Windows XP, Vista, or or newer Office Suite/Productivity* Microsoft Office 2007 or newer (Word, Excel, & PowerPoint required) Office 2008 for Mac or newer PDF Writer Web Browser Anti-virus Adobe Acrobat 8 or higher or alternate PDF writer (required for some courses) Latest version of either Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome (Cookies must be enabled; browser must be Java and JavaScript enabled) Latest version of an anti-virus software actively running SIUE account is required.

5 Recommended Software Helper Adobe Reader; Flash player; Shockwave, Quicktime Player, Real Applications Player, Google Docs, and a reference manager such as EndNote or Refworks (free through SIUE Library). *When running a version of Microsoft Office other than Office 2007, if you are having trouble opening an Office 2007 document (.docx, pptx, xlsx), you will need to download and install the appropriate Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack for your operating system. 20. How many courses require clinical practice hours? DNP programs require 1,000 hours of post-baccalaureate, supervised specialty practice. 21. Where will I complete my residency hours? DNP students will complete most of their residency/practicum hours in their workplace, engaged in projects and special activities beyond their usual work responsibilities. Assignments in selected DNP courses and other projects by DNP students may be counted toward these residency hours, as approved by the Assistant Dean of the Graduate Program. 22. What is the DNP Project? DNP students will complete an evidence-based project, usually within their own workplaces. The program culminates in a doctoral level project that reflects the synthesis and application of knowledge gained throughout the curriculum. 23. How much does it cost to complete the DNP program at SIUE? Detailed tuition and fee information can be found on the Bursar s website What type of funding is available to graduate students? Prospective graduate students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Financial Aid at to discuss funding options. Any grant or scholarship opportunities that become available through the School of Nursing will be announced to students via . Additional funding opportunities are available through the University Graduate School (

6 25. Can I meet with an advisor to discuss the graduate program in more detail? Prospective students are welcome to meet with the Graduate Academic Advisor to discuss the programs offered and the admission process. Please call or to set up an appointment. Dev Rev Rev Rev Rev