Doctor of Nursing Practice School of Nursing Specific Admission Requirements
The Catholic University Conway School of Nursing employs a "whole person" philosophy for evaluation of applicants for admission to the D.N.P. program. To be considered for admission, in addition to meeting University admission requirements, at a minimum, an applicant must:
Post-Baccalaureate D.N.P. Applicants must:
1. Have earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) degree from a program or school, accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Transcripts of undergraduate study provide evidence of academic ability to complete the program.
2. Have one to two years of clinical nursing experience preferred, but clinical experience can also be obtained concurrent with coursework.
3. Present transcripts of undergraduate study that give evidence of strong academic ability. A GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4-point scale is preferred.
4. Submit a professional portfolio that includes:
a. Curriculum vitae or résumé.
b. Copy of RN license from at least one state.
c. Narrative description of current and past clinical practice.
d. One letter of reference (at least one from a former dean, faculty member, or academic adviser or current or former supervisor).
e. Statement of reason for seeking the D.N.P. degree and a short description identifying a potential topic or focus for an evidence-based practice project. This may be a practice improvement issue, a clinical management problem, or area of clinical translational research that the applicant will address while in the program. The project does not have to be fully developed, but the applicant should provide a general idea of their area of interest.
f. An academic writing sample or publication
5. Meet the School of Nursing's Health-Related Behavioral Standards for clinical programs.
Post-Master's D.N.P. Applicants must:
1. Have earned a master's degree from programs accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Present transcripts of undergraduate and graduate study that provide evidence of academic ability to complete the program. Undergraduate and graduate GPAs of 3.2 or higher on a 4-point scale are preferred.
2. Submit a professional portfolio that includes:
a. Curriculum vitae or résumé.
b. Copy of RN license from at least one state.
c. Documented completion of 500+ post-baccalaureate clinical hours. Exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
d. One letter of reference (from a current or former dean, faculty member, or academic adviser, or a current or former supervisor).
e. Academic writing sample or publications.
f. Statement of reason for seeking the DNP and a short description of a potential topic or focus for an evidence-based practice project. This may be a practice improvement issue, a clinical management problem, or area of clinical research that the applicant will address while in the program. The project does not have to be fully developed, but the applicant should provide a general idea of their area of interest.
g. Previous graduate level coursework in Health Policy, Bioethics, and Research are required as
part of the master's degree or as independent courses.
3. Meet the School of Nursing's Health-Related Behavioral Standards for clinical programs.