The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree prepares nurses in advanced nursing practices and in the current healthcare environment to use organizational/systems leadership, quality improvement processes, and translate evidence into practice to create change that improves health and care outcomes. In addition, the BSN to DNP degree program prepares a registered nurse to practice as a primary care family nurse practitioner (FNP) after completing the designated 52 credits (generally three years), certification, and licensure.
Program Requirements
The DNP degree program at Saginaw Valley State University consists of a minimum of 79 credits for BSN to DNP applicants and 37-39 credits for MSN to DNP applicants. Students in the BSN to DNP program will be awarded a MSN with a concentration as a primary care FNP after successful completion of designated 52 credits (*courses noted below). Students are then eligible to take the certification examination to become licensed as a primary care FNP. DNP degree students may also complete a certificate program in Nursing Education by completing the three required nursing education courses (, , & ). Both BSN to DNP and MSN to DNP students complete a minimum of 300 practice hours while completing the DNP project. MSN to DNP students may require additional practice hours after MSN transcript analysis so that the minimum total of 1,000 postbaccalaureate practice hours are completed upon completion of the DNP degree program. The time limit for completing the DNP degree is seven years from the beginning of the first course in which credit was earned toward the DNP degree at SVSU.
Academic Regulations:
The following regulations will apply unless otherwise specified.
- In required graduate nursing courses, students must earn a grade of “B” or better to remain in good standing. If a grade of “I” is earned, course requirements must be satisfied prior to beginning additional required courses.
A required course can be repeated only once. Failure of a repeated course or a second required course results in dismissal from the program. Candidacy status will be achieved with the appointment of the DNP project advisors and completion of the formative candidacy evaluation process as outlined in the Graduate Nursing Student Handbook.
Completion of courses will be done as outlined in a plan of study as required in the Graduate Student Nursing Handbook.
Admission Requirements for BSN to DNP Applicants:
Admission Requirements for MSN to DNP Applicants:
- Graduate from an accredited MSN program.
- Detailed curriculum vitae or resume with current job title and description.
- Two (2) graduate recommendation forms from previous faculty member, employer, and/or professional colleague. One must be from a doctorally prepared academician and one from clinical practice.
- Grade point average (GPA) in graduate course work: minimum required is 3.3 on 4.0 scale with all official transcripts.
- Essay goal statement - see BSN to DNP.
- Interview for successfully screened applicants. May be conducted by video-call.
International Student Admission Requirement - Additional Requirements Include:
- Completed international application for graduate admission.
- An academic report is required by the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (http://www.cgfns.org/)
- Official TOEFL results with a score of 92 (Internet based) or an IELTS score of 7.0. in each skill area
- Evidence of financial support.
Additional admission criteria may be required for any applicant based on record review.
If special accommodations are needed for learning, they must be identified and discussed with the program coordinator prior to the submission of the application.
Prior to practice courses, a criminal background check, immunizations, physical exam, finger printing, CPR, liability imsurance and drug testing are required as described in the Graduate Nursing Handbook.
Return to: