Graceland College

What you'll study

The DNP curriculum combines core doctoral coursework with supervised practice hours and a culminating practice improvement project. Core and concentration courses include:

• NURS8010 Introduction to Doctoral Study in Nursing – 1 s.h.
• NURS8100 Professionalism, Ethics and Issues – 3 s.h. (includes 12 practice hours)
• NURS8120 Health Systems Policy and Regulation – 3 s.h. (includes 8 practice hours)
• NURS8140 Epidemiology – 3 s.h. (includes 16 practice hours)
• NURS8170 Research, Biostatistics, and Theory – 5 s.h.
• NURS8180 Evaluation of Research and Biostatistics – 3 s.h.
• NURS8210 Project Management – 3 s.h. (includes 100 supervised practice hours)
• NURS8220 Healthcare Informatics – 3 s.h.
• NURS8260 Organizational Leadership & Collaboration – 3 s.h.
• NURS8950 Advanced Practice in Organizational Leadership – 1–4 s.h. (80–100 practice hours per s.h.)
• NURS9700 DNP Practice Improvement Project – 1 s.h. (continuous enrollment)
• NURS9710 DNP Practice Improvement Project Proposal – 3 s.h. (includes 200 supervised practice hours)
• NURS9711 DNP Practice Improvement Project Implementation – 1 s.h. (includes 100 supervised practice hours)
• NURS9712 DNP Practice Improvement Project Analysis & Dissemination – 3 s.h. (includes 200 supervised practice hours)

Entry requirements

There are two admission routes with distinct requirements:

• Post-master's DNP track: BSN from an NLNAC or CCNE accredited program; a master's degree in nursing or related field from a nationally accredited program; minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0; current unencumbered U.S. RN license; satisfactory criminal background check after acceptance.
• BSN-DNP track: BSN from an NLNAC, ACEN or CCNE accredited program; minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale; current unencumbered U.S. RN license; satisfactory criminal background check after acceptance.

Career prospects

The program prepares graduates for a wide range of advanced roles in patient care, health systems, education and policy. Typical career pathways include clinical leadership and quality improvement positions, informatics, public health and policy roles, administration, and faculty appointments where doctoral-prepared nurses lead practice change and health outcomes improvement.

Scholarships & funding angle

While specific scholarships are not listed on the course text, doctoral nursing students commonly pursue institutional scholarships, employer tuition support, federal loans, and practice-focused grants. Prospective applicants should contact Graceland's financial aid office to explore program-specific funding, stackable certificate tuition options, and employer-partnership opportunities.