Curriculum
Graduates of our Postgraduate DNP program will have the essential skills and knowledge to take on leadership roles in healthcare policy development, care delivery evaluation, and population health strategy implementation. They will also be equipped to use collaborative and leadership abilities to drive positive changes in healthcare systems, thus profoundly impacting the future of healthcare delivery.
Executive Nurse Leader Track
Year 1
Spring
- Cognate Elective I
- Fundamentals of Natural Inquiry
Summer
- Population-Based Health for Advanced Practice
- Cognate Elective II
Fall
- Organization, Delivery, and Financing of Health Care
- Advanced Topics in Health Informatics
Year 2
Spring
- Quality in Health Care
- DNP Project Seminar I
Summer
- Cognate Elective III
- Executive Nurse Leader Role Transformation (120 hours; variable credit option for additional clinical hours to meet 1,000-hour requirement)
Fall
- DNP Project Seminar II
- Executive Nurse Leader Immersion (240 hours; variable credit option for additional clinical hours to meet 1,000-hour requirement)
Spring
- Leadership of Health Care Systems
- DNP Project Seminar III
Total Credits: 33
The cognate elective series provides the flexibility to customize your education to match your specific career aspirations in education, business, or public health/administration. This specialized curriculum is designed to build on foundational knowledge and keep you abreast of the latest developments in your field. Furthermore, with the support of an academic advisor or program director, you can skillfully select courses that enhance your educational journey.
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Track
Semester 1
- Fundamentals of Critical Inquiry
- Genetics & Genomics for Clinicians
Summer Session
- Population-based Health for Advanced Practice
- Elective
Semester 2
- Organization, Delivery & Financing of Health Care
- Advanced Topics in Health Informatics
Semester 3
- Quality in Health Care
- DNP Project & Seminar
- DNP Project Practicum I
Summer Session
Semester 4
- DNP Project & Seminar II
- DNP Project Practicum II
Semester 5
- Leadership of Health Care Systems
- DNP Project & Seminar III
Total Credits: 32
Total Clinical Hours: A combination of Clinical Practice Hours from an M.S.N./M.S. program and a Postgraduate program must total 1000 hours to fulfill the D.N.P. degree requirements. This curriculum assumes prior completion of courses in nursing theory, biostatistics (within the past 5 years), nursing research, and health care policy. Elective cognates may be selected from education, business, or public health administration fields. The UVM Course Catalog provides specific requirements as per the designated catalogue year, and academic standards are detailed in the CNHS Nursing Graduate Student Handbook.