lsu phd nursing

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused doctoral nursing degree designed for nurses seeking careers in advanced clinical nursing practice and nurse executive ranks. The purpose of this program is to prepare advanced practice nurses to translate research, promote evidence based practice, and develop systems of care based on research utilization. LSUHSC School of Nursing is the only school of nursing in Louisiana affiliated within an academic health sciences center which affords students unique opportunities for interprofessional education and research.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a practice-focused doctoral nursing degree designed for nurses seeking careers in advanced clinical nursing practice and nurse executive ranks. The purpose of this program is to prepare advanced practice nurses to translate research, promote evidence based practice, and develop systems of care based on research utilization.  The  DNP curriculum will provide certified registered nurse anesthetists, certified nurse practitioners, certified clinical nurse specialists, nurse administrators, and public and community health nurses with education beyond that required for entry into practice to meet the need for safe, quality patient care in an increasingly complex health care environment. The program emphasizes critical thinking, careful assessment of current practices, and decision-making based on evaluation of the best available research. Additionally, the proposed offering will serve to meet the growing need for insightful, visionary leaders and educators in the specialty.

Upon completion of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, the graduate will be able to achieve the following outcomes:

• Initiate, facilitate and participate in professional, collegial and collaborative efforts.
• Identify healthcare needs and interventions for individuals, families and populations.
• Design, implement, manage, and evaluate organizational systems to address complex healthcare delivery needs and problems.
• Provide educational, clinical, and administrative leadership at the local/state/national levels.
• Meet the challenges and needs of an increasingly complex health care delivery system as it relates to healthcare policy, standards of care and practice guidelines for advanced nursing practice.
• Integrate high ethical, legal and professional standards into: a) decision making in clinical practice; b) application of research; and c) use of technology and information systems.
• Design, monitor and evaluate clinical systems, processes, policies and procedures.
• Generate a caring, collegial, collaborative nursing practice environment.
• Analyze social, economic, political and policy components affecting healthcare planning and delivery.
• Synthesize and integrate divergent viewpoints for the purpose of providing culturally competent healthcare.
• Translate, evaluate and apply research for evidence-based practice.
• Integrate knowledge from theories of nursing as well as natural and social sciences into clinical practice.

Admissions Criteria

 bsn to dnp.

  Applicants should have earned a baccalaureate degree in nursing . A background in nursing or health care management is desirable. Specific admission requirements are listed as follows:

• Completed DNP application packet
• Official transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university documenting the award of a BSN or BSN equivalent*. All previous undergraduate transcripts must be submitted.  All nursing course credit earned must be from an accredited nursing  program. *A BSN equivalent does not meet admission requirement without the conferral of a bachelor’s degree.
• A grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate course work reflected on transcript(s).
• Official scores for the  Graduate Record Exam (GRE)  of 300 (or higher) when combining the verbal and quantitative scores on the 130-170 score scale are required from within the last five (5) years. Writing score must be a 3.5 or higher from within the last five (5) years.
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). All international students applying must take the TOEFL, and submit official scores to the Office of Admission. A written-based score of 550, computer-based score of 213, or Internet-based score of 79 is required for full admission. Applicants may retake the TOEFL exam.
• A current unencumbered RN license to practice nursing in any state with eligibility for licensure in Louisiana is required.
• American Heart Association (AHA) BLS/Healthcare Provider is required and must be submitted with the application.*Nurse Anesthesia - in addition to BLS/Healthcare Provider, must possess  Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). A copy of certification must be submitted with the application. These certifications must be maintained throughout enrollment.
• Submit three letters of recommendations. One recommendation must be from a peer and the other one from a supervisor.
• A personal interview with the DNP admissions committee.
• Complete the practice survey
• Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner- a minimum of one year direct patient care experience within the last 5 years.
• Neonatal nurse Practitioner - two (2) year’s experience in Level III NICU.
• Executive Nurse Leader - a minimum of one (1) years of clinical nursing experience.
• Nurse Anesthesia - minimum of one year, full-time experiences within the previous two (2) years at time of application to the program.
• Adult gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist - one (1) year clinical nursing experience.

POST-MASTERS DNP

Applicants should have earned a master’s degree in nursing or a master’s degree in another related field. A background in nursing or healthcare management is desirable. Specific admission requirements are listed as follows:

• Official transcripts from a regionally accredited college or university documenting the award of a BSN or BSN equivalent* and a Master’s degree in nursing**. All previous undergraduate and graduate transcripts must be submitted.  All nursing course credit earned must be from a specialized nursing accredited program. *A BSN equivalent does not meet admission requirement without the conferral of a Master’s degree.  **Students who have a Master’s degree in another field may be accommodated on an individual basis as prescribed by the respective Program Director.
• A grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for all undergraduate and graduate course work reflected on transcript(s).
• One example of a published or unpublished scholarly paper written by the applicant and submitted with the application.
• A current unencumbered RN license to practice nursing in any state with eligibility for licensure in Louisiana is required. All APRN students must possess a current unencumbered advanced practice license to practice advance practice nursing in any state with eligibility for licensure in LA.
• APRN’s must present verification of certification.
• American Heart Association (AHA) BLS/Healthcare Provider is required and must be submitted with the application.*CRNA’s - in addition to BLS/Healthcare Provider, must possess  Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). A copy of certification must be submitted with the application. These certifications must be maintained throughout enrollment.
• Submit a current Resume’.

Residency or Foreign Language Requirements

There are no foreign language requirements for the doctor of nursing practice program of study.

Transfer Credit

Graduate students may petition to transfer credits from other accredited universities for application to LSUHSC degree programs. The maximum transfer allowed is fifteen semester hours when studying at the doctoral level. Graduate course work may be transferred provided each course:

• Fulfills the requirements specified in the student’s graduate degree plan.
• Achieved a grade of “B” or better in course(s).
• Was not counted toward another degree or taken through correspondence courses.
• Was completed within the eight year time limit for the degree.
• Transfer credit for each course may be requested and applied to a graduate degree only one time.

Students will not receive credit for any course taken outside LSUHSC when it is offered the same semester at LSUHSC or the LSU System. Petitions must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor or major professor and the Associate Dean for the perspective program or the Dean.

No courses may be transferred for credit in the last thirty (30) hours of the curriculum.

Time Limit for Degree

The School of Nursing requires that all work towards a DNP degree be completed in not more than eight calendar years. A one-time, one year extension can be granted by the Dean and the LSUHSC Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs upon a written request from the doctoral student, and with the support of the Faculty Advisor. This one-time, one year extension can only be granted under extreme circumstances. Approval from Admission, Progression, & Graduation (A, P & G) committee is also required.

Academic Progression in DNP Program

Registration for any course must be approved by the student’s faculty advisor or major professor. Eligibility to progress in the doctoral program is dependent on satisfactory performance in all courses. This refers to:

• Passing all courses with a “B” or higher
• Maintaining an overall GPA of 3.0

Scholarly Inquiry Project

The Scholarly Inquiry Project is a culminating experience for the doctoral program, representing the student’s ability to formulate a project in a specific role and population and implement it from start to finish using a combination of conceptual, technical, and applied knowledge. The scholarly inquiry project is an evidence-based project completed by the DNP student over three semesters.

Requirements for Graduation Doctor of Nursing Practice

 BSN TO DNP

Students must meet the following graduation requirements:

• Satisfactory completion of the required semester hours of course work as specified by the curriculum.
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on all course work, with no grade lower than a B.
• Completion and satisfactory defense of a scholarly inquiry project.
• Completion and submission of a clinical scholarship portfolio at the completion of the series of advanced practicum courses.
• Recommendation of the faculty, and approval by the Admissions, Progression and Graduation Committee.
• Attendance at rehearsal, pre-commencement and commencement unless specifically excused by the Dean.
• Verification that all materials belonging to the Health Science Center and cooperating agencies have been returned through the proper procedures. These materials would include such items as library books, equipment, keys, furniture or related items.
• Satisfactory status concerning all financial obligations to the LSU System.

 POST-MASTERS DNP

• Satisfactory completion of the required (40-55) semester hours of course work as specified by the curriculum.

DNP Core Courses are held on Monday through Saturday a minimum of five times during a semester. Students’ practicum experiences may occur weekdays, and/or weekends, including evening and night shifts.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Curriculum Tracks

• Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Executive Nurse Leader
• Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• Nurse Anesthesia
• Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner
• Public Community Health Clinical Nurse Specialist

Master of Science in Nursing

The Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) are specialized professional degrees similar to others offered in the LSU System. The total number of credits for the degree is between 36 to 50 semester hours (excluding Nurse Anesthesia). Students may attend full or part time. A curriculum plan is designed by the student and faculty advisor in accordance with the student’s educational goals and interests. Core courses are required of students regardless of selected role and concentration.. The structure and content of the curriculum are based on the rationale that theory provides the conceptual basis for nursing practice. Courses are arranged so that theory and practice are presented concurrently.

Core Nursing Courses

Core nursing courses contain essential content relevant to the preparation of graduates with the Master of Nursing (MN) and Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. The core courses include an examination of theories, trends, and issues which shape nursing, competencies of advanced practice, and principles and concepts of research Core courses for the MN and MSN curriculum include:

NURS 6303 Research Design and Methodology   NURS 6304 Evidence-Based Nursing Practice   NURS 6305 Foundations of Advanced Nursing Practice   NURS 6306 Healthcare Leadership & the Advanced Practice Nurse  

**MSN degree/Nurse Educator and MN/Nursing Administration in specialty concentration are not required to take Nursing 6306 Healthcare Leadership and the Advanced Practice Nurse   .

Core Non-Nursing Courses

The core non-nursing course that is required for all MN and MSN students is:

BIOS 6100 - BIOSTATISTICAL METHODS I    [4 credits].

Core Clinical Nursing Courses

Core clinical nursing course are requires of all advanced practice nursing students with a focus on direct patient care.

NURS 6315 Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Measurement   ; HLSC 6410 Pathophysiology   ** HLSC 6409 Advanced Pharmacology  

*Neonatal Nurse Practtioner students are required to take NURS 6334 Advanced neonatal Assessment    instead of NURS 6315 Advanced Health Assessment   ; and NURS 6335 Neonatal Physiology    instead of HLSC 6410 Pathophysiology   .

Nurse Anesthesia  students do not take HLSC 6410   .

Nursing Role and Population Concentration

The nursing role and population concentration for the Master of Nursing Degree include: Adult Health Nursing Clinical Nurse Specialist, Psychiatric-Community Mental Health Nursing Clinical Nurse Specialist; Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner; Nurse Anesthesia; Advanced Public Health-Community Health Nursing, and Nursing Administration. Each nursing role and population concentration builds on the knowledge and skills acquired in the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing and emphasize the utilization of theoretical formulations as a basis for nursing practice. Graduates are prepared for direct administrative, community health or advanced clinical practice as providers and organizers of the health care delivery system.

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Clinical Education

In this section.

• Clinical Nursing Education
• Allied Health Students

Undergraduate RN / LPN Nursing Students

Clinical rotations are managed at the campus level. Program approval by the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and an active academic affiliation agreement is required to request a clinical rotation. An active RN Louisiana license is required for all RN to BSN preceptor and practicum experiences. Approved schools and programs can be found on the LSBN website.

Click to learn more.

Graduate Nursing Students

Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana offers a variety of preceptor and practicum opportunities for the graduate nursing student. We have preceptors for Family, Acute Care, Gerontological, Pediatric, and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner students. We have students pursuing Master of Science in for Education, Informatics, Health Care Policy, and Executive tracks.

Click to learn more .

Allied Health at Ochsner LSU Health System of North Louisiana provides clinical education to allied health students by partnering with leading universities, colleges, and schools, facilitating clinical and professional education in more than 40 different allied health professions.

Contact us to learn more!

Email our OLHS Professional Practice and Academics team for questions or to learn more about clinical education opportunities.

St. Mary Medical Center Academic Medical Center Monroe Medical Center

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Post-MS Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing Program - Admissions

The University at Buffalo's Post-Master's Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing program is designed to prepare experienced nurses for leadership roles in nursing science and academia. This program equips nurse scholars to advance knowledge development, theory generation, and hypothesis testing to improve nursing practice and health care outcomes. All PhD program tracks are offered online, providing the flexibility needed for working professionals.

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About our admissions process.

• The School of Nursing reserves the right to change admission and program criteria to meet prevailing accreditation and registration requirements.
• Students who have been dismissed from other nursing programs are not eligible for admission. 
• An interview is required for all graduate programs as part of the review process. Qualified applicants will be notified of interview via email.

Admissions Information

Admissions requirements.

• Equivalent of a Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) and Master of Science in nursing (MSN) degree.
• Active U.S. RN license or foreign nursing license.
• Overall MSN GPA of 3.25.

Application Materials

• Online application.
• Application fee: $75
• Official transcripts from all colleges attended.
• Resume/curriculum vitae.
• Personal statement .
• Two scholarly writing samples.
• Three references.

Transcript Information

All application materials are submitted online through the application portal, except for official transcripts. Please do not upload any screenshots of transcripts.

Select the correct institution

Ensure that your transcripts are sent to SUNY University at Buffalo,  not  to SUNY Buffalo State University.

Please have official transcripts mailed to:

UB School of Nursing Beck Hall-Graduate Admissions 3435 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14214

Electronic transcripts can be:

• Emailed to  [email protected].
• Uploaded via Parchment using the "University at Buffalo" option. 
• Uploaded via National Student Clearinghouse using code: 002837. 

International Applicants

Additional requirements for international applicants, all graduate nursing program applicants.

• SPEAK Test , TOEFL or IELTS scores  (minimum scores and more information);  UB TOEFL code: 2925.
• International Credentials/Transcripts/Proof of Degree/Translations. A WES document is strongly preferred. 
• Upon admission to the program, you will be required to submit official transcripts/degrees/translations in a sealed envelope to the International Admission Office.
• Immigration and financial documents.

DNP Program Applicants

• Students applying to the DNP program are not eligible to obtain an F1 student visa.  Visa requirements can be found here . 
• If you do not have a US RN license, you must contact the state board of nursing to apply. 

Application Deadlines

All documents must be received by the deadline.  

Additional Information

Application tips series.

Letters of recommendation are a vital piece of your application. Here are some important tips for identifying recommenders. 

Learn about filling out an application for the UB School of Nursing graduate programs.

Your resume is a vital piece of your application. Here are some important tips to remember when creating your resume.

Learn tips for writing a quality personal statement.

Learn tips for providing clear and high-quality transcripts will set you up for success during the application process. 

Graduate Programs Information Sessions

Tanner Gelatt Assistant Director of Graduate Recruitment 202 Beck Hall 716-829-3765 [email protected] Schedule a meeting with Tanner.

The University at Buffalo is committed to ensuring equal access to its programs and activities. View UB's Notice of Discrimination here.

Louisianian music teacher-turned PhD student researches how mindfulness impacts opioid users

By Hallie Leo

Glassy played timpani and marimba while studying music education at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. His desire to understand the mind led him to pursue research and work in a neuroimaging lab at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Shreveport.

“ While I was teaching, I got interested in how music affects the brain and started reading a lot. I went to scientific conferences to meet people and attend lectures and took free courses online. I decided that I needed formal education to pursue this passion,” said Glassy, who earned his master’s degree in biology at Harvard Extension School.

Glassy is a student in the Population Health Sciences program at UMass Chan, one of three pathways to a PhD in biomedical sciences from the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Together with mentor Bo Wang, PhD, professor of population & quantitative health sciences, Glassy will be focused this year on HIV prevention studies internationally, reducing stigma and modeling developmental trajectories for youth and young adults. He spent his first year at UMass Chan studying co-occurring opioid use and mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression and PTSD.

“As people receive pharmacotherapies, they get peer support, a peer specialist and cognitive behavioral therapy,” Glassy said about his study. “This helps provide vocational training to get people on their feet and not just give them a pill and say, ‘Have a nice day.’”

Glassy earned a TL1 Training Program grant from the UMass Center for Clinical and Translational Science after developing a pilot project for a wellness study to understand participants’ abilities to mindfully observe and describe their feelings of drug craving and depression without automatically reacting to these feelings. In the future, this work could help individuals develop healthier coping strategies for emotional regulation and reduce substance use.

Glassy’s long-term goal is to work in the research industry, running clinical trials and implementing intervention programs in behavioral health. In the meantime, he plans to join the Graduate Student Council. He likes to keep up with music skills by writing his own ambient, classical or electronic dance music.

The Student Spotlight series features UMass Chan Medical School students in the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing and T.H. Chan School of Medicine. For more information about UMass Chan Medical School and how to apply, visit the Prospective Students page .

Related UMass Chan news

Kirschstein award funds MD/PhD student’s research on opioid use disorder

Inspired by his father, a Boston Municipal Court judge, MD/PhD student studies addiction

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