The DNP is an online program, primarily, which includes three short campus visits
and may be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. As a student, you can complete
most of the coursework, the clinical practicum, and a scholarly project at home and
in your current work environment (or other convenient setting).
The DNP program offers campus-based nurse practitioner options and online options
for nursing education, lifestyle medicine, and the DNP/MBA program. All programs may
be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis.
Any student wishing to complete clinical experiences outside the State of TN must
verify that State is a member of NC-SARA and seek permission from that State Board
of Nursing. Clinical placements in some States may not be able to be accommodated
due to specific State Board of Nursing regulations.
Master’s degree: A master's in nursing from an accredited program
Graduate GPA: A minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0
Statistics course: An undergraduate or graduate course in statistics
RN licensure: Current RN licensure in your state or location of residence
Work experience: A minimum of two years (4,000 hours) of work as a registered nurse or nurse practitioner
Acute-Care emphasis: Provide verification of your current advanced-practice certification and licensure
and documentation of your acute-care skills set.
Application deadlines
All application steps are to be fully completed by the dates listed.
Term
U.S. Residents
International
Fall
April 1
March 1
Winter
October 1
August 1
Admission process
Transcripts: Submit official college and university transcripts. Many institutions subscribe to
the convenient transcript-request service at National Student Clearinghouse, or you may also contact your institution directly. Have your transcripts sent to
Melodie Lopez in the Graduate Studies office (malopez@southern.edu). If you earned your prerequisite degree at Southern, you do not need to complete
this step.
Recommendations: Submit three recommendation forms—one academic and two from a clinical setting. This may be done as part of the online application process, orDownload form
Written statement: Write a statement describing your purpose and goals for pursuing this degree. Your
statement should be thoughtfully written to demonstrate your writing skills. It may
be uploaded to your application status page or submitted via email tograd@southern.edu, or malopez@southern.edu.
Writing sample: Submit a scholarly writing sample, such as a previous graduate-level paper, and
email it tograd@southern.edu.
Interview: Schedule an interview with faculty member(s) by emailing jlthompson@southern.edu. Interview dates: Fall 2017 options are March 31 and April 28, 2017; Winter 2018 options are September 22 and 29, 2017; and Fall 2018 options are March 30 and April 27, 2018.
For the DNP/MBA, submit scores from the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
With approval, applicants may be admitted without the GMAT if they have:
An undergraduate degree from a U.S. institution with a minimum GPA of 3.25
OR a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 with five years of full-time business-related
management experience
Applicants who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States are considered
international students and must meet additional requirements for admission.
Applicants from non-English institutions must submit certified English translations
and evaluations of official university records, including demonstration of the equivalency
of a bachelor's degree. Transcript evaluations must be submitted directly to Southern from one of the following
agencies:
Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must demonstrate English proficiency. Unless an applicant is a native English speaker or received the college/university
degree from an English-medium institution, s/he must have a minimum TOEFL score of
100. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Learn more at ets.org/toefl »
Submit Declaration of Finances. International students must have financial resources sufficient to support themselves
for the calendar year, in addition to an international-student deposit of $3,000 (USD).
Download Form
To be issued an I-20 Form, students must also provide a letter from financial sponsors
(including their name and address), as well as copies of bank statements for the last
three months showing the balance history for the student's account or the financial
sponsor's account.
International students who will be coming to Southern's campus need some additional
information about travel documents and living on campus.
View more information for international applicants
Form I-20: After all qualifying documentation is received, Southern Adventist University issues
a letter of acceptance and the Form I-20. The letter and form must be presented to
the U.S. consular officer when applying for a student visa. Only students approved
by the Immigration and Naturalization Service for attendance at Southern may enroll.
On campus: International students are encouraged to arrive on campus two weeks prior to the beginning
of classes. They should contact the international student adviser as soon as they
arrive. Graduate Studies must be notified if there is any change in the arrival date
after admission has been granted. Individuals with student visas are required to be
enrolled in a full course study (a minimum of nine graduate credit hours) during the
school year.
Employment: International students with an F-1 Student Visa may work on campus, provided that
employment is available and provided that the student is enrolled in a full course
of study and is making progress to the completion of a degree. On-campus employment
is limited to 20 hours per week while classes are in session and 40 hours per week
during university vacation days.
When you are ready to travel: International students should not leave their homeland until they have in their possession:
An admission letter of acceptance from Southern Adventist University
Form I-20 issued by Southern Adventist University
A valid passport
A valid F-1 Student Visa to travel to the United States
Sufficient funds for the first year at Southern Adventist University
I am here to help if you have any questions about applying to the programs or enrolling.
I'm the one who keeps track of all the forms and certifications you are required to
have, so let me know if you get stuck. You are welcome to email or call for information
about everything from admission to graduation. I look forward to meeting you and working
with you!
