The post-master’s DNP degree program is for the registered nurse or advanced practice
nurse who has completed a master’s degree in nursing and who wishes to expand their
scope of practice. All emphases may be taken on either a full-time or part-time basis.
This DNP program offers campus-based nurse practitioner options and online options
for nursing education, lifestyle medicine, and the DNP/MBA programs. All students,
including those in completely online options, are required to register for and attend
a DNP seminar on campus each fall until completion of their program.
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 should be done as part of the online application process.
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 should
be submitted through your Application Status Page.
Writing sample: Submit a scholarly writing sample, such as a previous graduate-level paper through
your Application Status Page.
Interview: Schedule a faculty interview after completing your Graduate application from your
Application Status Page.
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
Medical-information disclosure and drug-screen consent Download Form
Current health information and immunizations Download Form
CPR/BLS certification from the American Heart Association
International students
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.
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!
