Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Program Requirements for 2025-2026

Doctor of Nursing Practice: Post-Master’s Entry Program

Post-master’s candidates are required to successfully complete a minimum of 33 credit hours, 1,000 hours of advanced practice clinical hours, and a DNP Scholarly project.

Requirements

Credit hours for each course are indicated in parentheses after the course title.

Scholarship Core - 24 credits

  • GNUR 701 - Applications of Nursing Science (3)
  • GNUR 702 - Advanced Evidenced-Based Practice & Research  (3)
  • GNUR 704 - Informatics and Healthcare Technologies (3)
  • GNUR 706 - Health Care Delivery Systems, Policy & Law (3)
  • GNUR 707 - Population Health: Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3)
  • GNUR 708 - Complex Systems and Leadership (3)
  • GNUR 710 - Complex and Vulnerable Populations Health (3)
  • GNUR 712 - Clinical Inquiry for Outcomes Evaluation & Policy Development (3)

DNP Clinical Core - 9 credits

  • GNUR 709 - Doctor of Nursing Practice Role and Project Development I (3)
  • GNUR 713 - Doctor of Nursing Practice Role and Project Development II (3)
  • GNUR 714 - Doctor of Nursing Practice Role Development and Project Defense (3)

Total: 33 credits

Doctor of Nursing Practice: Post-Baccalaureate Entry Program

Post-baccalaureate candidates are required to successfully complete a minimum of 63-68 credit hours. Candidates meet with their academic faculty advisor to discuss specific degree requirements. Credit hours include courses in one of the following advanced practice roles: adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner, adult-gerontology clinical nurse specialist, primary care family nurse practitioner, or psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. Candidates must also successfully complete 1,000 hours of advanced practice clinical hours and a DNP Scholarly project.

Requirements

Credit hours for each course are indicated in parentheses after the course title.

Scholarship Core - 29-30 credits

  • GNUR 503 - Foundations of Evidence -Based Practice and Research (3)
  • GNUR 558 - Capstone Development (2)
  • GNUR 695 - NP Comprehensive Exam (1) FNP, AGNP, and PMHNP Only
  • GNUR 701 - Applications of Nursing Science (3)
  • GNUR 702 - Advanced Evidence-Based Practice & Research (3)
  • GNUR 704 - Informatics and Healthcare Technologies (3)
  • GNUR 706 - Healthcare Delivery Systems, Policy & Law (3)
  • GNUR 707 - Population Heath: Biostatistics and Epidemiology (3)
  • GNUR 708 - Complex Systems and Leadership (3)
  • GNUR 710 - Complex and Vulnerable Populations Health (3)
  • GNUR 712 - Clinical Inquiry for Outcomes Evaluation & Policy Development (3)

DNP Clinical Core - 9 credits

  • GNUR 709 - Doctor of Nursing Practice Role and Project Development I (3)
  • GNUR 713 - Doctor of Nursing Practice Role and Project Development II (3)
  • GNUR 714 - Doctor of Nursing Practice Role Development and Project Defense (3)

Direct Care Core - 9 credits

  • GNUR 543 - Advanced Physiology Pathophysiology (3)
  • GNUR 570 - Advanced Pharmacology (3)
  • GNUR 571 - Advanced Health Assessment & Diagnostic Reasoning (3)

Functional Role Courses - 16-20 credits

Choose ONE functional role from the options below.

Adult/Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS)
  • GNUR 650 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan I (3)
  • GNUR 651 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan II (3)
  • GNUR 652 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan III (3)
  • GNUR 653 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan IV (3)
  • GNUR 632 - Application of the CNS Spheres of Impact I: Nursing and Nursing Practice (1) (125 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 639 - Application of the CNS Spheres of Impact II : Patient and Client (1) (125 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 688 - Synthesis Of the Sphere of Impact II (1) (125  hours clinical)
  • GNUR 689-  Synthesis of the Sphere of Impact I (1) (125  hours clinical)
Primary Care Family Nurse Practitioner (PCFNP)
  • GNUR 650 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan I (3)
  • GNUR 651 -  Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan II (3)
  • GNUR 576 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Women (3)
  • GNUR 577 - Advanced Concepts of Children and Adolescents (3)
  • GNUR 584 - FNP Diagnosis and Management of Adults Across the Lifespan I (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 585 -  FNP Diagnosis and Management of Adults Across the Lifespan II (1) (150 hours clinical)
  •  GNUR 586 - FNP Diagnosis and Management of Women (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 587 - FNP Diagnosis and Management of Children and Adolescents (1) (150 hours clinical)
Adult/Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)
  • GNUR 650 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan I (3)
  • GNUR 651 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan II (3)
  • GNUR 652 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan III (3)
  • GNUR 653 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan IV (3)
  • GNUR 641 - AGACNP Diagnosis and Management of Adults Across the Lifespan I (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 643 - AGACNP Diagnosis and Management of Adults Across the Lifespan II (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 645 - AGACNP Diagnosis and Management of Adults Across the Lifespan III (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 647 -AGACNP Diagnosis and Management of Adults Across the Lifespan IV (1) (150 hours clinical)
Adult/Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP)
  • GNUR 650 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan I (3)
  • GNUR 651 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan II (3)
  • GNUR 652 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan III (3)
  • GNUR 653 - Advanced Concepts in the Care of Adults Across the Lifespan IV (3)
  • GNUR 642 - AGPCNP Diagnosis & Management of Adults Across the Lifespan I (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 644 - AGPCNP Diagnosis & Management of Adults Across the Lifespan II  (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 646 - AGPCNP Diagnosis & Management of Adults Across the Lifespan III (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 648 - AGPCNP Diagnosis & Management of Adults Across the Lifespan IV  (1) (150 hours clinical)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
  • GNUR 520 - Foundations of Advanced Psychiatric-Mental Health Nursing Practice (3)
  • GNUR 521 -Advanced Neuropsychiatric Assessment & Intervention (2)
  • GNUR 522 - Advanced Psychopharmacology (2)
  • GNUR 523 - Advanced Concepts in Psychotherapy with Individuals, Groups & Families (3)
  • GNUR 544 - Psychopathology & Differential Diagnosis (3)
  • GNUR 545 - Advanced Concepts in Child & Adolescent Mental Health (3)
  • GNUR 513- PMHNP Clinical Practicum (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 514- PMHNP Clinical Practicum II (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 515- PMHNP Clinical Practicum III (1) (150 hours clinical)
  • GNUR 516 - PMHNP Clinical Practicum IV: (1) (150 hours clinical)

Total: 63-72 credits

CRNA Program Requirements for 2025-2026

Doctor of Nursing Practice in Nurse Anesthesia and Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP)

Requirements

The CRNA program includes all requirements of the Doctor of Nursing Practice: Post-Baccalaureate Entry Program with the AGACNP functional core, plus the following requirements.

  • GNUR 760 - Role Transition and Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia I (2)
  • GNUR 761 - Role Transition and Professional Aspects of Nurse Anesthesia II (2)
  • GNUR 762 - CRNA Comprehensive Exam (1)
  • GNUR 765 - Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics of Anesthesia Practice (3)
  • GNUR 766 - Advanced Airway, Spinal, and Epidural Anesthesia Management (2)
  • GNUR 767 - Regional Anesthesia, Pain Management, POCUS & Orthopedic Anesthesia (3)
  • GNUR 768 - Pediatrics, Obstetrics, GYN, Urology, Otolaryngologic, Abdominal, and Emergency Anesthesia (3)
  • GNUR 769 - Cardiothoracic, Cardiovascular and Neurosurgical Anesthesia (3)
  • GNUR 771 - Anesthesia Pharmacology (3)
  • GNUR 772 - Anesthesia Phases of Care (1) (50 clinical hours)
  • GNUR 773 - Advanced Hemodynamic monitoring, Interpretation and Placement (1)
  • GNUR 775 - Anesthesia Crisis Resource Management I (1)
  • GNUR 776 - Anesthesia Crisis Resource Management II (1)
  • GNUR 781 - Clinical Practicum I (2) (300 clinical hours)
  • GNUR 782 - Clinical Practicum II (2) (300 clinical hours)
  • GNUR 783 - Clinical Practicum III (3) (450 clinical hours)
  • GNUR 784 - Clinical Practicum IV (3) (450 clinical hours)
  • GNUR 785 - Clinical Practicum V (3) (450 clinical hours)

Total CRNA Program: 103 credits

Progression Policy

All students matriculating into the Wegmans School of Nursing program are required to maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 (B) in the graduate nursing program for progression.

  • Graduate students must receive a grade of “B” or higher in all graduate coursework (GNUR and/or GMHC) related to their program of study. If the student does not achieve a grade of "B" or higher on the second attempt, the student will not be allowed to progress and will be dismissed from the program.
  • Failing two GNUR courses or one GNUR course twice will result in dismissal from the program. (a grade of "U" or a grade less than a B is equivalent to a course failure).
  • Students who are required to repeat course work cannot progress in the program until they have successfully completed the repeated course.

Clinical Learning Experiences

The graduate student completes all clinical courses as precepted practicum experiences. The NP programs have a total of 600 clinical hours; the CNS program has a total of 500 clinical hours. Due to the demand for preceptors and clinical course progression, the Wegmans School of Nursing cannot permit students to take more than one clinical course/semester. It is the policy of the graduate nursing program that the student's clinical learning experiences are separate and apart from his or her position of employment. Precepted clinical experiences are in a wide variety of health care agencies. Students are required to sign a clinical attestation form that communicates their understanding of the clinical placement process.

Note: A minimum of 50 percent of the clinical hours for primary care program students must be in primary care settings. Students in primary programs are not permitted to complete clinical hours in an acute hospital setting.

Grading Scale for Nursing Programs

  • A (95–100)
  • A- (90–94)
  • B+ (87–89)
  • B (84–86)*
  • B- (80–83)
  • C+ (77–79)
  • C (74–76)
  • C- (72–74)
  • F (73 and below)
  • FA- (failure due to absence)

Note: Graduate students are expected to maintain a "B" average overall. Failure to do so will result in being placed on academic probation.

Note: The program requirements listed are for the current academic year. Past and future program requirements may differ. Visit the catalog website to access current and past catalogs.