DNP PBAC TR PNP-AC - Post Baccalaureate DNP: Pediatric Nurse Practitioner - Acute Care Track (DNP)

The DNP Program is based on the AACN Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice. UMMC offers two entry points to the DNP - the Post-Baccalaureate DNP (multiple tracks available) and the Post-Graduate DNP. The purpose of the DNP Program is to prepare advanced practice nurses at the highest professional level of clinical nursing practice to advance the application of nursing knowledge through the conduct and use of research and evidence based practice for the purpose of improving health care to diverse populations. Nurses who wish to continue their education in the areas of advanced practice, nursing and health administration, or staff development may consider the DNP option. It is a viable option for nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, nurses in or pursuing health administration positions, or nurses who work in staff development.

Individuals seeking admission to a Post-Baccalaureate DNP (BSN-DNP) track must meet the following requirements:

1. Completed application;

2. Nursing cumulative (undergraduate and graduate) GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale if applying for the post-baccalaureate DNP;

3. A Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree from an institution that is accredited by an institutional accrediting body and that holds professional accreditation by CCNE or ACEN is required;

4. Evidence of an unrestricted/unencumbered nursing license as a registered nurse in the United States or one of its territories, and be eligible for licensure in Mississippi. May and December BSN graduates who are applying to the Post-Baccalaureate DNP must successfully complete the NCLEX-RN® and be licensed as an RN prior to the program's start date. August BSN graduates must successfully complete the NCLEX-RN® and be licensed as an RN during the first semester of the Post-Baccalaureate DNP Program. Once admitted, students must be licensed/privileged as an RN in Mississippi and must maintain a current and unrestricted RN license;

5. Applicants for the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Track -Acute Care must have at least one year of clinical experience as an RN in pediatric critical/emergency care prior to beginning the program. Inpatient pediatric experience may be considered.

6. Completion of at least one research course and one statistics course at the undergraduate or graduate level;

7. Informal personal statement submitted with application:

8. Three letters of reference – academic or professional reference letter, or a combination of both.

9. Official transcripts from all schools attended.

10. For applicants who earned coursework/degrees from institutions outside the United States:

    1. Completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for graduates of foreign schools whose academic language was not English. The minimum required score is:

       1. TOEFL-Internet Based Test (IBT): 79 or higher

       2. TOEFL-Paper Based Test (PBT): 550 or higher

    2. Other documents required by UMMC and local, state, and federal authorities;

    3. Transcripts must be evaluated in a course-by-course report from World Education Services (WES) or the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

11. An interview may be required as part of the admissions process. Additional information will be provided to applicants when they are invited to interview;

12. If an applicant has been dismissed from any nursing program, one year must pass from the date of dismissal to the date of eligibility to apply for any UMMC School of Nursing program.

Once admitted to a BSN-DNP track, a student may only transfer to another track with permission of the track director and assistant dean for graduate studies. Students may not transfer into the FNP track.

In unusual instances, the Graduate Admission and Progression Committee may consider applicants who do not meet the admission criteria. The School of Nursing reserves the right to offer tracks based on the number of acceptable applicants admitted. When a track is not offered due to limited enrollment, the applicant will be notified, and other admission options will be explored.

Program Application

All application documents and the application fees must be received by the Office of Enrollment Management by March 15 for fall admission.

Linda Upchurch, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC
Email: lupchurch@umc.edu
Phone: (601) 984-1713