Kristen M. Swanson, RN, PhD, FAAN, Dean
Danuta M. Wojnar, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies
Michael L. Huggins, EdD, PhDc, ARNP (GNP-BC; FNP-BC), FAANP, Associate Dean for Graduate Education
Web: http://www.seattleu.edu/nursing/
Seattle University College of Nursing was granted full accreditation by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education in 2002 and reaccredited in 2012. The Advanced Practice Nursing Immersion Program is fully accredited. The Doctor of Nursing Practice Program and the Post-Doctoral Certificate Programs were granted full accreditation in 2015.
Objectives
Doctor of Nursing Practice
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) graduate is prepared for advanced levels of evidence-based practice, clinical scholarship, and leadership in healthcare systems. Students select the focus for their scholarly DNP Project in consultation with program faculty and mentors in an identified clinical setting. The practice doctorate prepares advanced practice nurses to meet the demands of complex healthcare systems, the rapidly expanding scientific knowledge needed for practice, and increasing opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and leadership. After completing the graduate program of study, advanced practice nurses will be able to:
- Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other disciplines in the provision of evidence-based advanced practice nursing care
- Utilize information systems technology to improve healthcare access, quality, and outcomes
- Demonstrate competence in an advanced nursing practice specialty
- Exercise leadership through scholarship, advocacy, and community engagement to achieve just and equitable healthcare systems that improve health potential and reduce health disparities of vulnerable populations
- Evaluate and influence healthcare systems and health policy at local, state, federal, and global levels
- Demonstrate effective communication and interprofessional collaboration in the promotion of healthcare access, quality, and outcomes
- Evaluate beliefs, values and ways of knowing to foster lifelong personal and professional development
- Apply ethical decision-making in complex clinical situations
The graduate program at Seattle University is grounded in the Jesuit Catholic ideals of teaching, service, education for values, and growth of persons. Graduate faculty members are doctorally prepared and clinically experienced nurses who are also expert teachers. The curriculum focus on care of marginalized and underserved clients actualizes the Jesuit Catholic commitment to social justice. Values-based education emphasizes the ethical, moral, and spiritual dimensions of nursing care. Attention to individual student strengths and needs produces graduates who are knowledgeable, skilled, and confident in their ability to effect positive change.
The Advanced Community Public Health Nursing track prepares nurses in leadership, health promotion and prevention strategies for population-based health care to enable collaboration with communities and organizations to design, implement and evaluate public health programs. Clinical/field experiences are arranged to focus on populations of special interest to students. (600 hours of clinical practice and 400 hours of DNP Project/Internship experience required). This track will not lead to a NP licensure exam.
The Nurse Practitioner option offers population-focused areas in family, adult/gerontological, nurse-midwifery or psychiatric mental health. Graduates are eligible for national certification exams in the population-focused areas: Family Nurse Practitioner, Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Certified Nurse-Midwifery, and Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. All of the nurse practitioner tracks require more than 600 hours of supervised clinical practice for program completion in addition to the 400 hours of DNP Project/Internship experience.
Full-time two-year postgraduate certificate options are available in each population-focused area for those students who already hold a doctoral degree in Nursing.
Students may enter the DNP program in a variety of ways:
- Advanced Practice Nursing Immersion (APNI) for non-nurses
- RN/BSN to DNP
- Post-MSN DNP
- Post-Doctoral Certificate
The APNI is an accelerated path to the DNP for non-nurses holding undergraduate degrees in other fields. The APNI prepares graduates to be primary care nurse practitioners, or for leadership in population-based health care, organizations and communities.
In the first year, APNI students complete a four-quarter pre-licensure curriculum that confers eligibility to sit for the registered nurse licensure examination (NCLEX-RN). Upon achievement of RN licensure, students continue on to population-focused and doctoral foundation courses. After successful completion of all doctoral courses, graduates are awarded the DNP. Students completing the nurse practitioner tracks are eligible to sit for certification examinations in their chosen population-focused area (see above).
Students who enter the DNP program through the APNI program finish their degree in four full time years, including summers. Students who enter as Registered Nurses/BSN graduates may finish the program in three full calendar years. Post-graduate DNP and certificate students may finish their population-focused certificate in two and a half years.
The application deadline for the APNI to DNP and Registered Nurse/BSN to DNP is December 1 for entry to the program in the following June. Post-graduate DNP and certificate applications are due January 15.
Admission Requirements
Applicants for Post-Graduate Doctor of Nursing Practice Program submit the following for consideration:
- Current RN licensure in Washington with no practice restrictions or ability to obtain RN licensure in Washington
- Master’s Degree in Nursing or health-related field from a CCNE or NLNAC accredited nursing program and a regionally accredited college or university
- Minimum grade point average of 3.25 calculated from official transcripts of all course work from all post-secondary educational institutions attended in the last 90 quarter/60 semester credits of the bachelor’s degree, including any transfer credits earned during this time, and any post-baccalaureate course work. Individuals who have less than a 3.00 GPA may be considered, given evidence of other accomplishments.
- Credit will be granted for up to 500 post-baccalaureate supervised academic clinical hours contributing to the 1000 total supervised clinical hours required for graduation from the DNP program. Each applicant’s transcript will be individually evaluated for qualifying practice hours acquired in previous academic programs.
- Letter of interest and resume/curriculum vita demonstrating academic ability, potential for leadership and clinical scholarship, and fit with Seattle University and the College of Nursing mission and values
- Two letters of recommendation that can speak to the applicant’s potential for success in a doctoral level advanced practice nursing program
- Completed application for Graduate Admission and nonrefundable $55 application fee (fee waived for Seattle University alumni).
- If English is not applicant’s native language, official English proficiency scores meeting the university’s entrance requirements must be submitted. See policy 2008-01 in Admission Policies for details. Admission through the English Language and Culture Bridge program is not an option.
All applications are carefully reviewed and selected applicants will be invited to participate in a faculty interview process.
Applicants for the RN/BSN and APNI program submit the following for consideration:
- Completed application for Graduate Admission and the $55 non-refundable application fee (waived for Seattle University alumni)
- Evidence of a four-year equivalent bachelor’s degree in nursing recognized by a national nursing accrediting agency, or an associate degree in nursing with a bachelor’s degree in another discipline, or for APNI applicants a bachelor’s degree in another discipline. Professional and academic experiences will be evaluated on an individual basis.
- Minimum grade point average of 3.25 calculated from official transcripts of all course work from all post-secondary educational institutions attended in the last 90 quarter/60 semester credits of the bachelor’s degree, including any transfer credits earned during this time, and any post-baccalaureate course work. Individuals who have less than a 3.00 GPA may be considered, given evidence of other accomplishments.
- Statement describing professional and personal goals, including reasons for choosing the nursing profession, the DNP program and the particular specialty, as well as the fit with the Seattle University and College of Nursing mission and values.
- Résumé delineating work experience.
- Two letters of recommendation that can speak to the applicant’s potential for success in a doctoral level advanced practice nursing program
- Satisfactory completion with a grade of C (2.0) or better in an undergraduate statistics course (or an acceptable equivalent) that includes descriptive and inferential statistics with computer application (a 5 quarter credit minimum) and completed within the past 5 years.
- RN/BSN applicants only: Current RN licensure in Washington with no practice restrictions or ability to obtain RN licensure in Washington
- APNI applicants only: Completed APNI Prerequisite Form indicating a plan for required course work; which can be found in the Graduate Portal for your application.
- If English is not applicant’s native language, official English proficiency scores meeting the university’s entrance requirements must be submitted. See policy 2008-01 in Admission Policies for details. Admission through the English Language and Culture Bridge Program is not an option for the Advanced Practice Nursing Immersion program.
All applications are carefully reviewed and selected applicants will be invited to participate in a faculty interview process.
Applicants for all post-doctoral certificates submit the following for consideration:
- Completed application for Graduate Admission and the non-refundable $55 application fee (waived for Seattle University alumni)
- Evidence of earned doctoral degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Current RN licensure in Washington with no practice restrictions or ability to obtain RN licensure in Washington
- Professional résumé
- Letter of intent describing professional and personal goals and reason for interest in the post-doctoral certificate program
- Two letters of recommendation that speak to the applicant’s potential
- If English is not applicant’s native language, official English proficiency scores meeting the university’s entrance requirements must be submitted. See policy 2008-01 in Admission Policies for details. Admission through the English Language and Culture Bridge program is not an option.
All applications are carefully reviewed and selected applicants will be invited to participate in a faculty interview process.
Evidence of the following must be provided to the College of Nursing prior to enrollment:
- Washington State RN licensure (not a requirement for APNI applicants).
- Professional liability insurance required for RN/BSN to DNP and Post-masters to DNP students
- Proof of current immunizations required in clinical sites, and other Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and state requirements. Students will be informed of these health requirements and will be responsible for compliance. Specific requirements are published in the College of Nursing DNP Student Handbook.
Non-matriculated Option
A prospective registered nurse student may take a maximum of 12 graduate nursing credits as a non-matriculated student without being admitted to the DNP program. These credits may be applied towards a degree once admitted to the DNP program. Clinical courses cannot be taken without formal admission to the DNP program. Enrollment in any course requires permission of the Associate Dean for Graduate Education and the course instructor.
APNI Applicants
APNI prerequisites include the following undergraduate courses:
| College Algebra or higher math |
5 quarter credits |
| PSYC 1200 Introduction to Psychology |
5 quarter credits |
| BIOL 2200-2210 Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab |
*10 quarter credits |
| BIOL 2200 Microbiology with lab |
*5 quarter credits |
| PSYC 3220 Growth and Development |
5 quarter credits |
| Basic Descriptive and Inferential Statistics |
*5 quarter credits |
* Must be completed within the last 5 years. All other prerequisites except chemistry must be completed within 10 years prior to application.
In addition, one year of high school or one quarter of college chemistry is also a major prerequisite.
All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to enrollment in the immersion program. Official transcripts showing successful prerequisite course completion should be sent to the Seattle University Office of Graduate Admissions as soon as possible following completion of course(s). Students will not be permitted to progress if transcripts are not received by the Office of Admissions before or during the first quarter of the immersion.
Transfer Credit for the DNP Program
Up to 9 credits taken at the Master’s level within the past 6 years may be applied to satisfy program requirements. This number is determined by the number of supervised clinical hours the student has previously earned and is based on review of transcripts and course syllabi. Credit must meet the criteria as outlined in the Transfer Credit Policy (Policy 77-1) and must be reviewed and approved by the College of Nursing and the University via a Petition for Exception to Policy.
Graduate students in the College of Nursing are subject to all Seattle University academic policies published in this Graduate Catalog. Policies and procedures specific to the College of Nursing include the following as well as those published in the current edition of the DNP Student Handbook.
Clinical hours: Three contact hours are required for each credit hour for clinical courses/field work in the advanced practice portion of the DNP. The ratio of credit to contact hours for the DNP clinical practica is consistent with University policy.
Academic policies: Graduate nursing academic policies are described in the current edition of the DNP Student Handbook including criteria for admission, progression, probation, and dismissal. Students are responsible for reviewing the handbook and understanding its contents.
Commencement with deficiencies: DNP students scheduled to complete program requirements at the end of summer quarter, and who have completed all degree requirements except a final clinical practicum, may participate in the preceding June graduation ceremony.