Curriculum Plan

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Post-Master’s DNP Health Systems Leadership Program

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is a practice-focused terminal degree earned by specialists in advanced nursing practice. The DNP focuses on developing nursing experts in translating and applying research findings in clinical practice. The post-master’s DNP curriculum expands the competencies of Nursing Leadership from the master’s level to encompass knowledge required as nurse leaders in increasingly complex healthcare systems to assess published evidence informing practice, improving systems of care to improve healthcare outcomes, and to make changes to enhance the quality of care.

2024 Sample Curriculum Plan – Post-Master’s Health Systems Leadership DNP – Part-Time

Program Total: 36

Project: A minimum of 9 DNP Project credit hours divided over 3 semesters depending on project complexity.

2020 Sample Curriculum Plan – Post-Master’s Leadership DNP – Part-Time

Program Total: 36

Project: A minimum of 12 DNP Project credit hours divided over 4 semesters depending on project complexity.

In order to achieve the DNP competencies, programs must provide a minimum of 1,000 hours of practice post-baccalaureate as part of a supervised academic program.  The required clinical hours for the DNP Project courses will vary and will be calculated based upon the number of clinical hours completed in student’s MSN program.

All PM DNP-Health Systems Leadership students are admitted in a part-time plan of study.

Requirements for Graduation

• All graduate students are required to maintain a grade average of “B.”
• Graduation application must be submitted at least one semester prior to completing the degree requirements as stated in the graduate catalog.
• Students who do not register for courses for a semester must complete an electronic readmission form (available at the Graduate School Office).
• Students are required to keep graduate program/health requirements and liability insurance requirements up to date throughout their clinical courses.

Requirements for Clinical Courses

Information regarding clinical requirements can be found in the ECU College of Nursing Student Handbook. Upon admission all graduate students are required to complete a criminal background check. Students will receive specific instructions from the Office of Student Services on how to complete this process.

The University

The university is the third largest in the University of North Carolina system (UNC), which consists of the state’s sixteen degree-granting public institutions. ECU is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral degrees and is designated as an academic health center by the Association of American Health Centers. Governed by its own Board of Trustees, which is responsible to the UNC Board of Governors, ECU offers 80 departmental certificates, 93 baccalaureate degree programs, 76 master’s degree programs, two specialist degree programs, six first professional programs, and 15 doctoral programs in our professional colleges, the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Dental Medicine, and the Brody School of Medicine. It confers more than 5,800 degrees annually and it has approximately 160,000 alumni.

For more information, contact ECUNursingGradPrgms@ecu.edu

East Carolina University is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees based on race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, creed, sexual orientation, or disability.

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