The University of Southern Indiana’s Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions offers accredited Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) pathways and advanced practice nursing programs designed to prepare registered nurses for leadership, clinical scholarship, and advanced practice roles across diverse healthcare settings. While USI’s DNP offerings focus on areas such as family nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist specialties, students benefit from extensive supervised clinical experiences and rigorous academic preparation aligned with national practice standards.

Degree Type

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The DNP program at USI prepares experts in advanced nursing, emphasizing innovative, evidence-based practice that reflects the application of credible research findings. The expanded knowledge base in nursing broadens the DNP graduate’s ability to translate that knowledge quickly and effectively to benefit patients, improve outcomes, and contribute to the profession.

Program Tracks

• BSN to DNP:
  • Specializations:
    • Family Nurse Practitioner
    • Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
    • Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
    • Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
    • Organizational and Systems Leadership
  • Credit Hours: 78
  • Format: Hybrid (combination of online and on-campus instruction)
  • Description: This track allows students to proceed directly from a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree without being awarded a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree. It prepares nurses for advanced practice roles in various specializations.
• Post-MSN to DNP:
  • Specializations:
    • Advanced Nursing Practice
    • Organizational and Systems Leadership
  • Credit Hours: Varies based on prior coursework (minimum of 36 additional hours beyond the MSN)
  • Format: 100% Online
  • Description: This track is designed for nurses who already hold a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and wish to attain the highest level of nursing practice. It focuses on developing leadership skills and the ability to translate evidence-based research into practice.

Program Requirements

• Educational Background:
  • For BSN to DNP: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from a nationally accredited nursing program and a regionally accredited college or university.
  • For Post-MSN to DNP: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from a nationally accredited nursing program and a regionally accredited college or university.
• GPA: Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
• Licensure: Unencumbered U.S. Registered Nurse (RN) license in all states of practice.
• Prerequisite Coursework: Satisfactory completion of an undergraduate statistics course (grade C or better) at the time of application.
• Experience: Recommended but not required: one year full-time or two thousand hours of clinical practice as an RN within the last five years.

Accreditation

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at the University of Southern Indiana is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

Contact Information

University of Southern Indiana College of Nursing and Health Professions

Address: 8600 University Blvd, Evansville, IN 47712

Phone: (812) 464-8600