Admission: Doctorate of Nursing Practice Program

Mount Carmel College of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will set you apart as a transformational driver of creative, innovative and effective solutions in nursing practice, education, and healthcare. Graduates of the program are positioned to meet the current and future challenges of the dynamic healthcare environment as experts in leadership and practice. Possessing evidence-based practice, systems thinking, leadership and change management competencies, graduates are equipped to influence policy formulation, utilize technology and information systems and lead interdisciplinary strategic initiatives that drive quality patient outcomes and exceptional patient experiences. Mount Carmel’s unique, faith-based, innovative approach to DNP education engages learners in a supported and personalized learning experience as they tackle the challenges of assuring the quality, safety, equity, and efficiency of care while shaping and inspiring care delivery as it is seen through the eyes of the patient, family, and care provider.

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice program offers two track options: The Leader in Clinical Practice DNP and the Executive Leader DNP.

To be considered for admission to any of the three DNP program tracks at Mount Carmel, the following is required: 

• Admission Criteria 

  • Official Transcripts. Applicants must submit an official transcript from each post-secondary institution attended. Applicants must have completed a master’s degree in nursing from a nationally accredited institution. Electronic and official paper transcripts must be sent directly from the institution to MCCN. Mail transcripts to: Mount Carmel College of Nursing (MCCN), ATTN: Admissions, 127 S., Davis Ave., Columbus, OH 43222 

  • GPA Requirement. A minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 GPA scale for graduate work is required. 

  • Registered Nurse Licensure. Current, unrestricted RN licensure in state of residence and/or where clinicals will be completed. 

  • Résumé or curriculum vitae. A current Resume or CV is required. 

  • Letters of Recommendation. Strong professional references from two professionals with at least one prepared at the doctoral level who can speak to the applicant’s current abilities and potential for academic and clinical competence. One recommendation must be from a nurse who is prepared at the master or doctoral level. The form can be accessed here: Download Form.

  • Statement of Purpose. A comprehensive, well-written goal statement is an essential component of a successful doctoral application. The goal statement essay is used as a source of information and as a sample of your writing ability. You should focus on your professional goals and how you envision these goals can be achieved through doctoral study. Your goal statement should be no more than four, double-spaced pages (no more than 500 words) and should follow APA 7th edition. The goal statement should include: 

    • Professional and academic background, skills, and accomplishments 

    • Your rationale for applying to the DNP program 

    • Your DNP project target audience or your particular area of scholarly interest. Include clinical, teaching, or research experience related to this area of interest. 

    • Address future career goals and contributions you expect to make to nursing after completing the DNP degree program 

  • TOEFL Score: A minimum score of 79 for internet-based, 213 on computer-based and 550 on paper-based TOEFL for International students 

    • Official TOEFL scores: applies to students for whom English is not the native language; minimum required TOEFL score of 550 (paper based), 213 (computer based) or 79—80 (Internet based); TOEFL scores are valid two years from the test date. To learn more about the TOEFL, visit www.ets.org/toeflTOEFL scores should be mailed directly from TOEFL to Mount Carmel College of Nursing, Office of Admissions, 127 South Davis Ave, Columbus, Ohio 43222 

• Additional Track Requirements are as follows: 

  • Admission Criteria for DNP, Leadership in Advanced Clinical Practice 

    • Advanced Practice Certification. Applicants must have Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) national certification as a CNS, NP, CNM or CRNA in their areas of specialty as appropriate. 

    • Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Licensure. Applicants must have APRN licensure in the state they will complete their clinical hours. 

  • Admission Criteria for DNP, Executive Leadership in Healthcare or Academic Nursing Leadership 

    • Advanced Practice Certification. Advanced specialty certification in nursing through a nationally recognized organization is preferred but not required. 

    • Non-nursing Master’s or non-advanced practice Master’s Degree Candidates. For individuals holding a non-nursing master’s degree or those who have an earned master’s degree in nursing in a non-advanced practice specialty, an individualized plan of study will be developed as indicated. 

• Graduate Clinical Hour Verification. 

  • Candidates applying for the DNP program track must submit the Hour Verification Form to the academic institution from which they obtained their graduate degree to verify the number of supervised hours (clinical and project completion) associated with degree completion. Once completed, this form must be returned to MCCN’s Admission Team. 

  • Post-Baccalaureate Practice Hours 

    • A maximum of 500 post-baccalaureate practice hours are granted by holding advanced nursing practice national certification. 

    • Students who have earned a Master’s in Nursing Degree and that have not completed at least 500 direct clinical hours throughout their graduate level program will be required to complete additional hours throughout the DNP program plan of study to ensure that the post-baccalaureate hour requirement is met.

• Transfer Credit 

  • Transfer credit is considered for courses taken elsewhere within five years of admission. Work presented for transfer credit must be from an accredited college and is subject to evaluation in light of the degree requirements of the university. 

  • To have a course considered for transfer credit, applicants must make the request at least six (6) weeks before the course begins and submit this petition to admissions@mccn.edu with the course syllabus enclosed. A maximum of six (6) credits can be considered for transfer. If transfer credit is approved, it will appear on the student's official transcript and the hours earned will count toward the DNP degree. 

• Technical Requirements

  • Mount Carmel College of Nursing considers the Internet communication interface an essential learning resource for doctoral students. DNP students will be required to have a home computer, printer and reliable Internet service provider that has high-speed broadband Internet access. Technical requirements can be found here.

Confirmation Fee

A non-refundable confirmation fee of $300 will be applied to spring semester tuition.

Annual Compliance Education

Annual Compliance Education - students doing practicums in nursing schools, hospitals and health agencies will be required to meet the individual agency’s annual compliance education requirements. It is the student’s responsibility to be knowledgeable of these agency requirements.

DNP Program Outcomes

1. Apply the broad range of integrative and nursing sciences and principles of healthcare economics to improve the nation’s health through ethical, evidence-based advanced nursing practice, leadership and policy development (ALD 1.1e, 1.1f, 1.2f, 1.2h, 1.2i, 1.3d, 1.3e, 3.1l, 3.1n, 3.2g, 3.3e, 3.4f, 3.4h, 3.4j, 3.5f, 3.5h, 3.6i; QSEN 3, 4; EBP 3, 9, 10, 16, 20, 23; AONL 2, 3).  

2. Demonstrate leadership attributes that can be used to shape health policy and organizational policy in support of the ethical and equitable provision of health care (ALD 7.1f, 7.1g, 7.2h, 7.2l, 9.1h, 9.1i, 9.2i., 9.2j, 9.2k, 9.2l, 9.3j, 9.3m, 9.4d, 9.5f, 9.5g, 9.6d, 9.6g, 10.1c, 10.3o, 10.3q; QSEN 1, 2, 5; EBP 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 17, 20, 21, 24; AONL 1, 2, 3, 4).

3. Generate innovative models of care and advanced nursing and academic practices to improve the quality, safety, and outcomes of care delivery through the synthesis, translation application and evaluation of evidence and the generation of evidence through practice (ALD 4.1h, 4.1i, 4.1j, 4.1k, 4.1l, 4.2f, 4.2g, 4.2h, 4.2i, 4.2j, 4.2k, 4.3e, 4.3f, 4.3h, 5.1i, 5.1j, 5.1k, 5.1l, 5.1o, 5.2g, 5.2i, 5.3f, 5.3h; QSEN 1, 3, 4, 5; EBP 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, 23; AONL 2, 5).

4. Employ advanced nursing, leadership and or academic practice and care delivery models that represent evidence-based political, ethical, professional, economic, socially just and culturally appropriate services for diverse patient populations in a variety of health care settings (ALD 2.1d, 2.1e, 2.2g, 2.2j, 2.3h, 2.4f, 2.4g, 2.5h, 2.5j, 2.5k, 2.7f, 2.8f, 2.9g, 3.1j, 3.1l, 3.1m, 3.2d. 3.3d, 3.4f, 3.4h, 3.4j, 3.5h, 7.1f, 7.2i, 7.3e, 7.3f, 7.3g; QSEN 1, 3, 4; EBP 3, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16, 19, 20, 23, 24; AONL 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

5. Demonstrate organizational and systems leadership that fosters innovation and the transformation of complex systems; driving patient-centered care dynamics steeped in evidence, safety, data driven decision making through the integration of healthcare technology and informatics, continuous quality improvement, patient safety, and quality outcomes through effective change management that transforms healthcare and academic nursing practices (ALD 5.1i, 5.1j, 5.1k, 5.1n, 5.2g, 5.3e, 8.1g, 8.1k, 8.2f, 8.2i, 8.3i, 8.4e, 8.5h, 8.5j, 8.5l, 10.1d, 10.2g, 10.2f, 10.2i, 10.3j, 10.3k, 10.3l, 10.3q ; QSEN 1, 3, 4, 5, 6; EBP 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 17, 18, 22, 23; AONL 1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

6. Lead and participate as a competent member of interprofessional teams to facilitate optimal care, desired outcomes by identifying and addressing relevant health care challenges to advance the quality and safety of health care and to enhance the health of populations (ALD 3.1l, 3.1m, 3.2d, 3.2e, 3.3e, 3.5j, 3.6f, 5.1l, 5.1o, 5.2i, 5.3f, 5.3g, 5.3h, 6.1g, 6.1i, 6.1j, 6.1l, 6.2g, 6.2h, 6.2i, 6.2j, 6.3d, 6.4f, 6.4i, 10.2j, 10.3n, 10.3q; QSEN 1, 2, 4, 5; EBP 3, 5, 7, 13, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24; AONL 1, 2, 3, 4 ).

7. Advance nursing practice through the effective translation and utilization of evidence to create innovative practices aimed at achieving targeted quality outcomes (ALD 4.1h, 4.1i, 4.1j, 4.1l, 4.1m, 4.2f, 4.2g, 4.2h, 4.2k, 8.1g, 8.1k, 8.2h, 8.3g, 8.3j, 8.4e, 8.5j, 8.5l; QSEN 3, 4; EBP 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 19, 24; AONL 2, 4).

* ALD = AACN Advanced Level Domain Essentials (2021), QSEN = Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (2021), EBP = Evidence-Based Practice Competencies (2014)