DNP — Curriculum
A total of seven quarters or 61-quarter units will be required for graduation.
In addition, a DNP Scholarly Project is required to demonstrate the synthesis of evidence-based practice in a practice area specific to the student’s clinical specialty and will include the application of research and quality improvement principles.
The curriculum is delivered in a combination of in-class and online instruction. Students come to campus five times a quarter, on weeks one, three, five, seven, and nine of each 10-week quarter (in-classroom meetings take place at UCLA on alternating Fridays, generally from 8am-6pm). Remaining class activities are performed online on weeks two, four, six, eight and 10. Those include assignments such as papers, discussions boards, literature review, peer reviews, etc.
Courses
Quarter 1 (9 units)
- DNP Orientation/ Program Immersion
- Scientific Underpinnings for Practice (3u)
- Clinical Scholarship for Evidence Based Practice (3u)
- Communication & Ethics (2u)
- Education Practicum in Nursing Practice I (1u/ online)
Quarter 2 (10 units)
- Organizational & Systems Leadership (3u)
- Analytical Methods for Evidence Based Practice (3u)
- Clinical Prevention & Population Health (3u)
- Education Practicum in Nursing Practice II (1 unit/ online)
Quarter 3 (9 units)
- Financial & Management Cost Analysis of Health Care (3u)
- Informatics for DNP Practice (2u/online)
- Healthcare Policy & Advocacy in Healthcare (3u)
- Education Practicum in Nursing Practice III (1 unit/ online)
Quarter 4 (9 units)
- Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient & Population Health Outcomes (3u)
- DNP Scholarly Project A: Project Conceptualization & Planning (2u)
- Written Qualifying Examination (2u)
Quarter 5 (8 units)
- DNP Scholarly Project B: Project Proposal Seminar (2u)
- DNP Clinical Project Residency (6u/ site-based)
- Oral Qualifying Exam
Quarter 6 (8 units)
- DNP Scholarly Project C: Project Implementation Seminar (2u)
- DNP Clinical Project Residency (6u, project site-based)
- Dissemination & Translation of Clinical Scholarship (2u)
Quarter 7 (8 units)
- DNP Scholarly Project C: Project Implementation Seminar (2u)
- DNP Clinical Project Residency (6u, project site-based)
- Oral Defense of Scholarly Project
DNP Scholarly Project
The purpose of the DNP Scholarly Project is to demonstrate critical analysis and synthesis of scientific evidence for application to practice, and the creation of new knowledge for evidence-based practice (EBP), the essence of scholarship for the DNP. Graduates of the DNP program will be the leaders for the translation of research into practice.
To see the catalog of DNP program alumni DNP Scholarly Projects, click here.
The DNP Scholarly Project Options
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Quality Improvement: Analysis of performance and development of systematic efforts in order to improve outcomes
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Translating Evidence into Practice:
- Evaluation and application of best evidence to improve practice outcomes.
- Examination of a clinical or practice-based issue and implementation of best evidence to make a practice change.
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Program Development and Evaluation: Development of a program to address a gap in care and evaluation of outcomes.
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Health Care Policy: Analysis of a policy to determine its congruence within the current practice context and possible policy modification recommendations.
Updated 1/5/2023