This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

The D.N.P. program is strongly positioned to prepare students to improve the quality of health care delivery and patient outcomes. Graduates of the D.N.P. program at VCU will be prepared to improve health care delivery by critically appraising scientific evidence to inform practice, sharing clinical expertise in collaborative and dynamic environments, leading interprofessional teams, providing systems leadership for sustainable best practices in clinical settings and influencing health policy. Building on the university’s mission to improve human health, VCU D.N.P. graduates will translate evidence that leads to sustainable practice change for improved patient quality and safety outcomes. 

The 62-credit hour B.S. to D.N.P. pathway offers a concentration in nursing leadership and organizational science, which will prepare students to serve in administrative nurse leader roles in a variety of health care settings. The purpose of the nursing leadership and organizational science concentration is to prepare nurses for leadership and management roles in health care settings. The courses for the concentration focus on financial management, human resource management, performance improvement and leadership at the unit or organizational level. Course work will provide students with the skills for creating safe, healthy environments that support the work of the health care team, contribute to patient engagement, improve the patient experience and improve patient outcomes.

Program goals

Students will achieve D.N.P.-level competencies by demonstrating:

  1. Use of quality and safety outcomes to evaluate practice improvement initiatives
  2. Skills in using evidence-based practice to achieve sustainable practice change
  3. Advanced decision-making skills founded in ethics and the highest level of nursing practice
  4. Leadership strategies to influence health policies
  5. Interprofessional collaboration in health care systems

Student learning outcomes

At the completion of the D.N.P. program, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

  1. Synthesize knowledge from nursing and other sciences to lead efforts to promote health and improve outcomes of individuals, populations and systems

  2. Demonstrate integration of population health concepts in systems-based care delivery models designed to promote quality, safety and excellence in advanced nursing practice

  3. Lead the development, implementation and evaluation of policy initiatives to improve quality and safety in health care systems
  4. Translate and disseminate evidence-based practices toward improving health care outcomes and reducing disparities
  5. Lead innovative approaches in the application of health information technology that supports delivery and evaluation of patient-centered care

  6. Apply principles of ethical and moral reasoning in advanced practice roles to lead to sustainable change in health care

  7. Demonstrate advanced levels of clinical and ethical judgement, systems thinking and accountability in designing, delivering and evaluating evidence-based care to improve patient outcomes

Concentration-specific outcomes for nursing leadership and organizational science

Students who chose this concentration will not directly serve individuals or populations. Students will serve organizations. Students who select this concentration will be able to meet the following outcomes:

  1. Provide leadership, oversight and management of a unit, organization or health system to optimize operations and improve care and outcomes
  2. Work within a collaborative and interprofessional environment to influence improvement in the patient experience of care (including quality and satisfaction), improving the health of populations and reducing the per-capita cost of health care

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Other information

VCU School of Nursing Student Policy and Information handbooks are located on the school’s website.

Our international and non-native English-speaking students bring different perspectives and new thinking to our nursing programs. To ensure that all incoming student are prepared for the school’s academic rigor, all international applicants and non-native English speaking applicants without a degree from a U.S. high school, college or university must provide additional information with their applications according to the English language proficiency guidelines on the program admission tab.

While an unrestricted R.N. license from a U.S. state or territory is not required for admission to the Ph.D. program, if a student plans to engage in research activities that require licensure, the student will need to obtain a license. The student will work with the faculty adviser to determine if a license is needed or to consider alternative methods for conducting the research. Students can consult with CGFNS International and the Virginia or relevant state or territory board of nursing for the steps needed to obtain an R.N. license.

A background check and drug screen are not required for admission but may be required by an agency/site in which the student is conducting research.