This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2026-2027 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. 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.
Advanced study in nursing is available through a dual degree and certificate program sponsored by the School of Nursing.
The program allows students to earn a post-professional Certificate in Family Nurse Practitioner and a Doctor of Nursing Practice with a minimum of 51 credits rather than the 60 credits necessary if the two plans of study were pursued separately. This efficiency lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earning both degrees.
Program goals
Graduates will achieve advanced nursing practice competencies by demonstrating:
- Systems and organizational leadership
- Implementation of advanced nursing practice interventions
- Effective use of research and technology
- Systematic evaluation of interventions and outcomes
- Use of quality and safety outcomes to evaluate practice improvement initiatives
- Skills in using evidence-based practice to achieve sustainable practice change
- Advanced decision-making skills founded in ethics and the highest level of nursing practice
- Leadership strategies to influence health policies
- Interprofessional collaboration in health care systems
Among the many benefits offered by participation in the dual degree and certificate program is the following:
- Graduates are eligible to be dually certified in two population foci increasing their breadth of practice and employment opportunities.
Students are eligible to take the nurse practitioner certification exam at the conclusion of their clinical rotations, two semesters prior to graduation, and be awarded the post-professional certificate. At the completion of the program, graduates will be awarded a doctoral degree.
Student learning outcomes
See each program page for student learning outcomes.
Other information
Advising
The plan of study is developed by the program director, who oversees both the certificate and doctoral programs. Advising is a joint effort between the graduate student coordinator and program director until the students start taking their family nurse practitioner population-specific courses. Once the students enter population-specific courses, the certificate lead will take a more direct role in student advising. The graduate student coordinator will keep students apprised of pertinent registration, School of Nursing and university information through the use of the student email group and other methods.
Admission requirements
By submitting their application, students are applying to both programs simultaneously.
To be considered for admission to the School of Nursing, applicants must:
- Be eligible for readmission or be in good standing at the last college or university attended.
- Meet the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School.
- Submit a complete application with all required materials to the School of Nursing.
- Have an earned master’s or doctoral degree with a cumulative GPA of 3.0.
- Have completed four separate comprehensive nursing graduate-level lifespan courses in advanced pathophysiology, advanced health assessment, advanced pharmacology, and advanced practice nursing roles.
- Have an earned master's or doctoral degree in nursing from an accredited nursing school (e.g. ACEN, CCNE, CNEA). Applicants with entry to practice level master's degrees are not eligible for this program.
- Have a current Virginia or multi-state RN license at the time the admissions application is submitted (Applicants without a current R.N. license in the U.S. should consult with the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools and the Virginia Board of Nursing for the steps needed to obtain a Virginia R.N. license.)
- Provide additional information with the application according to the English language proficiency guidelines for applicants who are international or non-native English speakers without a degree from a U.S. high school, college or university (Additional information can be found on the ‘Required materials’ tab of the VCU International Admissions website.)
Note: Requests for exceptions to the above criteria will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Degree requirements
As standalone programs, the D.N.P. comprises 37 credits while the certificate requires 21 credits. The dual degree and certificate program allows students to share six credits, therefore decreasing total credits to completion from 58 to 52.
The following courses from the certificate curriculum are shared and satisfy requirements in both programs.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 735 & NURS 736 | Family Primary Care Practicum I and Family Primary Care Practicum II | 3 |
| NURS 754 | Management of Complex Patients Across the Lifespan | 3 |
Students will be simultaneously enrolled in the D.N.P. and certificate programs.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| D.N.P. requirements | ||
| NURS 694 | Integrating Advanced Physical, Physiologic, and Pharmacologic Health Sciences into Advanced Nursing Specialty Practice (satisfied by NURS 754) | 3 |
| NURS 733 | DNP Knowledge Synthesis and Competency Assessment | 1 |
| NURS 744 | Foundations in Knowledge and Scholarship for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 745 | Holistic and Ethical Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice Roles | 3 |
| NURS 748 | Advanced Specialty Practice Practicum (satisfied by NURS 735 & NURS 736) | 3 |
| NURS 749 | Epidemiology and Population Health | 3 |
| NURS 757 | Health information Technology and Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 758 | Health Policy and Health Economics for Nurse Leaders | 3 |
| NURS 762 | Scientific Foundations for System-Based Care and Interprofessional Partnerships | 3 |
| NURS 764 | Scientific Foundations for Healthcare Safety and Improvement | 3 |
| NURS 793 | Planned Change Management for DNP Projects | 3 |
| NURS 794 | DNP Project I: Project Planning and Implementation | 3 |
| NURS 795 | DNP Project II: Project Implementation and Evaluation | 3 |
| Certificate requirements | ||
| NURS 673 | Primary Care of Adolescent, Adult, and Geriatric Populations | 3 |
| NURS 692 | Primary Care of Pediatric Populations | 3 |
| NURS 714 | Primary Care of Special Populations | 3 |
| NURS 735 | Family Primary Care Practicum I | 1 |
| NURS 736 | Family Primary Care Practicum II | 2 |
| NURS 743 | Family Primary Care Practicum III | 2 |
| NURS 752 | Family Primary Care Practicum IV | 2 |
| NURS 754 | Management of Complex Patients Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 763 | Family Primary Care Practicum V | 2 |
| Total Hours | 52 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 52.
Sample plan of study
| Year one | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| NURS 744 | Foundations in Knowledge and Scholarship for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 745 | Holistic and Ethical Leadership for Advanced Nursing Practice Roles | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| NURS 757 | Health information Technology and Informatics for Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| NURS 749 | Epidemiology and Population Health | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| NURS 762 | Scientific Foundations for System-Based Care and Interprofessional Partnerships | 3 |
| NURS 764 | Scientific Foundations for Healthcare Safety and Improvement | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Year two | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| NURS 758 | Health Policy and Health Economics for Nurse Leaders | 3 |
| NURS 733 | DNP Knowledge Synthesis and Competency Assessment | 1 |
| Term Hours: | 4 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| NURS 673 | Primary Care of Adolescent, Adult, and Geriatric Populations | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 3 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| NURS 692 | Primary Care of Pediatric Populations | 3 |
| NURS 735 | Family Primary Care Practicum I | 1 |
| Term Hours: | 4 | |
| Year three | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| NURS 714 | Primary Care of Special Populations | 3 |
| NURS 736 | Family Primary Care Practicum II | 2 |
| Term Hours: | 5 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| NURS 754 | Management of Complex Patients Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| NURS 743 | Family Primary Care Practicum III | 2 |
| NURS 793 | Planned Change Management for DNP Projects | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 8 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| NURS 752 | Family Primary Care Practicum IV | 2 |
| NURS 794 | DNP Project I: Project Planning and Implementation | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 5 | |
| Year four | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| NURS 763 | Family Primary Care Practicum V | 2 |
| NURS 795 | DNP Project II: Project Implementation and Evaluation | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 5 | |
| Total Hours: | 52 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 52.
Contact
Debra Shockey, D.N.P., RN, CPNP-PC
Clinical associate professor and graduate program director
dpshockey@vcu.edu
(804) 828-1930
Additional contact
Terry Jones, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
Associate dean, graduate programs and department chair, Department of Adult Health and Nursing Systems
tjones69@vcu.edu
(214) 797-3514