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 Psychiatric Mental Health 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 are the following:
- Graduates are eligible to be dually certified in two population foci increasing their 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
- Submit a personal statement
- 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 (equivalent to NURS 520)
- Have an earned nursing degree at the baccalaureate level or above from an accredited nursing school (e.g. ACEN, CCNE, CNEA)
- Have a current, unrestricted R.N. license from a U.S. state or territory at the time 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 39 credits while the certificate requires 21 credits. The dual degree and certificate program allows students to share nine credits, therefore decreasing total credits to completion from 60 to 51.
The following courses from the certificate curriculum are shared and satisfy requirements in both programs.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| NURS 597 & NURS 641 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum I and Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum II (taken together satisfy six credits toward NURS 664 in D.N.P.) | 6 |
| NURS 622 | Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice | 3 |
Students will be simultaneously enrolled in the D.N.P. and certificate. They will complete the certificate requirements and be eligible for their population certification exam prior to being awarded the doctoral degree.
| Course | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| D.N.P. requirements | ||
| NURS 605 | Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement | 3 |
| NURS 606 | Evaluating Evidence to Improve Health Outcomes | 3 |
| NURS 607 | Epidemiology and Population Health | 3 |
| NURS 608 | Quality Improvement in Practice | 3 |
| NURS 610 | Health Information and Emerging Health Care Technologies | 3 |
| NURS 621 | Leadership and Organizational Systems | 3 |
| NURS 638 | Health Policy Leadership and Advocacy | 3 |
| NURS 664 | DNP Residency: Mentored Practicum (six credits satisfied by NURS 597 and NURS 641) | 12 |
| NURS 665 | DNP Project I: Proposal Development | 3 |
| Elective (satisfied by NURS 622) | 3 | |
| Certificate requirements | ||
| NURS 521 | Psychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan | 4 |
| NURS 597 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum I | 2 |
| NURS 598 | Managing Psychiatric Disorders in Special and Vulnerable Populations | 2 |
| NURS 602 | Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice | 2 |
| NURS 622 | Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice (satisfies D.N.P. elective) | 3 |
| NURS 641 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum II | 4 |
| NURS 659 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum III | 4 |
| Total Hours | 51 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 51.
Sample plan of study
| Year one | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall semester | Hours | |
| NURS 608 | Quality Improvement in Practice | 3 |
| NURS 610 | Health Information and Emerging Health Care Technologies | 3 |
| NURS 638 | Health Policy Leadership and Advocacy | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 9 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| NURS 521 | Psychiatric Disorders Across the Lifespan | 4 |
| NURS 606 | Evaluating Evidence to Improve Health Outcomes | 3 |
| NURS 607 | Epidemiology and Population Health | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 10 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| NURS 597 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum I | 2 |
| NURS 622 | Psychopharmacology for Advanced Practice | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 5 | |
| Year two | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| NURS 598 | Managing Psychiatric Disorders in Special and Vulnerable Populations | 2 |
| NURS 602 | Psychotherapy: Theory and Practice | 2 |
| NURS 641 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum II | 4 |
| Term Hours: | 8 | |
| Spring semester | ||
| NURS 621 | Leadership and Organizational Systems | 3 |
| NURS 659 | Psychiatric Mental Health Practicum III | 4 |
| Term Hours: | 7 | |
| Summer semester | ||
| NURS 605 | Statistical Methods for Quality Improvement | 3 |
| NURS 665 | DNP Project I: Proposal Development | 3 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Year three | ||
| Fall semester | ||
| NURS 664 | DNP Residency: Mentored Practicum | 6 |
| Term Hours: | 6 | |
| Total Hours: | 51 | |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree and certificate program is 51.
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