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2026-2027 Binghamton University Academic Guide
Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP
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Decker College offers two DNP programs:
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The BS-DNP program is designed for bachelors-prepared registered nurses seeking advanced practice preparation as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist, and requires the completion of 75-78 credits.
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The Advanced-Standing DNP program is available for nationally licensed and certified nurse practitioners or clinical nurse specialists in the following specializations: family health, community health, adult gerontology, and family psychiatric mental health (the Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse specialization is not available for the Advanced-Standing DNP). The Advanced-Standing DNP program requires the completion of 35-38 credits depending on the area of specialization.
Functional Role and Specialization Options:
Students may choose to pursue a DNP in one of two functional roles:
- Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
In addition, students pursuing the Nurse Practitioner functional role will select an area of specialization:
- Family Nurse Practitioner
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Community Health Nurse Practitioner
- Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
Graduates of the:
- Family Health NP program, the Family Psychiatric Mental Health NP program, Community Health NP program, and Adult Gerontological NP program will be eligible to apply for New York State licensure as a family nurse practitioner. They will also be eligible for national certification as a family nurse practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP).
- Family Psychiatric Mental Health NP program will be eligible to apply for New York state licensure as a psychiatric nurse practitioner. They will also be eligible for national certification as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (across the lifespan) through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP).
- Graduates of the Community Health NP program will be eligible to apply for New York state licensure as a community health nurse practitioner. They will also be eligible for national certification as a family nurse practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP).
- Adult Gerontological NP program will be eligible to apply for New York state licensure as an adult gerontological nurse practitioner. They will also be eligible for national certification as an adult gerontological nurse practitioner through the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) or American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP).
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Program Admission Requirements
Applicants to the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program at the Decker School of Nursing must satisfy the general conditions and procedures for graduate admission to Binghamton University. They must also adhere to all policies outlined in the Academic Policies and Procedures for Graduate Students . In addition, the following are required and will be evaluated for admission: -
A bachelor’s degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited program with a graduate GPA of 3.0 or higher -
A current, unencumbered license as a registered professional nurse in the U.S. Prior to beginning clinical experiences in a New York clinical facility, students must submit a copy of their current, unencumbered RN license in New York; this is required by the New York State Department of Education Office of the Professions. Please upload a PDF of your NURSYS license verification (review directions for uploading your NURSYS license). -
Completion of a descriptive statistics course with a grade of C or better within the past five years -
Applicants must submit a 500-word personal statement that includes the following: -
Identifies their particular area of clinical interest -
Includes their reasons and/or career goals for obtaining a DNP degree and notes any unique aspects of their background that will contribute to the Decker nursing graduate community -
Identifies which one of the following three areas they wish to complete a DNP project in: -
Development of a process/plan that improves patient outcomes -
Program evaluation that improves patient outcomes -
A process that influences health policy that may improve patient outcomes -
3 letters of recommendation from individuals who can comment authoritatively on the applicant’s academic achievements and/or work or internship experience related to the program. Recommendations from coworkers or friends will not be accepted. Appropriate recommenders include academic references or individuals in supervisory positions. -
For Advanced Standing DNP only: -
A master’s degree in nursing from an ACEN-, CCNE- or CNEA-accredited program, -
a current, unencumbered license as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist in the U.S., proof of current, -
national certification as a nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist Note: Binghamton University is not authorized to issue Forms I-20/DS-2019 for international students seeking F/J non-immigrant status for the DNP program. Course Requirements
Curriculum plans are available at the Decker College advising office to illustrate pathways for completing the DNP. While they reflect the standard sequence of courses, individual course progression may vary. Family Nurse Practitioner
The program in family nursing prepares nurses for advanced practice with families by addressing individual and family health problems, family functioning and complex families. Students may select functional role preparation as a family nurse practitioner. Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is not an available functional role in the family nursing DNP program. Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Graduates of the program in family psychiatric mental health nursing are prepared to provide comprehensive, client-centered mental health care to individuals, families and groups across the lifespan. Students acquire in-depth knowledge in the assessment, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness, as well as the promotion of mental health. Students may select a functional role preparation as a family psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, nurse educator or nurse administrator. Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is not an available functional role in the family psychiatric mental health nursing DNP program. Community Health Nurse Practitioner
Graduates of the program in community health nursing are committed to helping community members achieve optimal health as a means of improving life. Graduates are able to assess and diagnose actual and potential health problems of the community and work with individuals, families, groups and communities to improve and maintain health. Students may select functional role preparation as a nurse practitioner. Clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is not an available functional role in the community health nursing DNP program. Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner
The Adult-Gerontological nursing program provides students with an in-depth understanding of health and illness in the adult and older-adult populations. Students are prepared to provide advanced nursing care from adolescence from age fourteen and above, well adults/elders, acutely and chronically ill adults/elders and frail older persons in community or institutional settings. Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist
Please note Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialists follow the courses progression outlined for Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner, but will take the Functional Role Courses listed below. These courses replace: NURS 514, NURS 554, and NURS 552 in the Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner course progression. Pathway for Master’s-Prepared RNs
Accepted students will complete the core DNP courses and clinical courses. Faculty will develop a personalized program plan for each student, taking into account the credits and specializations they have already earned. Master’s-prepared RNs may have up to 8 credits of requirements waived based on the evaluation of their prior coursework. Advanced Standing Full-Time DNP
The following two-year curricular plan shows the required sequence of courses to complete the Advanced Standing Full-Time DNP. Students must complete 40-42 graduate level credits as follows: Notes:
*Students who successfully completed a 3 credit master’s-level epidemiology and biostatistics course prior to admission will be encouraged to take an elective in the first semester. **DNP Scholarly Project hours which will be completed with academic activities contributing to the completion of the DNP Project. ***DNP Practicum Courses are direct patient care clinical hours to develop advanced clinical skills, and are required for those students who need to complete additional clinical hours to achieve 750 clinical hours. ^NURS 600 will be waived for DSON master’s-prepared NP if already completed, meaning students will complete 37-39 credits to earn the degree. DNP Scholarly Project
DNP Scholarly Project The DNP program prepares advanced practice nurses who apply current research in evaluating practice and implementing clinical innovations to change practice. The implementation of evidence-based research in clinical practice is the foundation of clinical scholarship. The DNP Scholarly Project is designed to meet the criteria of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice. The DNP Scholarly Project should include planning, implementation and evaluation components. Criteria for DNP Scholarly Projects have been suggested by the American Association Colleges of Nursing and are listed below: The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Current Issues and Clarifying Recommendations - Focus on a change that impacts healthcare outcomes, either through direct or indirect care
- Have systems (micro-, meso- or macro-level) or population/aggregate focus
- Include an evaluation of processes and outcomes (formative or summative)
- Include a plan for sustainability (e.g., financial, systems or political realities, not only theoretical abstractions
- Provide a foundation for future practice scholarship
The DNP Scholarly Project must also meet the following criteria developed by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) to meet the competencies of the practice doctorate: The NONPF Recommended Criteria for NP Scholarly Projects in the Practice Doctorate Program - The project is related to advanced practice in the nursing specialty and benefits a group, population or community rather than an individual patient.
- Often arises from clinical practice.
- May be done in partnership with another entity: clinical agency, school, health department, church, government, voluntary organization or community group, etc.
- The project leadership may be solo or collaborative, depending on the scope of the project and university requirements.
- The scholarly project addresses identified needs, (healthcare policy and/or clinical practice issues).
- The literature review suggests an evidence base for the project or supports the need for the project.
- Description of the innovation is adequate for others to use (essential components for success, cost, etc).
- A systematic approach is used and data is collected using methods and tools that meet accepted standards.
- Expected outcomes are defined and measured (quality improvement, cost savings, etc.).
- The project is conducted according to ethical principles.
- Dissemination modes are (is) a professional and public (peer review is included) demonstration of the student’s scholarly project.
For additional information such DNP Scholarly Project Courses, Scholarly Project Exemplars Forming Committees, etc., please reference the DSON DNP Student Handbook Additional Information About the Program
Nurse Practitioner NYS Prescribing Requirement Nurse practitioner students are required to complete the Prescribing Information for Nurse Practitioners and Midwives or Prescriptions and Record Keeping continuing education courses in New York state prior to taking the NP role I course. There is a fee to complete this New York state requirement, resulting in two continuing education contact hours upon successful completion. Students are required to upload a copy of the evidence of completion into Exxat in the field entitled, “NY State Prescription Writing Exam Completion.” Nurse educators and administrators are not required to complete this requirement. DNP Essentials, Competencies and Program Outcomes A task force of the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) published Nurse Practitioner Core Competencies in 2022 with revisions in 2024 (NONPF, 2024). This document identifies the entry-level competencies for all nurse practitioners (NPs) completing the Doctor of Nursing Practice. These competencies are built on the core and population-focused competencies for NPs (see Appendix). The American Association of Colleges of Nurses (AACN) developed the Essentials of Doctoral Education for Advanced Practice Nurses with a most recent update of 2024 (AACN, 2024). The Essentials document outlines and defines the ten foundational DNP Essentials and provides introductory comments on specialty competencies/content. The specialized content, as defined by specialty organizations, complements the core content areas defined by the DNP Essentials and constitutes the major component of DNP programs. DNP curricula should include AACN Essentials in addition to population specific content as appropriate to the specific advanced nursing practice specialist being prepared. Additionally, the faculty of each DNP program has the academic freedom to create innovative and integrated curricula to meet the competencies outlined in the Essentials document. For additional information such as AACN DNP Essentials and DSON DNP Program Objectives, please reference the DSON DNP Student Handbook Checklist for Completion of DNP Degree Requirements DNP students are responsible for reviewing and meeting all items outlined in the Checklist for Completion of DNP Degree Requirements and the Graduate School’s Checklist for Completion of Degree Requirements. Students must also confirm their department has submitted the Recommendation for Advancement to Candidacy and that their DNP Committee has been approved by the Graduate School. For more information on the Doctor of Nursing Practice, DNP Program, please refer to the School of Nursing website. To apply to the program, please visit the University Admissions website. |
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