Live Locally…Learn Globally…Lead Confidently with the Loyola University New Orleans DNP!

What are the admission requirements?
Please see our admissions page.

Do I need to take the GRE?
No.  GRE scores are not required.

Can I transfer in credits?
Yes, you can transfer in up to 6 credits of doctoral course work applied to the DNP degree. Authorization for transfer credit is based on approval for equivalency in course work content and level based on syllabus information of courses from the transferred university and an earned grade in the course acceptable to the program.

Can I perform my practicum and capstone in the location where I live?
Absolutely! You will work with your faculty and advisor to plan and receive approval for your practice and capstone activities. We encourage you to broaden your practice site selection to include rural or under-served areas so you can experience a breath of application experiences. The nature of the approval depends on the course requirements for the clinical and capstone projects. If performing your activities in your place of employment might pose a conflict between organizational culture or authority and expectations of course requirements, you may wish to discover other opportunities for placements in another setting to broaden and elevate your learning outcomes.

How many times do I need to be on campus?
You are required to attend a one-week campus orientation each year and a campus visit to defend the capstone project at the conclusion of the program. There are no residency requirements for the DNP program in terms of any other required time on campus. Of course we hope you will attend your graduation in person!

What is the process after I submit my application?
There are two opportunities to apply: November 1 or February 1 each year for the summer start. You will receive an early decision if you apply November 1 and can then make your plans to attend the following summer. Once we have your application, it is reviewed by the DNP Admission Committee, and candidates are then invited for an interview on campus. After the interview, the DNP committee meets to decide on offers to the applicants. If you are extended an offer, you will guarantee your enrollment acceptance with a deposit of $500 which is credited to your account toward tuition after you successfully complete the first semester. You are admitted as a cohort and progress through the program as a cohort since each course is offered once a year.

What are the credentials of the faculty who teach in the DNP program?
All faculty teaching you in the DNP program hold doctoral degrees to include, DNP, PhD, DNS, DNSc. In addition to the faculty in nursing, you may also benefit from teaching faculty from other disciplines in your courses, for example- ethics and philosophy, sociology, psychology, organizational behavior.

What can I expect to do in the Capstone course?
You will start your thinking about the capstone course when you submit your application. You will be asked to consider an area of research or evidence you wish to translate and validate in a clinical and systems environment. This is your starting point as you will be influenced in your course work about the nature of the area and evidentiary analyses, approaches that have worked and not worked, and the new dimensions of thinking that need to be considered. You begin your work on the area in the first two practice courses in the 3rd and 4th semesters with identification, articulation, analysis, planning, and implementation strategy. When your capstone project plan is finalized, you will defend it with your committee, receive any organizational approvals, execute, and evaluate the translation application in an organization. You are expected to create a publishable paper based on your findings. While a PhD student is more likely to discover new science, as a DNP student you are likely to test emergent evidence in populations and systems that are untested to date to discover how and in what circumstances evidence will produce the expected results in a uniquely applied situation.

Do I have to be a nurse practitioner to be admitted to the DNP program?
The Loyola University New Orleans DNP program is open to candidates with a bachelor's degree in nursing and are interested in obtaining the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner.

Does the current post-BSN to DNP program lead to an NP role as a primary care family nurse practitioner only?
Yes, at this time only the FNP focus is offered.

How was the DNP curriculum designed?
The DNP curriculum was designed around the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2006) Essentials of Doctoral Nursing Practice, and affirmed by an external, national consultant as to fidelity to the eight competencies of the DNP.

What is unique about the Loyola University New Orleans DNP degree program?
First, you will be steeped in an ethical and social justice framework for doctoral practice. You will learn to elevate your practice using a systems approach in an organization so that populations under your care or responsibility benefit from effective systems evidence and the impact it has on quality outcomes. Because primary care is the foundation of health care effectiveness, you will learn the evidence and processes that can make the delivery of care optimal by redesigning systems to incorporate an Integrated Behavioral Health approach in your delivery system. Finally, the courses are designed to provide competencies in the eight areas of DNP practice by using the Competency Assessment for Distributive Education (CADE) method in the online environment.

What are the financial aid resources available for doctoral education?
Loyola University New Orleans has both regular loans, loan forgiveness (NFLP), and scholarship (traineeship) monies. In the state of Louisiana there is also some faculty development money available to doctoral students. Other states may have these state-sponsored programs available for their students to attend our doctoral program. The Office of Financial Aid has a website for nursing funds. Students are notified of the availability and distribution of NFLP and Traineeships each semester. The NFLP money is based on “first come first served” application until the money is exhausted. In return for the 85% loan forgiveness of NFLP, the graduate must teach in a SON fulltime for four years. Traineeships are grants that can pay partial tuition for qualified students. Regular loan program applications are all processed by Financial Aid Department and require a FASFA report.

How do I know if I am ready to take courses online?
Please use the 20 questions and evaluation scheme below.

Self-assessment of online learning readiness

1. I am comfortable with computers, email, and internet technology.
2. I understand that online learning is different from traditional classroom learning and will require an equal or greater amount of work.
3. I enjoy corresponding with people online.
4. I am a self-directed and self-motivated person capable of working independently.
5. I can manage my study time efficiently to complete assignments on time.
6. I enjoy learning new computer skills and programs.
7. Typing is easy for me.
8. I am comfortable expressing my thoughts in writing.
9. I have reliable access to a computer with a high-speed connection.
10. I can download software to my computer.
11. I have a reasonable tolerance for frustration when faced with problems from my computer.
12. I can create, rename and delete folders.
13. I have access to and am familiar with Microsoft Word, including composing essays, copying and pasting text, printing, setting margins, adding page numbers, changing fonts, and other basic types of formatting.
14. I can create, send, forward, reply to, save and delete email messages.
15. I can send, open and save email attachments.
16. I can send group emails.
17. I can distinguish between an email address and a web address.
18. I can post messages to discussion lists.
19. I can locate and access information using a web search engine.
20. I can use "talk" or "chat" features for real-time communication.

Evaluation

• 90-100% - You are a very good candidate for online learning.
• 80-85% - You are a good candidate for online learning, but you may need some preparation before undertaking a fully online program.
• 70-75% - You may be a candidate for online learning, but you will need important preparatory work before undertaking a fully online program.