University Of South Alabama Online Dnp
The University of Southern Alabama recognizes that the field of nursing offers many highly rewarding career opportunities. That is why the nursing programs at this university offers fully online course options to earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree. Whether you have your BSN or MSN degree, you can earn your DNP advanced degree within Continue readingUniversity of South Alabama Online DNP
The University of Southern Alabama recognizes that the field of nursing offers many highly rewarding career opportunities. That is why the nursing programs at this university offers fully online course options to earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree. Whether you have your BSN or MSN degree, you can earn your DNP advanced degree within a few years and become a leader or nursing practice in your area.
The University of Southern Alabama recognizes that most of the applicants to its MSN and DNP programs are already nurses. This university was one of the first to offer most graduate nursing work online. But studying online to earn your Doctor of Nursing Practice does not mean you are working on your own. While you are working from the comfort of your own home, your faculty is teaching your courses from the campus, refining your courses, and conferring with colleagues to make your online DNP experience as productive and rewarding as possible.
What Area Of Nursing Do Nurse Practitioners In Alabama Specialize In
Nurse Practitioners are trained and certified in areas of specialization such as: Pediatric Acute/Chronic Care, Pediatric Oncology, Gerontology, Neonatology, Acute Care, Pediatric Critical Care, and general Pediatrics, Mental Health & Psychiatry, Oncology, Adult Health, Womens Health, Occupational Health, and Emergency Medicine.
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University Of South Alabama Accreditation Details
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges has accredited the University of South Alabama, granting it the ability to award its students with degrees across various levels, including the doctoral level, master’s degrees, specialist certifications, and bachelor’s degrees. In order to receive this accreditation, the school had to meet several strict criteria, including the provision of quality academic programs.
In addition to this honor, the University has also been accredited by a number of agencies for its online and on-campus courses. These agencies include:
- Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation
- American Association of Colleges of Nursing, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
- Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
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Schools That Offer Nurse Practitioner Programs In Alabama
Becoming a nurse practitioner in the state of Alabama means being able to practice in many different specialty disciplines including psychiatric/mental health, neonatal, oncological, adult gerontological, women’s health, family health, and others. Within the state of Alabama there are six different universities with nursing schools that offer MSN and DNP programs. Depending on the university program, credits can be either obtained traditionally in a classroom setting, or they can be earned online. Additionally, some nursing schools in Alabama offer students a blend of the two to earn their non-clinical didactic classroom unit hours.
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University Of South Alabama Application Requirements

There are a few admission requirements that freshmen must comply with to have their application viewed. They include:
- Submission of an official high school transcript
- Official SAT or ACT scores, with a minimum ACT score of 19 and a minimum SAT score of 980
- 16 hours of core courses
- Proof that your GPA is 2.5 or higher
Students who are not able to meet the requirements set out above can still apply to the school for conditional admission. Those who apply through this method typically submit a letter of recommendation by a counselor or teacher, a personal essay, and a resume along with their application for special consideration.
International students must submit the documents mentioned above along with fulfilling the English proficiency requirement, submitting an affidavit attesting to the ability to pay tuition, a copy of their passport, and a transfer eligibility form. In addition, applicants who are freshmen must pass the SAT or have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited US school.
These requirements change when students are applying to graduate school, with each program having its own specific requirements:
A successful application for admission to graduate studies must be received for all graduate programs. International students must submit all of the information noted above, along with a financial statement, proof of proficiency in English, and a transfer eligibility form.
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Program Cost And Credits
The cost of advanced degree programs, whether it is a Master of Science in Nursing or Doctorate of Nursing Practice , typically will cost between $550-$700 per in-state, semester unit in the state of Alabama. Out of state semester units, on the other hand, will generally cost around $1200/semester unit hour.
Depending on the specialty, MSN degree programs in Alabama will typically be made up of around total 45 total semester credit hours32 of them being didactic and 13 of them being clinical. Also, in addition to these credits, individuals seeking MSN degrees in the state of Alabama will be required to complete 600 hours of direct patient care.
DNP degree programs in Alabama will typically require about 30 credit hours on top of the completion of an MSN degree program. Those seeking DNP degrees in the state of Alabama will need to have completed approximately 1000 hours of clinical training in addition to the education credits they have already earned.
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Online Post Graduate Certificate
Program OverviewProgram Specialty: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse PractitionerDegree Type: Post-MSN Certificate New or Second Specialty Program Structure: Online instruction with limited on-campus visits with clinical hours requirements
Clinical Hours Requirements: 600 hours needed to graduateNumber of Credits Required: 24 to 33 credits needed to graduateNumber of Campus Visits Required: 1
Program OptionsCurriculum Options: Part-time onlyProgram Length: Program can be completed in 16 to 24 months depending on gap analysis of previous MSN courseworkProgram Start Date: Fall, Spring and Summer admissionNumber of Terms: 4 to 6 semesters
Requirements and TuitionApplication Requirements: MSN required current RN license with no restrictions 2 years of clinical experience before enrolling in NP clinical coursesGPA: Minimum GPA 3.0Tuition: ~$13,584 + fees to ~$18,678 + fees Cost Per Credit Hour: $566 per credit hour
Eligibility Restrictions: Program does not currently accept students from New York and South Dakota
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Application Deadlines For Dnp Programs:
- Fall Admission Application and Transcript DeadlinesPriority March 1st
- Spring Admission Application and Transcript DeadlinesPriority July 15th
- Summer Admission Application and Transcript DeadlinesPriority December 1stExtended February 1st
Extended deadlines allow applicants to complete the process after the priority deadline.
Please do not submit a Supplemental Application until you have a verified Primary Application in NursingCAS.
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Online Nursing Programs & Degrees
Recognizing that students in all programs except our traditional and accelerated BSN program are already RNs, the University of South Alabama was an early adopter in offering fully online RN to BSN, Master of Science in Nursing , RN to MSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice degrees, and fully online Post-Graduate certificate options.
But studying online does not mean youre studying on your own. While you work in your home region, faculty members are on campus, answering emails, refining course work and conferring with colleagues to optimize online learning opportunities.
All online students are paired with preceptors or mentors at the approved clinical facility, or students have the option of completing clinical requirements at a University of South Alabama Health affiliated hospital or clinical facility.
Graduate students seeking credentials in specific specialty options come to campus for intensive skills training, becoming more adept at skills and competencies required for the specialty option. The clinical skill intensive opportunities are held at the state-of-the-art USA Simulation Lab.
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Admission Requirements For The Masters Of Science In Nursing Programs
To be considered for admission to the Masters of Science in Nursing programs, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
Applicants should refer to the specific program for which they are applying for additional admission requirements. Admission for non-degree students in selective courses may not be available due to class size or required prerequisite.
Professional Component For The Online Rn
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Master Of Science In Nursing Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the master’s in nursing online program, graduates should be able to:
- Integrate advanced knowledge, evidence, and theories from nursing and related disciplines into a specialized area of advanced nursing practice through the use of scholarly writing.
- Demonstrate competence in advanced nursing roles to meet current and emerging health needs of a global changing society.
- Use scientific inquiry to identify problems and individualize patient care designed to improve care outcomes.
- Apply advanced knowledge of leadership and management to influence health policy to transform care delivery systems and improve healthcare quality.
- Contribute to the focus and direction of the nursing profession.
College Of Nursing Area V Required Courses

The University of South Alabamas College of Nursing welcomes transfer students to our BSN program. Students are accepted into the upper division Professional Nursing Component each semester . Students may submit an application while pre-requisite courses are still in progress, but pre-requisites must be completed before admission to the Professional Component. Admission to the Professional Component is competitive based on GPA on prerequisite courses. Criteria for admission are as follows:
About six months before you finish prerequisite courses, you will need to submit an Application to the College of Nursing for the Professional Component. The application for the BSN program can be found here.
A $50.00 non-refundable application fee must accompany your application before it will be processed. You may mail your application and fee to us, or you may bring it by the College of Nursing.
Application deadlines for the USA College of Nursing Professional Component are as follows:
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What Is A Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner
PMHNPs are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses that provide mental health care for people. As a PMHNP you will assess, diagnose and treat people with mental illnesses. According to the American Psychiatric Nurses Association some of your duties may include providing individual or group counseling, or prescribing psychiatric medications. You can work with people throughout their lifespan in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Career Outlook For Rn To Msn Graduates
The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks job & wage data for Nurse Practitioners and Nursing Instructors & Teachers, Postsecondary. If youre looking for a hospital job, you may also want to consult U.S. News & World Reports rankings of the Best Hospitals in Alabama.
- One look at the BLS job maps will tell you that Alabama has a particularly high concentration of NPs, particularly in the Florence-Muscle Shoals areahome of the North Alabama Medical Center , Shoals Hospital, and Helen Keller Hospital.
- Thanks to the presence of UAB and UAH , Birmingham and Huntsville are well-known employment hubs for both categories. UAB Hospital is a Magnet Facility.
- In particular, Huntsville has been experiencing a population boom, which has led to a continued expansion of services at places like Huntsville Hospital and WellStone.
Hoping to serve in rural areas? Alabamas Office of Primary Care and Rural Health has information on HPSAs, loan repayment programs, and telehealth initiatives.
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Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner
The role of a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Acute Care Pediatric Nursing is offered as an online program at the University of South Alabama. The MSN program prepares graduates for advanced Nursing Practice and Doctoral Study. Graduates of the program are able to synthesize and apply advanced knowledge to care for pediatric patients with complex, acute, or injuries and function as leaders in practice.
All students in the Pediatric Acute Care Nurse Practitioner specialty are required to attend a mandatory Clinical Skills Intensive provided by the USA Simulation Program on the USA campus during the fall term in which they are registered for MCN 558 and MCN 571. Students have the opportunity to request their preferred session on a first come, first serve basis through the simulation department after the request is sent out during the spring term. Various clinical skills workshops will be held during the orientation.
Please note the dates listed are for Clinical Skills Intensives only.
Pediatric Acute Care NP Clinical Skills Intensive Session Dates:
Session 1
Optional NRP education provided Tuesday, August 31, 2021 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Optional NRP education provided Wednesday, September 1, 2021 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
The Clinical Skills Intensive will take place at USA Simulation on the main campus. You will receive more information as the date approaches via your JAG e-mail. Please make plans to attend.
List Of Online Nurse Practitioner Schools In Alabama
Currently, there are several colleges in Alabama that offer online nurse practitioner programs. Students can choose between different degree levels depending on their professional goals, and specialization options are available so that the nurse can enter the care area of their choice.
Graduates of online NP programs in Alabama will have the same employment and salary options as those who graduate from traditional, in-class NP programs. Popular workplace settings in the state include hospitals, community health settings, medical clinics, physicians offices, and numerous specialized environments .
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Popularity Of Nursing At Usa
During the 2019-2020 academic year, University of South Alabama handed out 308 bachelors degrees in nursing. Due to this, the school was ranked #16 in popularity out of all colleges and universities that offer this degree. This is an increase of 21% over the previous year when 255 degrees were handed out.
In 2020, 744 students received their masterâs degree in nursing from USA. This makes it the #8 most popular school for nursing masterâs degree candidates in the country.
In addition, 157 students received their doctoral degrees in nursing in 2020, making the school the #5 most popular school in the United States for this category of students.
University Of South Alabama College Of Nursing State Authorizations
The University of South Alabama participates in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement . As a member of NC-SARA, we offer fully online courses in any NC-SARA state. We are exempt in Massachusetts and California.
For more information about NC-SARA, please visit .
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Admission Requirements For The Dnp Programs
To be considered for admission to the DNP programs, the applicant must meet the following requirements:
Admission for non-degree students in selective DNP courses may not be available due to class size and required prerequisites.
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University Of South Alabama Rankings

University of South Alabama is ranked No. 115 out of 173 in Best Online Masters in Nursing Programs. Schools are ranked according to their performance across a set of widely accepted indicators of excellence. Read more about how we rank schools.
- #115in Best Online Masters in Nursing Programs
- #9in Best Online Family Nurse Practitioner Masters Programs
- #16in Best Online Masters in Nursing Administration Programs
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