Doctor of Nursing Practice FAQ's
Application & Admission Questions
Q: What is the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) Degree?
A: The D.N.P. is designed to take B.S.N. or M.S.N.-prepared nurses to the highest level of clinical practice in order to meet the increasing complexities and challenges of the nation’s healthcare environment. The DNP is the terminal degree for clinical nursing practice.
Q: How do I apply to The University of Toledo College of Nursing Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program?
A: Applications are submitted through NursingCAS. A nursing supplemental application is also required. The nursing supplemental application is your application to the Graduate Nursing program at The University of Toledo.
Q: Are there application deadlines?
A: Yes. Application deadlines can be found here. Applications must be electronically submitted by the posted deadlines. Students are admitted to the D.N.P. program one time a year and matriculate in the fall semester. Submission of applications by the posted deadline does not guarantee review by the admissions committee. Only completed applications will be reviewed. A completed application consists of a verified NursingCAS application, three recommendations, personal statement, resume and submitted nursing supplemental application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor the status of their application.
Q: Is there an application fee to NursingCAS? Is there a fee for the nursing supplemental application?
A: Yes. There is a NursingCAS service fee and a nursing supplemental application fee. The fees must be paid in order to submit the application.
Q: Do I need to take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?
A: The GRE is not required.
Q: If I am a student with a bachelor’s degree from a college/university outside the U.S., are there other requirements for admission?
A: Yes, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required. You can find more information about that here.
Q: Is an interview required?
A: Individual DNP candidate interviews are required.
Q: What constitutes an official college/university transcript?
A: The official transcript is sent from the college or university that has the seal on the transcript and is sealed in a college/university envelope. Students are required to have their official transcripts sent directly to NursingCAS.
- NursingCAS offers two methods to request transcripts:
- Requesting Transcripts Electronically: If ordering an electronic transcript, select the electronic transcript vendor and follow the prompts. UToledo accepts transcripts from the following services: Credentials Solutions, Parchment, or National Student Clearinghouse. Since you cannot include the Transcript ID Form, you should include your full NursingCAS ID number when entering the NursingCAS mailing address. When using any of these services, select NursingCAS as the recipient. If you can't select NursingCAS and instead are asked for an email address, your transcript must be sent by mail. Do not send your transcript to the NursingCAS customer service email.
- Requesting Transcripts by Mail: If submitting a transcript via mail, click Download Transcript ID Form and print the form. You will need to contact the registrar at each institution you attended and provide them with the NursingCAS Transcript ID Form, along with any name changes, other personal information, your NursingCAS ID number, and any transcript fees required by the registrar. Your registrar should mail your paper transcripts to the following address:
NursingCAS Transcript Processing Center
PO Box 9201
Watertown, MA 02471
Final, official transcripts showing degree conferred or completion of in progress courses should to be sent to The University of Toledo at the time an offer of admission is extended. Transcripts may be sent directly to the College of Graduate Studies, The University of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street MS 933, Toledo, OH 43606.
Q: Do I need to provide official transcripts for every college/university/nursing school attended?
A: Yes. Official transcripts are to be sent to NursingCAS directly by the institutions.
Q: Must I send a transcript if I graduated from the Bowling Green State University or The University of Toledo B.S.N. program offered through the UToledo/BGSU consortium?
A: Yes. You must request the transcript from the university that conferred the degree and direct that it be sent to NursingCAS.
Q: Must I send a transcript if I graduated from the Bowling Green State University or The University of Toledo B.S.N. program offered through the UToledo/BGSU consortium?
A: Yes. You must request the transcript from the university that conferred the degree and direct that it be sent to NursingCAS.
Q: Do I need to possess a RN license in the state of Ohio?
A:
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- B.S.N. To D.N.P. Applicants should hold appropriate RN Licensure/Credentials for the state where the student resides and/or plans to conduct clinical experiences.
- M.S.N. To D.N.P. Applicants should hold appropriate RN or APRN Licensure/Credentials for the state where the student resides and/or plans to conduct clinical experiences.
Q: Is there a specified format for recommendations?
A: Three recommendations from professional sources (M.S.N. preferred) are required. Recommendations are submitted electronically on your behalf via the “References” section of NursingCAS.
Q: Is there a specified format for my personal statement?
A: This statement is very important to the Admission Committee. The statement should demonstrate mastery of language, grammar, and syntax at a graduate level. The personal statement will need to include congruence of your professional career goals and the outcomes of the D.N.P. program; decision/rationale to pursue D.N.P. education; your abilities to achieve the outcomes of the program; your clinical areas of interest; the challenges you anticipate in meeting the outcomes of the program and address how you will manage these challenges. D.N.P. program outcomes can be viewed here. Submit your personal statement via the “Personal Statement” section of NursingCAS, title it “University of Toledo.”
Q: Is admission competitive?
A: Yes. Applicants are encouraged to give careful attention to all components of the application.
Q: What is a Criminal Record Check?
A: Students who accept an offer of admission from the College of Nursing are required to authorize The University of Toledo to obtain criminal record checks (i.e. BCII and FBI) and are responsible for fingerprinting expenses. Students must declare and document misdemeanor and/or felony offenses that occur prior to admission to the nursing program and/or during program progression. Acceptance into the graduate nursing program is conditional upon completion and approval of all information received regarding the criminal record check.
Q: How do I know if all of my application materials have been received?
A: It is the responsibility of the applicant to monitor the status of their NursingCAS application and application to the College of Graduate Studies. You will need to login to your NursingCAS web application to check the receipt of your documents by NursingCAS. To check your Graduate application status, click here. Once logged in, simply click on your application to check the status.
Q: How should I expect to learn about my admission status?
A: The notification will come from The University of Toledo College of Graduate Studies via the email address provided on your application.
Questions About Plans of Study, Progression Through the Major, & Advising
Q: Is there orientation to the D.N.P. program?
A: Yes. There is a mandatory online Orientation for students to complete in Blackboard prior to matriculation.
Q: What majors will be offered?
A:
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- The following tracks are offered in the B.S.N. To D.N.P. and M.S.N. To D.N.P. NP Pathway: Adult Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner, Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.
- New Nurse Executive Track: available in B.S.N. To D.N.P. and M.S.N. To D.N.P.
- M.S.N.-prepared advanced practice nurses can also achieve a terminal degree in clinical practice.
Q: How will the courses be offered?
A: Most courses can be taken online. The advanced health assessment course and the lab in the Adult Gerontology Acute Care Clinical I course require students to come to the UToledo Health Science Campus. Online classes may be in several formats including asynchronous (student accesses class content and responds to discussion on their own time schedule) or synchronous (all students must attend an online class at the same time). Courses are offered via Blackboard. Students are expected to be computer literate in word processing, spreadsheets, and other electronic means of communication.
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- The B.S.N. To D.N.P. and M.S.N. To D.N.P. NP Pathways also include 1060 -1150 hours of academically supervised advanced clinical practice.
- The M.S.N. To D.N.P. Nurse Executive Pathway also includes 1035 hours of academically supervised advanced clinical practice.
- The M.S.N. To D.N.P. Clinical Practice Leadership Pathway also includes 540 hours of academically supervised advanced clinical practice.
Q: Why is it necessary to provide documentation of supervised clinical hours from my master’s program if I am applying to the M.S.N. To D.N.P. non-NP option?
A: In accordance with AACN specifications for 1000 academically supervised post BSN clinical hours to earn a DNP degree, 540 hours of academically supervised advanced clinical practice are included in the program. Students are expected to have earned and documented 460 supervised clinical hours in their master’s program. Students who have fewer than 460 hours of documented academically supervised graduate clinical hours will be required to take independent study clinical hours to make up the difference.
Q: Are there any prerequisites?
A: Applicants to the M.S.N. To D.N.P. Nurse Executive Pathway or Clinical Practice Leadership Pathway must have completed advanced anatomy and physiology, advanced pharmacology, and advanced health assessment with a ‘B’ or higher prior to starting the program.
Q: How long does the program take to complete?
A:
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- The B.S.N. To D.N.P. and the M.S.N. To D.N.P. NP Pathways can be completed in 4.5 years.
- The M.S.N. To D.N.P. Clinical Practice Leadership Pathway can be completed in 3.5 years.
- The M.S.N. To D.N.P. Nurse Executive Pathway and B.S.N. To D.N.P. Nurse Executive Pathway can be completed in 5 years.
Q: Do I need to complete a thesis?
A: No. Since this is a clinical doctorate, students do no complete a thesis. Students will be required to develop, implement and defend an evidence-based practice project.
Q: Is there a time limit for the completion of the D.N.P. degree?
A: Yes, the D.N.P. degree must be completed within seven years. Students may formally request an extension for one additional year, but this requires approval of the Student Admission, Progression, and Retention Committee, the Associate Dean for Academic Programs in the College of Nursing, and the Senior Associate Dean of the College of Graduate Studies on the HSC.
Q. What grades are required for progression in the D.N.P.?
A: Students must earn a grade of ‘B’ or higher in all coursework.
Q: If I earn a grade of C or less in a course with a NURS prefix, am I eligible to take a course for which that course is a prerequisite?
A: No, all prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of ‘B’ or higher.
Q: Is there a standard grading scale for courses within the College of Nursing?
A: No, each faculty member publishes the grading scale within the syllabus of the course. Please review the syllabus carefully for this information.
Q: Can I work full-time and successfully complete graduate course requirements?
A: This answer varies from student to student. As a general rule, full-time work during graduate school is discouraged. If a student must work full-time due to life circumstances, a part-time plan of study is encouraged. There are many variables involved with successful completion of graduate study, including individual study requirements, family expectations, and employment. We recommend that you confer with the College of Nursing Graduate Advisor regarding your specific situation.
Q: Are accommodations available if I have a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
A: The University will make reasonable academic accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Students should contact Student Disability Services, Rocket Hall 1820; 419.530.4981.
Q: Are tutors available for graduate students in the College of Nursing?
A: Yes, tutoring is a service provided at no additional charge to all registered students on the HSC. Services are covered as a part of the student fees. For more information, contact the Academic Enrichment Center at 419.383.6118. A brochure is available. Online students can utilize the eWriting Center to receive on-line assistance with course papers.
Questions About Scholarships & Financial Aid
Q: Are scholarships available?
A: There are limited scholarship monies available for students. In all cases, students must be in good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 3.0. A general scholarship application is included in the student’s matriculation materials. For financially need based scholarships, it is important to have a FAFSA on file. Private scholarship awards are based on donor criteria.
Q: Do you have any graduate funding opportunities.
A: Yes, there are a number of graduate funding opportunities, including graduate assistantships. You can find out more about these here.
Q: How do I seek financial aid?
A: Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA form and to meet with financial aid advisors on the UToledo Health Science Campus. If students do qualify for federal student aid, they must be enrolled for a minimum of 6 credit hours in the fall and spring semesters, 4 credit hours in the summer, and hold regular admission status. Please check our website for more information.
Further Questions
This information is available in alternative format upon request. Please contact the Office of Student Services at 419.383.5810 to make a request. Requests may also be emailed to admitnurse@utoledo.edu.