CURRICULUM

The Graduate Education in Nursing (GEN) programs at Morehouse School of Medicine prepare advanced practice nurses and health system leaders committed to health justice, community engagement, and clinical excellence.

Our Doctor of Nursing Practice programs integrate:

  • Evidence-based clinical practice
  • Health equity and population health
  • Data analytics and health informatics
  • Leadership in complex health systems
  • Interprofessional collaboration

Students progress through a competency-based curriculum aligned with the AACN 2021 Essentials, combining advanced clinical preparation with doctoral-level systems leadership.

  • Post-Master’s DNP Executive Leadership Curriculum

    Post-Master’s DNP Executive Leadership Curriculum

    The Post-Master's Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Executive Leadership pathway is designed for master's-prepared Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) seeking doctoral preparation with a concentration in Community Engagement and Health Justice This full-time, 16-month program consists of 40 credit hours and prepares graduates to lead practice innovation, improve health outcomes, and advance health equity through evidence-based, community-engaged care.

    View the current Academic Catalog here.

    Program Highlights

    Feature

    Details

    Program Length

    Full-time, 16-month curriculum

    Credit Hours

    40 credit hours

    Program Focus

    Concentration in Community Engagement and Health Justice

    Scholarly Project

    Doctoral scholarly project focused on improving healthcare quality, outcomes, or health equity

    Program Preparation

    Individualized review of prior APRN practice hours to ensure graduates meet national DNP practice expectations

    Curriculum at a Glance

    The curriculum integrates advanced nursing practice with evidence-based practice, implementation science, leadership, quality improvement, health policy, population health, informatics, and community engagement. Throughout the program, students apply these competencies through experiential learning and a scholarly project designed to address real-world healthcare challenges and improve outcomes for individuals, communities, and populations.

    Plan of Study

    DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE (DNP) PROGRAM
    MS to DNP Matriculation Plan
    Registrar Course and Credit-Hour Listing
     

    Program

    Doctor of Nursing Practice

    Major

    MS to DNP

    Semester Start

    Fall

    Enrollment Status

    Full-Time

    Minimum Degree
    Requirement

    40 credit hours for master's-prepared nurses entering with 36-40 credits

    Published Clinical-Hour
    Requirement

    540 hours

    Program Length

    16 months

    Optional Course

    2 credits

    YEAR 1

    Fall Semester

    Course

    Course Title

    Credits

    NURS 615

    Evidence-Based Practice and Principles of Translational Research (equivalent to PAS 615)

    3

    MPH 524*

    Fundamentals of Biostatistics (required prerequisite for NURS 710)

    3

    MSHI

    Introduction to Health Informatics

    3

    NURS 602

    Population Health: Community Epidemiology and Sustainable Strategic Engagement (equivalent to MPH 502)

    3

    Fall Semester Total

    12

    Spring Semester

    Course

    Course Title

    Credits

    NURS 709

    Data-Driven Health Policy and Advocacy

    3

    NURS 703

    Impact-Driven Quality and Process Engineering: Strategy Design for Value-Based Primary Care (Dr. Henry King)

    2

    MSHI 600 or
    MSHI 509*

    Big Data Management and Analytics or Data Mining and Analytics

    2

    NURS 711

    Doctoral Project: Developing Health Equity Inquiry and Impact for Sustained Community Engagement

    1

    NURS 613

    Health Justice and Ethical Foundations: Professional Issues in Healthcare

    3

    Spring Semester Total

    11

    Summer Semester

    Course

    Course Title

    Credits

    NURS 604

    Genetics, Genomics, and Health Promotion (equivalent to GEBS 604)

    2

    NURS 708

    Health Finance and Equitable Economic Leadership in Complex Healthcare Systems

    3

    NURS 712

    Doctoral Project: Translating Methods and Research for Project Implementation (90 clinical hours)

    2

    NURS 713

    Scholarly Project Planning and Proposal (90 clinical hours)

    2

    Summer Semester Total

    9

    Year 1 Required Credit Total: 32

    YEAR 2

    Fall Semester

    Course

    Course Title

    Credits

    NURS 714

    Doctoral Application and Implementation (180 clinical hours)

    4

    NURS 701

    Interprofessional Learning: Social Determinants of Health Profession Education

    2

    NURS 715

    Doctoral Project: Project Evaluation and Dissemination

    (90 clinical hours)

    2

    Fall Semester Total

    8

    Spring Semester

    Course

    Course Title

    Credits

    Spring Semester Total

    0

    Summer Semester - Optional

    Course

    Course Title

    Credits

    Course number
    to be assigned

    Clinical Independent Study: Progression Hours for the DNP Project

    2

    Summer Semester - Optional Total

    2

    Year 2 Required Credit Total: 8

    PROGRAM SUMMARY AND REGISTRAR VERIFICATION

    Requirement

    Credits

    Year 1

    32

    Year 2 required fall courses

    8

    Required program total

    40

    Optional clinical independent study

    2

    Total with optional course

    42

    Clinical and Project Hour Reconciliation

    Hour Category

    Hours Explicitly Assigned

    DNP project/clinical hours

    450

    Total explicitly documented

    450

    Published program requirement

    500

    Unassigned difference

    50

    Items Requiring Registrar or Curriculum Confirmation

    1. The required courses total 40 credits. The optional 2-credit Clinical Independent Study should not be included in the minimum degree requirement.
    2. The listed doctoral project courses identify 450 clinical/project hours, which is 50 hours fewer than the published 500-hour requirement. The additional 50 hours must be assigned to one or more courses, or the published total must be corrected.
    3. Confirm that NURS is the official course prefix throughout the catalog and student information system.
    4. Confirm the official course number and title for the biostatistics requirement, including the prerequisite reference to NURS 710.
    5. Assign or confirm the official course number for Introduction to Health Informatics.
    6. Confirm whether students complete MSHI 600 or MSHI 509 and verify that the selected course carries 2 credits.
    7. Confirm whether the instructor attribution for NURS 703 should appear in the official registrar listing.
    8. Assign an official course number to the optional Clinical Independent Study before placing it in the catalog or student information system.
    9. Confirm whether the 500-hour requirement should be labeled clinical hours, practicum hours, project hours, or a combination of these categories.

    Practice Experiences

    Consistent with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) The Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education (2026), graduates of the DNP program complete a minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate supervised practice hours. Verified supervised practice hours completed during a student's master's APRN program are reviewed and applied toward this requirement. Students complete additional supervised practice experiences, as needed, to ensure they meet the 1,000-hour requirement prior to graduation.

    Practice experiences are individualized and aligned with each student's professional goals, concentration, and DNP scholarly project. Working in partnership with faculty and community mentors, students engage in leadership, quality improvement, implementation science, policy, and population health initiatives that advance health equity and improve healthcare outcomes.

  • BSN-to-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) FNP Curriculum

    BSN-to-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) FNP Curriculum

    The BSN-to-Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) FNP pathway prepares registered nurses with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) to become Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) and doctoral-prepared nurse leaders. This full-time, eight-semester program consists of 79 credit hours and integrates advanced practice nursing, leadership, evidence-based practice, and scholarly inquiry with the Graduate Education in Nursing program's emphasis on Community Engagement and Health Equity. Graduates are prepared to deliver comprehensive, person-centered primary care across the lifespan while advancing health equity and improving healthcare outcomes.

    View the current Academic Catalog here.

    Program Highlights

    Feature

    Details

    Program Length

    Full-time, eight semesters

    Credit Hours

    76 credit hours

    Specialty

    Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP)

    Program Focus

    Community Engagement and Health Justice integrated throughout the curriculum

    Clinical Preparation

    1,320 supervised clinical practice hours in primary care and community-based settings + DNP Project Hours

    Scholarly Project

    Doctor of Nursing Practice project focused on improving healthcare quality, patient outcomes, or advancing health equity

    Certification Preparation

    Graduates are academically eligible to apply for national Family Nurse Practitioner certification*

    Curriculum at a Glance

    The curriculum progresses from foundational doctoral and advanced nursing science to the competencies required for independent advanced practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Students develop expertise in advanced health assessment, advanced pathophysiology, advanced pharmacology, primary care management across the lifespan, health promotion, disease prevention, evidence-based practice, leadership, health policy, quality improvement, informatics, and implementation science. Community engagement and health equity are intentionally integrated throughout the curriculum, preparing graduates to partner with individuals, families, and communities to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes.

    Plan of Study

    DOCTOR OF NURSING PRACTICE (DNP) PROGRAM 
    Family Nurse Practitioner Matriculation Plan 
    Registrar Course and Credit-Hour Listing 
     

    Program 

    Doctor of Nursing Practice 

    Major 

    Family Nurse Practitioner 

    Semester Start 

    Fall 

    Enrollment Status 

    Full-Time 

    Minimum Degree Requirement 

    76 credit hours 

    Published Clinical-Hour Requirement 

    1,320 hours 

    YEAR 1 

    Fall Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 560 

    Advanced Pathophysiology Across the Life Span 

    3 

    NUR 604 

    Genetics, Genomics, and Health Promotion 

    2 

    MPH 524* 

    Fundamentals of Biostatistics 

    3 

    NUR 613 

    Health Equity, Justice, and Ethical Foundations: Professional Issues in Healthcare 

    3 

    Fall Semester Total 

    11 

    Spring Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 561 

    Advanced Health Assessment Across the Life Span 

    3 

    NUR 562 

    Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Life Span 

    3 

    MSHI 600 or MSHI 509* 

    Big Data Management and Analytics or Data Mining and Analytics 

    2 

    Spring Semester Total 

    8 

    Summer Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 570 

    Scientific Foundations, Theories, and Inclusive Leadership 

    3 

    NUR 602 

    Population Health: Community Epidemiology and Sustainable Strategic Engagement 

    3 

    NUR 563 

    Diagnostic Reasoning, Interpretation, and Evidence-Based Clinical Decision-Making 

    2 

    NUR 709 

    Data-Driven Health Policy and Advocacy 

    3 

    Summer Semester Total 

    11 

    Year 1 Required Credit Total: 30 

    YEAR 2 

    Fall Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 610 

    FNP I: Health Promotion in Clinical Populations and Complex Systems - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, Didactic 

    3 

    NUR 611 

    FNP I: Health Promotion in Clinical Populations and Complex Systems - Adult-Gerontology Primary Care, Clinical (180 clinical hours) 

    3 

    NUR 615 

    Evidence-Based Practice and Principles of Translational Research (equivalent to PAS 615) 

    3 

    Fall Semester Total 

    9 

    Spring Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 620 

    FNP II: Family-Centered Primary Care of Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Their Families - Didactic 

    3 

    NUR 621 

    FNP II: Family-Centered Primary Care of Infants, Children, Adolescents, and Their Families - Clinical (180 clinical hours) 

    3 

    NUR 703 

    Impact-Driven Quality and Process Engineering: Strategy Design for Value-Based Primary Care 

    2 

    NUR 711 

    Doctoral Project I: Developing Health Equity Inquiry and Impact for Sustained Community Engagement (45 practicum hours) 

    1 

    Spring Semester Total 

    9 

    Summer Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 708 

    Health Finance and Equitable Economic Leadership in Complex Healthcare Systems 

    3 

    NUR 712 

    Doctoral Project II: Translational Methods and Research for Project Implementation (90 practicum hours) 

    2 

    NUR 713 

    Doctoral Project III: Scholarly Project Planning and Proposal (90 practicum hours) 

    2 

    Summer Semester Total 

    7 

    Year 2 Required Credit Total: 25 

    YEAR 3 

    Fall Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 630 

    FNP III: Holistic Care of Reproductive Patients and Their Families - Didactic 

    3 

    NUR 631 

    FNP III: Holistic Care of Reproductive Patients and Their Families - Clinical (180 clinical hours) 

    3 

    NUR 701 

    Interprofessional Learning: Social Determinants of Health Professions Education 

    2 

    NUR 714 

    Doctoral Project IV: Project Implementation and Defense (180 practicum hours) 

    4 

    Fall Semester Total 

    12 

    Spring Semester 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    NUR 640 

    FNP IV: Advanced Acute and Chronic Care of Patients Across the Life Span and Their Families - Didactic 

    3 

    NUR 641 

    FNP IV: Advanced Acute and Chronic Care of Patients Across the Life Span and Their Families - Clinical (240 clinical hours) 

    4 

    NUR 715 

    Doctoral Project V: Project Evaluation and Dissemination (90 practicum hours) 

    2 

    Spring Semester Total 

    9 

    Summer Semester - Optional 

    Course 

    Course Title 

    Credits 

    Course number to be assigned 

    Clinical Independent Study: Progression Hours for the DNP Project 

    2 

    Summer Semester - Optional Total 

    2 

    Year 3 Required Credit Total: 21 

    PROGRAM SUMMARY AND REGISTRAR VERIFICATION 

    Requirement 

    Credits 

    Year 1 

    30 

    Year 2 

    25 

    Year 3 required fall and spring courses 

    21 

    Required program total 

    76 

    Optional clinical independent study 

    2 

    Total with optional course 

    78 

    Clinical and Practicum Hour Reconciliation 

    Hour Category 

    Hours Explicitly Assigned 

    FNP direct-care clinical hours 

    780 

    DNP project/practicum hours 

    495 

    Total explicitly documented 

    1275 

    Published program requirement 

    1380 

    Unassigned difference 

    105 

    Items Requiring Registrar or Curriculum Confirmation 

    1. The required courses total 76 credits. The optional 2-credit clinical independent study should not be included in the minimum degree requirement.
    2. The current course assignments identify 1,275 clinical/practicum hours, which is 105 hours fewer than the published 1,380-hour requirement. The additional 105 hours must be assigned to one or more courses, or the published total must be corrected.
    3. Confirm and standardize the official course prefix as NUR or NURS throughout the catalog and student information system.
    4. Confirm the official course number for Fundamentals of Biostatistics, currently shown as MPH 524.
    5. Confirm whether students complete MSHI 600 or MSHI 509 and verify that the selected course carries 2 credits.
    6. Assign an official course number to the optional Clinical Independent Study before placing it in the catalog or student information system.

    Practice Experiences

    Students complete 1,380 supervised practice hours designed to support the progressive development of advanced practice competencies and doctoral-level leadership skills. Practice experiences include direct patient care in primary care and community-based settings under the guidance of qualified preceptors and Graduate Education in Nursing faculty, as well as activities that support the Doctor of Nursing Practice scholarly project. Collectively, these supervised practice experiences enable students to integrate advanced clinical practice, evidence-based care, quality improvement, systems leadership, and community engagement while advancing health equity.

    In addition to supervised clinical practice, students participate in simulation, interprofessional learning experiences, and a Doctor of Nursing Practice scholarly project that integrates evidence-based practice, quality improvement, systems leadership, and community engagement to improve healthcare delivery and advance health equity.

    *Graduates who successfully complete all program requirements are academically eligible to apply for national Family Nurse Practitioner certification. Certification is awarded by the appropriate national certifying organization upon successful completion of its eligibility requirements and certification examination.