PM-DNP Entry Option 2: Adding a New Specialty

Course Delivery

The PM-DNP program is designed for the working APRN. The program is completed in 10 sessions and students may need to reduce work hours to accommodate completion of the DNP project (510 residency hours) and/or specialty clinical practicum (510 hours).

The Musco School of Nursing and Health Professions program blends three instructional strategies to produce an engaged learning curriculum. The first strategy is Immersion: our programs include a blend of virtual, hybrid, and/or face-to-face meetings in 1-4 day sessions. Immersion sessions are conducted up to three times during the program. During these immersion sessions, students may receive orientation instruction, work as teams with peers and mentors and participate in demonstrations, simulation exercises, assessments and/or evaluations. The second strategy is practicum experience: our programs include clinical and DNP project rotations conducted where the student lives or works. The third strategy is self-directed study: courses include online lectures, discussions, social networking, demonstrations, tutorials, readings, and/or other homework.  Most courses include additional real-time instruction via web conferencing, phone conferencing, and/or live chat sessions. Students may need to reduce work hour to accommodate completion of the DNP Project (510 residency hours).

Upon admission to the PM-DNP program, students who desire to add a specialty are required to submit a petition via their academic advisor by the end of the first enrolled session. Their Academic Advisor will then create a specialty program education plan based on the required specialty courses and additional courses determined as needed by the GAP analysis.  Upon receipt of the petition, the Program Director will be notified and the student will be interviewed for admission to the specialty.  

National certifying bodies require that all students applying for a new specialty must successfully complete 3 courses:

  1. Advanced Lifespan Physical/Health Assessment
  2. Advanced Lifespan Pathophysiology
  3. Advanced Lifespan Pharmacology

Students are required to earn 3 credits in each of the 3 core courses to meet degree conferral eligibility and to sit for national certification exams.  If a student has earned only 1-2 credits in an approved transfer course (through our internal transfer petition process), additional credits will be taken at University of Massachusetts Global to meet the minimum credit requirements for the degree. For students who are not awarded any or all of these course credits through the transfer Petition Process, these courses will be included on the student's educational plan.  Upon completion of the DNP, including all courses required for the additional specialty, the student will be eligible to take the national certification exam for their chosen specialty offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) and/or, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) to apply for licensure as an APRN in the state where they plan to practice.

Attendance: Students may be dismissed from the program at the Dean’s discretion due to absence from required meetings.

Admission to the Program

Admission into the PM-DNP is twice a year in August (Fall 1) and January (Spring 1).

2023-2024 Application Deadlines

  • Final application deadline for Fall 1, 2023 admission is June 15, 2023.
  • Final application deadline for the Spring 1, 2024 admission is October 15, 2023.

2024-2025 Application Deadlines

  • Final application deadline for Fall 1, 2024 admission is June 15, 2024.
  • Final application deadline for the Spring 1, 2025 admission is October 15, 2024.

Admission Requirements

  1. Complete a Musco School of Nursing and Health Professions application available online at https://www.umassglobal.edu/nursing-health-professions.
  2. Master of Science Degree in Nursing from a Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) or a National League of Nursing Accreditation Commission (NLNAC) accredited program with Advanced Practice Specialty (Nurse Practitioner [NP] or Clinical Nurse Specialist [CNS]).
  3. National certification as an APRN or CNS.
  4. Official transcripts from all regionally accredited institutions where post-baccalaureate coursework was completed or attempted.
  5. Current and detailed resume or curriculum vitae.
  6. Unencumbered RN license in the state where the student plans to do their clinical hours.
  7. Unencumbered APRN license in the state where the student plans to do their clinical hours.
  8. Unencumbered APRN license is not required of CNS or other APRN if license is not required by their state to practice, or if in the process of taking national certification exam in specialty.
  9. Personal interview with Program Director.

CastleBranch Requirements 

All requirements are due by the end of the first session and are required to stay in compliance (current and updated) throughout their program. Students who do not start their specialty clinical practicum and/or DNP Project residency hours due to incomplete CastleBranch requirements will require a modified education plan, which may result in a program completion delay.

Immunization and Health Screening Requirements:

  • Proof of annual negative Tuberculosis (TB) screening:
    • TB blood test (IGRA) OR
    • Negative chest x-ray AND a provider signed negative symptom checklist. 
  • Proof of completion of Hepatitis A and B immunization series or titer demonstrating immunity.
  • Proof of two doses of Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) immunization or titer demonstrating immunity.
  • Proof of one Tetanus/diphtheria/acellular pertussis (Tdap) immunization (after 19 years of age) and boosters per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s adult vaccination schedule.
  • Proof of Chicken Pox (Varicella) immunization or titer demonstrating immunity.
  • Proof of annual influenza immunization.
  • Additional laboratory tests, immunizations, and/or documentation may be required for specific practicum sites.

Additional Requirements:

  • Annual Background Check clearance.
  • Annual negative 10-panel Drug Screen.
  • Annual CastleBranch Elearning (HIPAA/OSHA trainings).
  • Copy of current CPR “Level C” Certification (Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider) that will not be expiring in the next 12 months.
    • Certification MUST be an American Heart Association approved course.
    • Approved courses must have a didactic component AND skills verification component.
      • Online only courses, where skills are not validated by an instructor, will not be approved. Skills must be validated by an instructor using a feedback device that measures and provides real-time audio feedback or visual feedback (or both) on compression rate and depth.
  • Proof of unencumbered RN license.
  • Proof of STUDENT NP Malpractice Insurance ($1 million per occurence/$3 million in aggregate).
  • Any additional laboratory tests, immunizations, and/or documentation required by specific RN-BSN clinical practicum or DNP Project residency sites (e.g., proof of physical examination, proof of health insurance, etc).

Catalog Year

Students admitted to the Musco School of Nursing and Health Professions are admitted to the catalog year that is in effect on the date when they begin the program (either Fall I, Spring I).

Transfer of Coursework

University of Massachusetts Global awards a maximum of 40 semester credits as a block transfer from a regionally accredited MSN program toward the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. Credits transferred as a block credit from the MSN may be transferred regardless of the year the courses for the degree were taken, which supersedes the University’s seven-year rule limitation. 

Degree Requirements for the Post Master's to Doctor of Nursing Practice Entry Option 2: Adding a New Specialty

To be awarded the Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree, students may transfer 500 clinical hours and a maximum of 40 credit hours from the MSN degree.  Students must take all 30 credit hours of their Core Courses, which includes 510 clinical residency hours for the DNP Project, at University of Massachusetts Global.  This program is designed to follow the guidelines and DNP essentials as set forth by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2006) and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (2013; 2014). All courses must be passed with a grade of “B-” or higher.   Clinical practicum and residency courses are graded on a Pass/No Pass basis; a Pass is equivalent to a “B-” grade.

PM-DNP (Adding a New Specialty) Core Courses
DNPU 700Healthcare Policy, Organization and Delivery3
DNPU 701Biostatistics for Clinical Practice *3
DNPU 702Innovations in Technology and Information Access3
DNPU 703Leading through Innovation3
DNPU 704Evidence-Based Thinking for DNP-Prepared APRN Scholarship and Practice *3
DNPU 705Health Communication3
DNPU 706Transforming Health Care through Outcomes Management3
DNPU 708Application of DNP Clinical Project **3
DNPU 710Seminar in Evidence-Based Thinking for Scholarship and Practice3
DNPU 711Clinical Residency for DNP Clinical Project for BSN-DNP & Post-Masters adding a Specialty (255 hours) 3
PM-DNP adding a Specialty Core Course Subtotal30
Transfer Credits from Master of Science Degree in Nursing
Transfer Credits from Master of Science Degree in Nursing Subtotal40
Added Specialty
Added Specialty Subtotal27
Total Credits97

* Students in these courses are required to attend a virtual Immersion.

** If a student does not complete their DNP Project during the core course sessions, they will be enrolled in a DNPU 799 Independent Practicum for DNP Project Completion (0 credits) and required to pay a Continuing Candidacy fee per session until the DNP Project student receives a “P” in DNPU 708 Application of DNP Clinical Project or until the student’s seven year program completion timeline has expired.

† Students adding a specialty take DNPU 711 Clinical Residency for the DNP Project for BSN-DNP & Post-Masters adding a Specialty in place of DNPU 707 Clinical Residency I for DNP Project or DNPU 709 Clinical Residency II for DNP Project to account for 255 clinical residency hours for the DNP Project.

A STUDENT MUST PETITION FOR THEIR SELECTED SPECIALTY AND COMPLETE AN ADMISSION INTERVIEW WITH THE NP SPECIALTY PROGRAM DIRECTOR BY THE END OF THEIR FIRST ENROLLED SESSION. STUDENTS WHO DO NOT PETITION AND COMPLETE AN ADMISSION INTERVIEW WITH THE NP SPECIALTY PROGRAM DIRECTOR BY THE END OF THEIR FIRST ENROLLED SESSION WILL BE ENROLLED IN THE NEXT ACADEMIC YEAR SPECIALTY COURSES, WHICH MAY RESULT IN A PROGRAM COMPLETION DELAY.

Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) Specialty Courses

NURU 603Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan and Cultures3
NURU 605Advanced Pathophysiology across the Lifespan3
NURU 606Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan3
NURU 610Synthesis of Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) Professional Role3
NURU 641Psychopharmacology Across the Lifespan3
NURU 642Management in Lifespan Psychiatric and Mental Health Care3
NURU 643Practicum in Psychotherapeutic Treatment Modalities (255 hours) *^^3
NURU 644Complex and Chronic Problems in Psychiatric and Mental Health Care3
NURU 645Practicum for Complex and Chronic Problems in Psychiatric and Mental Health Care (255 hours) *^^3
Total Credits27

*Students in these courses are required to attend a virtual Immersion.

^^If a student does not complete the required 255 clinical hours during the initial specialty course clinical session/s (NURU 643 Practicum in Psychotherapeutic Treatment Modalities and NURU 645 Practicum for Complex and Chronic Problems in Psychiatric and Mental Health Care), they will be enrolled in a NURU 699 Independent Practicum for Clinical Hours completion (0 credits) and required to pay a Continuing Clinical Practicum fee, per each course and session, until the student receives a “P” in the specialty clinical course or until the student’s seven year program completion timeline has expired.

Family /Individual Across the Lifespan Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Specialty Courses       

NURU 603Advanced Health Assessment Across the Lifespan and Cultures3
NURU 605Advanced Pathophysiology across the Lifespan3
NURU 606Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics Across the Lifespan3
NURU 610Synthesis of Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) Professional Role3
NURU 671Foundations of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice3
NURU 672Management of Common and Acute Problems in Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Care3
NURU 673Practicum in Common and Acute Problems in Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Care (255 hours) *^^3
NURU 674Management of Complex and Chronic Problems in Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Care3
NURU 675Practicum in Complex and Chronic Problems in Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Care (255 hours) *^^3
Total Credits27

*Students in these courses are required to attend a virtual Immersion.

^^If a student does not complete the required 255 clinical hours during the initial specialty course clinical session/s (NURU 673 Practicum in Common and Acute Problems in Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Care and NURU 675 Practicum in Complex and Chronic Problems in Family/Individual Across the Lifespan Care) , they will be enrolled in a NURU 699 Independent Practicum for Clinical Hours completion (0 credits) and required to pay a Continuing Clinical Practicum fee, per each course and session, until the student receives a “P” in the specialty clinical course or until the student’s seven year program completion timeline has expired.