In concert with the Georgia College & State University liberal arts mission, the School of Nursing is committed to the formation of nurse leaders to engage in evidence-based practice, lifelong learning, and civic participation in a health information intensive environment through the development and mastery of clinical reasoning, professional nursing skills, and values. The DNP program educates graduate nursing professionals as clinical leaders who improve the delivery of healthcare through evidence-based practice.
The DNP program at Georgia College & State University offers two distinct curricular pathways. The BSN to DNP track is tailored for individuals holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) who wish to obtain a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) while simultaneously completing requirements that would make them eligible to take certification exams as a Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, or Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. This program is three years (9 semesters) of full-time study. Part-time options will be available beginning with the 2025 admissions.
The post-graduate DNP (MSN to DNP) track is designed for nurses who already possess a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and provides them with the opportunity to pursue a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) to further advance their expertise in the field. These postgraduate DNP students also have the opportunity to add additional credentials by adding courses that would make them eligible to take certification exams for Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, or Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner. The program can be completed in five semesters of full-time study; however, program duration and course requirements would depend on an individualized review of transcripts. Part-time options will be available beginning with the 2025 admissions.
why study the DNP at Georgia College & State University?
The DNP program, founded on analytic principles and evidence-based practice at the highest organizational level, prepares students to lead healthcare innovations and influence policy. At Georgia College & State University, you will forge your intellectual path. The program provides abundant opportunities for collaborative endeavors, presents intellectually stimulating challenges for study, and upholds a longstanding tradition of rigorous scholarly pursuits. The curriculum culminates in an intense DNP translational research project defined by your interests and based on your practice. You will address significant problems in real-time and in your practice setting. This project provides an opportunity for the student to apply advanced theoretical policy and specialty knowledge and skills in clinical practice and systems-level experiences.
DNP Program Outcomes
Translate, integrate, and apply evidence from nursing science and the arts, humanities, and other sciences into advanced specialty clinical practice.
Establish a caring relationship with the individual that demonstrates effective communication, assessment, and diagnostic skills to develop a holistic plan of care which applies current and emerging evidence and ensures accountability throughout the healthcare continuum.
Advocate for social justice, equity in healthcare, and the protection of public health through leading redesign of regulatory, legislative, and public policy.
Engage in the generation, synthesis, translation, application, and dissemination of nursing knowledge to improve health and transform healthcare.
Demonstrate the use of established and emerging quality and safety principles as core values of nursing practice to enhance quality and minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance.
Facilitate intentional collaboration across professions and with care team members, patients, families, communities, and other stakeholders to optimize care, enhance the healthcare experience, and strengthen outcomes.
Effectively respond to and lead within complex systems of healthcare utilizing multidisciplinary collaboration to create effective healthcare delivery systems.
Demonstrate informatics and healthcare technology competencies to enhance outcomes for clients and populations.
Demonstrate formation and cultivation of a sustainable, ethical professional nursing identity, accountability, perspective, collaborative disposition, and behavior that reflects nursing’s characteristics and values.
Demonstrate a commitment to participation in activities and self-reflection that foster personal health, resilience, and well-being, lifelong learning, and support the acquisition of nursing expertise and assertion of leadership.
All graduate (MSN, BSN to DNP) and postgraduate (MSN to DNP, post-graduate certificate) students are required to attend an on-campus onboarding and orientation during the first semester of classes. During this time students will meet their faculty and fellow students and be provided with training that supports and encourages successful completion of the program. Examples of topics that are covered include but are not limited to how to use the library system, how to connect to your online classroom, how to navigate the online learning system, how to meet virtually with classmates and faculty outside of class time, how to develop an electronic portfolio, how to ensure your technology is up to date for class meetings.
To enhance the practical learning experience and ensure comprehensive skill development, students enrolled in our BSN to DNP program will be required to participate in on-campus labs and simulations approximately once per semester, with the duration spanning between 1 to 3 days. These hands-on sessions are designed to provide students with valuable opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world scenarios, fostering a deeper understanding of the subject matter. Students will be notified of specific dates well in advance of the required campus visits.
How will I attend classes?
Didactic classes are held on Thursdays and are structured in a variety of formats aimed at engaging the learner and making learning possible for all students.
Class formats include:
Synchronous – Interactive live lecture and discussion held in an online environment at the time designated in your course list.
Asynchronous – online modules and recorded lectures that can be accessed on your schedule.
It is reasonable to assume that your courses will be synchronous online unless otherwise indicated by your instructor.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice program accepts degree-seeking students once per year. The application deadlines are located in the table below. Please note that students MUST first be accepted to the University Graduate School (Graduate Admissions Application Window) before they can apply to the School of Nursing (SON Application Window). Classes begin in the summer semester and students are admitted as a cohort and progress through the program together. The Graduate Admissions link is found on the right side of this page. Once admitted to the University, students will receive instructions about application to the School of Nursing and the program.
Please note that for Summer 2025, we are only accepting applications for the Nurse Educator and Professional Enrichment programs. All other MSN and DNP program cohorts are now full, and we are no longer accepting applications for these programs.
However, applications for our Summer 2026 cohort across all MSN and DNP programs will open on July 15, 2025. Admissions are limited to the most qualified applicants.
Graduate Admissions Application Window
SON Application Window
Student Notification (as approved by SON Grad Committee)*
Early Admission
July 15-Nov. 1
No later than Nov. 15
No later than Dec. 15
Regular Admission
Nov. 1 - Jan. 15
No later than Feb. 1
No later than Feb. 15
Late Admission (only if spaces remain)
Jan. 15 - March 15
No later than March 15
No later than April 1
*Students have two weeks to accept the offer of admission once notified of acceptance.
Eligibility Criteria
Educational Requirements
A baccalaureate degree in nursing from an Accredited Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program (completion before the first day of class).
A grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale for the last 60 undergraduate hours required in the nursing major.
Successful completion of an undergraduate-level statistics course.
Students applying to the post-graduate DNP program must also provide proof of a master’s of science degree in nursing from an Accredited Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) accredited program.
Licensure Requirements
A current unencumbered Georgia RN License or Compact License that permits practice in the state of Georgia.
For those just graduating, you MUST obtain a license before the end of the first semester of the BSN to DNP program.
Practice Requirements
At least one full year of full-time clinical practice is required before a student can begin precepted clinical courses.
Application Criteria
Must first pay the application fee and apply to the Graduate Programs at Georgia College & State University.
Once admitted to Georgia College & State University, instructions for applying to the School of Nursing will be sent you the email address you provided. The SON application will include the following:
Three letters of reference from professionals who can speak to the applicant’s experience and potential for success in graduate studies
Official transcripts from all previous colleges/universities attended.
Current resume or curriculum vitae
Copy of the Georgia RN license or Compact RN license
Participate in an in-person, online, or recorded interview.
The undergraduate nursing program at Georgia College & State University has full approval from the Georgia Board of Nursing (237 Coliseum Dr., Macon, GA 31217-3858; Phone: 478-207-2440). The BSN, MSN, and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs are fully accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (655 K Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC, 20001, 202-887-6791). The nursing program at Georgia College & State University was previously accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.
Dr. Copeland received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice (DNP) degree in 2013 and was awarded the Outstanding DNP student for her cohort. She holds degrees from Western Carolina University and Georgia College. She has taught undergraduate and graduate nursing courses since 1998. Her research work includes Magnet hospital, nursing research, informatics, and clinical practice guidelines. She has authored and co-authored nursing journal articles, presented her research at national and international venues, and lobbied at the local, state, and national levels for health care issues. Dr. Copeland also serves as the Volunteer Coordinator for Doctors of Nursing Practice, Inc.
