CLINTON, Miss. (WJTV) – The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) has given Stage Two approval for three Doctor of Nursing Practice tracks at the Mississippi Christian University (MC) School of Nursing. According to the university, the approval will allow MC to admit students into its August 2026 cohort of the fully online programs.
Kelly Harden, professor of nursing and dean of the MC School of Nursing, said there is a growing need for nurse educators and healthcare leaders to meet the demands of an evolving healthcare system.
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“While research-focused doctoral programs are essential, they do not align with the career goals of all nurses. The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree provides an alternative doctoral pathway that emphasizes the translation and application of research into clinical practice, quality improvement, healthcare innovation and leadership,” said Harden. “By preparing nurses to implement evidence-based solutions and assume leadership and faculty roles, the DNP helps address critical shortages of nurse educators and nursing leaders while improving healthcare outcomes.”
She said a doctoral degree is the preferred qualification for nurse educators and is commonly required for those teaching in graduate nursing programs.
Doctor of Nursing Practice Tracks:
- The DNP-Nurse Executive Leadership track is offered to students with a baccalaureate degree and who seek a nurse leadership degree at the doctoral level.
- The DNP-Nurse Educator track is offered to students with a baccalaureate degree who seek a doctoral-level nurse educator degree.
- The post-graduate DNP track is offered to students with a master’s degree in nursing who seek a doctoral degree without a new certification.
To enter any of the programs, nurses with a baccalaureate degree must have a 2.50 GPA, and nurses with a master’s degree must have a 3.0 GPA in their graduate-level courses; a license to practice in Mississippi or the state in which they will be doing their clinical training and must pass a background check and drug screening…