Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Educational Leadership
Pursue a DNP in Educational Leadership to Improve Patient Outcomes
The Doctor of Nursing Practice degree with an Emphasis in Educational Leadership consists of the full DNP program and offers the opportunity to take three additional courses that focus on the role of the educator. These courses emphasize teaching strategies, curriculum development and student assessments. Becoming an education-oriented nurse leader will improve the future of healthcare delivery by inspiring and preparing the next generation of nurses.
This DNP in Educational Leadership empowers graduates to initiate evidence-based practice strategies that enhance health care and improve patient outcomes. Offered by the College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, the DNP with an emphasis in educational leadership emphasizes teaching strategies, curriculum development, student assessments and also prepares you to collaborate with other disciplines in analyzing and conducting research to improve healthcare outcomes.
The DNP with an emphasis in educational leadership is ideal for MSN-prepared nurses who wish to progress to the pinnacle of their profession. Students gain advanced knowledge in many core competencies like leadership, informatics, patient outcomes, sustainable change and scientific underpinnings as they explore nursing science and health care research. The synthesis and application of advanced knowledge from evidence-based principles is essential in advancing education and obtaining optimal patient outcomes.
As a private Christian university, GCU encourages students to apply the Christian worldview and its concept of leadership. Nurse leaders benefit from examining values-based worldviews and their influence on patient care across different cultures.
For more information on the accreditation of nursing programs and other university approvals, please visit our University Accreditation and Regulations page.
Serve in a Clinical or Academic Setting at the Highest Level
GCU seeks to graduate nurse leaders who possess high-level knowledge applicable to a clinical or academic setting. Graduates will be prepared to serve as ethical, forward-thinking advocates for their profession. Students are encouraged to keep their professional responsibility in mind as both nurses and educators to further the common good. The program encourages participants to work toward better health care systems and processes, which in turn improve the health and wellbeing of patient populations.
Learn to Shape Health Care Systems With a DNP in Educational Leadership
Completion of the full DNP program with added concepts and competencies of educational leadership delivers knowledge and skillsets that are both broad in scope and in-depth in nature. Courses such as Curriculum Design and Assessment, Facilitation of Learning in Nursing Education and Health Care Informatics enhance the nurse leader’s role as an educator in the following areas:
- The use of information technology to evaluate care systems, outcomes of care and programs of care in light of industry standards and ethical, regulatory and legal principles
- The selection of content and instructional strategies based on diverse student needs
- Instructional strategies and methods grounded in evidence-based practice that facilitate learning
- Designing, evaluating and improving educational programs with a focus on the regulatory and accrediting body requirements
For completion of the practice immersion hours and the Direct Practice Improvement (DPI) project, students must have access to a clinical site. Students must additionally complete practicum hours during three education-specific courses. These practicum hours may be completed at an academic or clinical site. Practicum hours are not applied toward the DPI project and are in addition to the required immersion hours. A university counselor or student services counselor can provide more information.
Pursue an Education-Focused Career in Health Care by Earning Your DNP in Educational Leadership
Graduates with a doctorate in nursing practice with an emphasis in educational leadership possess the advanced knowledge and clinical skills necessary to successfully lead nursing teams, inspire positive change in health care organizations and improve patient outcomes. A Doctor of Nursing Practice with an Emphasis in Educational Leadership may prepare graduates to become nurse education leaders who design and implement programs for workforce development, centers for nursing excellence and nursing education partnerships and academic institutions.
Some graduates with a DNP with an emphasis in educational leadership may transition to academic settings. Graduates may work directly with the next generation of nurse leaders or inspire excellence from a nursing education administration position.
GCU alumni enrolling in a doctoral program for the first time may be eligible for a $2,000 scholarship.§
§ MOU-Alumni 2000 Doctoral-Oct2023: The Alumni Scholarship for Doctoral Programs is only valid for those applicants who submit a complete application and begin a Doctoral program in October 2023. This scholarship cannot be used in conjunction with any other GCU scholarship or awards and only applies to online and evening programs. Please speak to a university counselor for complete details.
Time to Completion and Dissertation Process
To learn more about time to completion and the dissertation process at GCU, visit our doctoral page.
Core Courses
Course Description
This course introduces learners to the skills and mindset necessary for success on the doctoral journey. These skills include critical thinking and analysis, navigating resources, academic writing for the doctoral level, identifying and understanding scholarly research, and the role of the practitioner-scholar.
Course Description
This course provides the foundations for using information systems/technology to support and improve patient care and health care systems. The course is designed to provide the tools needed to manage individual and aggregate level information and use information systems/technology to evaluate programs of care, outcomes of care, and care systems using industry standards and related ethical, regulatory, and legal principles. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice. Prerequisite: DNP-801A.
Course Description
Advanced nursing practice requires practice expertise and specialized knowledge in making diagnostic and practice management decisions. This science-based course gives learners insight into emerging areas of human health to improve health outcomes and establish programs of clinical excellence and emphasizes guidance and coaching of individuals and families through developmental, health-illness, and situational transitions from a holistic perspective. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice. Prerequisite: DNP-805A.
Course Description
This course creates a base for the application of science into advanced nursing practice and includes philosophical, ethical, and historical foundations. Nursing science frames the development of theories and concepts to guide nursing practice and determine the nature and significance of health and health care delivery phenomena. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice in the DNP Practice Immersion Workspace. Practice immersion hours: Learners are required to document a minimum of 50 practice hours (25 direct and 25 indirect) in association with this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 100. Prerequisite: DNP-810A.
Course Description
This course focuses on a core set of skills and knowledge application activities related to the translation of research into practice, the evaluation of practice, and improvement of health care outcomes. Learners examine evidence to guide improvements in practice and outcomes of care. Literature reviews focus on gaps or tensions in the translation of research into practice. Ethical considerations are also examined in the context of health care research. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice. Prerequisite: DNP-815A.
Course Description
This course examines ideas that promote understanding of aggregate, community, environmental/occupational, and cultural/socioeconomic dimensions of health. Learners analyze epidemiological, biostatistical, occupational, and environmental data in the development, implementation, and evaluation of clinical prevention and population health. Evidence-based recommendations for health promotion and risk reduction for individuals and families and concepts of public health are emphasized. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice. Prerequisite: DNP-820A.
Course Description
This course prepares learners to develop effective strategies to ensure safety and quality health care for patients and populations and includes evaluation of health care outcomes. Learners engage in inquiry into the state of health care delivery, patient-centered care, sustainable change, and ethical principles surrounding practice. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice in the DNP Practice Immersion Workspace. Prerequisite: DNP-825A.
Course Description
This course explores the role of the nurse educator in higher education settings with specific emphasis on effective methods of facilitating learning and fostering critical thinking skills in diverse student populations. Learners are introduced to instructional strategies and methods grounded in evidence-based practice and learning theory and engage in the selection of appropriate strategies to facilitate learning. Learners also consider the effective integration of technology and simulation into teaching practice. Learners are expected to integrate the educational leadership competencies through completion of education practicum hours during this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 50. Prerequisite: DNP-810A.
Course Description
This course focuses on curriculum design and assessment of student learning outcomes in nursing education. Learners examine best practices for curriculum development, including performing needs assessments, writing learning objectives, and creating formative and summative assessments. Learners also consider selection of content and instructional strategies based on diverse student needs and collecting and employing assessment data to improve teaching and learning outcomes. Learners are expected to integrate the educational leadership competencies through completion of education practicum hours during this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 50. Prerequisite: DNP-836A.
Course Description
In this course, learners examine issues related to nursing program development within the complex and highly regulated environment of nursing education. With a focus on regulatory and accrediting bodies, learners determine the best methods for designing, evaluating, and improving nursing education programs in order to meet the diverse needs of industry and other stakeholders. Learners also explore leadership issues in nursing education and the professional development and scholarly obligations of the nurse educator-scholar in the academic community. Learners are expected to integrate the educational leadership competencies through completion of education practicum hours during this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 50. Prerequisite: DNP-837A.
Course Description
Advanced nursing practice requires political skills, systems thinking, and the business and financial insight needed for the analysis of practice quality and costs related to caring for the needs of a panel of patients, a target population, a set of populations, or a broad community. Learners conceptualize new interprofessional care delivery models that are based in contemporary nursing science and that are feasible within current organizational, political, cultural, and economic perspectives. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice in the DNP Practice Immersion Workspace. Practicum hours must include a minimum of 25 direct and a minimum of 25 indirect logged and approved practice hours in association with this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 100. Prerequisite: DNP-835A.
Course Description
This course focuses on the analysis of data that is grounded in clinical practice and designed to solve practice problems or to inform practice directly. It emphasizes the use of analytic methods to critically appraise gathered evidence to determine and implement the best evidence for practice. Learners also learn to disseminate findings from evidence-based practice and research to improve health care outcomes. Learners are expected to integrate and synthesize core program competencies and specialty practice requirements necessary to demonstrate proficiency in advanced nursing practice. Practicum hours must include a minimum of 25 direct and a minimum of 25 indirect logged and approved practice hours in association with this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 125. Prerequisite: DNP-840A.
Course Description
Learners finalize an issue in health care that will become the basis of an evidence-based research project to be carried out prior to completion of the doctoral program. Learners leave this course with a project goal/topic, a literature review, a proposed methodology, and a clear description of how addressing the issue presented will improve patient care. A project proposal is written in preparation for the Institutional Review Board (IRB) review. Learners are required to plan and document their learning goals and activities using the DPI Project Milestone Guide. Learners also continue work as necessary in the DNP Practice Immersion Workspace to ensure that all programmatic requirements have been met. Practicum hours must include a minimum of 75 direct and a minimum of 50 indirect logged and approved practice hours in association with this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: DNP-830A.
Course Description
Learners submit a project for approval to the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Once IRB approval is obtained, the learner conducts the project. Data are appropriately gathered for future analysis to determine if the practice investigated in the project brought about improved outcomes. Learners are required to plan and document their learning goals and activities using the DPI Project Milestone Guide. Learners also continue work as necessary in the DNP Practice Immersion Workspace to ensure that all programmatic requirements have been met. Practicum hours must include a minimum of 75 direct and a minimum of 50 indirect logged and approved practice hours in association with this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: DNP-955A.
Course Description
Data gathered during the project is analyzed and evaluated to determine the outcomes garnered by the project. A proposal for dissemination and mass implementation is created. Learners identify areas of future research and practice change for the continued improvement of health care. Learners are required to plan and document their learning goals and activities using the DPI Project Milestone Guide. Learners also continue work as necessary in the DNP Practice Immersion Workspace to ensure that all programmatic requirements have been met. Practicum hours must include a minimum of 50 direct and a minimum of 50 indirect logged and approved practice hours in association with this course. Practicum/field experience hours: 225. Prerequisite: DNP-960A.
Pursue a next-generation education with an online degree from Grand Canyon University. Earn your degree with convenience and flexibility with online courses that let you study anytime, anywhere.
Grand Canyon University’s evening programs cater to the demands of working professionals who prefer an in-person learning environment. Our night classes meet just once per week and offer the interaction and discussion of a typical college classroom.
* Please note that this list may contain programs and courses not presently offered, as availability may vary depending on class size, enrollment and other contributing factors. If you are interested in a program or course listed herein please first contact your University Counselor for the most current information regarding availability.
* Please refer to the Academic Catalog for more information. Programs or courses subject to change.