The DNP Nurse Executive Pathway is a practice-focused terminal degree to prepare graduates to practice at the highest level in executive leadership positions in healthcare.
Graduates of the Nurse Executive Pathway focus on leading the provision of health care to populations and communities with an emphasis on improving quality and access to health services for diverse populations and are prepared to assume executive positions to address critical health system issues.
The curriculum is offered in a distance accessible format that combines core courses offered via an online platform with required on-campus intensives (4-5 days each) in the first, fourth and sixth semesters.
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Program Information
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Admission Requirements
Prospective students must meet the following requirements for admission:
- Evidence of an unencumbered and unrestricted licensed as a registered nurse.
- A master’s degree in nursing (nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nursing administration, clinical nurse leader, nursing informatics, or nurse anesthetist) or a master’s degree in business or health administration with a health emphasis.
- Have at least 3 years of mid-level leadership with preference given to executive level leadership.
- Aim for future health-related executive roles.
- A graduate GPA of at least 3.0 overall (based on a 4.0 scale) or in the last 60 hours of earned credit.
- Submission of an official transcript from every college or university ever attended.
- Transcripts may be mailed or emailed electronically by the issuing institution to the UAB Graduate School. Transcripts may be emailed to gradschool@uab.edu or mailed to UAB Graduate School, LHL G03, 1720 2nd Ave. South, Birmingham, AL 35294-0013.
- Submission of two favorable evaluations by persons who have knowledge of the applicant’s potential for success in graduate nursing studies and executive leadership; these evaluations are to be completed using the evaluation form.
- Submission of a personal goal statement that is congruent with the Pathway for Nurse Executives goals (300 words or less).
- Submission of a letter of endorsement from a leader in a health organization supporting potential for high-level executive success.
- A scholarly writing sample.
- Resume/CV
- A personal interview either face-to-face or by phone.
- If admitted to the DNP program, students must show proof of completion of a descriptive statistics course, equivalent to UAB’s MA-180, before starting the program.
- Upon admission, a GAP analysis will be performed to determine if the didactic content (coursework) and the 500 clinical or administrative practicum hours according to your advance specialty track required for entry into the Post-MSN to DNP pathway have been met. If not, appropriate bridge coursework may be added to the program of study.
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State Regulations Governing Distance Programs
Out-of-state applicants to any of our distance-accessible programs should become familiar with their state’s regulations governing distance accessible programs. Prospective students residing in states other than Alabama should contact their state’s Board of Nursing and Department of Education for specific rules and regulations pertaining to students enrolled in out-of-state programs and are planning to conduct UABSON distance education in their home state. Only those students who reside in Alabama or those states where the UAB School of Nursing programs are available will be eligible to receive an offer of admission.
More information is available at the State Approval Website for Online Degree Programs at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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Application for Admission/Application Deadlines
Application Deadlines
Entry Date: Spring 2026Deadline: October 15, 2025To Start the Application Process
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Program of Study
Students are expected to follow the program of study1
Year One - Spring Term NEX 710Q Evidence-Based Healthcare Improvement 3 hours NEX 702Q Executive Coaching 2 hours NEX 703Q Scientific Underpinnings for Executive Practice 3 hours Immersion Session 4 days Year One - Summer Term NEX 712Q Healthcare Program Implementation and Evaluation Methods for Organizational Improvement 6 hours NEX 711Q Policy Perspectives for Executive Leadership 3 hours Year One - Fall Term NEX 702Q Executive Coaching 2 hours NEX 704Q Healthcare Technologies, Innovations & Analytics 5 hours Year Two - Spring Term NEX 705Q Healthcare Finance Strategies 3 hours NEX 739Q Executive Project Execution and Evaluation 2 hour Immersion Session 4 days Year Two - Summer Term NEX 708Q Strategic Leadership for Healthcare Transformation 3 hours NEX 739Q Executive Project Execution and Evaluation 2 hour NEX 707Q Executive Fellowship (120 clinical hours) 2 hours Year Two - Fall Term NEX 709Q Population Health for Healthcare Transformation 3 hours NEX 739Q Executive Project Execution and Evaluation (360 clinical hours for completing 6 credit hours throughout program) 2 hours NEX 702Q Executive Coaching (360 clinical hours for completing 6 credit hours throughout program) 2 hours Immersion Session 4 days Total 43 hours NEX 739Q Executive Project Execution and Evaluation (Minimum of 6 credits before graduating) 1Program of study is subject to change.
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DNP Program Outcomes
Upon completion of the DNP Program, students will be able to:
- Design care delivery models to guide entry level and advanced nursing practice based on the translation of scientific evidence.
- Translate scientific, theoretical, and ethical principles into healthcare for individuals, families, and populations.
- Assume complex leadership roles to advance clinical practice and healthcare delivery at the organizational and systems level and to improve health outcomes of individuals and populations.
- Disseminate evidence and outcomes to support high-quality healthcare delivery and ongoing scholarly nursing practice.
- Contribute to a culture of patient and provider quality and safety within the healthcare environment.
- Assume complex leadership roles including social and financial responsibilities within interprofessional teams to advance nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
- Demonstrate social and financial responsibilities within health related organizational systems.
- Appraise informatics and emerging technologies to improve healthcare delivery.
- Demonstrate an evolving professional identity that maximizes contributions to the advancement of the nursing profession and organizational systems.
- Develop continuous self-assessment behaviors that enhance personal and professional growth and capacity for leadership.
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Tuition and Fees
The following tuition and fees are valid for the 2024-2025 academic year. Tuition and fees and are SUBJECT TO CHANGE annually based on approval from the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and/or university.
The estimates below are based on the costs listed at the UAB Office of Planning and Analysis website.
Each student’s costs will vary depending upon a number of factors including state of residence, the number of credits taken in a semester, or whether the student attends class live or through a distance-accessible format. Fees vary by program and course.
Tuition and Fees
UAB School of Nursing 2024-2025Resident
Charge ($)Non-resident
Charge ($)DNP Coursework (in classroom per semester hour) 610 1,505 DNP Coursework (distance-accessible format per semester hour) 702 702 Fees - UAB School of Nursing Cost ($) Educational Support and Technology Fee (per course) 235 Other Related Expenses (Estimated) Cost ($) Travel/Lodging for Attending Annual On-Campus DNP Intensive (annual estimate) 800 Books and supplies (estimate per term) 600 Student Hospitalization Insurance Fee (estimate per month) 1 270 Background Check (annual estimate) 92 1 Estimate based on one student. May be waived with documented proof of equal or greater coverage. -
Funding Your Education
University Scholarships and Financial Aid
Information on Financial Aid, University Scholarships and other funding opportunities are available on UAB's Cost & Aid website.
UAB School of Nursing Scholarships
The UAB School of Nursing offers many scholarships, both need and merit based, to support nursing students across all programs. Scholarships are awarded twice a year, during the spring and fall semesters and requires just one application to be considered for all undergraduate or graduate scholarships. For more information or to start the scholarship application process, visit the SON Scholarship Application webpage.
Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships
There are a limited number of Graduate Fellowships and Traineeships that are awarded through the UAB School of Nursing that require students to meet specific requirements, and are only awarded when funds are available. When such funds are available in a particular program, students enrolled in the program will be notified and provided information on how to apply. Contact Katrina Staffney (email: KatrinaStaffney@uab.edu), for more information.
Information SheetNurse Faculty Loan
Federal Nurse Faculty Loan Funds are available to MSN students who intend to assume a faculty position in a school of nursing upon completion of the degree. These funds are limited to payment of tuition and fees and other reasonable educational expenses. Contact JoeAnn Kennedy (email: joeann@uab.edu), for more information.
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Information for International Students
NOTE: Prospective International students must first contact UAB International Admissions to determine eligibility to study in the U.S. and/or submit an application for admission to UAB.
The table below provides information on eligibility requirements for the DNP Program.
MSN-DNP F1 or J1 Visa Acceptable Not eligible for this program College Degree (MSN Equivalent or higher) Required Foreign Transcripts Evaluated Required English Proficiency Required Graduate Record Exam (GRE) Required Licensure as a Registered Nurse in the U.S. Required Application Requirements
- Prospective students must have a master’s degree in nursing equivalent to that offered by a U.S. regionally accredited educational institution.
- For Graduate Clinical Programs such as the Masters of Science in Nursing (MSN) Program, prospective students must also be licensed as a registered nurse in the U.S., in the state in which they will reside while completing the program.
- International applicants must, as part of their application, provide a detailed course by course evaluation of their academic transcripts and verification of their academic credentials. Students may use one of the following firms for transcript evaluation; a report of the evaluation must be submitted directly to the UAB School of Nursing prior to admission decisions.
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53203-3470 USA
Website: www.ece.org - World Education Services
Bowling Green Station
P.O. Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087 USA
Website: www.wes.org
- Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
- Applicants must have a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale on prior college/university course work.
- Applicants must complete and submit their scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as part of the application process. If the GRE was completed prior to application, only scores completed within the previous 5 years are accepted.
- Completion of a formal admission interview.
- Meet English language requirements. Students must submit scores on Tests of English Language (TOEFL or IELTS) and achieve the following minimum scores:
- TOEFL iBT 80 and minimum of 18 in each of the 4 test sections, or
- IELTS 6.5 and minimum of 6.0 in at least 2 of the 4 test sections.
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