Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist with Oncology Specialty (DNP)
As of Fall 2026, this program is no longer accepting applicants.
The Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role provides leadership for best practice initiatives and cost- effective quality improvement.
Clinical Nurse Specialists possess the advanced knowledge and skills to coordinate quality care practices across three spheres of impact: patient care, nursing personnel, and the health care system. The role may include direct patient care, as well as consultation, systems leadership, research, ethical decision-making, and advocacy.
The oncology specialty preparation in the Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track provides the graduate with advanced oncology knowledge and skills to care for patients and their families across the cancer care continuum.
Related Programs
Curriculum
The Adult-Gerontology CNS program can be completed fully online, allowing students to complete their clinical practicum hours at a site close to home. This program is 63 credit hours for the Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist track and 12 credit hours for the Oncology Specialty preparation. Six credit hours of practicum requirements are used to meet both the clinical nurse specialist requirements and the oncology specialization requirements. The program is 69 credit hours total.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Courses | ||
| GNUR 404 | Theories & Concepts for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 405 | Introductory Statistics for Healthcare Professionals | 3 |
| GNUR 407 | Social Justice and Ethics in Health Care | 3 |
| GNUR 408 | Research for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 420 | Leadership and Roles in Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 521 | Population-Focused Health | 3 |
| GNUR 523 | Health Care Policy and Economics | 3 |
| GNUR 545 | Evidence Translation for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| Role (CNS) Courses | ||
| CMAN 425 | Advanced Quality and Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| GNUR 413 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| GNUR 425 | Advanced Health Assessment Across the LifeSpan | 4 |
| GNUR 442 | Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology | 3 |
| Population (Adult-Gerontology) Courses | ||
| MSN 447 | CNS Practice Across the Adult Age Spectrum | 3 |
| GNUR 534 | Advanced Practice Nursing Care of Older Adults | 2 |
| Oncology Specialty Courses | ||
| GNUR 551 | Cancer Care: Cancer Biology and Epidemiology | 3 |
| GNUR 553 | Cancer Care: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches | 3 |
| GNUR 555 | Cancer Care: Palliative/Supportive Management | 3 |
| Project Courses | ||
| GNUR 570 | DNP Scholarly Project: Planning | 1 |
| GNUR 571 | DNP Scholarly Project: Proposal and Pre-Implementation | 2 |
| GNUR 572 | DNP Scholarly Project: Project Implementation | 2 |
| GNUR 573 | DNP Scholarly Project: Analysis and Dissemination | 1 |
| Practicum | 12 | |
| Cancer Care Advanced Practice Practicum | ||
| Clinical Practicum for Advanced Practice in the CNS role | ||
| Total Hours | 69 | |
Clinical Experience
A minimum of 2,000 hours of recent clinical practice experience is required before entering the first APRN clinical rotation. Students must have an RN license before they begin their clinical experiences/practicums.
Suggested Sequence of Courses
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | |
| GNUR 404 | Theories & Concepts for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| GNUR 408 | Research for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 407 | Social Justice and Ethics in Health Care | 3 |
| GNUR 521 | Population-Focused Health | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Summer | ||
| GNUR 420 | Leadership and Roles in Advanced Nursing Practice | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| GNUR 405 | Introductory Statistics for Healthcare Professionals | 3 |
| GNUR 442 | Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 413 | Advanced Pharmacology | 3 |
| GNUR 425 | Advanced Health Assessment Across the LifeSpan | 4 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| CMAN 425 | Advanced Quality and Safety in Health Care | 3 |
| GNUR 523 | Health Care Policy and Economics | 3 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| GNUR 534 | Advanced Practice Nursing Care of Older Adults | 2 |
| GNUR 551 | Cancer Care: Cancer Biology and Epidemiology | 3 |
| MSN 447 | CNS Practice Across the Adult Age Spectrum | 3 |
| MSN 510 | Clinical Practicum for Advanced Practice in the CNS role 1 | 2 |
| Hours | 10 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 545 | Evidence Translation for Advanced Clinical Practice | 3 |
| MSN 510 | Clinical Practicum for Advanced Practice in the CNS role 1 | 2 |
| Hours | 5 | |
| Summer | ||
| GNUR 570 | DNP Scholarly Project: Planning | 1 |
| MSN 510 | Clinical Practicum for Advanced Practice in the CNS role 1 | 2 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| GNUR 555 | Cancer Care: Palliative/Supportive Management | 3 |
| GNUR 571 | DNP Scholarly Project: Proposal and Pre-Implementation | 2 |
| GNUR 560 | Cancer Care Advanced Practice Practicum 2 | 2 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Spring | ||
| GNUR 553 | Cancer Care: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Approaches | 3 |
| GNUR 560 | Cancer Care Advanced Practice Practicum 2 | 2 |
| GNUR 572 | DNP Scholarly Project: Project Implementation | 2 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Summer | ||
| GNUR 573 | DNP Scholarly Project: Analysis and Dissemination | 1 |
| GNUR 560 | Cancer Care Advanced Practice Practicum 2 | 2 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 69 | |
- 1
Taken multiple times for a total of 12 credits.
- 2
Taken multiple times for a total of 6 credits.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
Program Goal
The goal of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is to prepare nurses to assume advanced roles in direct care and systems leadership domains at the highest level of nursing to improve health care outcomes through practice-based scholarship.
Program Outcomes
At the completion of the DNP program, the graduate has the knowledge and skills to:
- Apply integrated scientific, knowledge and clinical judgements at the highest level of professional nursing practice.
- Evaluate health care delivery approaches and healthcare systems, with an emphasis on quality and safety.
- Apply best evidence in approaches to client and system-centered practices.
- Apply analytic approaches and information technology in the delivery and improvement of client-centered health care and health care systems.
- Employ ethics, leadership, and advocacy concepts to advance healthcare quality and equity for individuals, systems and populations.
- Implement intraprofessional and interprofessional leadership and collaboration competencies and methods, at the highest level of professional nursing practice in advancing health and health outcomes.