(Approved by CON Graduate Council April 2015)
INTRODUCTION
The DNP student is required to conduct a DNP project under the supervision of the DNP committee while enrolled in NURS 897. Enrollment in NURS 897 may begin upon completion of NURS 819.
PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy and procedure is to provide guidance for faculty and students in the DNP project defense process. This policy combines the policies of the Graduate School and the process approved by the College of Nursing Graduate Council.
POLICY
The DNP project (NURS 897 DNP Project Preparation) is the culmination of students’ study in the DNP program. The project is done under the supervision of two graduate faculty in the College of Nursing, one serves as the chair and one as the member. More individuals may be added if additional expertise is needed. This project is graded T/U and NURS 897 may be taken for variable credit (1-3). The College of Nursing does not allow a student to continue in the program with a grade of U in two semesters. Students must successfully defend the project proposal which serves as the written and oral comprehensive exam required by the Graduate School. The student must successfully defend the project and will not graduate until the DNP project committee approves the project.
APPROVAL OF THE DNP COMMITTEE AND PROJECT TOPIC
The Program Directors in conjunction with the CON Associate Dean for Academics shall approve the membership of the committee. After the DNP project committee has been selected, and there is acceptance of the topic, the student must complete the Approval of DNP Clinical Dissertation Project Approval Form (See Appendix G), which is to be signed by the committee members and the Graduate Director of the College of Nursing.
IMPLEMENTATION AND DOCUMENTATION OF THE DNP PROJECT PROPOSAL
The DNP proposal is implemented in the appropriate clinical setting which may be the same site in which the leadership residency is practiced. If appropriate, IRB (Institutional review board) approval(s) must be obtained prior to implementation, and the student works with Chair to submit for IRB approval. The written project must conform to the USC thesis guidelines and manuscript submission criteria as indicated in the NURS 897 course syllabus and according to the USC Graduate School criteria
http://www.gradschool.sc.edu/students/thesisdiss.asp?page=acad&sub=etd.
PROCEDURE FOR DNP PROPOSAL DEFENSE
1. Students select a chair and committee member and complete the DNP Project Committee Approval Form which is submitted to the Graduate Student Services Coordinator II (GSSC).
2. In consultation with the committee, students select a date for the proposal defense. Attendees at the proposal defense include student, DNP project committee, Associate Dean for Academics,
59
and Graduate Director. All attendees must receive the proposal at least 1 week before the proposal defense.
3. The student is expected to present a 15-20 minute PowerPoint presentation of current work and intended direction for future work.
4. The DNP project committee makes recommendations and determines if the student has successfully defended the proposal.
5. If successful, the DNP project committee chair contacts the GSSC who will create the appropriate memo to be sent to Graduate School indicating that the student has successfully passed the oral and written comprehensive exam. If unsuccessful, the student will receive a grade of U for the semester and repeat the process described above.
PROCEDURE FOR THE PUBLIC PROJECT DEFENSE
1. Project defense must be completed at least 30 days before the date of graduation. The Graduate School publishes the approved dates for defenses. Notice of defense must be completed on the Graduate School website at least 14 days before the defense.
2. After the DNP project committee indicates the student is ready to defend, the student contacts the GSSC to coordinate the date with the calendars of the Dean and Associate Dean for Academics.
The GSSC obtains the room and publicizes the defense.
3. Attendees at the DNP project defense are student; DNP project committee; College of Nursing Dean, Associate Dean, and faculty; the University family; and invited guests. The Dean and Associate Dean for Academics must receive a copy of the project at least 1 week before the defense.
4. Student presents a 20-30 minute PowerPoint presentation describing the DNP project and responds to questions from the audience.
5. The DNP project committee chair closes the discussion and asks the audience to leave. The defense process continues with the DNP project committee.
6. When questioning is completed, the student is asked to leave the room while the committee determines if the student has successfully defended the DNP project. The DNP project committee tells the student the decision.
7. If the student is successful, the GSSC submits the Dissertation Signature and Approval Form to the DNP project committee for signature and then forwards to Graduate School. If unsuccessful, the student will receive a grade of U for the semester and repeat the process above.
EVALUATION OF DNP PROJECT PREPARATION
The student’s DNP project committee will evaluate the student’s achievement of the course objectives or satisfactory progress toward the course objectives for each term in which the student enrolls for NURS 897 and assign a grade of “T” or “U” for the term. Two grades of U render the student ineligible to continue in the program.
SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF DNP PROJECT
When the committee is in agreement that the DNP project is complete, the DNP project committee signs the “Successful Completion of DNP Project” form.
COMMITTEE CHANGES AND /OR CHANGES IN THE DNP PROJECT PLAN
On occasion, students may find themselves in need of a new committee member because of faculty illness or because faculty have left their position at the University. In most cases, faculty who leaves the
University will not be able to continue on the committee. When the new committee member is the chairperson, there may be particular difficulties for the students since the new chairperson may have different expectations of the DNP project. If committee replacements become necessary, the student will
60
be required to file a new DNP Clinical Dissertation Project Approval Form (See Appendix G) signed by the new committee members and submitted for all the required college signatures.
CONFLICTS BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND THE COMMITTEE
Students and faculty are normally expected to resolve conflicts within the Committee. In the event of serious differences within the Committee, grievance channels are always open to students and/or committee members; however, a joint conference of the student and the committee may resolve differences of opinion. If necessary to reach a positive outcome, the student may need to name a new committee and begin again on the DNP project.
*Guidelines may be changed at anytime
61 APPENDIX G
DNP CLINICAL DISSERTATION PROJECT (NURS 821) OR (NURS 897) APPROVAL FORM
NURS 821 or 897 Attachment University of South Carolina
College of Nursing
__________________________, _________________ ________ _______________
Last Name First Name M.I. Student Number
_______________________________________, _________________ ___________
Street Address City, State Zip Code
Brief Description:
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Student Signature: ______________________________ Date: ________________
Approvals:
DNP Project Chairperson’s Signature Date
__________________________________ ________________________________
Committee Member Date Committee Member Date