DNE Coursework

Doctor of Nursing Education (DNE) Program Overview

The DNE Program curriculum will prepare expert nursing educators dedicated to teaching the didactic and clinical skills to prepare the next generation of nurses. It emphasizes teaching-learning in nursing, curriculum design and development related to nursing education and clinical practice, and nursing education assessment and evaluation not addressed in existing programs.  Other program foci, emblematic to the OSU CON, include evidence-based practice, innovation, health, wellness, and resilience.  The DNE program is distinct from the other two doctoral degree programs offered in the College of Nursing (CON): (1) PhD in Nursing that prepares nurse scientists to conduct original research to contribute to generalizable scientific knowledge; and, (2) Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP), a professional nursing practice program that prepares nurses to contribute to nursing and healthcare at the highest level of patient care (Clinical Expert Track) or leadership (Nurse Executive Track). The DNE program has been designed to prepare graduates to work collaboratively and synergistically with both PhD and DNP prepared nurses.

Course of Study

Types of coursework & Specialty tracks – The DNE program includes 44 credit hours of core coursework, including courses with immersion experiences, and 6 credit hours of specialization track coursework for a specialization in either academic nursing education or nursing professional development. The academic nursing education track is for those who seek to teach in academic nursing programs within colleges/schools of nursing to prepare nurses for clinical practice at all levels. The nursing professional development track is for those who seek to educate practicing professional nurses in health care environments to enhance healthcare outcomes.

Immersion experiences & Conflicts of interest – The DNE Program includes courses that include both didactic and practical or field experiences called immersions. Upon approval by their DNE faculty advisor and the DNE Subcommittee, the student will complete  immersion requirements at either an academic setting for the ANE track or a healthcare setting for the NPD track. The site selected may be at their place of employment; however, care must be taken to prevent actual or potential conflict of interest (COI) between graduate student and employee roles. A conflict of interest occurs when a student’s academic and employment interests may exert inappropriate influence on either or both roles. For example, a direct report supervisor may have employment-based requirements for a supervisee who is also a DNE student that may be inconsistent with the student’s academic goals or program requirements. Therefore, the student should have a preceptor who is not the student’s direct report supervisor within their place of employment.

Plans of Study/Program Length – The DNE program is designed to be completed full-time in five semesters (2 years) or part-time in eight semesters (3 years), regardless of specialization track.

Course Delivery Methods

Core coursework is offered using a variety of distance learning technologies, both synchronous and asynchronous. The majority of the DNE program uses a synchronous format, meaning you are required to be online at a certain day and time weekly.  However, elective coursework may or may not be available in a distance format.

Required Coursework

A list of required DNE coursework is below divided into categories of core didactic, core immersion/practicum, and track specialization.

Core Courses – Didactic

  • DNE 8780: Evidence-based Practice in Nursing Education and Professional Development (3 credits)
    • The student will learn evidence-based practice (EBP) and how to incorporate EBP in academic nursing education and nursing professional development (NPD). An emphasis on the steps of evidence-based practice will be utilized that is applicable to academic and practice settings. Students will select a topic in academic nursing education or NPD practice and build EBP synthesis tables that will serve to guide work on their capstone project throughout the program. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8115: Wellness and Resilience in Nursing Education and Professional Development (2 credits)
    • Includes an overview of the science of behavior change, dimensions of wellness, self-care, #Mindstrong, #mindbodystrong, resilience, and how to integrate these concepts with healthcare professionals and organizations as a leader. Incorporates methods to evaluate and create strategies for teaching and leading wellness and resilience in nursing education. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8480: Quality Improvement for the DNE-prepared Nurse (3 credits)
    • Concepts and principles of nursing scholarship methods and measurement for DNE level nursing practice. This course will assist the student to outline the steps for the DNE Capstone project proposal. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8441: Innovation in Nursing Practice and Education (3 credits)
    • This course will address the trends in healthcare initiatives as they pertain to best educational practices. The student will learn how innovation and technology may be utilized to address these initiatives. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8462: Publication and Grant Writing in Nursing Education (2 credits)
    • Provides an opportunity for socialization of students into doctoral work related to scholarly writing. This course will provide practical approaches for integrating and synthesizing theoretical content from previous or concurrent course work in the area of nursing education or special interest for publication. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8537: Assessment and Evaluation in Nursing Education and Professional Development (3 credits)
    • Principles and processes involved in assessment and evaluation of student learning, courses, curricula, program outcomes, and teaching practices. Also includes considerations of assessment and evaluation of registered nurses in the practice setting. Prerequisite: Successful completion of DNE 8538.
  • DNE 8193: Individual Studies (2 credits)
    • Advanced individual studies in selected areas for the DNE student. Prerequisite: DNE 8780, or permission of instructor.
    • Students must complete the enrollment form in Beacon with their advisor in order to enroll in this course.
    • Must be taken once in the program. May be taken more than once, as needed, as an elective.
  • DNE 8116: Personal and Professional Growth in Nursing Education (2 credits)
    • They will assess and evaluate leadership situations and persist using concepts and strategies, such as collaboration, communication, politics, team-building, and emotional intelligence. Includes assessment and consideration of workplace culture and principles of strategic planning. Prerequisite: Successful completion of DNE 8115.
  • DNE 8530: Instructional Strategies in Clinical Teaching (3 credits)
    • The primary focus of this course is the differentiation of best pedagogical practices for effective teaching in clinical settings. Prereq: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8491: Professional Development in Nursing Education in a Diverse Society (2 credits)
    • Students learn professional competencies in education and nursing professional development. Considerations of diversity in nursing education, nursing professional development, and health care, including cultural, religious, gender, LGBTQ, geographic, socioeconomic, generational, and political considerations. The student will learn the importance of organizational culture for sustainable change in a healthcare environment, education or practice. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8536: Principles of Instructional Design for Nurses (3 credits)
    • Theoretical and practical approaches to creation of learning experiences for nursing and health education with an emphasis on backward design and evidence-based instructional design strategies. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.

Core Courses with Immersion/Practicum Experiences (450 hours total clock hours)

  • DNE 8781: Evidence-based Teaching & Interprofessional Education in Nursing (3 credits)
    • The student will learn and apply evidence-based teaching strategies for interprofessional education (IPE) and interprofessional continuing education (IPCE) for all academic and practice settings. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
    • Course contains 1 credit didactic, plus 2 credits immersion/practicum = 75 clock hours
  • DNE 8538: Curriculum Design for Nurse Educators (3 credits)
    • Students learn alignment of the organization and program’s vision, mission, values, and goals to inform, design, and implement a nursing curriculum. Curriculum design includes incorporation of national standards and clinical considerations in the practice of nursing. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
    • Course contains 1 credit didactic, plus 2 credits immersion/practicum = 75 clock hours
  • DNE 8998.01: DNE Capstone Project (5 credits)
    • Student work in the program will culminate in a final capstone project. This course provides the student with supervised clinical experiences in context of DNE Capstone project implementation and evaluation. Prerequisites: Successful completion of DNE 8115, 8441, 8442, 8462, 8480, 8481, 8491, 8537, 8538, 8780, and 8781.
    • Course contains 1 credit didactic, plus 4 credits immersion/practicum = 150 clock hours
  • DNE 8998.02: DNE Capstone Project (5 credits)
    • Student work in the program will culminate in a final capstone project. This course provides the student with supervised clinical experiences in context of DNE Capstone project implementation and evaluation. Prerequisites: DNE 8898.01 and successful completion of the DNE Professional Examination.
    • Course contains 1 credit didactic, plus 4 credits immersion/practicum = 150 clock hours

Track/Specialization (choose one)

Nursing Professional Development (NPD) Courses

  • DNE 8442: Leading, Mentoring and Collaborative Partnerships in Nursing Professional Development (3 credits)
    • The student will learn the importance of organizational culture for sustainable change in a healthcare environment, education or practice. A detailed look at assessment and opportunities for creation of an effective system will be explored. Prerequisite: Successful completion of DNE 8441.
  • DNE 8481: Program Management for Nursing Professional Development Practitioners (3 credits)
    • Students will learn to develop, implement, and sustain effective programs that support organization’s mission, vision, and strategic goals, and the professional growth of the interprofessional healthcare teams and team members. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.

Academic Nursing Education (ANE) Courses

  • DNE 8500: Policy, Ethics and Legal Considerations in Nursing Education (3 credits)
    • Principles of policy-making at the institutional, local, state, and federal levels to influence policy change affecting nursing education and health care with incorporation of ethical and legal considerations. Role of regulation and legislation related to nursing education and practice. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.
  • DNE 8522: Design Thinking in Nursing Education (3 credits)
    • Students learn to solve problems based on evidence from outside their typical context. Exploration of design thinking in action will include exemplars inside and outside of healthcare. Application of design thinking to nursing education will be highlighted. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the DNE program, or permission of instructor.