Doctor of Nursing Practice Program Structure

There are two entry points for the DNP- post baccalaureate and postmaster’s in nursing. Students entering the DNP program with a master's degree as an APRN will receive advanced standing and be ready to complete the DNP program component.

Post-baccalaureate degree students will complete the master’s in science nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist program in one of the specialties (adult-gerontology primary care, adult gerontology acute care, family, pediatric, family psychiatry mental health) and attain state and national certification in that specialty. The master’s degree consists of 45-48 credits, depending upon the clinical track, and grants a degree as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN). Progression will be integrated with APRN and DNP courses.

The DNP program component is composed of nine (9) common core courses totaling 27 credits. Students will also complete four (4) clinical role immersion residency courses- Clinical Residency I and II require 100 clinical hours each, Clinical Residency III and IV require 150 clinical hours each- for a total of 500 clinical hours. The four (4) Residency courses will add 10 credits to the program. A total of 37 credits will be required to complete the DNP program. Threaded throughout the individual course objectives are the concepts of policy development, business acumen, translational research, advanced practice, leadership, scholarly writing, informatics, and media savvy.

Additional information: D.N.P. Progression Requirements