Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

There are 6 Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree programs available to Registered Nurses who want to expand their practice as practitioners, specialists, and leaders.

If you have earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, then you will pursue the post-baccalaureate DNP (BSN-DNP) program. If you have a master’s degree in nursing, then you will pursue the Post-Master’s DNP degree.

All DNP degree pathways require students to complete a Doctor of Nursing Practice Project. The DNP Project develops expertise in clinical practice knowledge development to enhance quality of care and patient outcomes. During this project, students will

  • identify a clinical problem or issue
  • develop a clinical question
  • answer the clinical question by thorough appraisal of the evidence
  • evaluate the clinical environment
  • implement evidence-based practice recommendations, policy, or leadership strategies
  • evaluate outcomes
  • share findings

Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner 

If you want to care for adult patients with acute, critical, or chronic illnesses, then the Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner (AGACNP) DNP program may be the best fit for you.

You’ll learn differential diagnosis, disease management, therapeutic interventions, and more.

Here’s what else you need to know about the AGACNP BSN-DNP degree:

  • Comprises 74 credits and 1,260 clinical hours
  • Can be completed in 6 semesters and 2 summer sessions
  • Costs approximately $83,000

View required courses for the BSN-DNP program and the Post-Master’s DNP program.

Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist 

Are you driven to give direct care to adult patients and work with nursing systems and organization? 

The Adult-Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist (AGCNS) DNP program: 

  • Comprises 72 credits and 1,140 clinical hours
  • Can be completed in 6 semesters and 2 summer sessions
  • Costs approximately $81,000

View required courses for the BSN-DNP program and the Post-Master’s DNP program.

Family Nurse Practitioner 

If you enjoy working with people of all walks of life and ages, look no further than the Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) DNP program.

Here’s what else you need to know about the FNP BSN-DNP degree:

  • Comprises 74 credits and 1,080 clinical hours
  • Can be completed in 6 semesters and 2 summer sessions
  • Costs approximately $84,000

View the required courses for the BSN-DNP program and the Post-Master’s DNP program.

Nursing & Organizational Leadership 

Want to be a leader or administrator in the healthcare field? The Nursing and Organizational Leadership (NOL) DNP program:

  • Comprises 72 credits and 1,020 clinical hours
  • Can be completed in 4 semesters
  • Costs approximately $81,000

View the required courses for the BSN-DNP program and the Post-Master’s DNP program.

Practice & Leadership Innovations 

If you envision yourself improving patient care by coming up with new ideas, methods, and devices in healthcare practice, check out the Practice and Leadership Innovations (PLI) DNP program.

Here’s what else you need to know about the PLI BSN-DNP degree:

  • Comprises 72 credits and 1,020 clinical hours
  • Can be completed in 6 semesters and 1 summer session
  • Costs approximately $81,000

View the required courses for the BSN-DNP program and the Post-Master’s DNP program.

Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner 

Are you passionate about helping others of all ages who have behavioral and mental health problems and disorders? 

The Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) DNP program: 

  • Comprises 74 credits and 1,260 clinical hours
  • Can be completed in 6 semesters and 3 summer sessions
  • Costs approximately $84,000

View the required courses for the BSN-DNP program and the Post-Master’s DNP program.

RN-Graduate Nursing Pathway

If you’re a registered nurse, have a two-year nursing degree, and are currently enrolled in WSU’s undergraduate RN-BS Completion Program, then you’re eligible to apply for this pathway to admission to any of WSU’s Graduate Nursing master’s or Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees.

Learn more about the RN-Graduate Nursing Pathway

Expected Program Outcomes 

The DNP programs are designed so that each student will be able to:

  1. Apply evidence-based practice and person-centered care when planning, implementing, and evaluating health care for individuals, families, communities, populations, systems, and/or organizations.
  2. Integrate theory, research, ethics, and information science from nursing and related disciplines into the design and delivery of individual, family, community, and/or population health care spanning the healthcare delivery continuum.
  3. Lead inter-professional teams in the design, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based, person-centered, systems-based interventions that improve the quality and safety of health care for individuals, families, and populations.
  4. Utilize principles of leadership, professionalism, scholarship, quality, safety, informatics, and information technologies when leading professional nursing practice within an advanced nursing role.
  5. Demonstrate standards of professionalism and professional development of self and others consistent with advanced nursing role competencies.

These outcomes were approved by the Curriculum Committee on Oct. 3, 2021 and by the Department of Graduate Nursing on Nov. 8, 2021.

Plans of Study

Plans of study provide detailed outlines of courses students will take for our DNP degree programs.

An elective used to complete any Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is any graduate-level course (preferably 3 credits) that a student’s graduate adviser approves.

View the Schedule of DNP Electives (PDF) for course titles and terms. 

Contact the Graduate Nursing Department
Graduate Nursing Department
WSU Rochester on Broadway

400 South Broadway, Suite 204

Rochester, MN 55904

507.535.2580

Email the Graduate Nursing Department