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 Leadership
Want to be an innovative leader in the healthcare field? The Nursing Leadership (NL) DNP program:
- BS-DNP pathway: Comprises 72 credits and 1,080 clinical hours, can be completed in 6-8 semesters
- Post-Master’s DNP pathway: Comprises 31 credits and 540 clinical hours, can be completed in 4 semesters
- Costs approximately $81,000
Once you graduate and meet additional eligibility criteria related to work experience, you’ll be prepared for the following certification exams:
- Nurse Executive Certification (NE-BC)
- Nurse Executive, Advanced Certification (NEA-BC)
- Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP)
- Certified Nurse Manager and Leader (CNML)
View the required courses for the BS-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.
Expected Program Outcomes
The DNP programs are designed so that each student will be able to:
- Apply evidence-based practice and person-centered care when planning, implementing, and evaluating health care for individuals, families, communities, populations, systems, and/or organizations.
- 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.
- 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.
- Utilize principles of leadership, professionalism, scholarship, quality, safety, informatics, and information technologies when leading professional nursing practice within an advanced nursing role.
- 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 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.
400 South Broadway, Suite 204
Rochester, MN 55904
507.535.2580