Post-Master’s DNP
Two paths are available for nurses who have master's degrees and want to add the clinical doctorate in nursing.
Post-Master’s DNP for APRNs
If you're an advanced practice nurse who has a master’s degree in nursing and is certified in any of the focus areas offered in our DNP program, you can earn a DNP without changing your specialty. Students are typically admitted to this pathway with 135 to 500 practicum hours completed in their master’s degree program, and those hours can be credited toward the 1,000 total hours required for the DNP degree. That means that, when you enter the Post-Master's DNP program for APRNs, you complete only the DNP core curriculum, comprising 38 credit hours.
Post-Master’s DNP: Executive Nurse Leadership
Experienced nurses with leadership-focused graduate degrees (e.g., MS in Nursing-Leadership, MBA, MHA) or significant leadership experience may pursue the DNP with an emphasis on executive nurse leadership. This ENL Concentration is designed for nurses who, besides having a master's degree, also have employment experience in nursing leadership and hold an executive nursing board certification, such as CENP, NEA-BC. This pathway allows experienced nurse leaders to build on prior graduate education and leadership preparation while completing the requirements for the DNP degree.