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Advanced Nursing Practice, DNP

Advanced Nursing Practice, DNP

Academic programs / Graduate degrees / Advanced Nursing Practice, DNP

Doctor, Doctor of Nursing Practice, Nurse, Practice, Practitioner

Program description
Degree awarded: DNP  Advanced Nursing Practice

The DNP in advanced nursing practice prepares graduates to apply research to and integrate research into clinical practice, using innovative approaches to improve health care outcomes of populations and individuals across multiple settings.

This is a hybrid program, a blend of in-person and online learning. Students are required to travel to campus for orientation once and for immersions two or three times per semester.

Courses are designed for clinical experts and emphasize systems thinking in complex health environments, evidence-based practice, implementation science, and dissemination of outcomes to advance health care practices and policies. The program emphasizes innovation, leadership in professional relationships, and impacting organizational culture. Practicing faculty with systems-based experience teach much of the coursework and residency experiences, enriching student learning.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program engages students to meet doctoral-level competencies in systems-level thinking, complexity science, quality and safety, evidence-based practice, and the development of a doctoral project within a partner organization to improve outcomes at the patient, provider or health care system level. Students of the doctoral program are educated as leaders at the highest level of nursing practice to translate research into practice, lead in multidisciplinary teams, and engage in health care policy and advocacy to improve patient outcomes.

At a glance
Degree requirements

84 credit hours including the required applied project course (DNP 707)

Required Core (13 credit hours)
DNP 704 Principles of Evidence-Based Care in Advanced Practice (4)
DNP 705 Health Care Outcomes Management (3)
DNP 708 Systems Thinking in a Complex Healthcare Environment (3)
DNP 709 Individual and Innovation Leadership in Healthcare Practice (3)

Other Requirement (23 credit hours)
DNP 679 Biostatistics: Principals of Statistical Inference (3)
DNP 703 Innovation in Communication: Scholarly and Professional Writing (2)
DNP 711 Healthcare Policy and Innovation (3)
DNP 712 Clinical Residency and Management (12)
DNP 715 Dynamics and Principles of Information in Health Care (3)

Electives and Research (45 credit hours)

Culminating Experience (3 credit hours)
DNP 707 Disseminating Evidence to Advance Best Practice in Health Care and Health Policy (3)

Additional Curriculum Information
Students complete 540 hours of clinical practice residency and the program courses. Completion of an evidence-based doctoral applied project is required. Each project is developed individually with each student. The student has a primary mentor working with them on the project. Clinical practice residency hours are used to complete the project in a practice setting; work settings may be included, but specific objectives are developed individually with each student and may be different from the student's job. Experiences with disadvantaged and multicultural populations are encouraged, as are experiences in rural areas, and sites are available for these experiences.

For electives or research, students should see the academic unit for the approved course list. Other coursework may be used with the approval of the academic unit.

When approved by the student's supervisory committee and the Graduate College, up to 30 credit hours from a previously awarded master's degree can be used for this program.

Other requirement coursework may be substituted with approval of the academic unit if the student is in an approved concurrent program.

Admission requirements

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Edson College of Nursing and Health Innovation.

Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in nursing from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited institution.

Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program.

All applicants must submit:

  1. graduate admission application and application fee
  2. official transcripts
  3. three professional letters of recommendation
  4. resume
  5. goal statement
  6. admission essay
  7. proof of English proficiency

Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency, per the Graduate College requirement and all requirements for the Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools.

Applicants must be certified as an advanced practice nurse. A current unencumbered RN license in the state in which the student plans to do clinical practicums is required. All students are also required to have an unencumbered Arizona RN license or an unencumbered compact state RN license as mandated by the Arizona State Board of Nursing. The RN license must remain unencumbered throughout enrollment in any nursing program.

Applicants to the post-master's program should identify a relevant clinical issue related to advanced practice nursing that they would like to pursue during their doctoral program.

An interview with program faculty is required.

One year of clinical experience working within the student's specialty population is preferred.

Health and safety requirements include passing disposition on a background clearance and satisfactory completion of a substance screen.

An admission examination is not required.

Applications are reviewed on a space-available basis after the priority deadline.

Tuition information
When it comes to paying for higher education, everyone’s situation is different. Students can learn about ASU tuition and financial aid options to find out which will work best for them.
Application deadlines
SessionModalityDeadlineType
Session A/CIn Person 12/15Priority
Career opportunities

Graduates of the Doctor of Nursing Practice program have the knowledge and training to provide health care for patients across the life span in a wide variety of settings. This broad base of comprehension and clinical expertise enables them to effectively participate and lead within clinical, community and academic arenas.

Career examples:

  • business owner
  • community advocate
  • nurse practitioner
  • professor
Contact information
What are accelerated programs?
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.

3 year programs

These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.

Accelerated master's

These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).

Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
What are concurrent programs?
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
What are joint programs?
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.

What constitutes a new program?
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the “New Programs” option.
What are online programs?
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
What is WRGP (Western Regional Graduate Program)?
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.

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