Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Admission

Admission Requirements

For consideration and admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice program, applicants must submit the following:

1. A Completed Doctoral Application

A $35 non-refundable application fee is required.

1. Official Transcripts, reflecting the following:

• A BSN degree, or a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, and entry-level MSN from a CCNE- or ACEN-accredited program.
• A Master’s degree in nursing (MSN) and/ or Master’s degree from a regionally accredited institution in a health related discipline (i.e. MPH, MBA, MHA) with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Official Transcripts may be sent electronically or by mail, directly from the school of attendance, in a sealed envelope to:

Any transcripts from institutions outside of the United States require an official course-by-course evaluation by a NACES.org approved agency.

1. A Current Resume Curriculum Vitae

Please upload a current resume in either a word document or PDF in your Admissions Portal

1. One Letter of Recommendation

All letters of recommendation should be:

• from a doctorally prepared professional (i.e. DNP, Ph.D., Ed.D., MD, DO, PharmD), and
• submitted on letterhead and sent directly from the recommender.

Recommendations are to be requested through your Admissions Portal.

Recommender's Instructions:

Please write candidly about the applicant's qualifications and potential to pursue a doctorate in nursing practice. Include the applicant's problem-solving ability, capacity for critical thinking, leadership potential, and ability to effect change in the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape. Descriptions of significant accomplishments and personal qualities related to nursing practice and leadership are particularly helpful.

1. A Valid U.S. RN Licensure

Please upload a valid U.S. RN license as a PDF in your Admissions Portal

1. An APRN Licensure and an APRN National Board Certification

• Advanced Practice Concentration Applicants Only

Please upload both an APRN License and an APRN National Board Certification as separate PDFs in your Admissions Portal.

1. An Essay

Please submit your essay in either a word document or PDF in your Admissions Portal.

Your answers must be typed and double-spaced. Both the content of your answers and your ability to write are being evaluated, so proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling are important.

A minimum of two peer-reviewed references from within the last five years must be utilized and cited in APA format.

Please respond to the following questions in a a 1,000-word essay:

• How will earning a DNP contribute to your personal/professional goals and why are you interested in earning a DNP rather than another doctoral degree?
• What professional experiences have prepared you for doctoral study?
• Describe a particular area of interest that you believe can be improved as a result of an evidence-based doctoral project. Please also include any other research areas of interest.