This terminal degree is a pinnacle for nurses who have earned a master's degree in nursing. This online clinical doctorate helps students further develop their leadership and policy-making skills and provides experience in the interpretation of and practical adaptation of evidence based practice and best practices.
This program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
If you're a nurse who has a master's degree in nursing, our Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) offers you an opportunity to sharpen your nursing skills and enhance your leadership expertise. The DNP is a clinical doctorate with emphasis on enhancing leadership expertise in rural and underserved populations.
To receive a Doctor of Nursing Practice Degree (DNP) at Northern Arizona University, you must complete a planned group of courses, consisting of at least 74 - 79 units of graduate-level courses and one thousand hours (1,000) of clinical practice.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
| Minimum Units for Completion | 74 - 79 |
| Additional Admission Requirements | Required |
| Oral Defense | Oral Defense is required. |
| Research | Individualized research is required. |
| Additional Fees/Program Fees | Required |
| Some online/blended coursework | Required |
Purpose Statement
The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program is designed to allow nurses holding a master’s degree (MS) in nursing to obtain a terminal degree in nursing. The DNP builds on master’s education and includes content related to healthcare leadership, policy, and population health. Students will develop in-depth knowledge of interprofessional collaboration, information systems and healthcare technology, and the analysis, synthesis, translation, and dissemination of scientific and evidence-based professional literature. Learning experiences provided in this program include design and implementation of quality improvement and practice change projects, systematic and comprehensive investigation of topics related to population health, healthcare systems, and advanced nursing practice. DNP graduates will have the knowledge to inform and lead practice innovation, policy development, and improve delivery of health care in our complex and evolving healthcare system. DNP-prepared nurses may hold positions in academia, clinical practice and healthcare administration in hospitals, government agencies, private industry, and clinical practice settings. The DNP at Northern Arizona University is a clinical doctorate with emphasis on enhancing leadership expertise in rural and underserved populations.
Student Learning Outcomes
Outcomes align with Standards from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE)
Upon completion of the degree, students will be able to:
The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Office of Graduate and Professional Studies.
Admission requirements include the following:
Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.
Ready to apply? Begin your application now.
International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.
Individual program admission requirements over and above admission to NAU are required.
This Doctoral degree requires 74 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 74 units with a minimum GPA of 3.0:
Nursing Common Courses (28 units)
Please Note
This degree is a clinical doctorate with emphasis on leadership expertise. One thousand hours (1,000) of clinical practice with a minimum of 240 hours completed at NAU is required. The summative outcome is a DNP project that demonstrates the integration and translation of evidence based practice to enhance clinical practice, which includes an oral defense.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
Program fees are established by the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR). A program fee has been approved for this program. See program fee details. Program fees are subject to change and updated July 1 for the next academic year.