Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Online Program

Impact health care through innovative leadership.

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A respected leader in the health and healing professions, Ursuline College delivers a distinctive, personalized doctoral program.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is an advanced-level, terminal degree for MSN graduates who wish to become influential in nursing practice, administration, and education. The program focuses on the development of nurse leaders who use evidence-based practice for optimizing health care delivery through effective systems transformation. As a graduate of the program, you’ll be prepared for roles in direct or indirect systems-focused care.

The goal of DNP practice, in addition to providing excellent care to patients, is to optimize health care delivery through effective systems transformation, or planned change. As DNP graduates plan and implement their practice with individuals and populations, they integrate the spiritual, biological, social, psychological and cultural factors that influence human responses to health and illness.

Program Overview

The DNP program is structured as an on-going, year-round program with courses offered during the fall, spring and summer semesters. Students progress at their own pace through the completion of course work and competency-based online learning modules. Each student designs an individualized curriculum plan with an academic advisor. Courses are offered online through an enhanced learning management platform with ready access to support. Direct faculty involvement is ongoing and accessible for each learning module. Students collaborate with faculty online, in person, or via conference calls to meet individual needs.

DNP Graduates will:

Implement the highest levels of advanced nursing care
Provide leadership in health care organizations for the promotion of comprehensive, holistic patient care
Implement change within integrated health care systems
Make decisions based on the integration of a strong knowledge base, personal and professional values and diverse cultural, religious, spiritual and ethical perspectives
Utilize evidence-based practice, including the use of informatics, to meet the health promotion, maintenance, and restoration needs of individuals, families, groups, systems and communities
Implement policy-based approaches to health care that advance population health
Function in independent and interdependent roles as the colleagues of other health professionals in various health care settings

Online DNP Accreditation

The Doctor of Nursing Practice program at Ursuline College is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing. U.S. News & World Report ranks Ursuline's DNP program #4 in Ohio in its 2019 ranking of the nation's Best Nursing Schools.

Read more about the program in our DNP Post-Master's Handbook.

Admission Requirements: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Online Program

Students applying for admission must meet both the general requirements for admission to all graduate programs and the specific requirements of the particular program of study. For the DNP program, admission requirements are as follows:

General Admission Requirements

Application for Graduate Studies must include a succinctly written statement of clearly defined career goals consistent with expectations for DNP educational preparation and address proposed area of interest for scholarly project (no more than two pages). Application for admission may be submitted online at ursuline.edu/apply.
Non-refundable $25 application fee.
All official transcript(s) for a master’s degree in nursing from a CCNE or CNEA accredited program and any additional undergraduate or graduate academic coursework whether or not credit was earned, the program was completed, or the credit appears as transfer credit on another transcript. Transcript(s) must be forwarded to the Office of Graduate Admission directly by the issuing institution.
Evidence of ability to do graduate work as indicated by a minimum 3.0 GPA shown on the applicant’s transcript(s).
Two letters of recommendation from previous faculty members and/ or employers focusing on the applicant’s previous work and potential for successfully completing the DNP program.
After an initial screening of candidates, and at the request of the DNP program admissions committee, applicants may be asked to complete a personal interview with faculty. The purpose of the interview is to assess educational interests and motivation for successful completion of doctoral study in the DNP program.

Program-Specific Admission Requirements

Current, unencumbered Registered Nurse license.
A current resume reflecting a minimum of one-year work experience as a registered nurse. Nursing experience must be within the past two years.

Application Deadline

Applicants are encouraged to initiate formal application within one month of the semester in which you plan to enroll. Graduate nursing courses begin in the fall and spring semesters. Applicants who delay must register for courses within two years of acceptance into the DNP program or the acceptance is voided.

Students wishing to transfer into the DNP program must be in good academic standing at their current institutions. Acceptable transfer credits are determined by the College.