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As a respected leader in health care professions, Ursuline College delivers a distinctive, personalized nursing doctorate 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 develops innovative nurse leaders who use evidence-based practice to optimize health care delivery. As a graduate of the online DNP program, you will be prepared for roles in direct or indirect systems-focused care.
The goal of the Doctor of Nursing Practice, in addition to providing excellent care to patients, is to optimize health care delivery through effective systems transformation, or planned change. As DNP degree holders 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.
Listen to Associate Professor Mary Beth Zeni, RN, ScD, share her experiences as a nurse researcher in this Year of the Nurse video. In the video, she shares how her research on upstream factors that contributed to adverse health outcomes influenced her nursing practice at regional perinatal centers in this Year of the Nurse video.
The Doctor of Nursing Practice 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 degree holders will be prepared as clinical and researcher leaders to:
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.
In response to the rising call for nurse leadership in healthcare systems, Ursuline College has announced a 30% reduction in tuition for its Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and post-graduate certificate programs. Starting with the fall 2020 semester, tuition has been reduced from $1,214 to $849 per credit hour.
Students applying for admission to Ursuline's Doctor of Nursing Practice online program must meet the general requirements for admission to all graduate programs and the specific requirements of the online DNP program. For the DNP program, admission requirements are as follows:
Succinctly written statement of clearly defined career goals consistent with expectations for Doctor of Nursing Practice educational preparation. This document should identify the 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. Transcripts are required whether 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 successful completion of the online DNP program.
Personal interview with faculty after an initial screening and request from the DNP program admissions committee. The purpose of the interview is to assess educational interests and motivation for successful completion of doctoral study in the online DNP program.
Applicants to this nursing doctorate program 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 online DNP program or the acceptance is voided.
Students wishing to transfer into the Doctor of Nursing Practice program must be in good academic standing at their current institutions. Acceptable transfer credits are determined by the College.