D.N.P. Curriculum

Drive change with your D.N.P.

You know what it takes to be a dedicated and competent nurse, and you’re ready for the next challenge. Now earn the degree that was made for motivated health care professionals like you.

The curriculum for both the Leadership track and the Advanced Practice Nursing track in our online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice – Leadership program is designed to build on your master’s-level coursework. Graduate in as few as five semesters ready for career advancement with the knowledge to drive change through leadership or teaching roles.

You can gain the skills to:

  • Apply knowledge of ethics and biophysical, psychosocial, analytical and organizational science as a basis for practice
  • Lead systems-level quality improvement and safety initiatives to enhance patient outcomes
  • Evaluate evidence-based processes that address practice patterns in health care organizations
  • Promote safe, equitable and patient‑centered care
  • Integrate technology and information systems with advanced nursing practice
  • Demonstrate expertise in the analysis, formulation and implementation of health care policy
  • Collaborate effectively as a member and leader of inter-professional teams
  • Demonstrate advanced levels of nursing practice, clinical judgment and accountability
  • Employ clinical prevention and health promotion strategies to improve population health with an emphasis on rural, diverse and vulnerable populations

Use our Tuition Calculator to estimate your tuition and fees.

Final Project

Your program will include a final project that focuses on improving outcomes in health care through either practice or systems improvements. For example, you may be interested in presenting about how to improve the care of patients with asthma by implementing best practice standards at a clinic. Other completed project topics include:

  • The Identification of Maltreatment in Children with Disabilities: An Educational Program
  • Accurate Documentation of Smoking History through a Clinical Workflow Improvement Project
  • Evaluation of an Ultrasound-Guided Radial Artery Catheterization Training Program for Nurse Anesthetists
  • Implementation of a Human Trafficking Response Protocol in a Reproductive Healthcare Setting: The Impact on Clinician Preparedness
  • Improving Nutrition in Overweight and Obese Adults with Physical Disabilities
  • Improving Screening and Outcomes for Postpartum Depression
  • Assessment of Chronic Dyspnea in Older Adults: Impact of the Dyspnoea-12 Questionnaire on Nurse Self‑Efficacy

Core Courses (25 credits)

PSYC 541 Advanced Univariate Statistics 3 Credits
NURS 602 Evidence-Based Research I 3 Credits
NURS 603 Evidence-Based Research II 3 Credits
NURS 604 Health Informatics 3 Credits
NURS 605 Health Policy 2 Credits
NURS 608 Healthcare Economics, Finance and Leadership 3 Credits
NURS 609A D.N.P. Project Teams I 1 Credit
NURS 609B D.N.P. Project Teams II 2 Credits
NURS 609C D.N.P. Project Teams III 3 Credits
NURS 610 D.N.P. Capstone 2 Credits

Leadership (12 credits)

NURS 509 Teaching and Learning 3 Credits
NURS 612 Integrated Leadership D.N.P Core Concepts 3 Credits
NURS 613 D.N.P. Organizational Systems Focused Practice 3 Credits
NURS 614 Culture of Safety and Ethics 3 Credits

Advanced Practice Nursing (11 credits)

NURS 600 Integrated D.N.P. Core Concepts I 3 Credits
NURS 601 Integrated D.N.P. Core Concepts II 3 Credits
NURS 606 D.N.P. Systems Focused Practice I 2 Credits
NURS 607 D.N.P. Systems Focused Practice II 3 Credits

Ready to get started?