Nursing (D.N.P.)

The online Post Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (PM-DNP) program is for nurses with a master’s degree in nursing who bring their own knowledge, interests, expertise, and insights to this leadership specialty. Students build on these assets while focusing on innovative design and implementation in the healthcare setting. PM-DNP admits cohorts twice a year with start dates in January and August. Asynchronous courses are delivered 100% online in 8-week terms so students may plan their own study times. The PM-DNP program can be completed in 2.5 years or in 1.5 years with an accelerated plan of study.

The PM-DNP curriculum consists of core and DNP Scholarly Project courses. Once a student is admitted, a doctoral committee reviews their graduate transcripts and may grant a course waiver for equivalency with one or more DNP core courses. Individual plans of study are created around each student’s needs and interests. Students may apply up to 500 hours earned during their master’s program toward the 1,000 required practicum hours.

Admission Requirements

1. Applicants must hold a master's degree. A minimum 3.50 cumulative GPA for graduate work is preferred.
2. Registered Nurse licensure: An unencumbered registered nurse license in the United States
3. Letters of recommendation: Three letters of reference pertaining to academic ability, professional competency,and personal character are required.
4. Updated resume
5. Professional statement: The professional statement must include a written essay responding to each of the following:
   1. How will a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree from the University of New Hampshire help you attain your professional goals?
   2. Describe your current advanced nursing role, or if you are pursuing a new specialty, explain what you are planning to do with your nursing career in your specialty after you complete the DNP.
   3. In addition to the information contained in your resume, what strengths do you possess that would contribute to your success in the DNP program and in a community of interprofessional scholars?
   4. Identify one scholarly inquiry from your practice you would like to explore as part of the DNP program (e.g.,quality improvement initiative, evidence-based practice guidelines, new model of care, policy analysis).
6. Interview: After initial review of the application, applicants may be contacted for an interview.

Post Master’s DNP program (33 credits; 500 practicum hours)

The online Doctor of Nursing Practice degree (Post-Master’s entry) requires students complete 21-33 credits via 11 courses.  The online DNP program aims to produce graduates prepared to improve health and care outcomes through coursework in organizational and systems leadership, quality improvement processes, and translation of evidence into practice, to name a few.

Students are required to successfully complete DNP coursework, have 1,000 documented advanced practice clinical hours (includes up to 500 clinical hours earned in master's program), produce a publishable scholarly paper, and present their DNP Project.

If a student completed fewer than 500 clinical hours in their Master’s program, the student must enroll in NURS 970 Clinical Practicum for Advanced Practice Nurse, under the supervision of the DNP director.  NURS 970 is a 2-credit course and allows the student to complete up to 250 clinical practicum hours; this course may be repeated once. 

• Employ strategic leadership skills to shape practice environments to produce positive, patient centered, healthcare outcomes at individual and system levels.
• Serve in a healthcare leadership and change agent role as part of a diverse, complex, and patient-centered health care system.
• Act as a practice scholar to design, direct and evaluate system changes to promote safe, timely, effective, efficient, equitable and patient-centered care.
• Use data analytic methods, information systems and technology to evaluate, integrate and apply knowledge that will improve programs of care, outcomes of care and care systems.
• Use translational science and analytic methods to develop, identify, implement, and evaluate best practices to improve health care and health care systems.
• Design and implement health promotion and clinical prevention strategies across the health/illness continuum to optimize health and disease management.
• Systematically use improvement methods to monitor and evaluate care processes and outcomes and applies data for continuous improvement and safety
• Advocate for social justice through policy, professional and political engagement.
• Applies leadership principles that support inter-professional practice.
• Facilitate interprofessional collaboration to implement practice models, peer review, practice guidelines, health policy, and standards of care.

Professional Licensure/Certification Disclosures

This is a non-licensure degree program. No additional license is required to practice in this field.

Visit the Office of the Registrar's website for more information about university programs that lead to professional licensure or certification eligibility.