The Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) degree is an 18- month program in which students complete a standard didactic phase of coursework offered in a distance learning format, and a specialty residency track with clinical research experiences scheduled in the last three quarters of the curriculum. There will be two tracks: 1) Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track for advanced practice nurses who already hold certification in this area of specialty, and 2) a Nurse Executive track, for current professional nursing leaders.

Students must complete a minimum of 1000 post-bachelors residency hours to include the practicum hours completed in an accredited Master of Science in nursing program (M.S.N.) and the 600 indirect care hours that are required to successfully complete the D.N.P. program at Midwestern University. The degree consists of 56 quarter credits. A gap analysis will be conducted to determine the number of residency and clinical research hours a student needs to meet the minimum 1000-hour requirement. D.N.P. graduates are required to demonstrate specific foundational and concentration-related competencies encompassing the following D.N.P. Essentials: scientific underpinnings, organizational and systems leadership, clinical scholarship and analytical methods for evidence-based practice, information systems and technology improvement, health care policy and advocacy, finance, quality improvement initiatives, interprofessional collaboration to improve patient outcomes, clinical prevention and population health, and advanced nursing practice.

Students enrolled in the D.N.P. program complete planned, supervised, and evaluated residencies and clinical research experiences within the states in which they are licensed. Applied residencies and clinical research experiences are tailored to meet the core competencies of doctoral-prepared nurses. D.N.P. students are required to conduct translational, evidenced-based research to improve the health of the population foci supervised by a research project committee. The residencies and clinical research experiences may include government, nongovernment, nonprofit, clinical, or appropriate university-affiliated settings. 

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The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program at Midwestern University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, 655 K Street NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20001, 202-887-6791.

DNP Expected Curriculum

To be considered for admission to the Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) program, applicants must submit the following documented evidence:

1. Completion of a Master’s degree in nursing, granted by a regionally accredited U.S. college or university.
2. Current and unencumbered licensure to practice as a registered nurse in at least one legal jurisdiction in the United States and its territory.
3. Documentation of current clinical, educational, or administrative practice related to nursing that can serve to facilitate successful completion of an advanced nursing degree.
4. Certification by the applicant that there are no pending or reasonably anticipated investigations of his/her registered nursing or advanced practice licensure*.                                                       
5. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
6. Successful completion of a graduate level statistics course with a grade of a “C” or higher. “C-" will not be accepted.
7. Oral and written communication skills necessary to interact with faculty, patients, and colleagues.                                   
8. Successful completion of an interview by invitation with program faculty (scheduled during the final application review).
9. Successful completion of Midwestern University’s Criminal Background Check.
10. Commitment to abide by the Midwestern University Drug-Free Workplace and Substance Abuse Policy.
11. Successful completion of all physical examination and inoculation requirements prior to matriculation.
12. Certification of Basic Life Support (BLS) and AED Training for Health Care Providers prior to matriculation.

*Admissions to the D.N.P./Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner track also requires students to hold a current and unencumbered advanced practice registered nursing (APRN) certificate issued by their respective State Board of Nursing, and a current and unencumbered national Board certification as an Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner (AGPCNP) issued by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB) or the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).