Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice
Earn your CCNE-accredited post-master’s DNP at a university known for nursing excellence.
- A practiced-focused curriculum
- 100% online coursework
- Qualify for roles with a median annual income of $113,930 and 26% projected growth rate through 20281
As the health care industry evolves, the need for leaders who can stay ahead of the curve is greater than ever. Lead the transformation with an online Post-Master’s DNP degree.
What Makes Us Unique?
Nursing expertise at every level. Sacred Heart University is known for its excellence in nursing education. With programs at all levels of study, from BSN to a Post Masters DNP online, Sacred Heart has the resources, expertise, and pathways that can propel you to continued career advancement and longterm success.
The Human Journey. Sacred Heart believes in a whole-person approach to patient treatment and nurse leadership. We call it The Human Journey. You’ll explore what it means to be a human being through literature, philosophy, religion, sociology, and more.
Learn More Today
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- Duration 3 years
- Cost per Credit $995
- Credit Hours 39
Program Benefits
- Leadership practice focus
- MSN clinical hours count toward required DNP clinical hours
- All online, except for two on-campus visits to present research
- Award-winning doctorate-prepared faculty
Confidently Step Into a DNP Role With Policy, Advocacy and Ethics Knowledge
You can enter director-level roles to positively impact health care and patient populations. Advanced nurse leader roles range from working directly with patients to managing teams and solving complex practice problems. You can choose what role you’d like to fill with the highest degree in nursing. Complete your post master’s DNP at your own pace; anywhere from two to six years.
Elevate your education from an MSN to DNP knowing that your MSN clinical hours count toward DNP-required field hours. Engage in online coursework in evidence-based practice, healthcare policy, and population health with electives in palliative care and executive leadership. You’ll also benefit from visiting Connecticut to share research projects.
Curriculum: Practice-Focused Degree
Accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program consists of 14 courses and 39 credit hours; 12 of these 39 credit hours will focus on the selection and completion of the post-master’s DNP scholarly project.
Explore the interrelationship between policy, advocacy and ethics on clinical practice, learn to identify key processes involved in optimal patient safety, examine methods for describing disease rates and other vital statistics, and much more.
The DNP curriculum includes a scholarly practice project in which you’ll use your research to improve critical care delivery and patient outcomes.
PREVIEW COURSESCareer Outlook: Unlock Multiple Opportunities
Maximize your career opportunities in advanced clinical practice and executive health care leadership with the online Post Masters DNP program. You’ll qualify for roles with a median annual income of $113,930 and projected growth rate of 26 percent through 2028.1
Positions such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist and Certified Nurse Midwife allow you to continue to work with patients, while positions such as Director of Nursing and Executive VP of Healthcare let you step back and manage a team from a higher level, focusing more on management-related challenges.
CAREERS AND SALARIESStudent Learning Outcomes for Doctoral Education for Advanced Nursing Practice
- Scientific Underpinnings for Practice
- Organizational and Systems Leadership for Quality Improvement and Systems Thinking
- Clinical Scholarship and Analytical Methods for Evidence-Based Practice
- Information Systems/Technology and Patient Care Technology for the Improvement and Transformation of Health Care
- Health Care Policy for Advocacy in Health Care
- Interprofessional Collaboration for Improving Patient and Population Health Outcomes
- Clinical Prevention and Population Health for Improving the Nation’s Health
- Advanced Nursing Practice
Admission Requirements
The following are some of the essential admission requirements for the online Post-Master’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program:
- Completed application
- 3.2 minimum GPA
- Master of Science in Nursing or a master’s degree with a concentration in nursing (including an undergraduate statistics course)
- Current U.S. licensure as a registered nurse in your state of residence
- Current advanced practice nursing licensure and certification documents
- Proof of individual and professional liability insurance
Tuition Details
The DNP program from Sacred Heart University costs $995 per credit and features 39 total credit hours. Affordability and transparency are priorities at SHU. We want you to have everything you need in order to make a decision about investing in a high-quality education.
TUITION AND FEESFaculty: Side-by-Side Support
Highly focused on leadership and practice, the faculty at Sacred Heart University consists of doctorally prepared professors who will work side-by-side with you as you complete your degree.
Accommodate your busy schedule and learn when and where it’s convenient for you. As an online student, you’ll work with the same accomplished faculty, receive one-on-one support and benefit from the same opportunities as our on-campus students.
ONLINE AT SHUAt Sacred Heart University, we strive to keep our programs affordable and encourage you to explore all of your financial aid options, including federal aid, military benefits and available scholarships.
FINANCIAL AIDFrequently Asked Questions
If you have a question we don’t cover here, request more information or call 877-791-7181.
The DNP program requires 1,000 clinical hours minus any credit given for your MSN clinical hours. You can receive credit for up to 470 prior graduate clinical hours.
Nurses can transfer up to six credits from a regionally accredited university. You will need to submit syllabi for any coursework to be considered for transfer.
You can earn a DNP degree in three years.
You may take as many as six years to complete the program.
Sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2019 September 4). Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners. Occupational Outlook Handbook. Retrieved October 16, 2019, from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm
- U.S. News & World Report (2020). Sacred Heart University. Retrieved November 6, 2019, from https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/sacred-heart-university-1403.